Citing the opinions by legal luminaries before the Supreme Court which tend to prove that he is a natural-born Filipino, Poe – on the campaign trail here, said there is no longer any question on his citizenship as his mother, Bessie Kelley, was born in the Philippines and grew up in Tondo, Manila.
"Gusto kong ipaalam sa inyong lahat na ako ay Pilipino. Dito ako pinanganak at dito na rin ako ililibing. Kaya wag kayong mag-alala, lalabas pa rin ang buong katotohanan," Poe said.
Poe said his mother was born at the Philippine General Hospital in Manila and grew up in Tondo, while his maternal grandmother, Martha Gatbonton, was also a Filipino who was born in Bulacan.
Petitioners questioning Poe’s citizenship before the Supreme Court have insisted that he is not a naturalborn Filipino because he was an illegitimate child and thus should take on the citizenship of his mother, whom they said was an American.
But the "friends of the court" invited by the High tribunal to shed light on the issue said that legitimacy is irrelevant in determining one’s citizenship, and declared Poe a natural-born Filipino because his father, Allan Fernando Poe, is a Filipino.
University of the Philippines (UP) law professor Ruben Balane, former constitutional commissioner Joaquin Bernas, retired SC Justice Vicente Mendoza, and UP College of Law Dean Merlin Magallona presented their opinions to the SC as friends of the court in the citizenship case against Poe.
Poe admitted that his wife, Susan Roces, and the rest of his family have been hurt by the controversy surrounding his citizenship and the criticisms hurled against him.
"Pero napag-usapan na namin ito bago ako magdesisyon at handa naman sila," he said.
According to Poe, he considers the challenges of politics and his bid for the presidency as his "assignment from the people" which he can never turn his back to.
KNP senatorial bets Alfredo Lim and Boots Anson Roa said that with the looming victory of their standard bearer at the Supreme Court, they expect more people to support him in the upcoming polls.
Former senator Francisco Tatad, running for re-election under the KNP, said any backdoor effort to influence the justices into ruling against Poe will fail.
"If there are attempts to disqualify FPJ, mukhang hindi nila mai-su-swing because the people saw (heard) the oral argument at the Supreme Court on Poe’s citizenship," Tatad said.
"Nag-collapse na ‘yung support na ine-expect (ng administration sa Supreme Court) because the public perception is now in favor of FPJ," he said.
Will debate rivals
SANTIAGO CITY, Isabela — Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (KNP) standard bearer Fernando Poe Jr. said yesterday he was willing to face all other presidential contenders in a debate provided it is held before residents of Tondo, Manila.
Poe, on a motorcade here with other KNP national candidates, replied to a challenge of presidential aspirant Raul Roco to his rivals to join a public debate on their respective government platforms.
The Poe-led KNP national slate was on the second leg of its three-day barnstorming through Northern Luzon. Nueva Vizcaya was its first destination. They later proceeded to this province and is now in Cagayan for another caravan and rally.
Poe said he would pick the challenge under his condition but added that he is not keen to a debate as his rivals will only use the forum to air the empty promises and divide the people.
Debates as forum for airing a candidate’s governtment plaftorm are not as healthy as before since these are bound to be abused by insincere candidates with glib tongues and empty promises.
"Debates divide people. Saka puro salita ‘yun, wala namang nagagawa para sa tao yun," the actor said.
On President Arroyo’s reaction that she is open to a debate with someone leading the survey – an obvious reference to the KNP bet – Poe retorted: "Why not?"
"Payag akong makipag-debate sa kanya pero sa harap ng mga mahihirap nating kababayan sa Tondo at slum areas," Poe said of the offer of various business groups to organize a debate of all presidential contenders.
"Payabangan lang ‘yan," he said of the proposal by the business groups.
KNP vice presidential bet Loren Legarda said she is prepared to debate with her rival and fellow senator Noli "Kabayan" de Castro, President Arroyo’s running mate.
"I would just be very willing to face him anytime, anywhere," she said.
In the same interview, Poe said that unlike his opponents who do nothing but talk and make empty promises to the people, he would use the same managerial skill, hard work and perseverance he used in setting up and running his thriving film production company.
Truth will prevail
Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino standard bearer (KNP) Fernando Poe Jr. reaffirmed yesterday that he is a Filipino and expressed the hope that this truth will prevail in the wake of opinions presented by legal luminaries before the Supreme Court that he is a natural-born citizen of the Philippines.
In a radio interview at the campaign trail in Santiago City, Isabela, Poe also said that his mother, Bessie Kelley, was born in the Philippines and grew up in Tondo, Manila.
Poe said his mother was born at the Philippine General Hospital in Manila and grew up in Tondo while his maternal grandmother, Martha Gatbonton, was also a Filipina born in Bulacan.
The "friends of the court" invited by Supreme Court to shed light on the Poe citizenship issue said that illegitimacy is irrelevant in determining one’s citizenship.
The said that Poe is a natural-born Filipino because his father, Allan Fernando Poe, is a Filipino.
