Disqualification “disenfranchises” rights

CEBU, Philippines - The disqualification verdict of the Commission on Elections en banc on Senator Grace Poe’s candidacy for president must be reversed as it "disenfranchises" the rights of the Filipinos to suffrage, says an organization of supporters of the presidential aspirant.

Leon Flores III, Kabataan Poe (KPoe) convener for the Visayas insisted that the grounds Comelec had considered in disqualifying Poe were not sufficient and therefore had just disregarded the 400-page pieces of evidence the presidential aspirant’s camp had submitted to the elections committee.

“We just are sending the facts that the Comelec must consider evidences,” said Flores.

Flores emphasized that the Comelec Second Division had just considered Poe’s certificate of candidacy last 2013 elections, which the Senator has indicated to be an “honest mistake,” saying she has no intention to deceive the poll body of her real citizenship status.

“It is clear man sa mga tawo nga she’s a natural born Filipino and she is residing for 10 years already. I think there’s no debate in that,” Flores said, saying Poe has been a Filipino since she took oath as the MTRCB chairman.

Yesterday, a group composed of students and professionals convened for an information drive conducted by KPoe to extend the group’s petition,  supporting the claims of Poe’s side that the Senator had fully surrendered her US citizenship, making her qualified to continue her race in the 2016 elections.

“We really just want to assure the supporters nga tuloy ang laban,” Flores added.

According to Flores, they are still planning to conduct a nationwide drive to support Poe’s motion to convince the Comelec to consider her candidacy.

KPoe is also planning to conduct the same cause in major cities in the Philippines, especially in Mindanao and Ilo-ilo to extend their petition for elections free from “handy-handy tactics,” “black propaganda” and “election by elimination.”

Furthermore, Flores said that the leader the country needs is someone who could continue the good programs the present administration had started and encourage the sectors to perform well.

KPoe is planning to extend the case to the Supreme Court should the decision still prohibit Poe from being included in the ballot. However, according to Flores, they are confident that Poe could join the elections six months from now. (FREEMAN)