Grace Poe won't present DNA test results in court 

 

Even if it turns out to be positive, Sen. Grace Poe said her lawyers will not present in court the results of DNA tests conducted on her suspected relatives in Guimaras.

 

In a report aired on 24 Oras on Wednesday, GMA News' Mariz Umali quoted the senator as saying that they are waiting for the DNA test results from samples taken from her alleged siblings, aunts and uncles, and parents, whose remains were exhumed.

 

Poe, however, maintains that they are anchoring their arguments against assertions questioning her citizenship on legal grounds.

 

"Wala pa namang official na natatanggap na resulta, pero kung meron man o hindi, hindi namin ipiprisinta ito [sa korte] sapagkat 'yung aming mga basehang legal ay hindi naman naka-anchor sa DNA test," the senator said.

 

The Supreme Court has begun hearing Poe's appeal against two rulings of the Commission on Elections cancelling her certificate of candidacy.

 

The Comelec en banc's rulings—upholding decisions at the division level to grant a total of four petitions—said Poe committed material misrepresentation by saying she's a natural-born citizen and that she meets the 10-year residency requirement set by the Constitution for a presidential candidate.

 

At Tuesday's oral arguments, Associate Justice Diosdado Peralta asked Poe's legal counsel Alexander Poblador, "Why do you not wait for a DNA test?"

 

"I ask you this question because we have a rule on DNA evidence... there is no final word in conviction if the DNA shows otherwise," Peralta said. 

 

The justice pointed out that DNA evidence may be a disputable presumption, but there is only a 0.1-percent window for that.

 

"It is conclusive... DNA evidence is 99.99 [percent] accurate," he said.

 

In turn, Poblador replied, "We appreciate that,Your Honor. The DNA test is in the process, but not as a legal matter. We believe that based on law, we can establish that she is a natural-born citizen."

 

Poe attended the beginning of the oral arguments, but had to leave an hour into the interpellations to attend the Senate's session. She was accompanied by her adoptive mother, veteran actress Susan Roces, and her running mate, Sen. Francis Escudero.

 

In an interview before the proceedings, Poe told reporters she is hoping things would develop in her favor as how the Supreme Court decided in the case of her late adoptive father, Fernando Poe Jr., who also fought challenges to his citizenship when he ran for president in 2004.

 

Still, Poe said she is ready for whatever the Supreme Court will decide on her appeal to overturn the Comelec en banc rulings.

 

"We subjected ourselves to this process precisely because we respect the law and the legal process. Whatever the decision will be, we are ready to accept it," she said.

 

She added: "On the other hand, we remain optimistic and we are truthful in our statements. Kaya kahit sabihin mo pang kinakabahan ako, wala naman akong takot. May kabang kaunti, pero walang takot." 

 

Amid the legal battle, Poe is fighting for her name to be included in the official ballot for the May elections.

 

Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista on Wednesday said the senator's name will be included in the official ballot if the Supreme Court has no decision on her disqualification case when the printing of ballots starts on Feb. 1. 

 

A temporary restraining order on the Comelec rulings is currently in force

 

"Basta kami, kapag panahon ng pag-imprenta, we will look at the situation there and the legal situation in place," Bautista said. — APG, GMA News