Escudero says he will never abandon Poe

TACLOBAN CITY, Jan. 8 (PNA) – Vice presidential candidate Sen. Francis Escudero assured he will never abandon his runningmate, Sen. Grace Poe despite disqualification issues hounding the presidential bet.

Poe is running for president in the May 2016 elections and her candidacy is still on hold pending the final decision of the Supreme Court on her citizenship and residency.

Escudero and Poe graced a forum attended by multi-sectoral group at Alejandro Hotel in this city Thursday afternoon.

Poe’s supporters claimed that Escudero cannot be trusted and would later abandon her.

They were with Partido Galing at Puso senatorial candidates Pasig City lone Representative Roman Romulo and Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno.

“Unknown to many of you here, Senator Grace and I and our respective families are long-time friends for a decade now. We have journeyed together as individuals and in our political careers,” Escudero added.

"I won’t let other political parties and enemies destroy that friendship," he said.

Escudero served as spokesman for her father, the late action star Fernando Poe Jr, who ran for president in 2004.

Poe was even the veil sponsor of the Balesin wedding of Escudero and actress Heart Evangelista last year.

In recent poll surveys, Poe is leading the presidential race ahead of the kick off for the campaign of national candidate on Feb. 9.

Aside from the forum in Hotel Alejandro, the tandem also visited the orphanage SOS Children’s Village in Diit village and attended a students’ forum at the Leyte Normal University. (PNA)
JMC/SQM/VICKY C. ARNAIZ