Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero. Screengrab from INQUIRER.net’s video
A CLEAR case of “harassment” was how Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero described on Tuesday the continued attacks against Senator Grace Poe.
Escudero particularly cited as example the filing of a quo warranto case against Poe at the Senate Electoral Tribunal by a defeated senatorial bet, Rizalito David.
“Maliwanag naman na panggigipit, harassment yung ginagawa sa kanya particularly yung paghain ng kaso. Tatlong taon na syang nakaupong senador, yung legal period para kwestyunin ano man ang qualifications nya na maging senador ay lumipas na ng 15 days after her proclamation so bakit ngayon lang?” he said.
“At siguro balik ko yung tanong sa naghain ng reklamo, kung hindi nya (Poe) pinag-iisipan at pinag-aaralan or tinitimbang o kinokonsidera ang tumakbo, magpa-file ba si Atty. David? So maliwanag may kaugnayan yun sa pinagdadaanang proseso ni Senator Poe kaugnay ng pagdesisyon,” he added.
But Escudero said he had no idea or evidence if indeed the complainant was just being used by some people who wanted to stop Poe from joining the 2016 presidential race.
It would also be a waste of time for Poe, he said, to find out who might be the real people behind the filing of the case against her.
“Wala namang pagkakaiba, sino man ang nasa likod nun, andun na yung kaso kelangan pa ring sagutin. Kung may umamin at may lumantad well and good,” he said.
Asked if the attacks against Poe should not stop her from pursuing her possible run in 2016, Escudero said: “Of course and I think she already said that she welcomed the opportunity to prove that these allegations are unfounded and have no basis.”
“Options ni Senator Grace I think are: She’s considering and weighing all options. As I said ano man ang desisyong, nakahanda akong tayuan at suportahan yun,” he said.
Both Poe and Escudero were the frontrunners in the latest presidential and vice presidential survey conducted by Pulse Asia but they have yet to declare whether or not they would run together in next year’s elections.