Anti-Poe lawyer denies LP link, calls allegations ‘senseless, non-issue’

The lawyer who filed a disqualification case against Sen. Grace Poe upheld by the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) 2^nd division has denied that she is affiliated with the ruling Liberal Party (LP) and its standard-bearer Manuel “Mar” Roxas II.

Reacting to a statement by Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero tracing her to the camp of the former Interior secretary, lawyer Estrella Elamparo told INQUIRER.net on Thursday that the “unfair” allegations of Poe’s running mate showed that their camp was “running out of ammunitions.”

“I am surprised that we are giving space to such false and senseless allegations on a matter that is a non-issue,” Elamparo said in a phone interview.

Escudero claimed that Elamparo is with a law firm, which he said was used by former Defense Secretary Avelino “Nonong” Cruz in a case that the latter filed against former associate Pancho Villaraza. Cruz and Villaraza were partners in the Villaraza Cruz Marcelo & Angangco or CVC Law also known as “The Firm.”

“She (Elamparo) is with Divina law firm which was the firm used by Nonong Cruz in the case he filed vs Pancho Villaraza,” Escudero said in a text message Wednesday night when asked if Elamparo was connected to the Liberal Party. “Nonong Cruz is of course with Mar,” Escudero said.

READ: Escudero traces anti-Poe lawyer to Roxas camp

But Elamparo said she does not personally know Cruz, noting that latter was not included in their firm’s list of clients and that she only saw him once in a brochure photo.

“For the record, I am not in any way connected to Atty. Avelino Cruz, whom I have not even met or spoken to or anybody from the Liberal Party. That said, my network or background has absolutely no bearing on the issues raised in my petition,” Elamparo said.

“Let us elevate the level of discussion by sticking to the legal arguments—unless they have already run out of them,” she further said, stressing that Poe committed material representation in her certificate of candidacy.

The Comelec’s 2^nd division on Tuesday ruled to cancel Poe’s COC for president amid questions on her citizenship and residency. The lady senator hinted that two of her presidential rivals, Roxas and opposition leader Vice President Jejomar Binay, were behind efforts to disqualify her from the race to Malacañang.

READ: Comelec 2^nd division disqualifies Grace Poe from presidential race | Poe says Roxas, Binay behind disqualification move

Poe, the adopted daughter of movie stars Susan Roces and Fernando Poe Jr., previously renounced her Filipino citizenship to work in the United States. She returned to the Philippines and renounced her American citizenship after being appointed chair of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board in 2010. She had repeatedly said she had fulfilled the 10-year residency requirement when she returned to the country after the death of her adoptive father in 2004.

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