Presidential candidate Sen. Grace Poe is conferred an honorary doctorate in public administration during the commencement ceremonies at the University of Luzon in Dagupan City, Wednesday. The event was a chance for Poe to reconnect to her roots in Pangasinan, where her grandfather, Fernando Poe, Sr. grew up.(MNS photo)18
MANILA (Mabuhay) – The camp of Sen. Grace Poe on Friday asked the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) law department to hold its decision on the electoral offense case filed by Rizalito David.
The case has been submitted for resolution on Friday morning, after Poe’s legal counsel, George Garcia, submitted the counter-affidavit due after the 10-day extension granted to them by the Comelec earlier this month.
The 159-page affidavit also includes a motion to suspend proceedings.
According to Garcia, the electoral offense case cannot be decided on yet as there are pending cases of material misrepresentation before the Senate Electoral Tribunal and Comelec first and second divisions that will seek to answer whether or not Poe, who is seeking the presidency in next year’s elections, is a natural-born Filipino and if she met the residency requirement.
“Dapat sana, with all due respect, ay ma-suspend muna ang proceedings, huminto muna po sila sapagkat meron pong kaso sa Senate Electoral Tribunal,” Garcia said.
“Ang issue po ay talaga bang nagsinungaling [si Grace Poe]. Papaano po masasabing nagsinungaling samantalang nire-resolve pa sa SET at Comelec mismo sa division, kung siya ba ang nag-misrepresent, kung siya ba ay natural-born o naturalized [Filipino]?” he added.
In his complaint, David, a defeated senatorial bet in the 2013 elections, raised three points against Poe:
that Poe filed a certificate of candidacy in 2013 even when she isn’t a natural-born Filipino citizen,
that she declared that she has been residing in the Philippines for six months and six years at that time, and
that she was ineligible to run because her COC was questionable.
Poe had earlier said David’s statement is an insult as she reiterated that she is a natural-born Filipino despite being a foundling.(MNS)