Grace Poe: More ‘peaceful life’ if I’m not on 2016 ballot

Camille Elemia

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Grace Poe: More ‘peaceful life’ if I’m not on 2016 ballot
As for Rodrigo Duterte's possible disqualification, Poe prays the mayor will also be allowed to run

MANILA, Philippines – Amid threats of being excluded from the ballot in the 2016 elections, presidential aspirant Senator Grace Poe hinted she would welcome the decision.

The Commission on Elections First and Second Divisions both ruled to cancel her certificate of candidacy (COC). Poe, for her part, will appeal the decisions before the Comelec en banc and the Supreme Court.

“Sa totoo lang, sinasabi ko nga kung hindi nila isasama yung pangalan ko, mas magiging mapayapa ang buhay ko,” she said.

(Honestly, I have been saying that my life will be more peaceful if they decide not to include my name on the ballot.)

On Friday, December 11, Poe also hinted that she would accept the final outcome in the Supreme Court even if it were not in her favor. (READ: Grace Poe on COC battle: I haven’t been knocked out)

“Kung hindi man ako mabigyan [ng pagkakataon], ako po’y payapa sa aking sarili dahil para sa akin, narating ko na rin po ito. Nakakapag-serbisyo naman po tayo.”

(Even if they do not give me a chance to become president, I am at peace with myself because I have gone this far. I am already serving the people.)  

Comelec ruling not yet final

Meanwhile, her running mate Senator Francis Escudero said the Comelec should keep Poe’s name on the 2016 ballot despite the unfavorable rulings by its two divisions. 

Escudero said that until the Supreme Court rules with finality on the disqualification cases filed against Poe, she is still in the presidential race.

“Para sa akin dapat isama ang pangalan ni Senator Grace hanggang hindi nagbibigay ng pinal na desisyon ang Korte Suprema tungkol sa mga petisyon na inihain laban sa kanya. Inuulit ko po na si Senator Grace ay kandidato pa rin natin sa pagka-pangulo,” Escudero said in a statement.

(For me, Senator Grace’s name should be included on the ballot until the Supreme Court has not rendered its final decision on the disqualification cases. I repeat, Senator Grace is still a presidential candidate.)

In an apparent swipe at the poll body, Escudero questioned the haste by which the cases against Poe were resolved. He said the Comelec should first clean the official list of candidates.

“Nagtataka ako bakit nauna pang i-disqualify si Senator Grace kaysa sa mga kandidatong ang pangalan ay ‘Intergalactic’ at ‘Satanas,’” he said.

(I wonder why they first disqualified Poe instead of other candidates named ‘Intergalactic’ and ‘Lucifer.’)

Well-wishes for Duterte

Echoing her wishes for herself, Poe reiterated Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte should be allowed to run for president in 2016.

Asked for her reaction on the pending disqualification cases against the feisty mayor, Poe had nothing but good wishes for him.

“Ay sana huwag naman, ang dasal ko ay huwag siyang ma-disqualify,” Poe said in an interview after the commemoration of Fernando Poe Jr’s 11th death anniversary on Monday, December 14. 

(I hope no, my prayer is that he won’t be disqualified.)

Aside from knowing how it feels to face the risk of disqualification, Poe said she knew what her father experienced in 2004. FPJ also faced disqualification cases over citizenship issues when he ran for president against Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. But unlike Poe, FPJ won the cases against him from the division levels of the poll body all the way to the High Court.

“Ang dasal ko ay mabigyan siya ng pagkakataon na tumakbo kasi yun naman yung pinaglalaban natin. Manalo siya o kung ano, pero hindi natin malalaman ‘yan hangga’t hindi natin nilalagay ang pangalan sa balota… Hindi lamang dahil dasal ko yan sa sarili ko, nakita kong pinagdaaanan ‘yan ng tatay ko rin e,” she said.

(My prayer is that he would be given the chance to run because that is what we are fighting for. If he wins or loses, we would not know that until we put his name on the ballot. Not just because this is my prayer for myself, [but also because] I saw what my father went through.) – Rappler.com

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Camille Elemia

Camille Elemia is a former multimedia reporter for Rappler. She covered media and disinformation, the Senate, the Office of the President, and politics.