Poe praying, keeping faith as SC deliberates on DQ cases

Presidential Candidate Sen. Grace Poe . INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / JILSON SECKLER TIU

Keeping her faith, Senator Grace Poe said she was continually praying as the Supreme Court deliberated on Tuesday on the disqualification cases against her.

The tribunal is expected to come up with a decision anytime this week.

“Mapayapa. Patuloy lang ang dasal at pananalig,” Poe said when asked about the  impending decision of the high tribunal.

Poe’s spokesperson, Valenzuela Mayor Rex Gatchalian, said they remained in “high spirits,” confident that the Supreme Court would decide in her favor.

“We are in high spirits. Sen. Poe is not distracted and is in the thick of her campaign schedule. Her focus is to reach out to as many people as possible to detail her platform – Gobyernong may Puso,” Gatchalian said in a text message.

READ: LP urges SC to rule on Poe DQ case now | Poe to SC: Allow people to choose next president

“We are confident that the SC will rule in her favor because the laws are on her side,” Gatchalian added.

Poe’s campaign manager,  Cebu Representative Ace Durano, shared Gatchalian’s optimism.

“Very positive and hopeful pa rin,” Durano said in a separate text message.

Poe and her allies spoke as the SC held an en banc session on Tuesday to receive the final positions of the justices and to continue  deliberations on the petitions seeking to unseat Poe as senator and stop her from running for president in May.

The Senate Electoral Tribunal has already junked a quo warranto petition filed by defeated senatorial bet Rizalito David seeking to unseat Poe as senator over her citizenship. The petitioner elevated the case to the SC.

Poe, meanwhile, is asking the high tribunal to reverse the Commission on Elections’ cancellation of her certificate of candidacy over residency and citizenship issues.

While the SC is deliberating on the cases, Poe is scheduled to attend the International Women’s Day celebration in the afternoon at the Liwasang Bonfiacio.

She said she was not only hopeful but was also confident that the SC would decide in her favor.

“I’m really at peace with it. Masaya nga ako e. Hindi ko nga alam bakit,” Poe said in an interview Monday.

READ: Poe on impending SC decision: I’m at peace, happy