Let court judge Grace Poe’s residency—Abigail Binay

Makati Representative Abigail Binay. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/JOAN BONDOC

The residency issue and citizenship of Senator Grace Poe should be resolved by the high court instead of the heated exchange among lawmakers and legal experts, the daughter of Vice President Jejomar Binay said Thursday.

“Wala itong mararating kundi ang paigtingin ang diumanong namumuong alitan sa pagitan ng aking ama at ni senator Poe,” Makati Representative Abigail Binay told reporters in a press briefing.

Binay said the Vice President believed that the issue should be resolved by the Supreme Court.

“Hayaan natin na ang korte sa patas nitong pagpapasya ang humusga,” she said citing the issue should not be a cause of conflict.

The younger Binay, however, said it was the right of Navotas Representative and United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) interim president Tobby Tiangco to express his views and beliefs about certain matters.

On Tuesday, Tiangco questioned the eligibility of Poe to run for higher office claiming that she lacked the 10-year residency requirement. He also zeroed in on the “honesty” of Poe in her declarations in her certificate of candidacy for the 2013 senatorial elections.

The assertions of the Vice President’s key ally prompted reactions from lawmakers and from legal and election experts, a vast majority of whom sided with Poe saying she was qualified.

Poe also stressed that she was qualified to run citing that she had been in the country since 2005. She also retorted that it was better to defend herself in regard to residency than a case like plunder.

The Vice President is caught in allegations of corruption and Poe was among 10 senators who signed a Senate report recommending the filing of plunder charges against him.

Abigail said her father “welcomes and respect” any decision by Poe to run for President in the 2016 elections.

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