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Poe challenges critics, denies P150-M campaign donations

Camille Elemia

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

Poe challenges critics, denies P150-M campaign donations

Arnold Almacen

'Ako talaga ay nagtitimpi lang, ha? Pero 'yung mga ginagawa nilang ganyan, sa tingin ko dapat managot na rin sila sa batas,' she says of camps that make allegations against her

ILOILO CITY, Philippines – Presidential bet Grace Poe on Monday, March 14, strongly denied reports she received P150 million in campaign donations from a certain Sun City Group from Macau and challenged critics to prove them.

A Tribune report alleged that Poe received multi-million pesos from a casino company, thereby violating Philippine election laws.

“First of all, that is absolutely not true,” Poe said in a chance interview in Santa Barbara town.

“Ang nakakalungkot pa may mga ibang naglalabas niyan na mga propesor. Bakit ko naman gagawin ‘yan? Unang-una, malinaw na malinaw ‘yan sa batas. Wala akong tinatanggap na ganyan,” she added.

(What’s more saddening is that a professor is also saying that. Why would I even do that? First, it’s very clear in our law. I did not receive anything like that.)

The senator also questioned the supposed cash voucher inscribed with her signature, hinting it is fake.

“Ang dali naman na kumuha ng ibang dokumento para papirmahan. Hindi talaga…. At talagang nakakalungkot nga,” Poe said.

(It’s easy to just get another document and have it signed. Really no. This is really saddening.)

Poe said she is just trying to keep her cool amid incessant criticisms from the same group and challenged them to prove their claims. 

“Alam mo, ako talaga ay nagtitimpi lang, ha? Pero ‘yung mga ginagawa nilang ganyan, sa tingin ko dapat managot na rin sila sa batas. Pero, sige, kampanya ito; gusto nilang gawin ‘yan,” Poe said. “Ito ay walang katotohanan at hinahamon ko na sila.

(You know, I am just trying to hold in my anger, but what they’re doing now, I think should be made answerable to the law. But, fine, since this is a campaign, they want to do it. This has no truth to it and I am challenging them.)

The same newspaper alleged that Poe used two US Social Security Numbers (SSN),
one of which supposedly belonged to a dead person. (READ: Poe to critics: Call US employers to verify SSN)

Poe also denied it, saying the SSN in question – 005-003-1988 – was her student number in Boston College, where she graduated.

The senator earlier said she already requested for an official copy of her student number but has yet to receive the document. – 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.