Imee Marcos quizzed on choice for president: Poe or Santiago?

Presidential aspirant Senator Grace Poe is is joined by Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos in a tour of the province. MAILA AGER/INQUIRER.NET

BATAC, Ilocos Norte—How about a “Marcos-Marcos” tandem occupying the land’s top two positions?

That was how Governor Imee Marcos responded in jest on Thursday to a question if she would welcome a Poe-Marcos win in the May elections.

Poe is Senator Grace Poe, who is running for president, while Marcos is the governor’s younger brother, Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

“Hindi, biruan lang ‘yung kabsat Macoy, kapatid Macoy, kaya nagiging joke,” the governor told reporters after she welcomed Poe at the Batac City Hall.

(No, it has become a joke that she is our sister.)

READ: Bongbong Marcos: I’m standing by it—Grace Poe’s my ‘sister’

Poe, along with senatorial bet Isko Moreno, was campaigning in the province and made a short stop at the city hall where they were welcomed by the governor and Mayor Jeffrey Nalupta.

READ: Flashes of FPJ: Grace Poe welcomed by hugs, shrieks in Ilocos

But the governor made it clear that her brother is running with presidential bet Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago and that the province is just opening its doors to other presidential bets who would visit it like Poe.

Gov. Marcos said Santiago is a smart and open-minded person and that she would understand that they have to open their doors for other candidates.

Asked if this did not mean that she was supporting Poe’s bid, the governor said: “Hindi. Bukas talaga ang aming isipan pero andyan si Miriam dahil s’ya ang ka-tandem ni Bongbong.”

(Not really. We are keeping an open mind, but Miriam is there because she is the running mate of Bongbong.)

READ: Bongbong Marcos ‘forming a loose coalition’ with Santiago’s camp

The governor said that they also consider Poe, being an adopted daughter of the late action star, Fernando Poe Jr. (FPJ), as a fellow Ilocana.

“Para sa amin si Grace Poe, maraming katanungan sa Manila kung s’ya ay tunay na Filipino pero dito sa Ilocos Norte walang katanungan na s’ya ay Ilocana,” she said.

(While many in Manila are questioning Grace Poe’s Filipino citizenship, here in Ilocos Norte, there is no doubt that she is an Ilocana.)

The governor was apparently referring to the disqualification cases against Poe over her citizenship and residency.

Found in a church in Iloilo when she was a baby, Poe was later adopted by FPJ and wife, veteran actress Susan Roces.

An urban legend that Poe is an illegitimate child of the senator’s father and namesake, the late President Ferdinand Marcos, with former actress Rosemarie Sonora has become a running joke for her and Senator Marcos. The vice presidential bet has said multiple times, albeit in jest, that Poe is his “sister.” IDL