Tacloban City (CNN Philippines) — Sen. Grace Poe on Friday (February 26) shrugged off accusations that she used her U.S. passport after renouncing her American citizenship in 2010.
This was in light of a recent Supreme Court (SC) ruling removing a mayor in Lanao del Norte from his post, for using his American passport even after renouncing his U.S. citizenship.
Poe’s critics are using the case of former Kauswagan Mayor Rommel Arnado as a basis to block Poe from seeking the presidency.
Also read: Lawyer: Arnaldo case does not apply on Poe
Her running mate Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero said details of Poe’s U.S. passport have been submitted both to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the SC.
“Dumaan na kami sa Comelec, tapos na kami sa Korte Suprema, bakit hanggang ngayon, hindi pa lumalabas yang ebidensya na yan?” Escudero asked.
Escudero claimed the last time Poe used her U.S. passport, was in March 2010, about seven months before she decided to renounce her U.S. citizenship.
Poe dared her critics to present in public any proof that would challenge her own documents.
“Kung ginamit ko yon, sa MTRCB (Movie and Television Review and Classification Board) pa lang natanggal na ako, wala pong katotohanan yan. Yan naman ang gusto nilang gawin, ay lituhin ang ating mga kababayan.”
[Translation: “That’s not true. If I used that, I would have been ousted during my term as MTRCB chairperson. That’s what they really want to do, to confuse our countrymen.”]
Also read: CHR backs Poe in SC: Foundlings have the right to nationality
Poe, Escudero, and members of their Senate slate were in Tacloban City on Friday, as part of the Visayas leg of their campaign.
An official of their camp said there were efforts to sabotage the rally.
Former An-Waray Rep. Florencio “Bem” Noel claimed barangay officials, as well as beneficiaries of the government’s conditional cash transfer (CCT) program were reportedly being ordered to boycott the rally.
Also read: Fate of CCT program in the hands of next president – Soliman
The Liberal Party however denied the claim, saying the Poe-Escudero tandem is just looking for an excuse in case there’s a low turnout during their event.
Tacloban City is ground zero of Typhoon Yolanda which struck the country in 2013.
More than 6,000 people died in that disaster, considered the strongest typhoon to hit land in recent history.
Poe bared a list of promises on disaster mitigation and response, as well as confronting the challenges of climate change.
Among them, the creation of a special disaster body similar to the Federal Emergency Management Agency of the United States that would replace the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.
