Poe on Lenten ‘political ceasefire’: I did not fire the first shot

Senator Grace Poe PHOTO BY JAY MORALES

“I did not fire the first shot,” presidential aspirant Grace Poe said on Monday amid reported calls by her rivals for a ceasefire in observance of the Lenten season.

“Wala nga akong… sila nga ang nambabato akin,” Poe told reporters after a quick visit at the Baclaran church.

“Ako naman sinasagot ko lang… Bakit sila magce-ceasefire sa akin? Hindi naman ako nag uumpisa ng pag-fire ng baril sa kanila, pero marunong akong depensahan ang aking sarili,” she added.

READ: Belmonte calls for ‘political ceasefire’ on Holy Week

Poe was reacting to the reported call for a ceasefire by the camp of former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas.

The call came just a day after the second presidential debate in Cebu Sunday where four candidates–Poe, Roxas, Vice President Jejomar Binay, and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte–traded barbs against each other.

Asked about Binay’s reported statement that he was hurt by Poe’s tirades against him considering that he helped her father, the late Fernando Poe Jr., during the 2004 elections, Poe said she was just responding to the Vice President’s accusations against her.

“Sinagot ko na siya ‘nung debate. Sinagot ko lamang ang kanyang mga pinaratang, kaya pasensya na pero nauna siyang nagsabi, kaya kinailangan ko ring sabihin kung ano ‘yung katotohanan at depensahan kung ano ‘yung nararapat,” she said.

Like any candidates, Poe said she would use the Lenten to pray and rest from the long weeks of campaigning.

She said she has a hundred prayers this Holy Week.

“To summarize it, (ito) ay para sa lagpas 100 milyong mga Pilipino na talagang kailangan natin iangat ang buhay,” said Poe.

“At hinihiling ko bilang isang kandidato, kung ako ay mabibigyan ng pagkakataon na sana makatulong ako ayon sa nararapat, gusto ng Diyos at kailangan ng tao,” she added. JE

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