DQ cases vs Grace part of sinister plot, spokesman says

MANILA, Philippines – The camp of Sen. Grace Poe said yesterday the three new petitions filed to disqualify her as a presidential candidate were meant to condition the minds of the people about her supposedly not being qualified.

Poe’s spokesman Valenzuela Mayor Rex Gatchalian said there was a sinister plot behind the three petitions, which all came within a week.

“They filed three times but in all three petitions, they presented nothing new. They filed one after the other because they want to condition of the minds of the people,” Gatchalian said over dwIZ radio.

“They want to discredit the candidacy of Senator Poe and tarnish her reputation. This is a big and orchestrated effort to go on a smear campaign and to spread black propaganda,” he added.

Gatchalian said the camp of Poe has no intention of engaging in a dirty campaign and the senator intends to fully cooperate with the Commission on Elections and whatever other forum where petitions to disqualify her as a candidate are filed.

Rizalito David, a losing senatorial candidate in the 2013 elections, filed the first petition against Poe before the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET).

After Poe filed her certificate of candidacy as a presidential candidate last week, three separate petitions to disqualify her were filed by former senator Francisco Tatad, lawyer Estrella Elamparo and university professor Antonio Contreras, all at the Comelec.

Gatchalian said Poe intends to answer point-by-point all of the issues raised against her before the SET and the Comelec.

He said Poe is confident that all of the petitions would be dismissed after she proves that she is a natural-born Filipino and has met all the other requirements to run for elective office.

Sen. Vicente Sotto III, a member of the SET, said a decision would be issued by the body on the case against Poe early November.

He said the camp of Poe has indicated that it would be presenting DNA evidence to support their claim the senator is a natural-born Filipino.

“If it is shown that just one of her birth parents is Filipino, then we have nothing more to discuss there,” Sotto said.

Sotto believes the ruling of the SET would have a bearing on the other petitions filed against Poe.