President Aquino hosted a Palace dinner with 2016 Presidential survey topnotcher Senator Grace Poe and Interior Secretary Mar Roxas (a dismal fourth in surveys, Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte is in third) attended by Senator Chiz Escudero (the preferred running mate of Senator Poe) and Budget Secretary Butch Abad. The Palace is brokering a situation wherein the survey front-runner would give way to the more senior Liberal Party official, (2010 losing Vice Presidential candidate) former Senator Mar Roxas. The Liberal Party is hell-bent on fielding Secretary Mar. A separate run for the Presidency by Senator Poe would split both the Liberal Party and the Aquino ruling coalition on the basis of the greater chance of electoral victory by the survey front-runner. The only declared Presidential candidate for 2016, as of this date,

Mar Roxas nanganganib ibaba ang ambisyon, o hindi tumakbo, o lumaban sa dalawang malalakas na kalaban, ang dating nagungunang Jojo Binay at ang kaalyadong si Grace Poe.

is Vice President Jejomar Binay. A split in the Liberal Party with Poe and Roxas running against each other would lessen the chances of both to become President. In a three-horse race, Vice President Jejomar Binat and Senator Poe could end up neck and neck while Seretary Roxas would be a far third.