Poe hits ‘winning by default’

MANILA, Philippines - Faced with possible disqualification from the presidential race, Sen. Grace Poe turned the tables yesterday on her opponents who would likely gain if she is ruled out of contention.

She said winning the presidential race by default would be an empty victory and not “tunay na panalo (real victory).”

At a sortie in Surigao City yesterday, Poe admitted that she may have problems about her being a foundling and uncertain citizenship but this is minuscule compared to her contenders facing integrity issues.

She challenged Liberal Party standard-bearer Manuel Roxas II and Vice President Jejomar Binay to answer questions pertaining to their integrity.

“We need somebody who is sincere, with integrity and with no (political) baggage,” Poe said.  

“For me, the only baggage I carry concerns my birth. This is not like a big corruption issue or failure to deliver services. I think, (people) are thinking that I have a big problem. But this should not be considered big if we look at other concerns that we need to focus on,” she added.

Poe has been disqualified from the presidential race by the Second Division of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for not meeting the constitutional requirements of residency.

There were also questions about Poe’s citizenship but the Senate Electoral Tribunal on Thursday affirmed its earlier ruling that the senator is a natural- born Filipino.

Poe said she would appeal the Comelec ruling or elevate the issue before the Supreme Court on Monday.

She likened her disqualification cases to a boxing match, which she said would eventually end up in the Supreme Court.

“In Round 3, we might win or lose but in the Supreme Court, there can be a knockout,” she told the students of the Surigao State College of Technology.

Poe said she is not trying to muddle the issues of her residency and citizenship.

“This is what I can say, I am facing all the questions regarding that issue. I am answering all the allegations against me. I also am telling the truth, and I am not telling lies,” Poe said in Filipino.

Poe said she is not taking lightly the questions about her citizenship amid the slew of disqualification cases against her before the Comelec.

Rather than focus on her, Poe said her opponents should answer to the people on issues about graft and questionable integrity.

Because of the attempts to divert public attention and sow confusion among the people, Poe lamented that major issues about the delivery of basic services, the need to address poverty and stopping corruption have been set aside.  

“That was what my father taught me, to always take into priority the plight of the disadvantaged, the poor and those who are left out in society,” Poe said, referring to her adoptive father, the late action star Fernando Poe Jr. 

Poe’s lawyer George Garcia yesterday sought to dismiss the election offense filed against the senator in the filing of her certificate of candidacy (COC) in the 2013 elections.

Garcia filed a five-page Motion to Take Judicial Notice before the Comelec to dismiss the complaint filed by presidential aspirant Rizalito David for lack of probable cause.

Garcia cited the ruling of the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET) on Thursday that dismissed David’s petition, affirming the earlier ruling that Poe is a natural-born Filipino citizen.

“All told, given SET’s decision and resolution in SET case, respondent submits that this Honorable Commission can no longer find sufficient ground to engender a well-founded belief that respondent lied in her COC when she represented that she possessed the citizenship and residency qualifications as Senator. The complaint must therefore be dismissed for lack of probable cause,” read the motion filed by Garcia.

David claimed Poe had committed an election offense for material misrepresentation on her COC concerning her citizenship and residency.

But Garcia said the Comelec should take notice of the SET ruling which heard the disqualification of Poe based on her 2013 COC.

“It is fair to state that almost all Filipinos are aware of the ruling of the SET that respondent is a natural-born Filipino,” Garcia said.

Aquino gets flak

Bombarded with highly charged political campaign issues, Poe thinks the Filipino people are now at the crossroads on the issue on who should be trusted to become the country’s next president. 

She also took a swipe at President Aquino for attacking Roxas’ opponents in the presidential race.

Aquino addressed the Filipino community in Italy in criticizing other presidential candidates, including Poe.

The President quoted the “bagong umaga” or new day line that is Poe’s campaign slogan. Without mentioning Poe, Aquino said this candidate promises to do more than he did without giving any specific plans and it is as if the people will just wake up one day with all their problems solved.

Poe reiterated what she is offering to the people is someone who has integrity, who can be trusted and who will not give undue favors to anyone.

In spite of some potshots fired at her by Aquino as part of the campaign for the 2016 elections, Poe said she continues to hold him in high regard. –Ben Serrano, Marvin Sy, Paolo Romero, Sheila Crisostomo, Mayen Jaymalin