Poe camp hits critics, ‘fake groups’ questioning her record

Grace Poe spokesperson Rex Gatchalian speaks to a member of media in this screengrab from his Facebook page. Gatchalian is the mayor of Valenzuela City. SCREENGRAB FROM REX GATCHALIAN FACEBOOK PAGE

The camp of Senator Grace Poe slammed her critics on Monday for allegedly spreading lies and half-truths about her and resorting to creating “fictitious organizations to serve as venom bearers.”

“It’s sad and alarming that as the elections draw nearer and nearer, Senator Poe’s critics continue to spew more and more lies and half-truths against her,” Poe’s spokespersons, Valenzuela Mayor Rex Gatchalian said in a statement.

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“On top of this, they have also resorted to creating fictitious organizations to serve as venom bearers,” Gatchalian said.

He was referring to a women’s group, the Kapatiran ng Makabayang Kababaihan (KMK) that held a protest rally in front of Poe’s campaign headquarters in Quezon City, urging her to withdraw from the presidential race, saying that her disqualification cases have created tension within government institutions.

Gatchalian also refuted as “unfounded” the group’s reported claim that the senator failed to show concern for the masses, saying she has not passed any pro-poor law in her three years in the Senate.

“Their acts of desperation started with attacking Senator Poe’s personal life — her citizenship and residency, now they have descended on what seems to be phase 2 of their attack script — questioning her performance in the Senate,” Gatchalian said.

“There is absolutely no truth that Senator Poe did not perform her sworn duties. The Senate records stand as a witness to her accomplishments in the chamber. These records will bear her out and speak the truth that she has championed bills that provide solutions to every Filipino’s daily woes.”

Gatchalian then enumerated what he described as Poe’s “impressive list of accomplishments” at the Senate including the enactment of two laws under her belt — Republic Act 10639 or the “Free Mobile Texts During Disasters Act”; and Republic Act 10640 which streamlines the “Three-Witness Rule” of the Dangerous Drugs Act governing the seizure and custody of drugs.

He said the senator also co-authored six bills that became laws: R.A. 10635 (MARINA Act), R.A. 10644 (GO Negosyo Act), R.A. 10645 (Expanded Senior Citizens Act), R.A. 10653 (Income Tax Exemption of 13th Month Pay), R.A. 10654 (Amending the Fisheries Code) and R.A. 10659 (Sugarcane Industry Development Act).

To date, Gatchalian said, Poe has authored/co-authored a total of 231 measures to date, addressing such issues as protection of the environment, human rights, children’s welfare, gender sensitivity and non-discrimination, health workers’ concerns, sound economy, business competitiveness, livelihood and employment.

Poe also spearheaded the passage of the Freedom of Information bill in the Senate, which seeks to improve transparency and accountability in government by allowing Filipinos greater access to government records and transactions, the spokesman said.

Gatchalian said among the senator’s other notable measures are the “Sustansiya sa Batang Pilipino” Act (SB 79) which seeks to eradicate child malnutrition by establishing a national school-feeding program in all public schools; Corporate Farming Act (SB 2089) which seeks to improve agricultural productivity by providing incentives to farmers and cooperatives; and the “Tulong sa Kabataan sa Agrikultura” Act (SB 1282) which aims to encourage young people to go into farming by providing scholarships grants in agri-fisheries and related courses.

“She has also decisively led investigations of key issues facing our country. Senator Poe will not be distracted by these low-handed attacks. She will continue to focus her campaign efforts on her advocacy, Gobyernong may Puso,” he said.

It was in the hearings on the issues of the MRT malfunctions and the Mamasapano incident that Poe, Gatchalian said, showed her leadership qualities by presiding over the hearings with objectivity and depth.

She also recently led an investigation into the nefarious activities of alleged drug lords in Iloilo City vis-à-vis the brazen attempt to curtail media freedom of Aksyon Radyo Iloilo.