More Bicolano governors back Grace Poe’s presidential bid

Five of six governors from the Bicol region are now supporting her presidential candidacy, Senator Grace Poe indicated in a statement on Monday.

Poe thanked the Bicolano governors—Joey Salceda of Albay, Edgardo Tallado of Camarines Norte, Miguel Luis Villafuerte of Camarines Sur, Raul Lee of Sorsogon, and Araceli Wong of Catanduanes—for backing her bid to become president.

The senator also thanked dismissed Masbate Governor Rizalina Seachon Lanete and Catanduanes Vice Governor Jose Teves, who's running for governor.

Lanete is facing plunder charges and was ordered dismissed by the Ombudsman in October last year.

It appears that Masbate Governor Vicente Homer Revil has yet to give his support to Poe.

"Nagpapasalamat tayo sa suporta ng Bicol region sa pamumuno nina Gov. Salceda, Gov. Villafuerte, Gov. Tallado, Gov. Lee, Gov. Lanete, Gov. Wong at Vice-Gov. Teves. Mahalaga ang suporta ng mga local leaders sa ating ipinaglalaban," Poe said.

"Mayaman ang Bicol region at matiyaga at masipag ang mga Bikolano. Kailangan lang nila ng tulong ng gobyerno para paunlarin ang kabuhayan ng bawat pamilya," she added.

Southern Luzon or the Bicol region had 2.8 million registered voters in 2010.

Poe has dropped to second place in recent voter preference surveys.

The latest Pulse Asia survey commissioned by ABS-CBN showed Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte widening his lead over Poe by 12 points, garnering a voter preference rating of 34 percent compared to the latter's 22 percent.

When asked if she was optimistic of catching up with Duterte, Poe said she would do "what is right."

She, however, admitted to seeing the mayor's double digit lead over her as a "bigger challenge" to hurdle.

As election day draws near, Poe urged voters to choose a leader who will not bring the Philippines back to the dark days of martial law, when thousands were killed and tortured. 

“Mag-iingat tayo sapagkat ‘yan ang ayaw nating balikan. Sa tingin ko malayo ang narating natin pagdating sa kalayaan ng paghahayag,” Poe told reporters in Calasiao, Pangasinan Sunday night when asked if she was worried about Duterte’s statement that he was open to declaring martial law if lawlessness prevails.

She maintained that the people should not be afraid of the government.

"Hindi natin dapat katakutan ang gobyerno. Dapat ang gobyerno ang matakot sa atin ‘pag hindi ginagawa ang trabaho,” Poe said. —Xianne Arcangel/NB, GMA News