Poe: It won’t be easy for critics to accuse Aquino of corruption

Presidential candidate Grace Poe speaks to the reporters and editors during the “Meet the Inquirer” forum held at Philippine Daily Inquirer office.  JILSON SECKLER TIU

Given President Benigno Aquino III’s strong stance against corruption, it might be difficult for his detractors to have a case against him after he steps down from office in June, according to Sen. Grace Poe.

“Nobody is blameless but when it comes to the President, I think it would be difficult for them to have a case against him,” Poe said on Thursday during the Meet the Inquirer Forum in Makati City.

“I think that his strong stand against corruption has given our country an unprecedented growth but it’s not enough. We feel also that there are many in his Cabinet or a few in his Cabinet that need to be accountable,” she said.

Poe made the remark when asked about her stand on the possible cases that may be filed against the President after his term.

Asked again what she thought would have happened if she accepted the President’s offer to run with the administration’s bet, former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, Poe said in jest that she would probably be facing only one disqualification case.

“I wouldn’t have four disqualification cases against me. Maybe just one,” she said, followed by a hearty laugh.

Did her response mean that the three cases could have come from the administration camp? The senator quickly answered no.

“My relationship with the President, with just the President alone, until this day, I remain grateful to the President for having ushered me in to public service, to the MTRCB,” she said.

Aquino appointed Poe chair of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board in 2010.

In 2013, Poe ran and placed number one in the senatorial race.

“Again, I repeat this, because for me it’s so heartwarming. I didn’t campaign for the President but I voted for him. And yet he did not hesitate to take me in and assigned me to the MTRCB and that started it,” Poe said.

“It’s also good to know that the President thought that I have what it takes to be a leader, to effect change and to be able to manage things to because if he’s inviting you to be vice president, then you’re only a heartbeat away from being president and I still see that as a valuable thing from the President.”

Poe rejected Aquino’s offer to run with Roxas as she chose instead to run against the latter in the upcoming presidential race. RC

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