Poe on residency issue: I would rather have the issue than plunder

Sen. Grace Poe – Llamanzares. Photo from Poe’s official Facebook page.

MANILA – With Senator Grace Poe and Vice President Jejomar Binay eyed as the top contenders in the coming election’s presidential bid, the two parties started to face issues thrown by each side.

The Binay’s went first when they claimed that Poe was unqualified to run for president or vice president as she did not meet the residency requirement of the said positions.

Read: UNA: Poe unqualified to run for president, vice president

To this, Poe quickly defended herself.

“I would rather have that issue than plunder or anything else to defend myself,” she said in a television interview.

Although Poe had not yet declared any interest in seeking higher office in the coming elections, she knew what qualities she needed to see in a running mate.

“Importante na kumpyansa ang loob mo, pinagkakatiwalaan mo… Pero ang importante rin tignan mo ‘yung pagkatao. Magaling ba sa trabaho? Masipag ba? Wala bang kaso na plunder?” she said in a press conference.

(It’s important that you’re at peace, you trust… But it’s also important to look at the person’s character. Does he/she do well in his job? Does he/she work hard? Does he/she have any plunder case?)

Poe then mentioned corruption allegations against Binay.

“The Makati City Parking Building is about P2.3 billion total cost… P800 million lang dapat itong building na ito. Ang layo po talaga ng kanilang ginastos,” she said.

(The Makati City Parking Building is about P2.3 billion total cost… This building should have only cost P800 million only. What they have spent was really [too much].)

Poe was one of the senators who filed a plunder case against the Binay’s and his purported ‘dummies.’