Grace Poe to face disqualification case at Senate Electoral Tribunal

Senator Grace Poe. PRIB FILE PHOTO

Senator Grace Poe is expected to face her accuser when the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET) holds its first hearing on Friday on the disqualification case filed against her over her citizenship.

Senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, a member of SET, said Poe has confirmed her attendance in the hearing scheduled at 10:00 am at the Supreme Court.

“Yes, both petitioner and the respondent [are expected to attend the hearing],” Sotto said in a text message on Thursday, referring to Poe and losing senatorial bet Rizalito David, who filed a quo warranto petition at the SET seeking to unseat the lady senator for being foundling or “stateless.”

READ: Losing senatorial bet files petition to oust Grace Poe |  David files second poll case vs Poe, wants her jailed

Poe’s chief of staff, lawyer Nelson Victorino, also confirmed that the lady senator would face the hearing.

“As of today, yes she will, Victorino said in a separate text message.

Meanwhile, Sotto neither confirmed nor denied a newspaper report that he would ask the SET not to accept the case filed against Poe.

READ: Poe wants disqualification case junked Asap

“Iniisip ko pa naman ang gagawin, inunahan ako ha, (I am still thinking about what to do and already they are ahead of me)” he said.

“I am still contemplating on what to do. I will decide on n what to do after we hear the presentations tomorrow,” added Sotto, who belongs to the Nationalist People’s Coalition. Maila Ager, INQUIRER.net/CDG