The Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET) has decided to junk today the petition to disqualify Sen. Grace Poe from the 2013 election.
The petition filed by Rizalito David argued that Sen. Poe may not be a natural-born Filipino due to her paternity being unknown. The Constitution of the Philippines mandates that all individuals seeking posts in the executive and legislative branches must be natural-born citizens.
The SET is made up of 3 Supreme Court justices and 6 senators. Five of the members of the tribunal sided with Poe while 4 voted in favor of the petitioner.
In a text message sent to the press, Senator Vicente Sotto III said that Senators Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV, Pia Cayetano, Loren Legarda, Vicente Sotto III, and Cynthia Villar were the five senators who recognized Poe as a natural-born citizen.
While the chairman of the tribunal, Senior Justice Antonio Carpio; Associate Justice Arturo Brion; Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo-de Castro; and Senator Nancy Binay all voted in favor of the petitioner.
David, who seeks to run for President in 2016, may appeal SET’s verdict to the Supreme Court.
In a statement released through social media site, Facebook, Poe thanked the electoral tribunal.
“I thank the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET) for their impartiality in giving a fair decision. This landmark resolution sends a strong message that the Philippines considers itself part of the global community that respects international law,” she said.
“More importantly, the affirmation of my natural-born status upholds the right of all foundlings in the country to the entitlements, services and protection they deserve as full citizens of the country,” Poe added.
Poe also promised to continue her work in the Senate “with the same, if not greater, fervor and commitment to the welfare of the Filipino people in all areas of the country.”
“On behalf of all foundlings born and raised in the Philippines, salamat po (thank you),” she added.
Vice President Jejomar Binay, one of Poe’s rivals in the 2016 election has also released a statement on the tribunal’s decision.
“The SET has already decided on the matter. The Vice President enjoins everyone to respect the decision,” Rico Quicho, Binay’s spokesman for political affairs was quoted as saying in a Rappler report.
The decision of the electoral tribunal is believed to have an effect towards other disqualification cases filed against Poe on the premise of her status as natural-born citizen.