SET junks petitioner's appeal vs Poe

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET) on Thursday junked the motion for reconsideration filed by petitioner Rizalito David regarding the disqualification case against Sen. Grace Poe.

Voting 5-4, the SET affirmed its decision to declare the senator as a natural-born Filipino.

David, a defeated senatorial candidate in the 2013 elections, argued that Poe is not a natural-born Filipino due to her status as a foundling and sought to reverse the earlier decision of the tribunal.

READ: SET junks disqualification case vs Poe

Sens. Loren Legarda, Pia Cayetano, Bam Aquino, Cynthia Villar, and Vicente Sotto III voted to deny the petition of David to disqualify Poe.

Meanwhile, Justice Antonio Carpio, Justice Teresita Leonardo-De Castro, Justice Arturo Brion and Sen. Nancy Binay voted against the senator.

Poe's camp expressed its hope that the Commission on Elections will do the same and uphold the rights of foundlings.

"The denial of the MR of Mr. David is a clear indication that Sen. Poe is a natural born Filipino," Poe's official spokesperson Valenzuela Mayor Rex Gatchalian said in a statement.

The Comelec Second Division has disqualified Poe from the presidential race, citing that she failed to meet the 10-year residency requirement for presidential candidates.

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