President Aquino, Grace Poe hold second meeting

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Sen. Grace Poe confirmed that a second meeting between her and President Benigno Aquino III transpired on Monday, July 20.

The meeting was a follow-up to their July 15 meeting that was also attended by Sen. Francis Escudero and Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II.

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The Monday meeting lasted for five hours, but the statement issued by Poe to the media did not make it clear whether she would run under the administration's Liberal Party in 2016 or not.

"I could sense the very difficult position PNoy is in right now. I understand and sympathize with his predicament and situation," Poe added.

Aquino is expected to announce his so-called "anointed one" after his last State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 27.

According to Poe, she considers Aquino as a "true and sincere friend," adding that the president has her utmost respect.

Poe said Aquino reiterated his desire "for all of us to continue working together and that he believes that, like him, we can and will do what is best for our country."

The senator concluded: "In the end, we both agreed to continue, in whatever capacity, striving and working for our countrymen and for the betterment of our children's future."

Poe has been figuring well in recent pre-election presidential surveys, even overtaking Vice President Jejomar Binay.

In the most recent survey released by Publicus Asia, Poe was the top choice for president — with 20% of the respondents picking her. Sen. Miriam Santiago was in second place with 16%, while Binay landed in third with 14%.

Related: Poe, Santiago and Binay bag top 3 on presidentiables list

Escudero took the fourth spot with 11%, while Roxas ranked 7th with 5%.

In an earlier interview with CNN Philippines, political analyst Malou Tiquia said that Roxas might just give way to Poe as he did for Aquino back in 2010.