Escudero sees ‘orchestrated move’ to halt Poe’s possible run
SENATOR Francis Escudero said on Monday that he believes that there is an “orchestrated move” to stop Senator Grace Poe’s possible run in 2016.
And part of this move, he said, could be the filing of cases against Poe by losing senatorial bet Rizalito David.
“Parang ang lalim ng pinaghuhugutan niya. Hindi na ako naniniwalang gumising lamang siya isang umaga at biglang nagdesisyon siya na kuwestiyunin ang citizenship ni Senator Poe,” Escudero told reporters, reacting to the latest case filed by David at the Commission on Elections accusing Poe of misrepresenting herself when she claimed in her certificate of candidacy in 2013 that she is a natural born Filipino.
(I don’t know where he’s coming. I don’t believe that he woke up one morning and suddenly decided to question the citizenship of Senator Poe.)
“Aalamin namin at dapat lamang alamin kung sino ba ang nasa likod niya? Sino ba ang nagtutulak at nag-uudyok sa kanya dahil OA naman na nag-file na siya sa SET, nag-file pa siya sa Comelec, at hindi na ako magugulat kung mag-file siya saan man. Hindi rin ako maniniwalang biglang nagkaroon siya ng adbokasiya isang umaga paggising niya laban kay Senator Poe at tungkol dito. At kapag nalaman namin, titiyakin naming ituturo at sasabihin namin,” he said.
(We’ll find out and we should find out who’s behind him? Who is pushing or provoking him because it’s OA that he already filed at the SET [Senate Electoral Tribunal), and the Comelec, and I won’t be surprised if he would file somewhere else. I don’t believe also that he suddenly woke up one morning with an advocacy against Senator Poe. And when we find out, we’ll make sure that we will identify them.)
Escudero said it was clear that the case was pure harassment, noting that that the SET has not even decided yet on the quo warranto petition that the complainant had also filed against Poe.
Asked who could be behind David, Escudero said he would withhold his suspicions until he gathers enough evidence to prove it.
“Meron, meron. Pero hangga’t wala kaming sapat na batayan hindi ko muna sasabihin,’” he said.
Asked further if it was possible that Poe’s possible rival in 2016 was behind David, Escudero said: “Hindi malayo yun. Ayan din ang anggulong tinitignan namin. Subalit wala kaming sapat na batayan para sabihin o ituro ang sinuman.”
(It’s not farfetched . That’s the same angle we’re looking at now. But we don’t have enough basis to pinpoint anyone.)
And when they gather enough evidence, he would expose it and unmask David’s true color.
“ Ilalahad namin palagi para mabisto at makita ang tunay na kulay nitong si Atty. David. At gayundin ang pagkakaroon ng orchestrated na galaw laban kay Senator Poe bago pa man siya magdesisyon kaugnay ng papel na pwede niyang gawin o hindi pwedeng gampanan sa 2016,” said Escudero.
(We will always expose it to unmask the true color of Atty. David as well as the orchestrated move against Senator Poe even before she decides on whatever role she would play in 2016.)
Poe said she is still deciding whether or not to seek a higher post in 2016.
