Poe says CIA bet tag ‘ridiculous’

Senator Grace Poe. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

Senator Grace Poe described as “ridiculous” on Friday a rival’s tag that she is a CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) candidate after linking her husband to the agency.

“Hindi po CIA ang asawa ko, mawalang-galang na sa iba,” Poe said in an interview over ABS-CBN News Channel’s (ANC) “Headstart.”

(Excuse me for saying this but my husband is not associated with CIA.)

“Hindi totoo yan, hindi totoo yun. Yung asawa ko, kasama ko yan palagi, katabi ko yan, sigurado ako hindi CIA.”

(That’s not true. I am with my husband all the time and he is always by my side, I’m sure he isn’t affiliated with CIA.)

She said her husband Neil Llamanzares was not like a character in the movie, “True Lies,” where he would suddenly disappear and dance somewhere else.

“Kilala ko ang asawa ko at nakikita naman natin sa kanyang pagkatao, hindi nga nakikialam. Ang dami ngang hindi kilala sa mundo ng pulitika,” said Poe.

(I know my husband and as we can see in his personality, he isn’t involving himself [in politics]. He doesn’t know many personalities in politics.)

“Siguro kung siya ay naging CIA, matagal na syang pinaalis kasi useless sya at wala syang maibibigay na kontribusyon.”

(Perhaps if he was working for the CIA, he has long been removed [from the agency] because he would be useless and wouldn’t contribute [any information].)

“Gayunpaman (Nevertheless), I just wanted to clarify that because it’s ridiculous and I think they are throwing everything already… and I think it’s the lowest of the low,” she added.

It was Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago who had reportedly linked Poe’s husband to the CIA.

Poe earlier confirmed that Llamanzares had worked at the US Air Force.

READ: Poe defends US home, hubby’s USAF service

If Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte is an NPA (New People’s Army) candidate, Santiago said Poe is a CIA candidate. RAM/rga

READ: Duterte candidate of NPA, Poe financed by CIA–Santiago