Poe on residency in COC: An ‘honest misinterpretation’

ISABELA, Philippines – Senator Grace Poe on Saturday, December 12, said she “honestly misinterpreted” the item on residency when she filed her certificate of candidacy (COC) for senator in 2013.

Poe made the statement following the ruling of a Commission Elections division that she committed “material misrepresentation” when she claimed in her COC that she is a natural-born Filipino citizen and has resided in the Philippines for at least 10 years. (READ: FULL TEXT: Comelec First Division ruling vs Grace Poe)

According to the presidential candidate, she wrote 10 years and 11 months’ residency in her COC then, based on her own interpretation.

“I filled it out myself because that’s my interpretation. That’s why, to be able to refute and say that I honestly misinterpreted it because how it was worded,” Poe said in a press briefing during a visit to Cauayan City, Isabela. 

Voting 2-1 in favor of cancelling Poe’s COC, the Comelec’s First Division stated. “It is indeed incredible to think that Respondent, a well-educated woman and already then a public servant with full staff support, including a legal team, would not know how to correctly declare the facts material to her candidacy for the May 13, 2013 elections.”

To this, Poe responded, “I hope they’ll also recognize that educated or not, we can have our own interpretation of it. And the important thing is how we justify that interpretation.”

‘Blind’

Poe’s running mate, Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero, accused the  panel – composed of appointees of President Benigno Aquino III – of ignoring the evidence they presented to the body.

“Pinili nilang hindi tingnan at hindi gamitin ‘yun. Pinili nilang magbulag-bulagan (They chose to ignore and not use [the evidence]. They chose to be blind),” said Escudero, who was with Poe in Isabela. 

He also noted that petitioners, including former senator Francico Tatad and lawyer Estrella Elamparo, failed to provide evidence to back up their respective cases.

Expressing frustration over the recent turn of events, Escudero hinted that he knows who is behind the cases against his running mate.

“Ang hindi ko din malaman, anong pinaghuhugutan nila. Meron, hindi ko alam kung ano. Pero kilala ko kung sino (I don’t know what their motive is. But I know who is behind it).”

He said cases were filed against Poe only when she refused the offer of the Liberal Party to be its vice presidential candidate.

Tatad is a known ally of another presidential candidate, Vice President Jejomar Binay, while Elamparo has insisted that there is no one behind her disqualification case against Poe.

Despite the unfavorable decision, Escudero reiterated that the battle is not yet over, as the case will be decided by the Comeled en banc, and can be elevated to the Supreme Court.

“Magdedesisyon po ang Comelec en banc. Hindi po yan executory hanggang makalipas ang sampung araw kung saan may panahon po kaming iakyat sa Supreme Court,” he said. (This case will be decided by the Comelec en banc. That is not executory until 10 days, which gives us time to take the case to the Supreme Court). – Rappler.com