Roxas: No one wants a foreigner as president

While refusing to comment directly on eligibility issues hounding presidential rival Grace Poe, administration standard-bearer Manuel "Mar" Roxas II said he agreed with the assertion that no one wants a foreigner occupying Malacañang Palace.

"Without any specificity, lahat naman tayo ayaw natin ng dayuhan bilang isang pangulo," Roxas told reporters on Monday when asked about Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte's pronouncement that he was running because he didn't want an American president.

Duterte said he was spurred to seek the presidency after a Senate Electoral Tribunal decision last week in favor of Poe, who is facing a disqualification case for her Senate seat due to questions about her Constitutional eligibility.

Poe's status as a natural-born citizen is being questioned because of her being a foundling. She also acquired American citizenship several years ago.

Roxas refused to comment directly on the SET decision, which saw five senator members voting for Poe, and three Supreme Court justices and Senator Nancy Binay voting against her.

"It is not for me to comment on how each one voted," said Roxas.

"Yung pagiging Pilipino hindi issue. Ang issue ay yung pagiging natural born. Sa dulo ang tanong ay ano ang sinasabi ng batas? Ang pinaglalabanan ito: kung walang batas, right is might. Ang issue talaga dito ay ang saligang batas at ang kabuluhan nito sa atin," he added.

Earlier, Poe had a pat answer to Duterte's "American" jibe.

"It's up to him, I leave it to him if he wants to call names. Turo ng nanay ko ay gumalang sa nakatatanda," said Poe, who is also facing disqualification cases before the Commission on Elections because of eligibility issues. —JST, GMA News