Poe insists: I remain a candidate for president

MANILA, Philippines  — Sen. Grace Poe on Wednesday insisted that she remains a candidate for president despite the ruling of the Commission on Elections en banc to disqualify her from running in the 2016 elections.

"Until the high tribunal’s final ruling is out, I remain a candidate for President of the Filipino people," Poe said in a statement.

The presidential aspirant admitted that she was not surprised with the decision of the Comelec en banc but stressed that she is "undaunted by it."

Poe reiterated that she is a Filipino citizen and qualified to run for president.

"The Comelec cannot change that much less deprive our people of their right to choose our next leader," Poe said.

The senator said that her camp will follow the process and take her case to the next step, which is the Supreme Court.

"I am hopeful and  confident that our magistrates, based on jurisprudence and precedents, will be objective and fair in their discernment of my case and, in the end, will let the Filipino people decide who our next president will be," the senator said.

The Supreme Court earlier ordered the Senate Electoral Tribunal to explain its ruling on dismissing the disqualification case filed against Poe in the 2013 elections, following the petition of Rizalito David to reverse the tribunal's decision.

The high court set oral arguments on the petition on January 16 next year.

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