CHIZ: POLL RESULTS MUST BE FAIR, CREDIBLE

Leading vice-presidential candidate Sen. Francis "Chiz" Escudero said that beyond winning the May 9 elections, he and his presidential running mate Sen. Grace Poe would like to see a fair, democratic and credible electoral process.

Escudero emphasized this as he rallied hundreds of legal volunteers and professionals who gathered for the first national convention of the Grace Poe and Chiz (GPC) Legal Team at the clubhouse of the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC) in New Manila, Quezon City, to help protect the integrity of the political exercise.

"Higit sa pagkapanalo, importanteng kapani-paniwala ang pagkapanalo ng susunod na pangulo at pangalawang pangulo," Escudero said.

"Kami man iyon o iba man iyon, importante na tanggapin at paniwalaan ng sambayanan ang resulta ng halalan at malaki na naman ang papel na gagampanan ninyo para matiyak natin na hindi lamang malinis ang halalan kundi kapani-paniwala rin," he added.

Escudero thanked volunteers from across the country who joined the GPC Legal Team, for their commitment to protect the integrity of the election and ensure that the votes for the Poe-Escudero tandem are counted on election day.

"Papunta na tayo sa pangalawa at huling yugto ng kampanya ng eleksyong ito at kayo ang hahawak nung pinakalamaking parte. Anumang kampanya, anumangadvertisement, anumang pag-iikot na gawin namin ay balewala kung madadaya lamang kami at mawawala at hindi mabibilang 'yung boto," the veteran lawmaker pointed out.

He expressed hope such "battalion of lawyers" will continue to be with them until the day of the election as they fight against all forms of electoral fraud and efforts to disenfranchise voters.

"Sana huwag nyo kaming pabayaan at huwag nyo kaming iiwanan... dahil maraming nagsasabing may dayaan itong eleksyong ito," Escudero said.

Escudero said he and Poe will match the commitment of the volunteer lawyers through hard work. "Fifty-eight days na lang, magpapakapagod kami. Hindi kami titigil (sa pangangampanya), sana kayo rin. Dahil mas maganda na 'yung pagod pero panalo kesa nakapagpahinga at hindi panalo."

Both frontrunners in various pre-election surveys, Poe and Escudero are running as independents under the "Gobyernong may Puso" platforms of rapid inclusive growth, poverty alleviation, transparency and global competitiveness.

The first GPC Legal Team national convention was hosted by the NPC, which recently endorsed the Poe-Escudero tandem in the forthcoming general elections.

NPC is the second largest political party in the country and is part of the administration coalition led by President Benigno Aquino III.

More supporters and volunteers are expected to come forward and openly show their support for Partido Galing at Puso after Poe cleared the final legal hurdle to her presidential bid.

This was after the Supreme Court, voting 9-6, ruled that she is qualified to run for president, being a natural-born Filipino and a resident of the country for at least 10 years.