ILOILO—Sen. Grace Poe’s mother, veteran actress Susan Roces, was emotional and combative when she spoke for the first time at the sortie of Partido Galing at Puso here on Tuesday night.
Admitting that she initially questioned her daughter’s decision to run for president for fear that the latter might no longer have time for her, Roces said she relented when she realized what Poe was fighting for.
“Hindi ko na kelangang pang hingin ang kanyang tugon dahil nakikita ko sa kanyang mata at sa pagiging masigasig nya na ipagpatuloy ang kanyang laban dahil ang pinaglalaban niya ay hindi lang ang sarili nya kung hindi ang karapatan ng mga foundlings at lahat ng mga karapatan ng mga inaapi!” Roces said.
The rally, attended by Poe, her running mate Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero, and their senatorial bets, was held at the Jaro plaza, just across the church where the aspiring president was found abandoned as an infant.
Poe was later adopted by Roces and her late husband, action king Fernando Poe Jr. (FPJ)
“Ramdam na ramdam na sobra na ang pang-aapi! At dapat nang tapusin ’yan. Sabi nga ni FPJ dapat nang kalusin,” the actress said.
Amid questions on Poe’s citizenship, Roces has reiterated that her daughter is Filipino.
“Hindi man nanggaling si Grace sa aking sinapupunan, siya ay laging nasa aking puso,” she said.
“May mga ibang nagsasabi o nagki-question na hindi daw siya dapat na maging Pangulo dahil hindi daw siya Filipino. Hindi siya Filipino? Ano siya? Basta nag-landing lang siya dito?”
“Meron ba siyang kailangang hinahawakang birth certificate noong siya ay iniwan ng kanyang magulang? Natagpuan siya sa simbahan ng Jaro, sa bendetahan at nakakabit pa ang kanyang pusod. E saan kaya siya galing?” she asked.
Roces went on and said: “Ang masasabi ko ay ito, siya ay Filipino. Siya ay anak ko, ang kanyang mga magulang ay si Ronald Allan Poe, at si Susan Poe.”
Her remark was greeted with applause from the crowd.
Roces then took the opportunity to thank Poe’s biological parents for choosing to keep her alive.
She also thanked the local leaders for allowing her daughter’s team to hold a rally here despite earlier claim by political opponents that the province was supporting other candidates.
“Napaka-importante din na pasalamatan ang lahat ng local na government dito dahil hindi sila nag-alangan na magbigay ng permiso na magdaos ng rally dito at salamat sa inyong lahat, hindi kayo magpasindak sa kanila at naririto kayang lahat,” Roces said.
“Sabi nila wala daw pupunta dito dahil meron daw ibang kandidato ang Iloilo. Hindi po totoo ’yan sa nakikita kong dami niyo dito. Maraming marami pong salamat!” RC