Ferdinand Marcos and Grace Poe. FILE PHOTOS
Senator Grace Poe said her search for her biological parents continues as she repeatedly denied talks of her being an illegitimate child of former President Ferdinand Marcos, the father of incumbent Senator Ferdinand Jr.
Poe, responding to reporters’ queries on Wednesday, said she already asked her adoptive mother, actress Susan Roces, about the rumors but she was told that there was no truth to it.
“Ngayon kung may magpapatunay na iba sa showbiz, bahala sila pero pinaniniwalaan ko ang aking Nanay at hindi yun talaga totoo,” Poe said.
(Now, if there are people in showbiz who can prove it, it’s up to them but I believe my mother and it’s not really true).
Roces was married to the late actor-film producer Fernando Poe Jr. but they were unable to have a child of their own. In the late 1960s, rumors had it that then President Marcos had an affair with actress Rosemarie Sonora, the sister of Roces. Their trysts produced a child. To prevent a national scandal, it was said that Marcos asked the Poe couple to adapt the baby who many believed is Grace Poe.
The Poe couple, who are also friends to Marcos, apparently agreed. The public on the other hand would be made to believe that a newborn baby was abandoned infront of a church in Jaro, Iloilo. The Poes were then vacationing in Jaro and the baby was presented to them for adoption. Case closed.
But the rumors on Grace being Marcos’ illegitimate child went on for years even after the death of the dictator. Even Senator Marcos would joke about it, calling Senator Poe as “Sis” (short for sister).
READ: The Grace and Burden of Her Name
“Pero minsan naglolokohan kami ni Sen. Bongbong (Marcos), sabi ko Sen. Bongbong sabi ko hindi kita pupwedeng bigyan ng special consideration sa Mamasapano na hahabaan ko ang time mo ng pagtanong dahil baka mamaya mas maniwala pa sila na magkapatid tayo eh hindi naman totoo yun,” said Poe, who headed the Senate probe on the Mamasapano clash as chair of the Senate committee on public order.
(But once I was joking with Senator Bongbong. I told him I can’t give you special considerations on the Mamasapano by giving you more time to ask questions because they might think that we are brother and sister when it’s not true.)
Asked if she was willing to take a DNA test just to put an end to questions on her nationality, the lady senator saw no need to do it anymore.
“I’d rather not and I just hope that the people will accept the truth that I am stating,” she said.
The issue was again brought up amid questions raised by her critics should she decide to run for a higher post in 2016.
But Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto said Poe might bend up being adopted by the whole nation if her rivals will continue using the issue against her.
“If they pursue that line of inquisition against Grace, she might end up being adopted by the whole nation. Baka ampunin pa siya ng bayan (The country would adopt her),” Recto said in a statement.
Poe admitted that her being a foundling was close to her heart as she continued her search for her real parents.
When she first ran and won as senators in 2013, Poe said she thought this would help her lead to her real parents.
“Pumunta ako ng Jaro, ilang beses, mga kaibigan ko tinatawagan ko. Minsan nga halos nagmamakaawa na ako, Manong Jun, yung pamilya na kumuha sa akin, sabihin mo naman talaga sa akin sino. Kasi ang hirap na rin nito, siyempre nasa isip at puso ko yan. Ano ba talaga ang nangyari, hindi daw talaga nila alam,” she said.
(We went to Jairo several times,I called my friends. One time, I was almost pleading, Manong Jun, the family who found me, please tell me who my parents. It’s very difficult because it’s always in my mind and my heart. What really happened? They said they really don’t know).
“Ngayon kung dumating man yan, salamat. Kung hindi man dumating, ang kinikilala kong mga magulang at habang buhay ako magpapasalamat ay doon sa nagpalaki sa akin, gayunpaman nagpapasalamat din ako sa aking Nanay na pinili niya ang buhay. She chose life,” she further said.
(Now, if it comes then thank you. If not, I will be forever thankful for my parent who took care of me. I’m also grateful for my mother that she chose life. She chose life). TVJ
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