FPJ supporters torn between Erap, Noynoy

(Updated 4:50 p.m.) Supporters of the late Fernando Poe Jr. are torn on who between Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III (Liberal Party) and former President Joseph Estrada (Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino), will they vote for as president in the coming May 10 polls. Aquino topped the mock polls conducted by the Filipinos for Peace, Justice and Progress Movement (FPJPM) Monday night during the group's general meeting. Estrada, Poe's bestfriend, was just two votes behind. Twenty-one regional and provincial officials of FPJPM in Luzon voted for the son of democracy icon, the late President Corazon Aquino, while 19 chose Estrada, who is seeking another shot at the presidency. FPJPM claims to have 500,000 card-bearing members. At a press conference in Quezon City, FPJPM president Lorenzo "Boots" Cadsawan said they would resolve this by having consultations with their members in Visayas and Mindanao. "Meron kaming consultation pa na ginagawa kung sino ang i-e-endorso namin (We are still conducting consultations on who we will eventually endorse)," he said. Cadsawan said they would be able to make public their choice for president after the Holy Week. Originally for Escudero FPJPM was one of the many groups that convinced Poe to run for president in the 2004 elections. The movie action king lost to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. FPJPM earlier expressed support on the presidential plans of Senator Francis Escudero. Escudero, however, backed out even before the race started. [See: Escudero abandons 2010 presidential bid] Organizers of the event said Escudero was supposed to attend the FPJPM press conference but the Bicolano senator failed to do so. In the same press conference, the group declared its support to the vice presidential bid of Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay, Estrada’s running mate. [See: FPJ followers declare support for Binay, but not yet for Erap] Cadsawan said they chose Binay over Senator Loren Legarda, Poe’s running mate in the 2004 polls, because "he is the best." Legarda is taking another shot at the vice presidency, this time, under the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC). Legarda is the running mate of the Nacionalista Party's Senator Manuel Villar Jr. "Si Sen. Legarda at Mayor Binay parehong nakasama ni FPJ, parehong hindi iniwan si FPJ pero sa pamimili merong tinatawag na good, better and best. Dun nalagay si Mayor Binay sa best kaya siya ang napili namin (Legarda and Binay were both with FPJ, both of them stick it out with FPJ but we need to choose and chose Binay because he is the best," he said. He added: "Umaasa kami na yung nagawa niya sa Makati kahit kalahati magawa niya sa Pilipinas ay masaya na tayo (We would be happy if he will be able to do to the country even half of what he did in Makati)." Support from Susan Roces, Mary Grace? In accepting the group's support, Binay said: "Kumbaga sa competition, merong nananalo at may natatalo, merong good, better, best. I suppose better si Loren Legarda, best ako (In every competition, there is a winner and there is a loser, Legarda may be better but I’m the best)." Asked if their endorsement of Binay has the support of Poe’s wife, actress Susan Roces, and daughter Mary Grace Poe-Llamanzares, Cadsawan said they are always in consultation with the two. "Bago kami magdesisyon nakikipag-usap kami sa kanya (Mary Grace). More or less sa tingin ko hindi sila mag-eendorso ng kahit na sinong kandidato pero nirerespeto nila ang desisyon ng FPJPM," he said. (Before we make our decisions, we make it a point to talk with Mary Grace. They will not endorse any candidate but they will respect the decision of FPJPM.) Binay, then butted in, saying his candidacy is supported by Poe’s wife and daughter. "Pwede ko sabihin sa inyo [na] si Swanie (Roces’ nickname) at si Grace ay for Binay po (I can tell you that Swanie and Grace are rooting for me)," the Makati mayor said. He added that his poster, which shows a picture of him and Poe during the 2004 campaign, has the approval of Grace. Binay was Poe’s campaign manager. Asked if the Poes will join PMP’s sorties, Binay said he is not sure as Roces has an advertising contract which bars her from endorsing candidates. Poe daughter speaks up In a phone interview with GMANews.TV, Grace Poe-Llamanzares said she cannot publicly declare her support for anyone because she is a member of a non-partisan group Kontra Daya. "Si Mayor Binay ay kaibigan namin at magaling naman siya pero hindi kami nagbibigay ng suporta publicly (Mayor Binay is a friend and an efficient official but we do not publicly give our support)," she said, adding that her focus now is on efforts to guard the votes. "Maraming iba na pwedeng kwalipikado, ang importante ay bantayan ang boto (There are many others who are qualified but what is important is guarding the votes)," she said. She, however, confirmed Binay’s statement that she approved his poster featuring a picture of his father and the Makati mayor. “Maski sino na tutuong kasama si FPJ sa litrato pwedeng gamitin yun, public record naman ito, hindi namin sila mapipigilan (Anybody who has a picture with FPJ can use it, that is public record, we cannot stop them)," Poe-Llamanzares said. She also confirmed the statement of Cadsawan that she and her mother respect the decision of FPJPM. — RSJ/KBK, GMANews.TV