What if Grace Poe is disqualified by the Supreme Court?

In the most likely event that the Supreme Court follows the authoritative legal opinion expressed by the senior associate justice, the Honorable Antonio Carpio, that presidential candidate Grace Poe is, after all, not a bona-fide natural-born citizen of the Philippines, what are its political implications and far-reaching consequences? Such a landmark pronouncement by the highest court of the land, may trigger a mass abandonment of the Poe-Escudero camp or, on the other hand, it may be the tipping point to galvanize surges of support for Grace.

There are many possibilities, and we can never tell with certainty what the future holds. One scenario is that the political support for Grace will most probably shift to either Mar Roxas and his team mate Leni Robredo or to Jojo Binay and his putative vice presidential bet Gringo Honasan. The exodus from Grace may even go to the side of Mayor Rudy Duterte, if and when that maverick and unpredictable enigma from Davao finally decides to join the presidential derby circa 2016. 

Another scenario is that the people who love Grace so much may stage a massive protest and people power mass actions to bring to the streets their strong opposition to the possible disqualification of their favorite bet. Such a political upheaval of earthshaking proportion may lead the Supreme Court to reconsider its ruling. Or, the mass protest may escalate into another revolution which is akin to the 1986 people power revolution. But, if I am asked, this scenario is less probable, given the prevailing sentiments of the "hoi polloi."

We do not wish to comment on the substantive aspects of the issue on Poe's citizenship. That is "sub judice" or under pending judicial determination, and we do not intend to commit a contemptuous act. Suffice it to say that the group of Secretary Mar Roxas, and even President B S Aquino III himself are estopped from claiming that Grace is disqualified. The records show that in 2013, the Liberal Party "adopted" Grace as a senatorial bet. In so doing, they, in effect, endorsed her total qualifications. Thus, they cannot turn around now and say the opposite.

The only party perhaps that can question Poe's citizenship is UNA. But Vice President Jojo Binay has been too maligned that neither he nor his party may have the moral authority to raise questions on the qualifications of Grace Poe. However, there is a seemingly unknown petitioner who had, in fact filed the pending disqualification charge. And the Supreme Court is now faced with such an important legal issue to resolve. In the event that Grace is disqualified, many alternative scenarios may unfold.

Whatever it is, the decision will be a landmark judicial "magnum opus" that can enrich Philippine jurisprudence. It will also seal the fate of our nation for the next six years. What matters most, to us, is that, at the end of the day, what are primordial would not be the whims of wimps nor the importuning of rascals but the majesty of the rule of law.