By Ellen T. Tordesillas, Maria Feona Imperial, Verlie Retulin
VERA Files
With almost 65 per cent of the results of the voting for the 2016 Elections, Sen. Grace Poe of Partido Galing at Puso conceded the election to Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte of PDP-Laban.
Poe concedes in a televised past midnight press conference.
Poe concedes in a televised past midnight press conference.
In a statement which Poe read in her past- midnight press conference, she said:
Mga minamahal kong kababayan, naging malupit ang tatlong buwan ng kampanya at higit pa doon, kung bibilangin niyo, ang umpisa kung kailan ako naghayag sa aking desisyon na tumakbo bilang pangulo.
Ipinagmamalaki kong sabihin na ako, ang aking pangkat, ang aking mga tagasuporta ay hindi nawalan kailanman ng pananalig.
Naniniwala kami sa mga adbokasiyang aking isinusulong para sa ating mga kababayan. Lumaban kami nang malinis at patas.
Matutulog ako ngayong gabi na may malinis na konsensya, na panatag sa kaalaman na ako, kasama ang aking pangkat at ang lahat ng minamahal kong tagasuporta, ginawa natin ang lahat. Ginawa natin ang lahat ng ating makakaya.
Ako si Grace Poe at naging kandidato para sa pagkapangulo ngayong 2016 ay nagbibigay-daan kay Rodrigo Duterte na siyang maliwanag na nangunguna sa kasalukuyang bilangan at siyang napili ng nakararami sa ating mga kababayan.
Bilang isang masidhing tagapagtaguyod ng repormang pang-eleksyon, matatag ang paniniwala ko sa boses at kalooban ng ating taumbayan. Iginagalang ko ang resulta ng ating halalan.
Binabati ko si Mayor Rodrigo Duterte at ipinapangako ko ang aking pakikiisa sa paghilom ng ating bayan at pakikiisa ng ating mga kababayan tungo sa patuloy na pag-unlad ng ating bansa.
Maraming salamat po.
Before her presscon Poe said she called up Duterte and congratulated him. :”Hindi naging mahirap sa akin ang ating pagbibigay daan. Hindi ito pagsuko, ito ay pagbibigay daan at pagbibigay respeto.”
The topnotcher in the 2013 senatorial elections, Poe was an early favorite until she was slapped with disqualification cases in connection with her citizenship and residency.
Duterte overtook last month and she never regained the lead.
Vice President Jejomar Binay of the United Nationalist Alliance issued the following statement:
I have repeatedly called for respecting institutions and the democratic process. Once the process is completed, we should always respect the outcome.
We should all move towards healing and unity for our divided land.
There was no statement from Mar Roxas, Liberal Party standard bearer and Sen. Miriam Santiago of People’s Reform Party.
As of 12:30 a.m, with 69.69 percent of the votes canvassed by the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), the tally was Duterte- 13,388,448; Roxas-8,249,253; Poe-7,856,739; Binay-4,686,261; and Santiago -1,301,924.
Duterte will be the first president to come from Mindanao. He is also the first mayor to be catapulted to the presidency.
(VERA Files is put out by veteran journalists taking a deeper look at current issues. Vera is Latin for “true.”)
Nice one from Poe unlike Roxas and Binay…looks like a REPEAT of ESTRADA and GLORIA story is waiting to happen…Looks like NOYNOY did his MIRACLE so Leni can win and have her take over once Du30 is impeached…hay buhay…
Thank you Grace for offering yourself as an alternative. Gracefully done!
Well, like they always say, the Electorate is Always Right.. Whatever issues not settled before the election, like for example the allegations of wrongdoings can Not be Just forgotten but must be fully and thoroughly investigated to the Public satisfaction. And those who committed crimes against the people and the State Must Pay.
And Congrats to the Leading Candiidates and most particularly to Leni. And I hope she will maintain her lead. And the electorate is always right.
I really appreciates Grace Poe conceding graciously! Sincere and she is one of the few who fight a good fight and in the end, recognized the winner and very supportive of the choice of us pinoys! Mabuhay ka Senadora Grace!!!
Let the healing begin. Let’s give the new president his 100-day honeymoon period. And together, work towards achieving what we hoped for this administration to deliver.
Many have conceded, Grace, Mar and some VP candidates Chiz and Sonny. Gringo declined saying, “Bakit ako magco-concede? Mahihirapan na silang agawin sa akin yung kulelat na pwesto”.
Si Alma Moreno rin daw. Sabi niya “I will concieve”.
Tongue, si Binay ayaw din magconcede.
Nawawala siguro sa kadiliman.
Ayaw pa ni Nognog mag concede.
Masakit talaga tanggapin na pagkatapos niyang gumastos ng napakalaki para sa election campaigns, matatalo siya ng ganito. Umaasa pa yata ng milagro ang ungas. At akala naman niya boto sa kanya ang maraming Pilipino.
Di naman masama ang mangarap. Pero ang managinip ng gising at nakatulala sa hangin ay ibang usapan na iyan.
Siguro nagbabakasakali na mangyari sa kanya yung nangyari kay Onyok Velasco sa Olympics noon. Natalo sa laban para sa gold. Noong ni-replay, aba eh nanalo.
Akala siguro ni Nognog, nasa bubble gang siya.
Si Binay? Feeling Pia Wurtzbach lang. Talo na, nanalo pa.
Ellen, Erap was the first Mayor to become president but he did pass through senator then VP.