The urban legend just won’t die. A letter alleging that the DNA tests of Senators Grace Poe and Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos matched was circulated among Senate reporters on Monday, January 25. 

“This is Sen. Bongbong Marcos’ DNA result. Compare this with that of Sen. Grace Poe and you will see that they are related,” an attached note to the letter said.

But who sent it and what for?

The letter came at a time when Poe is facing the risk of being disqualified from the May 2016 presidential race over citizenship and residency issues. The Supreme Court is currently hearing the disqualification case against her.

Marcos, for his part, has seen his numbers continuously rise in vice presidential preference surveys.

Almost every Senate reporter received a copy of the results of the DNA test supposedly conducted by DNA Solutions Philippines located at 64 Scout Gandia Street, Quezon City.

The letter, however, was mailed to reporters by First Technik Philippines Inc, with office address at 2310 Legarda, Sampaloc, Manila.

A simple online search showed that the office of DNA Solutions Philippines is indeed in the specified address. A similar search, however, yielded negative results for First Technik Philippines Inc.

A certain Forensic Scientist 1 Julie Ludovico signed the DNA test report dated November 12, 2015 with Case Reference Number TO23445.

“DNA isolation was carried. Genetic characteristics were determined by PowerPlex 21 PCR kit. In parallel, positive and negative controls were performed which gave the expected and correct results,” Ludovico said in the report. 

Fake and ‘fabricated’

Rappler verified the authenticity of the document. Jaime Lazatin, CEO of DNA Solutions Philippines, denied the test results came from them.

“This is the same fabricated document circulating in the media. The company logo is different, the content is not in anyway the same how we issue our results and the person who signed it is not connected with us,” Lazation told Rappler in a text message.

Poe, for her part, distanced herself from the issue while Marcos denied undergoing a DNA test. 

“I laughed when I heard about it. I’ve never had a DNA test,” Marcos said in a media report.

Poe has undergone at least 3 DNA tests but with no successful match. She recently underwent a DNA test with her possible birthparents from Guimaras. (READ: Poe camp: Grace didn’t order exhumation of ‘parents’ in Guimaras)

“Bago pa man ako magkomento kung dapat ikonsidera ang paghahambing, alamin din nila mismo kay Senator Marcos ang authenticity ng pribadong bagay na ito,” Poe said in a statement.

(Before I even comment if the comparisons should be considered, Senator Marcos should first attest to the authenticity of this private document.)

It has long been rumored that Poe is a love child of former president Ferdinand Marcos and Rosemarie Sonora, the younger sister of Poe’s mother, Susan Roces. The rumor is something that Poe and Marcos Jr, along with their families, have been denying all along. 

The presidential bet grew up as a foundling, after being abandoned at Jaro Cathedral in 1968 and adopted by movie stars Fernando Poe Jr and Susan Roces. – Rappler.com