Team Galing at Puso presidential candidate Sen. Grace Poe greets supporters during an International Women’s Day celebration at Liwasang Bonifacio, Tuesday. Poe thanked her supporters and reacted to her critics after the Supreme Court ruled in favor of her presidential bid in the upcoming elections.(MNS photo)
LOPEZ, Quezon (Mabuhay) — Senator Grace Poe admitted Wednesday that she felt mixed emotions after hearing that the Supreme Court has removed all legal obstacles to her presidential bid.
Speaking at a mini political rally here, Poe said she was emotional upon hearing the news on the SC’s decision on Tuesday.
“Naging madamdamin sa kin ‘yon, hindi dahil gusto kong magkaroon ng kapangyarihan o pwesto bilang pangulo, kung hindi dahil nais kong ipagpatuloy ang mga programa para sa ating mga kababayan na talagang makakatulong, lalo na ang mahihirap at naaapi,” she said.
At the same time, Poe said she was happy that the Supreme Court sided with her.
“Masaya ako dahil kinilala nila (Supreme Court) ang katotohanan na ako ay Pilipino,” she said.
Voting 9-6, the Supreme Court reversed the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) decision disqualifying Poe from the 2016 presidential race.
The senator is an adopted foundling from Iloilo. She migrated to the United States to finish college and start a family, and later became a naturalized American citizen. She renounced her US citizenship in 2010, before she was appointed as chairperson of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board.
Poe said it must have been the wish of her late father, actor Fernando Poe Jr., that she visited Quezon a day after the Supreme Court handed down its verdict on her case.
Quezon is among the vote rich provinces with 1,124,090 registered voters for the coming May elections.
Poe said Quezon was close to the heart of her late father, who was also known by his initials FPJ.
“Minahal ni FPJ ang Quezon. Bago siya namayapa, ‘nung nagkaroon ng matinding bagyo dito at landslide, ang kanyang inatupag ay ang pagpack ng mga relief goods na walang nakalagay ‘from FPJ’ na ipinadala dito,” the senator recalled.
FPJ died in December 2004.
While her resources for campaigning may pale in comparison to some of her rivals, Poe expressed her belief that she and other presidential candidates are all on equal footing.
To stress her point, the senator quoted from one of her father’s movies, where he said: “Huwag mong sabihin na marami kang tauhan, at huwag mo ring sabihin na marami kang salapi. Pare-pareho lang tayo. Isang bala ka lang.” —(MNS)