FVR on Duterte, Poe DQ cases: Let people decide
Former president Fidel V. Ramos on Wednesday said the people’s mandate should prevail amid the disqualification cases hounding presidential aspirants Sen. Grace Poe and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.
In a forum at the Kamuning Bakery Cafe in Quezon City, Ramos said the decision on whether to allow Poe and Duterte to claim the highest position in the land should be left to the voting public through their ballots.
“Let us give the benefit of the doubt to the people directly concerned. Let the people decide,” Ramos said.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is currently deliberating on the case of Poe, who had been disqualified from the 2016 presidential derby by the poll body’s 1st and 2nd divisions over legal issues on her citizenship and residency.
READ: Comelec 1st division disqualifies Poe from 2016 presidential race
Duterte is also facing a disqualification case over the validity of his substitution of Martin Diño as standard-bearer of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan for a supposedly erroneous entry in the latter’s certificate of candidacy.
READ: Duterte dissuades supporters from holding vigils, protests over disqualification case
Ramos warned that that the public may be left with only one choice for president if “this process of elimination” will continue.
“We may end up with only candidate for president if we follow this process of elimination, which is not [how] the people want it,” he said.
Poe previously traced moves to disqualify her from the 2016 race to the lady senator’s rivals, particularly administration bet and former Interior secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II and opposition leader Vice President Jejomar Binay. CDG
