Roxas definitely out DUTERTE, POE, BINAY IN 3-WAY TIGHT FIGHT

By Manny Piñol

The Supreme Court’s stunning 9-6 decision allowing Senator Grace Poe to run for President of the Philippines has suddenly turned what was earlier expected to be a 4-person contest into a tough and tight 3-cornered fight.

And it would be a tight fight between Poe, Vice President Jejomar Binay and Davao City Mayor Rody Duterte.

The administration Liberal Party’s candidate, former Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas III has effectively been sidelined as a result of the SC’s favourable decision for Poe.

It would not even come as a surprise if many of the LP’s provincial leaders would suddenly jump on the Poe bandwagon which is expected following today’s verdict allowing her to run.

Would this development be detrimental to Duterte’s Presidential bid?

I really do not believe it would. In fact, I am inclined to view this development as beneficial to Duterte, especially in as far as the Mindanao and Visayas political areas are concerned.

You see, the reason why Duterte is only faring about 50% in his home island of Mindanao is simply because many of the known political personalities are affiliated with LP.

Now that it has become clear that Roxas simply has no chance of winning the Presidency with Binay, Poe and Duterte locked in a 3-way tight contest, I would expect Mindanao’s political leaders to go for the homegrown presidential candidate.

The same scenario could happen in Eastern Visayas Provinces – Bohol, Cebu, Leyte and Samar – where the LP still has formidable political networks.

Duterte’s legions of followers, including the millions of Overseas Filipino Workers, will hardly be swayed by this latest political development.

Outside of Roxas, the other presidential candidate who would be adversely would be Binay because Poe will definitely neutralise him in Central Luzon where he is perceived to be strong.

But it is to early to make a call on who would have a clear advantage from the fall of Roxas from the race.

Definitely, however, Duterte and his followers are rock solid and as he continues to surge as the election nears, I would not be surprised if towards the finish line, the 3-way fight now would finally be shaped into a Duterte-Poe contest.