Senator Grace Poe. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA
Senator Grace Poe hit Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio on Thursday for using international laws to defend the West Philippine Sea but not on the citizenship of foundlings like her.
BACKSTORY: Carpio should inhibit from Grace Poe citizenship case–Bello
Carpio was chairman of the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET) that junked a quo warranto petition filed by defeated senatorial bet Rizalito David seeking to unseat her from the Senate over her citizenship.
READ: Carpio: Poe must prove she’s natural-born Filipino
Five SET members voted against the petition while four of its members, including Carpio, voted in favor of it.
“Sinasabi nila sa ating pong bansa, hindi literal na sinasabi na ang foundling ay dapat Filipino. Ang basehan lang nila ay international treaties . Gayundin po nakalagay sa ating Constitution, internationally accepted principles of law should be part of the law of the land. E sabi nila hindi naman nangangahulugan na international law e may dapat gawin,” Poe said responding to a reporter’s question during a press conference in Malolos, Bulacan.
(They say that in our country, it does not literally say that a foundling is a Filipino. Their only basis is the international treaties. Our Constitution also says that internationally accepted principles of law should be part of the law of the land. But they say it does not mean that because it’s international law, you have to do something.)
“Ito ang tanong ko, yung mga taong nagtutulak na magkaroon tayo ng territorial integrity sa West Philippine Sea, ano bang ginagamit nila? International law rin. Kahit naman yung mga justice yun din ang kanilang panlaban, ang Unclos under UN.”
(I have a question, those pushing for our country’s territorial integrity in the West Philippine Sea, what are they using? They also use international law. Even our justices are using the Unclos of UN to defend [our country]).
Supreme Court’s Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio
“So para sa akin, huwag naman tayong mamili. Piliin lang natin kung ano ang makakabuti sa mas nakakarami sapagkat kung akoy madi-disqualify, ilang-daang libong mga bata na walang katiyakan kung sino ang kanilang mga magulang ay mawawalan ng pagkakataon na mangarap…?” she further said.
(So for me, let’s not be selective. Let’s just choose what would be good for the greater people because if I would be disqualified, how many thousands of children, who are not sure about the identity of their parents, would lose the opportunity to dream..?”)
Asked later if she was referring to Carpio, who was among those defending the country’s claims over the West Philippine Sea, Poe said: “Hindi naman ho sekreto na ang kanyang adbokasya para mamintina ang integridad sa ating mga lupain at mga karagatan.”
(His advocacies are no secret to maintain integrity in our land and seas.)
“ Kaya nga po mahirap sabihin na hindi natin pwedeng galangin ang international law samantalang ginamit naman natin s’yang basehan ngayon sa ating pakikipaglaban para sa ating teritorya,” she added.
(That’s why it’s hard to say that we can’t respect international law even though we use them as basis in our fight [to regain] our territory.)
Pressed if she was referring to Carpio, Poe said: “Sya nga.”
(It’s him.) TVJ
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