UP law professor Ruben Balane, former constitutional commissioner Joaquin Bernas, retired SC Justice Vicente Mendoza, and University of the Philippines College of Law Dean Merlin Magallona presented their opinions as friends of the court in the citizenship case against Poe at the Supreme Court.
Decision in March?
The opposition Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (KNP) expressed confidence yesterday that the Supreme Court would eventually declare its presidential candidate Fernando Poe Jr. as a natural-born Filipino.
Former congressman Miguel Romeo, Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (KNP) spokesman, told the "Kapihan sa Sulo" news forum in Quezon City that he expects the Supreme Court (SC) to rule on the citizenship issue against Poe by the first week of March.
"We expect the Supreme Court to reject the petition. The Supreme Court is in a hurry to dispatch the issue because, instead of asking for voluminous memorandums (from the parties involved in the oral argument), it asked only for position papers that may be in two, three or five pages," Romero said.
The lawyer said he sat through the 12-hour oral arguments at the Supreme Court last Thursday afternoon through the early morning of Friday and came out with the conclusion that Poe would win the cases.
The PNP camp was heartened by the apparent pro-Poe position of the friends of the court – former Supreme Court Justice Vicente Mendoza, law dean Joaquin Bernas, international law expert Merlin Magallona, and civil law expert Ruben Balane – during the oral arguments.
Opposition Sen. Aquilino Q. Pimentel Jr., one of the 12 KNP senatorial candidates, said that the Supreme Court, as he has always said, would rise up to the challenge.
"In my view, based on the line of questioning of the members of the Supreme Court at Thursday’s hearing, we can expect them to render a decision that is based on the Constitution and the laws," said Pimentel, a former college of law dean. (Mario B. Casayuran)
Panday Movement
The Freedom, Progress, and Justice Crusade, Inc. (FPJ Crusade) yesterday launched the Panlaban sa Dayaan Movement, or Panday Movement, which aims to mobilize over four million Filipinos nationwide to fight all attempts to cheat Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (KNP) standard bearer Fernando Poe Jr. of victory in the May 10 elections.
FPJ Crusade national vice president Willie D. Espiritu said the group has decided to organize the Panday Movement following reports indicating that anti-Poe forces "will initiate massive cheating, including the use of government resources and force, to prevent Poe from taking control of Malacañang."
Espiritu said the Panday Movement will not only guard the votes for Poe, but will also act as wathcers for other national and local candidates that will be endorsed by the FPJ Crusade which may or may not be with the KNP.
"Si Poe pa lamang ang sigurado naming dadalhin. Yung mga senatorial and congressional candidates down to the councilor level, ngayon pa lamang namin tinitimbang," the leader of the overseas entertainment industry said.
He said the Panday Movement needs over four million volunteers because they aim to provide the more than 280,000 polling precincts in the counrty with 14 volunteers each on a three eight-hour shift from the opening of voting and the closing of canvassing of votes on May 10.
Foreign observers welcome
The Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (KNP) welcomed a proposal to invite international delegates to observe the presidential elections in May.
KNP spokesman Miguel Romero, a former congressman, and reelectionist Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr. told a news forum the arrival of foreign observers can help ensure clean and honest elections in the country.
Romero said the sending of foreign observers must have been initiated by international financial agencies with business interest in the Philippines which have expressed apprehension over the continuing fall of the peso and the country’s mismanaged economy.
"This (sending of foreign observers) is part of the protection of the Americans and European business interest in the country through the holding of an honest elections, " Romero added.
Pimentel and Romero, together with FPJ Volunteers coordinator Rez Cortez, were guests at the weekly media forum at the Ambassador Hotel in Malate, Manila.
Romero said that based on records from government financial institutions, including the Central Bank, the country’s dollar reserves is fast dwindling, sending alarm signals to international creditors such as the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and the Asian Bank.
Pimentel agreed with Romero’s observation of enormous drain of dollar reserves that is always blamed on leading presidential candidate Fernando Poe Jr.
"Ang mahirap tuwing babagsak ang palitan ng peso ay isinisisi palagi sa oposisyon na hindi pa nakaupo. Bakit hindi nila itanong sa nakaupo kung bakit bumabagsak ang ekonomiya," Pimentel said.
Pimentel said that after more than a week of campaign, the reactions of the people wherever Poe goes is so overwhelming that the KNP has to re-assess its schedule to avoid cancellation or holding of rallies late in the evening.
Fair trial for Estrada
MANILA (AP) – Action movie star and opposition presidential candidate Fernando Poe Jr. yesterday promised a fair trial for his close friend, disgraced ex-President Joseph Estrada, indicating he would not attempt to intervene if elected.
"The closest thing that I would give Erap is a fair trial," he said in an interview with DZRH radio, calling Estrada, also a former actor, by his nickname.
Estrada, who is detained in a military camp outside Manila, was forced to step down amid massive anti-corruption protests in January 2001. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, his vice president, took over as president to complete his term.
Critics of the former president have expressed fears that Poe, who is also known as FPJ and Da King of Philippine movies, would free Estrada if elected.
Poe, considered the main challenger to Arroyo in the May 10 elections, said Estrada’s trial would continue. He did not elaborate.
