Poe counting on DNA to identify biological parents

Update

SENATOR Grace Poe’s camp is resorting to DNA technology to identify her biological parents.

Atty. Alex Poblador, lawyer of Poe, said: “I have been authorized to say that the respondent [Poe] has taken steps towards having a DNA test with a probable biological match.”

Poe’s citizenship is being questioned before the Senate Electoral Tribunal. A petitioner said she is not a natural born Filipino since her parents were not known.

Poe was found outside the church of Jaro, Iloilo in 1968. She was adopted by celebrity couple Fernando Poe Jr. and Susan Roces in 1974.

“DNA match is a conclusive presumption that would solve all our problems here. You can’t argue with that anymore,” Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, SET chairman, said after Poblador said they will inform the Tribunal once the result is out.

DNA taken from ‘siblings’

Meanwhile, Poe told reporters that the DNA tests were taken from the “siblings,” and not from her possible biological parents. She did not elaborate, except for saying that these private individuals were the ones who had approached her and offered to undergo the procedure.

“Nasa proseso na, ang ibig sabihin nun meron kaming natukoy na maaari, syempre umaasa tayo dahil sa hinaba-haba ng panahon ano, ang masasabi ko lang ito’y mga pribadong tao na kung sila nga ang aking magiging kadugo, ako’y natutuwa pagkat napaka-disenteng mga tao, napakabait,” Poe told reporters on Monday.

“Pero syempre hindi pa rin tayo nakakasiguro. Hihintayin natin dahil hindi mismo sa mga magulang, kundi sa mga siblings o mga kapatid,” she said.

Poe said the “siblings” who had approached her had shown her pictures.

“Di ba minsan pag gustong gusto mo, parang nakikita mo yung similarity dahil you’re trying to convince yourself syempre ’pag pisikal hindi natin alam pero parang may basehan nga para gawin yun? Syempre parang napakahirap naman na lahat ng lalapit sa’yo kung wala naman tayong tamang dahilan , hindi naman pwedeng magbigay ng DNA kunyari 100 tao ang lumapit sa’yo,” she pointed out.

But asked if she felt something different when she saw the siblings, “Basta ang masasabi ko napaka-gentle, mabait malumanay magsalita. Baka pwede,” Poe said followed by a hearty laugh.

Poe said the result of the DNA test was expected to come out after three weeks.

While the procedure was undertaken in the Philippines, she said, the samples was brought to other country for testing.

Poe’s lawyer, George Garcia, said the people who approached Poe apparently came from Iloilo, where she was abandoned and found by the late actor Fernando Poe Jr. and veteran actress, Susan Roces. Tetch Torres-Tupas and Maila Ager