Binay ready to fight Grace Poe in 2016

MANILA, Philippines - Vice President Jejomar Binay will still pursue his presidential bid even if he has to face a potential running mate, Sen. Grace Poe.

In an interview over radio dzRH on Monday, Binay said he will run against the neophyte senator if the Liberal Party fields her as its standard-bearer in the presidential election.

"I will definitely push my candidacy whoever is my opponent," state-run Philippine News Agency (PNA) quoted Binay as saying.

Binay admitted that Poe is among the personalities being eyed as his running mate.

"That is possible. It needs careful study and the question is, can I convince her?" Binay told dzRH, as quoted by PNA.

Binay was the campaign manager of the senator's father, the late Fernando Poe Jr., during the 2004 presidential poll.

After being the first one to announce plans to run for president, Binay continues to top the surveys on voter preferences despite a decline in his various ratings amid the corruption allegations against him.

The younger Poe, on the other hand, has been a reluctant favorite and strong performer in the surveys. She has landed on second place behind Binay after a surge in her rating.

Poe had said that she's not ready for the presidency and she remained coy on whether she would run in the 2016 elections.

She was also non-committal when asked if she would be Binay's running mate.

"Right now, I'm not considering any particular commitment except that I think that whatever the President has started, whoever will be the candidate, should be able to continue that," Poe said. - Louis Bacani