Sen. Grace Poe. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Presidential candidate Senator Grace Poe expressed dismay on Monday that no less than a member of the Supreme Court has been raising doubts over the very same institution that ruled that she is qualified to run for president in the upcoming elections in May.
“Hayaan mo na siya kung ano man ang kanyang opinyon diyan. Pero ‘yung collective wisdom ng Supreme Court (SC) ang ating batayan,” Poe said in an interview in Iloilo when asked about Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, who voted against her.
(Let him express whatever his opinion may be on the matter. But the collective wisdom of the Supreme Court is our basis.)
Carpio, in his dissenting opinion, said allowing a presidential candidate with “uncertain citizenship status” would be a “mockery” of the Philippine elections.
READ: Poe’s presidential run a mockery of PH elections – Justice Carpio
The SC, voting 9-6, reversed the Commission on Elections’ cancellation of Poe’s certificate of candidate for president, saying she is qualified to run for the highest post in the land.
“Sa tingin ko itong desisyon na ito napakalakas na. At saka pagdating doon sa desisyon ng SET (Senate Electoral Tribunal), ganoon din naman ang sinabi ng SET dito sa (usapin) tungkol sa natural-born,” Poe said.
READ: SC voting in Poe’s case questioned
(I think this decision is firm. And in terms of the SET decision, it said the same thing on the matter of natural-born [citizenship].)
The SET earlier ruled that Poe is a natural-born Filipino citizen when it dismissed a quo warranto petition filed by defeated senatorial bet Rizalito David seeking to unseat her as senator.
“Huwag pong mabahala ang ating mga kababayan,” Poe said.
(Our fellow countrymen should not be worried.)
However, she said: “Nakakalungkot na ang isa sa mga miyembro ng Korte Suprema pa mismo ang nagbibigay ng pagdududa ukol dito na alam naman natin—pasensya na, mawalang-galang na—pero ‘nung panahon pa rin ng aking ama ay isa na rin siya sa mga talagang tumutol.”
(It saddens me that a Supreme Court member himself cast doubt on the matter when we know—forgive and excuse me for this—he was also among those who dissented in my father’s case.)
Poe’s father, the late action king Fernando Poe Jr., faced the same disqualification case over the issue of citizenship when he ran but lost to then President and now detained Pampanga Representative Gloria Macagapal-Arroyo in the 2004 presidential race. RAM
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