Senator Grace Poe hits back at Comelec

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines  — Presidential candidate, Senator Grace Poe the other day assailed the Comelec’s motion at the Supreme Court to dismiss her petition challenging the decision to cancel her certificate of candidacy.

Poe, upon learning of this development during her visit to this city, said the Comelec had refused to acknowledge the evidences she submitted that would prove her being a natural-born citizen.

"Talagang hahanap sila ng lusot kahit na ang government lawyer ay nagsabi na ako’y isang natural-born Filipino at nakuha ako sa simbahan sa Iloilo. Imposible naman ng isang dayuhan ang maglalalay sa akin sa simbahan," she told local reporters.

The SC was set to hear the oral arguments over the motion on January 19, but the Comelec wanted it to conduct on January 12. "I am hoping that the SC, since this is a case of transcendental importance, ay bibigyan po ito nga prioridad,” Poe said.

While calling it “inhuman” the short days allocated to resolve the SC’s temporary restraining order against the Comelec’s decision of disqualifying her as a presidential candidate, Poe told the media here that she was, however, optimistic that the High Court would act swiftly and impartially on this case.

In a news conference with Senator Chiz Escudero, her vice presidential candidate, Poe became emotional over the attacks of her being not a natural-born citizen. She said this was one of the hardest situations she had ever faced, which prompted her to push for the exhumation of buried “relatives” in Iloilo for a DNA test that would prove she was actually born in the country.

"Kung ang inaakala ngayon ko lang ginawa para lang makita ko ang tunay kong mga magulang, nagkakamali sila ... dahil noon pa man na bata pa ako tinanung ko na at hinananap lalong-lalo na sa mga taong unang kumopkop sa akin kun saan at sino ang mga kadugo ko. Pero wala man kaya’t hinayaan ko na lang at ito na pala ang pagsubok na mas umantig sa puso ko," she said.

Poe later visited the SOS Childrens Village in the city where about 80 abandoned children have been housed. Some of the children her in the past are now studying while others are already professionals.

"Tinanong ko ang mga bata at silang lahat ay nagsabi na may mga pangarap sila sa buhay, at bakit hindi nila tugunan ang pangarap ng isang katulad ko na isa ring batang inabandona minsan ng magulang,' she added.  — Miriam Garcia Desacada (FREEMAN)