Poe: I won’t go easy on erring officials, fight vs crime, drugs

Presidential aspirant Senator Grace Poe. FILE PHOTO

BATANGAS CITY—Presidential aspirant Grace Poe vowed to go after erring officials —whether they are in uniform or powerful — who fail to curb criminality and illegal drugs under her administration.

Speaking at a rally in n Batangas City Coliseum Friday night, Poe addressed doubts over her capability as a woman to stamp out criminality and illegal drugs if she gets elected in Malacañang.

“Mga kababayan alam ko ito iniisip din ninyo, kaya ba ng isang babae na mamuno at labanan ang krimen at droga?” she said.

(My countrymen, I know that you are also wondering if a woman can lead and fight crime and drugs.)

“Makakasiguro kayo na dahil ang pangulo ay marami nang inaasikaso, magsisiguro ako na magtatalaga ako ng isang PNP chief at isang crime czar na mapagkakatiwalaaan at hahababulin haggang sa dulo ng impyero lahat ng gagawa ng kasamaan sa inyo.”

(You can be sure that even while the president is busy with other tasks, I will appoint a PNP chief and a crime czar whom we can trust and will chase criminals until the corners of hell.)

READ: Lacson: Querubin a ‘good choice’ as anti-crime czar

Poe said she would utilize all available rooms in Malacañang to monitor every barangay (village) in the country. And if the problems persist, she would immediately ask the police and barangay officials in the area and give them at least two weeks to solve the problem.

“Pagkatapos ng dalawang linggo, hindi pa rin nagawan ng paraan at may reklamo pa rin at kausap ko na ang barangay captain at wala pa rin, ako mismo ang pupunta du’n at tatanggalin ko sila at magtatalaga ako ng matitinong tao at kung sino man ang nagkasala paparusahan ko — alagad ng batas ka man o ikaw ay makapangyarihan,” she said.

(If after two weeks and the problems still remain unsolved and there are still complaints even after I have talked to the village captain, I would be the one to go there and relieve the officials and appoint trustworthy ones, and punish those at fault—even if you are an official or a man of power.)

READ: Poe vows to jail more corrupt leaders

“Wala po akong takot. Bakit? Sandali lang ako sa pulitika, wala naman akong itinatago, hindi ko naman ikinayaman ang pulitika, wala naman akong utang na loob sa kanila.”

(I am not scared. Why? Because I have not been in politics for a long time, I am not hiding anything, I did not gain wealth because of politics, I don’t owe them anything.)

While there are people who are supporting her presidential bid now, Poe reiterated that she would not give them preferential treatment but just a level playing field.

At some points in her speech, Poe turned sentimental when she talked about the reasons why she decided to run for president.

“Mga kababayan bumabalik po ako sa dahilan kung bakit ako tumakbo. Sa umpisa pa lamang, ako’y tumakbo sapagkat ako ay pinalaki ng aking ama na si FPJ at ang aking nanay na si Susan na makaramdam kung ano ang nararamdaman ng mahihirap nating mga kababayan,” she said.

(My countrymen, I always go back to the reason why I am running. From the beginning, I decided to run because I was raised by my father FPJ and my mother Susan with a feel for the suffering of the poor people.)

Poe, a foundling, was referring to her adoptive parents—veteran actress Susan Roces and the late action star Fernando Poe Jr (FPJ).

“Ilang dekada na ang nakakaraan pero patuloy pa rin ang pang-aapi at kahirapan sa ating bansa. Walang nakakasiguro kung sino ang mananalo sa halalan pero sa aking palagay, obligasyon ng bawat kandidato na mailahad kung paano maiaangat sa kahirapan ang ating mga kababayan.”

(Several decades have past and the oppression and suffering in our country continues. There is no assurance as to who will win the elections, but I think that it is the obligation of every candidate to reveal how they plan to save our countrymen from the depths of poverty.)

Poe admitted that the fight was “very difficult” that she sometimes asks herself why she is doing it.

“Mga kababayan itong laban na ito ay para sa inyo sapagkat napakahirap po ng laban na ito. Sa mga pinagdaanan ko, minsan iniisip ko kung ito ba ay dapat kong gawin…” she said.

(My countrymen, this fight is for you even if it is a tough one. Sometimes, I contemplate if I should continue doing this because of the things that I have gone through.)

But Poe said she always reminds herself that every Filipino has an obligation to do what is right for the country and its people. IDL