LEGAZPI CITY—Independent presidential candidate Grace Poe on Thursday rejected the claims by her detractors that she was the only person “standing in the way” of a Duterte administration.
“I believe it is not fair to say that I’m standing in his way,” said Poe when asked to comment on the reports she was the only one frustrating the presidential bid of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, the standard bearer of the PDP-Laban.
“He could also be standing in my way,” said Poe. Duterte had said Poe would be a weak president if elected to the position. Duterte has overtaken Poe in the latest poll surveys, but Poe continues to gain endorsements and support from various parts of the country.
Poe and Duterte are now tied in the race for the presidency.
Asked to comment after it was suggested she was the only one who could stop a Duterte presidency, Poe said people should be able to believe what they wanted to believe.
“What kind of Philippines do we want to have? It would be difficult if you don’t do anything if you can do more for your country because you may one day regret it and blame yourself,” she said.
“And I don’t really believe that we should put an end to the problems of the country through the use of violence,” said Poe in alluding to Duterte’s vow to kill all criminals to put an end to crime.
The tough-talking mayor has claimed he shot dead 16 inmates for the rape and killing of an Australian lay minister.
“My point here is we have to choose somebody who can get us out from poverty but bullets are not the answer to our problems,” Poe said.
She rejected the reports that her husband Neil Llamanzares engaged Escudero in a fistfight.
“You are again looking for an exciting story in this campaign,” she said.
Escudero also denied the report, saying Poe’s family and his were very close.
Poe also said it was not she who had offered Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago P300 million to quit the presidential race.
