Poe to explain citizenship before SET

MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Grace Poe yesterday declined anew to elaborate on her defense on the citizenship issue, which continues to hound her potential run for higher office in 2016.

Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, who chairs the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET) that will look into the issue, vowed yesterday that the body would act and resolve the petition filed by a defeated senatorial candidate against Poe over her residency and citizenship.

“We will try to settle it as soon as possible,” Carpio said when asked if the SET can resolve the issue before the filing of the certificates of candidacy in October.

He added that SET will also call on petitioner Rizalito David to correct some deficiencies in his quo warranto case against Poe, a frontrunner in poll surveys.

At a youth forum in Quezon City yesterday, Poe reiterated that she is a Filipino.

“I am a Filipino. (The issues) will be answered at the Senate Electoral Tribunal. That’s why I am thankful (that a case) has been filed,” the senator told reporters in Filipino in an interview during the International Youth Day celebration in Quezon City.

Asked about her refusal to provide concrete documents to prove her stand that she is qualified to run in 2016, the senator said they are avoiding instances where her political enemies would use the documents against her.

“I don’t want to respond (outside the proper forum),” Poe said in reaction to the statement of United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) secretary general JV Bautista, who maintained yesterday that the neophyte senator is not qualified to run in 2016 as she has yet to satisfy the 10-year residency rule required by the Constitution. UNA is fielding Vice President Jejomar Binay as its standard bearer in the 2016 polls.

“For those who have been asking, they have their own issues and sins against the nation that they should explain first. Are they innocent or not?” Poe added.

Wowing the youth

Despite remaining undecided, Poe took the opportunity to lay down policy proposals, which she said could improve the condition of the youth in the country.

“First, we need quality education that is affordable and accessible. Second, we need increased economic empowerment of the youth,” she said.

Poe then highlighted various programs, such as the expansion of existing financial support provided to students and the enactment of a “study now, pay later” program.

She also elicited cheers when she promised to work for faster Internet connection in the country, arguing “how will our youth have the same opportunity with the youth around the world if they are not even able to access information the way others do?”

Poe also called on the youth to rally behind the passage at the House of Representatives of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill, which she had shepherded through the Senate.

“It is important to fight corruption… (government) projects should be implemented faster so people can feel (the effects of our growing economy),” she added.

SET hearing

Carpio chairs the SET, which has associate justices Teresita Leonardo-de Castro and Arturo Brion, and Sens. Loren Legarda, Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, Pia Cayetano, Cynthia Villar, Vicente Sotto III and Nancy Binay as members.

SET is constituted “to be the sole judge of contests relating to the elections, returns and qualification of members of the Senate of the Philippines.”

David filed the petition against Poe last week, questioning the senator’s lack of residency. Poe has welcomed the issue, adding that this is an opportunity for her to answer and clarify “once and for all” issues on her citizenship and residency.

Earlier this week, Sotto, Cayetano, Legarda and Binay said they are all ready to look into David’s petition, but only after Carpio convenes the body.

Amid calls for her to inhibit, Binay said she will actively participate in the hearing of the quo warranto case.

“I have a responsibility as a member of the SET and I will fulfill my responsibility. I will attend the hearings, read carefully the evidence and listen to both sides. I won’t believe in hearsay or conjectures or be influenced by politics. Evidence and the Constitution will guide me, not politics,” Binay said.

Binay added that she intends to do her job as a senator-member of the SET and brushed off speculations that her participation in the hearing and decision on the case might be politically tainted. 

“I would like to assure the people that I would remain fair and reasonable in appreciating the case. As a senator-member, I choose to do my job and involve myself in the deliberations,” the senator said. – With Christina Mendez, Marvin Sy