'Daughter of Marcos' tag amuses Grace Poe

MANILA, Philippines — Late cinematic legend Fernando Poe Jr.'s daughter, Senator Grace Poe Llamanzares, takes lightly suspicions that her biological father was late strongman Ferdinand Marcos.

In a televised interview, Poe said she has already addressed the rumors, denying she is an illegitimate child of Marcos and Sampaguita Pictures star Rosemarie Sonora.

"Nung kampanya, ibinabato lahat sa'yo. So sabi ko, totoo naman ako'y adopted child," Poe said in an interview with TV5's Ka-Talk sa Umaga with Lourd DeVeyra aired Wednesday.

Poe, a neophyte senator, recounted that she and Marcos' son, Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., spoke about the matter in jest when she first met him in the Senate last year.

"Noong first session namin, first time ko nakita si Bongbong Marcos. Ang sabi ko sa kanya, 'Hi, bro!' Sagot niya, 'Sis!' ... Napaisip siya. Sabi ko, 'Siguro naman narinig mo yung issue nung tumatakbo pa 'ko ... 'Wag mo sabihin sa mommy mo ha na we're taking it lightly," Poe said.

"Kasi for me, there's no truth to it. It doesn't affect me," Poe added.

Poe earlier admitted that she has experienced insecurity about being an adopted child of the action superstar and actress Susan Roces, but she never felt her parents lacked in giving her care and support as they would a biological daughter.

"Kung ano man ang oportunidad na binibigay sa isang biological na anak, binigay naman sa akin 'yon," Poe had said in a televised 2013 interview.

"Ako naman, naging epektibo naman ang pagpapalaki ng mga magulang ko sa akin ... Sa lahat ng ginagawa ko, binibigyan ko talaga ng karangan [si Fernando Poe]," she explained.

As a newborn, Poe was left at a church and was taken in by a family while the parish priest sent out announcements about the child. Poe's wealthy, would-be godmother then took her in and would bring her to events attended by newly married couple Fernando Poe and Susan Roces.

Poe's godmother then allowed the doting couple to adopt the child, believing she needed parents.