Poe’s DNA test result: negative

Senator Grace Poe (Photo from Poe’s official Facebook page)

MANILA – Senator Grace Poe disclosed on Wednesday that her supposed relatives were not linked to her by blood, as their DNA samples did not match.

“Mahabang proseso itong sa DNA sapagakat hindi lamang isang tao ang aming kinunan dito. Pero aaminin ko… ‘yung aming mga nakuha ay hindi po nagtugma ang aming DNA,” Poe said in an interview with radio dzMM.

(The DNA entailed a long process because we did not only [get samples] from one person only. But I admit… the samples we obtained did not match with my DNA.)

“Nakakalungkot din sapagkat matagal ko na rin inaasam na malaman na rin ang katotohanan tungkol sa mga mismong pagkatao ng aking pamilya na kadugo (It’s also saddening because I have long desired to know the truth about the identities of my family by blood),” she added.

The presidential aspirant asserted, however, that she could still prove her citizenship apart from DNA tests.

She also hoped that her case would consider the issue of foundlings.

“Hindi naman ako nawawalan din ng lakasloob dito sapagkat ang aming tinatayuang legal na basehan ay hindi lang naman sa DNA nakasalalay. Nakasalalay po ito sa karapatan ng mga bata bilang pinanganak dito sa ating bansa,” she said.

(I’m not losing hope here because our legal stance is not only reliant on the DNA [tests]. It is needful on the right of the children as those born in this country.)

It can be noted that Poe has been facing a disqualification case filed by defeated senatorial candidate Rizalito David before the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET), among other similar cases filed before the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

The petitioners challenged Poe’s citizenship and asserted that she was not a natural-born Filipino, hence not eligible for an elective post. The senator, for her part, believed that she would win the cases filed against her as she had legal documents that proved her citizenship.

“Masuwerte na rin ako na ‘yan ang isyu at hindi pagnanakaw at hindi pagganap ng iyong trabaho (In a way, I’m lucky that those are the issues instead of corruption and ineptness),” she said.

“Ako’y Pilipino. Ako’y pinanganak dito sa ating bansa. Ako po’y lumaki sa ating bansa, pinag-aral ng aking mga magulang dito… Ngayon, ako’y naninilbihan dito sa ating bansa. Wala po akong duda sa aking puso, sa aking isip. Ako ay Pilipino,” she said.

(I’m a Filipino. I’m born here in our country.

I grew up in our country, was educated by my parents here… Now, I’m serving here in our country. I have no doubt in my heart, in my mind. I am a Filipino.)