Philippines’ Grace Poe says ‘personal agendas’ behind attempts to ban her from presidential race
Philippine presidential front runner Grace Poe on Thursday lashed out after being disqualified from the 2016 election, saying powerful groups with personal agendas were involved. She vowed to continue to pursue her presidential bid and defend Filipinos’ rights to elect their next president.
“The string of disqualification cases were filed against me when I was still contemplating a run for the presidency by people whose motives were suspect at best,” Poe said. “Powerful groups with personal agenda are behind these cases. But I am not afraid. Not when the people are behind me.”
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Monday said Poe’s declarations on her citizenship and period of residency when she filed her candidacy for president were “both false”. Comelec unanimously ruled Poe failed to meet the 10-year residency requirement and failed to prove she was natural-born.
Powerful groups with personal agenda are behind these cases. But I am not afraid. Not when the people are behind me
Poe was a resident of the United States from 1991 and became a naturalised US citizen 10 years later. She reacquired her Philippine citizenship in July 2006 and renounced her US citizenship four years later.
The disqualification is a setback to the politician who has been leading in the polls and recently won one of the four disqualification cases against her.
READ MORE: Philippine Senator Grace Poe disqualified from presidential race
Yesterday, the Senate Electoral Tribunal ruled Poe cannot be removed from the Senate as adopted children of unknown parentage, such as Poe, are protected by international conventions that give her the right to a citizenship.