Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Malacañan not only denied on Wednesday (August 5) allegations that it was behind a disqualification case against Sen. Grace Poe. But it also hinted at who could really be behind such a move.
This developed after a former senatorial aspirant named Lito David attempted to file on Wednesday (August 5) a 16-page petition questioning Poe’s eligibility to run in the last mid-term elections — citing issues on her residency and foundling status. He, however, failed to pay the P50,000 filing fee to the Senate Electoral Tribunal.
Secretary Edwin Lacierda, presidential spokesperson, told reporters that it won’t do the administration any good to discredit Poe as the lawmaker was considered by President Benigno Aquino III to be part of a “generational change.”
After Aquino endorsed Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II as the administration’s presidential bet last July 31, Liberal Party (LP) stalwarts maintained that the door remained open for Poe in case she would agree to a Mar-Poe tandem in 2016.
Lacierda said he was confident that the attempted filing of case did not come from the administration camp — and added that the Palace knew who was pulling the strings.
“Sino ang unang naglabas (ng ganitong issue)? Sino ang unang naglabas ng paratang?” Lacierda rhetorically asked.
[Translation: “Who was the first one to bring up such an issue? Who was the first to accuse?”]
This was not the first time that the issue about Poe’s residency and citizenship cropped up.
In early June, Rep. Toby Tiangco of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) told the media that based on Poe’s certificate of candidacy for the 2013 elections, she would lack the 10-year residency requirement to run for president in 2016.
Related: FPJ’s allies defend Sen. Grace Poe vs. accusers
Election expert: Deeming Grace Poe ‘disqualified’ too premature
Last July 22, Vice President Jejomar Binay, in a speech in Tayabas, Quezon, took a potshot at Poe’s allegiance to the country, saying she once gave up her Filipino citizenship to become an American citizen.
VP Binay takes a shot at Sen. Poe
Poe lived in the United States before settling back in Manila following the death of his adoptive father, the late Ronnie Poe or better known as Fernando Poe Jr.
Related: Cory produced a P-Noy, will FPJ give rise to P-Grace?
CNN Philippines’ Anjo Alimario and Anna Estanislao contributed to this report.
