Aquino wishes Poe fairness in 2016 polls, citizenship case

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III wishes nothing but fairness for Senator Grace Poe, who formally declared that she will run for president in the 2016 elections amid a disqualification case before the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET) over her citizenship.

Aquino on Tuesday said Poe, who emerged as the public’s most presidential aspirant in the latest Social Weather Stations electoral survey, should be given the opportunity to seek the mandate of the Filipino people.

“One would hope that Senator Grace Poe gets the opportunity to be judged by the people to secure their mandate,” Aquino said in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel.

The President made the comment after being asked about his thoughts on the ongoing oral arguments at the SET over the citizenship-related petition to unseat Poe that was filed by Rizalito David.

Supreme Court Associate Justice and SET chairman Antonio Carpio on Monday maintained that Poe is a naturalized Filipino citizen.

READ: Poe is naturalized Filipino citizen, says Justice Carpio at SET debate

The administration coalition had wooed Poe to be the running mate of its standard-bearer Manuel “Mar” Roxas II, but the lady senator officially joined the presidential derby last week by running independent. Yuji Vincent Gonzales

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