Comelec 1st division disqualifies Poe

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

MANILA—The Commission on Elections (Comelec) First Division disqualified Senator Grace Poe from the 2016 presidential poll.

Two out of three members of the Comelec First Division ruled against Poe’s favor, Rappler reported.

Comelec Commisioner Luie Guia and Rowena Guanzon decided to cancel Poe’s certificate of candidacy while Commissioner Christian Lim ruled in favor of the senator.

Poe’s counsel, George Garcia, in a dzMM radio interview, expressed disappointment over the first division’s ruling.

“Binibigyan namin sila ng tiwala. Baka nagkamali lang sila ng appreciation (We are giving them our trust. They may have had a wrong appreciation),” Garcia told dzMM.

Poe has earlier said that she was not expecting a favorable ruling from the poll body.

“Based on what I am seeing, it seems unlikely that the Comelec will decide in our favor,” Poe was quoted as saying in a Philippine Star Report.

Her running mate, Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero shared the same opinion with Poe.

“We always hope for the best but expect the worst as well. But we are prepared for whatever decision they come out with,” he said in the same report.

Poe’s party will wait for the final decision of Comelec en banc before presenting the case before the high court.

“We will not delay the proceedings. The Supreme Court will have the final say and unless the Supreme Court renders a decision, the fight will go on,” Garcia was quoted as saying in a Rappler report.

Comelec Second Division has earlier disqualified Poe from the 2016 presidential poll.