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Grace Poe to supporters: Don’t add to political noise

Jee Y. Geronimo

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

Grace Poe to supporters: Don’t add to political noise
The presidential aspirant also asks her supporters to spread the word that she is still in the running, as the disqualification cases against her are not yet over

MANILA, Philippines – Despite her own share of challenges on the campaign trail, presidential candidate Senator Grace Poe said she would rather focus on helping Filipinos than get entangled in the “unproductive” bickering that some of her rivals are engaged in. 

“Positive po ang ating campaigning. [Let’s focus on] how we can help the country. Hindi po dapat tayo makihalo dun sa mga gulo-gulo na wala namang konstruktibong ibibigay. Basta lang tumulong tayo sa kapwa natin – ‘yun po ang mahalaga,” Poe told her supporters on Wednesday, December 16, at the inauguration of the headquarters of the Grace Poe Movement for President (GPMP).

(Our campaign is positive. Let’s focus on how we can help the country. We shouldn’t add to the noise that does not contribute anything constructive. Let’s just focus on helping others – that’s what’s important.)

She did not mention any candidate, but at least two of her rivals in the 5-way presidential race are already up against each other in a heated word war that started when Liberal Party (LP) standard-bearer Manuel “Mar” Roxas II said it was a “myth” that Davao City was the safest in the country.

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte retaliated by criticizing Roxas’ supposed incompetence in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), and alleging that Roxas’ Wharton education was a “myth.” This further fueled a word war that culminated in threats of a physical showdown between the two aspirants.

Poe herself recently engaged in a word war with Roxas, after he claimed Poe hid her citizenship and residency issues when she was being invited as the ruling party’s vice presidential candidate. Poe said Roxas, as interior secretary then, should have known about this.

The presidential candidate leading in preference surveys is facing disqualification cases. Two Commission on Elections divisions ruled to cancel her certificate of candidacy because of her citizenship and residency issues, which her camp had appealed before the Comelec en banc.

Poe said she will respect the decision, which she hopes would be “just.”

“Sana nga totoong masusi nilang pinag-aaralan at sana rin po ay makatarungan ang kanilang magiging desisyon. Kung anuman yun, rerespetuhin natin. Kung ano pa yung proseso ay gagawin natin (I hope they will carefully review [the case] and that they would arrive at a just decision. Whatever it is, we will respect it. We will follow the process),” Poe told reporters on Wednesday.

Platform-based campaign

Lawyer Gil Valera, secretary general of GPMP, said Poe’s positive campaign will focus on platforms instead of bashing other candidates.

Maging honest lang, hindi kami kailangang manira sa iba (Just be honest, we don’t have to attack others). Emphasize positive projects,” Valera told reporters.

After all, GPMP head Oscar Valera said they don’t have the money to bash other candidates.

Lahat ng followers namin ay honest-to-goodness followers – ‘di namin binabayaran; sincere. We’re happy we don’t have to pay people because bawal kay Senator Grace Poe yun. Kabilin-bilinan niya na ‘wag papatol sa ganyang mga nagsisiraan sa social media,” Valera said.

(All our followers are honest-to-goodness followers – they’re not being paid; sincere. We’re happy we don’t have to pay people because Senate Grace Poe won’t allow it. Her strict instruction is not to get involved with those engaged in black propaganda on social media.)

Alarmed

Poe is heavily criticized on social media because of the disqualification cases against her. Valera admits it worries supporters.

Alarmed din kami on that, but then again, matagal pa naman ang eleksyon, May 9, marami pang nangyayari. Bayaan mo na lang silang magbangayan or whatever, but Grace Poe will not be part of it,” he added.

(We’re also alarmed by what’s happening, but then again, the elections are still a long way off, May 9, many more things are still happenening. Just let them slug it out or whatever, but Grace Poe will not be part of it.)

The GPMP aims to gather 10 million supporters for Poe and to build 100 headquarters for the campaign nationwide. Poe asked her supporters on Wednesday to spread the word that she’s still in the running as a presidential candidate in the 2016 elections.

“Gusto kong hingin ang tulong niyo na kung saan kayo magpunta – maraming nagtatanong kasi may isang survey ng Magdalo, maraming nagtatanong, ‘Hindi ba na-DQ na si Grace Poe?’ Kailangang i-explain na ‘di tapos ang proseso,” she said.

(I want to ask for your help. Wherever you go – many are asking because Magdalo came out with a survey, many are asking, ‘Isn’t Grace Poe DQd already?’ You have to explain that the process is not yet over.)

At para sa atin, hindi tayo lalabag sa batas, pero tayo ay makikipaglaban para sa ating prinsipyo na dapat ay may tamang proseso na makatarungan. Hindi naman pwedeng basta na lang i-railroad ito,” she added

(And for us, we will not violate the law, but we will continue the fight based on principle, that there should be a right and just process. This cannot be just railroaded.)

The Supreme Court (SC) has the oral arguments on the citizenship case filed against Poe on January 19, 2016. – Rappler.com

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Jee Y. Geronimo

Jee is part of Rappler's Central Desk, handling most of the world, science, and environment stories on the site. She enjoys listening to podcasts and K-pop, watching Asian dramas, and running long distances. She hopes to visit Israel someday to retrace the steps of her Savior.