Today on ANC, Karen Davila welcomed a cool and relaxed Chiz Escudero, looking great and confident as ever. I was
tagged by Belinda Carlos in a post narrating today's guesting of Senator Francis "Chiz" Escudero in ANC's Headstart, hosted by Davila every 8am, weekdays.
The first question thrown at him was "Why do you endorse Noy-Bi (Senator Noynoy Aquino and Mayor Jojo Binay)?", and "Why did you chose this tandem over other teeming political teams?"
Chiz expressed confidently that he believes that they (Noy and Binay) are the best team who is worthy of the presidential and vice-presidential positions, respectively. He strongly believes in their capacity and worthiness, both as persons and public servants, who will fill competently the said positions. He further stated that he believes Noy's good intentions and he is seeing it from his heart. Noy could truly perform such position, and so does Binay's competency and legislative experiences, that would make them a good tandem!
Karen asked again, "Why endorse Binay when all the while, Roxas is Noy's teammate in LP? Didnt he think that what he is doing will create a division from among LP members?"
Chiz firmly believes that there is no such thing as "block-voting" in our electoral system, and anybody may choose for himself whomever he believes is worthy of his trust and vote. He further explained that this is also applicable for any other candidates. If they chose to support Noy-Legarda or Gordon-Mar, this is anybody's choice that nobody should be bitter why he was not chosen. As Belinda says, "I guess this is where credibility of one candidate factors in. If he or she is really worthy, you don't need to ask for people's support because they will automatically support you because they know."
Chiz emphasized that whomever will win in the coming election, will need the people's support, because nobody is really prepared for the position, but everything will fall into place as soon as there is unity from among our citizens.
Karen asked Chiz if it is his plan for the coming 2016 to run with Binay as Pres and VP respectively, "why he did you not chose to endorse Mar, is it because you two shall be both vying for the position?"
In a cool way, Escudero answered Karen with "No, not this early, it was not yet on my mind, and it has no relation whatsoever with Mar's dreams of running in 2016." He chose to support Binay, and explained further that Binay is originally with him for so long in the Opposition, compared to Mar who sided with GMA's ticket opposite FPJ during the last elections, where he and Binay jointly supported the latter's candidacy as oppositionists.
Karen finally asked why TeamChiz were allegedly expelled from the campaign of LP team. Escudero pointed out that, we chose to stand down, and let the LP team handle the campaign to cause no problem whatsoever, because we have been informed that they will make various changes and adjustments in the campaign. To avoid any arguments, or disagreements, our decision was to stand down.
In between takes, Danton Remoto of Ang Ladlad Partylist was interviewed over the phone. He clearly declared, " I support NOY-BI tandem because I believe Noy is the "Mr. Clean of Philippine Politics, di na kelangang labhan o ikula, malinis talaga!" On Binay, he confirmed that he was with Binay during the PDP-Laban and both Noy and Binay's platform have gender component which he likes.
Karen asked Chiz' reaction regarding LP Campaign team manager Butch Abad's comment over an interview jokingly asking if Chiz is already a member of Ladlad?
Chiz straightened out the facts that some people are "walang intindi" or "makitid ang utak." Karen sustained with asking if Abad's actions were uncalled for. Chiz reiterates that, "maiwasan na lang sana ang ganyang comments."
In Belinda's personal opinion, and I couldn't agree more, Abad is embittered with Chiz' decision to support Binay instead of Mar. It was very obvious that his remark over Chiz and Ang Ladlad is a litlle bit vindictive to the point of asking the interviewer if Chiz is already a member, meaning, he is in doubt now of CHIZ' status just because Chiz did not support Mar, then adding a sarcastic laugh? "Who's "politically immature" now?", she asked.
Chiz' latest TV advertisement endorsing Noy and Binay are to be aired next week. It was played during the interview. He denied LP blocked the commercial in fairness, but nobody can block it because Binay's campaign team spent for the TV Ad.
He spoke with authority upon the issue of his backing out from the presidential candidacy, and cleared that there was no backing out to do since there was no declaration in the first place. He referred to his announcement of leaving NPC at Club Filipino in October last year. Chiz claimed that NOY-BI is his personal vision and choice of tandem for he believes in them. He believes Noy can do a better job.
About Danding Cojuangco, he declared that they are in speaking terms, nothing amiss, because he asked permission to leave NPC and they have just spoken over the phone a month ago before Danding left for Australia for a summer vacation. He simply answered Karen's intriguing question about how he felt when Danding didn't support his candidacy, in terms of money, "pera n'ya yun eh, siempre he decides"..jokingly smiled a cute boyish smile as ever.
Karen asked if he is ready to assume the position of Senate President in case of a failure of election on May? Chiz explained that he is ready and it should be that every member of the Senate be ready to assume the position in case of an Election failure. That the Senate President has only 90 days to sit in as temporary president, whose duty is to find out the causes of the failure and to call for a new election as is called for under our constitution. There is no such thing as "succession" in the Senate Presidency, and that a new one must be chosen.
No new political party is being claimed by Escudero to join, but after NPC, he is looking forward to form his own political party. Regarding the Appointment of SC chief, after Justice Puno be relieved on May 17, Chiz said that they are duty-bound to follow the appointment, anarchy results, otherwise.
And lastly, Karen asked Chiz about his comments on GMA's
appointment of her "manicurist" as Board of Trustees in Pag-ibig? Chiz admitted that those are "midnight appointments" of GMA and he wouldn't be surprised at all.
Finally, after reading a couple of questions from the audience via twitter, Karen concluded that people observed Chiz was mellowed, cooled down and relaxed. Chiz simply said, there are more important things in life, than before. Again he smiled and Karen thanked the "most popular Senator in the Philippines" :)
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Most of the
content and the latter photo, courtesy of Belinda Carlos of TeamChiz.
ANC Headstart photo courtesy of
Karen Davila.
