VICE presidential candidate Francis Escudero on Wednesday told the administration’s standard bearer Manuel Roxas II and Vice President Jejomar Binay to be man enough to respect and accept the endorsement made by the Nationalist People’s Coalition.
The NPC, the country’s largest political party, on Monday announced its support for the candidacies of Senator Escudero and his presidential running mate Senator Grace Poe in the May elections.
Poe and Escudero have been the top picks in the various pre-election surveys.
“Be man enough regarding this matter,” Escudero in reference to Roxas of the Liberal Party and Binay of the United Nationalist Alliance.
“Accept and respect whatever decision whether it is favorable to them or not.”
In Tubigon, Bohol, Roxas II criticized Escudero for his statement.
“[Escudero] should man up,” Roxas said.
But he declined to comment on the Nationalist People’s Coalition’s decision to endorse Escudero.
“I cannot speak for that party. Maybe you’ll have to talk to them for their procedure,” he said.
Escudero said Roxas and Binay were not in a position to speak on behalf of the NPC.
“The last time I looked at it, Mar is from the LP and VP Binay is from UNA. They have no right to speak for the NPC,” Escudero said.
He slammed Roxas and Binay for trying to downplay the endorsement by the NPC.
He also dismissed their comments, saying they were sour-graping.
“They have been saying many things after they failed to get the endorsement. They were the ones who already have a [political] party and machinery. Why are they complaining now?” Escudero said.
He insisted that the NPC’s support gave him and Poe a further lift two months before the May 9 elections.
“The NPC endorsement is a big deal to us because it will put warm bodies on the ground for our campaign,” Escudero said.
Poe and Escudero are independent candidates and who are running under the platform “government with a heart.”
During a press conference at the House of Representatives on Monday, NPC officials led by their president, Deputy Speaker and Isabela Rep. Giorgidi Aggabao, announced that the party had decided to adopt Poe and Escudero as their presidential and vice presidential candidates respectively in the May 9 elections.