Poe, Escudero bracing for more disqualification cases

DUMAGUETE CITY—Senators Grace Poe and Francis “Chiz” Escudero are bracing for more disqualification cases over questions on Poe’s citizenship after filing their respective certificates of candidacy (COC) next week.

But in separate interviews in Dumaguete and Roxas cities, Poe stressed that what was more important was upholding the rights of foundlings.

Escudero said they expected the disqualification cases to be filed even if their COCs were approved.

“We are prepared for them,” Escudero said in a press conference at Bethel Guest House in Dumaguete after speaking during a forum at Foundation University and the joint induction ceremony of the National Press Club and Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas.

Poe, Escudero and Pasig Rep. Roman Romulo faced more than 1,200 students in an open forum at Foundation University.

There was no dead air as the audience engaged the three on questions about their family and love life, and even approached them after the forum to take selfies.

Escudero maintained that Poe was a natural-born Filipino citizen, citing a doctrine under international law that granted foundlings the citizenship of the country where they were found.

Poe said the results of the DNA tests to determine the identities of her parents would be delayed.

She said the results were expected to be released this week but more individuals had surfaced to offer DNA samples.

The senator declined to disclose more details about the individuals who claimed to be her parents since they were private individuals. She urged the media to wait for the decision of the Supreme Court which she expected to be released in November.

Poe stressed that her citizenship battle didn’t concern only her but also the thousands of children who could not identify or locate their biological parents.

These children would lose their citizenship if they were made to undergo a process to prove it, and the result of the disqualification case filed against her would have an impact on them, she added.

In Roxas City, Poe said she was confident that the Senate Electoral Tribunal which was investigating issues on her citizenship would rule on the basis of respecting the right of foundlings.

Escudero said they did not have plans of fielding a full slate of 12 senatorial candidates, stressing they were running as independent candidates.

But Romulo who is with the senators in Dumaguete and Roxas is likely to be among them, according to Poe.

Poe and Escudero arrived in Roxas from Dumaguete in a private plane about 12:30 p.m. and had a private lunch with supporters and friends.

READ: Poe, Escudero visit Roxas bailiwick

Their visit to city and Capiz province, the home province of Liberal Party (LP) standard-bearer Manuel “Mar” Roxas II, was low-key with only a few supporters in about three vehicles meeting them at the Roxas City airport.

There were no posters or streamers as well as buntings announcing their arrival.

Poe and Escudero, who are running as independent candidates, spoke before about 130 delegates to the sixth Visayas regional conference of the Philippine Association of Medical Technologists at El Circulo Convention Center at the Pueblo de Panay complex.

After speaking at the convention, they visited a radio station for a live interview before leaving for Manila.

In her speech on the second day of the three-day convention, Poe said one of their priorities was to improve the country’s healthcare system and infrastructure.

Poe downplayed the perceived dominance of Roxas and LP in Capiz.

“We have many friends here. No part of the country should be marked as a political territory. Helping is for everybody whether you’re a provincemate or not, whether you’re white or red. We are all Filipinos,” Poe told reporters.

Michael Alejaga, president of the Capiz chapter of Pamet and host of the convention, said Poe and Escudero were invited months before they declared their candidacy.

He said they also invited Roxas as keynote speaker but the latter could not attend the event. The organizers also tried to invite broadcaster Korina Sanchez, wife of Roxas, but she also did not confirm attendance.

Capiz Gov. Victor Tanco, a close ally of Roxas, was also invited but it was provincial administrator Jose Villanueva who eventually spoke at the first day of the convention.

Tanco who had just arrived from Manila said he did not receive any communication about Poe and Escudero coming to Capiz. With reports from Ralph John Mijares and Judy Flores-Partlow, Inquirer Visayas