SENATOR GRACE POE  is likely looking at the Philippines now- on the possibility of her becoming  its servant leader – a role denied to her late father FPJ due to  a fraudulent election in 2004.  He died a heartbroken man.

Sen Grace Poe is looking for this one opportunity in a lifetime , not served to just any one  of us the  100 million folks – to make a  positive difference in the lives of many Filipinos. She is probably asking her Papa Ronnie now ” Dad, should I run for president?”. And prays every day for divine guidance.

Grace is not sliding down to  be the vice president of anyone. The senator probably feels that while she vowed to President Pnoy Aquino  that she will tread the  matuwid na daan, becoming a vice president to DILG chief Mar Roxas , is not the only way to do so.   

Senator Grace Poe is a novelty of this generation, a fiercely independent woman warrior who does not believe in traditional politics. She will thrive in it without becoming a part of it . Will she make it?

A supporter of Grace asks: “These people dissuade her to become president saying she lacks the experience. The very same people, however, invite her to be vice president of Mar Roxas. If Roxas, God forbid, dies on day two  of his presidency, why do they risk having a “raw” VP to assume the  presidency?  They are all hypocrites.The truth is they want her to run for  vice president  in order to remove her from the presidential race. .” Poe has led the last SWS and Pulse Asia ratings.

A dinner meeting was held at the residence of Neil and Grace Poe in San Juan city with LP bet Mar Roxas  last Sunday night that lasted five hours – but can only be summarized in one sentence :”Grace ,will you be my VP?”. Two days after- Grace headlined the Inquirer news banner with the answer :” Don’t wait for me,LP”.  That is the long and the short of it.

Now “barking  dogs” from everywhere are attacking the poor Grace (who has not even indicated a salivating interest for the presidency) with vague issues of citizenship and residency and outrageous accusations of her  being a maid beater, a drunkard and to  said  to have undergone rehabilitation. She feels oppressed. And everyone knows how an FPJ responds to bullying and oppression.  Remember -Grace is her father’s daughter.

Every mud they throw at her only magnifies the purity of her intentions. Every underhanded tactic they slap her face with, irks the masa who does not like underdogs beaten that way and empathizes with her predicament.  Her haters,in fact,   are the best campaigners for her presidency.

People realize by now that the senator is not a pushover. When Binay’s camp hinted she may not be a citizen because she is foundling, Grace released a bomb- better that I know not who my parents are than to put my real parents to shame with what I do with my life (corruption, for instance). When the acid-tongued Caloocan congressman Rep Edgar Erice alluded to a metaphor that Grace is a green under- ripe banana , Roxas a ripe one and Binay a rotten banana- she said, it’s better to be a green banana because it will last longer.

They should stop trying her capacity for tit for tat.

Senator Grace is ready for  a clean boxing match and for a no rules pit-bull wrestling. She is ready for every issue they will detonate against her.

Of the projected 50 million voters in 2016, the key segments to victory are the woman  and youth votes votes.  Assuming Binay, Roxas, Marcos, Duterte, Lacson or Cayetano all  run for president, Grace will be the lone woman candidate. This woman vote was crucial to president Barrack Obama’s reelection victory, take note.

That is the reason why tactically the LP’s Roxas had lined up “women” in his vice presidential options: Governor Vilma Santos, Rep Leni Robredo and even Health Secretary Garin (as in vote Margarin,  healthier than butter) to offset Grace’s decided advantage among the women voters. They have talked of woman “star power” of the undecided Vilma Santos- but  remember that they must also contend with the likely support of  power women like  a  Sharon Cuneta( Tito Sotto), Kris Aquino (hinted) and Nora Aunor (decidedly an FPJ fan) for Senator Grace.

One other hint is that Brian Poe Llamanzares, the eldest of the Poe siblings, just quit his post as an  accomplished reporter of the new CNN Philippines to “help my mother in whatever decision she makes in 2016” and to erase issues of conflict of interest as a performing journalist of the newest TV news station.

Is Senator Grace Poe running for president? She is  still sincerely praying for guidance, whether you believe it or not.

For comments: email to bingo_dejaresco@yahoo.com.ph or bohol-rd@mozcom.com