Three is a crowd PNOY FAILS TO FORGE ROXAS-POE TANDEM

MANILA – The meeting lasted for six hours but there was no consensus.

This was the main takeaway of Senators Grace Poe and Francis “Chiz” Escudero after meeting with President Aquino and Secretary Mar Roxas in Malacanang Palace Wednesday night.

Roxas earlier said President Aquino arranged the meeting and he attended because he was interested in pursuing the President’s reform programs.

The meeting supposedly tackled who the President should endorse as standard-bearer of the Liberal Party.

In a text message, Poe said the dinner-meeting lasted from 7 p.m. Wednesday to past 1 a.m. Thursday.

She said one thing was agreed upon: that the right leadership will play a significant role in the country’s advancement.

“Maganda at maayos ang aming pag-uusap…Lahat kami ay sang-ayon na nakasalalay sa tamang liderato ang pagsulong ng ating bansa. Kaya naman nagkasundo kami na ang pinakamahalaga ay isaalang-alang ang boses at gabay ng ating mga kababayan upang masigurong hindi ito mawaldas at mapalakas pa ang maayos na paraan ng pamamalakad ng gobyerno sa darating na susunod na anim na taon,” she said.

For his part, Escudero described the meeting as cordial and relaxed. He said they ate Chinese food and talked about a lot of things “other than 2016.”

“No consensus on 2016,” he said.

Roxas has been rumored as the possible standard-bearer of the LP after giving way to Aquino’s presidential bid in 2010.

However, some LP members have expressed support for Poe as the party’s possible standard-bearer after the senator topped pre-election surveys of potential presidential bets.

Poe and Roxas have yet to announce their presidential bids. Poe earlier said she prefers to run with Escudero as running-mate.

The President earlier met with Poe and Escudero to discuss how to have a united front for the 2016 elections.

Meanwhile, Roxas was asked if one of them was asked to make a sacrifice.

His reply?

“Sacrifice? I think hindi dapat ako ang tanungin tungkol dyan dahil malinaw ang track record natin na may kakayahan tayo na magsakripisyo, na magparaya alang-alang sa mas malaking objective na pagsulong ng daang matuwid. Thank you very much,” he said.