LP doesn’t want Grace Poe disqualified —spokesman

The Liberal Party has no intention to undermine the candidacy of Senator Grace Poe for president, a spokesman told reporters on Wednesday.

Marikina Representative Miro Quimbo, a spokesman for the LP-led Koalisyon ng Daang Matuwid, said the ruling party could have dealt a blow to Poe's run weeks ago when Senator Bam Aquino, an LP member, voted on Poe's disqualification case before the Senate Electoral Tribunal.

Instead, Aquino voted in Poe's favor.

"The deciding vote in favor of Senator Grace was Senator Bam Aquino who is not only an ordinary LP member but is a member of the executive committee of the Liberal Party, is a first cousin of the President," Quimbo said in Sandra Aguinaldo's report on GMA News' "24 Oras."

"Kung talagang ang intention namin ay gamitin ang proseso, noon palang ay ginawa na namin when it was absolutely in our countrol," he added.

Quimbo made the remark after Poe alleged that opposition presidential candidate Vice President Jejomar Binay and administration standard-bearer Mar Roxas are aggresively behind the cases before the Commission on Elections against Poe's presidential candidacy in 2016.

The SET voted 4-3 to junk petitioner Rizalito David's case against Poe's fitness to be a senator due to a questioned citizenship. Four senators, including Aquino, voted for Poe while the three other members of the SET—all Supreme Court justices—voted for David's petition.

But the Poe campaign suffered a setback on Tuesday when the Comelec Second Division disqualified her over her failure to comply with the Constitutional residency requirement for the presidency.

Quimbo, however, said allegations that the LP was behind the cases against Poe were unfounded.

“The Liberal Party coalition will not allow itself to be party to any activity involving the disqualification of Secretary Mar’s opponents. Any insinuation to the contrary is baseless and malicious,” Quimbo said.

Sought for Binay's comment, former Cainta Mayor Mon Ilagan, a spokesman for the Vice President, said there would be no comment on the issue from their camp at this time.

Strong and substantial mandate

Based on its experience campaigning for Aquino in 2010, Quimbo said the LP has learned that “a strong and substantial mandate” from voters is necessary for the administration to carry out difficult and sometimes unpopular reforms.

“Daang Matuwid can only be successful if it has an unquestionable mandate. The lesson of GMA’s (former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s) questionable 2004 mandate is that governance becomes difficult if you cheat your way to the presidency. We will not allow ourselves to go through that,” he said, referring to cheating allegations that hounded the former president during her second term.

LP spokesperson Edgar Erice called on Poe’s camp to respect the Comelec division’s ruling since its members are only doing their jobs. He challenged them to go to the Supreme Court if they are dissatisfied with the poll body’s ruling.

“There is a valid issue against Senator Poe and it must be resolved on the sole basis of the law. Casting doubt on the integrity of the Comelec is a disservice to the country,” Erice said.

‘Gusto nila akong ipitin’

A day after the Comelec Second Division ruled to cancel her certificate of candidacy for president after it found her lacking in residency, Poe said other presidential bets seemed bent on removing her from the race.

"Napakasigasig kasi ng proseso na ginagawa nila. Talagang gusto nila akong ipitin. Siguro kasama iyan sa stratehiya nila," Poe told reporters after a news forum in Pasay City.

"Pero sino ba talaga ang magbebenepisyo dito? Eh 'di iyong mga katunggali ko na dalawa na sigurado ako na iyon ang nagpaharap ng mga kasong iyon," she said.

Asked later if she was referring to administration standard bearer Roxas and Binay, she said: "Oo, sila naman 'yun."

Poe has been leading presidential preference surveys over the past two quarters.

Aside from Poe, Roxas and Binay, other contenders in the presidential elections include Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago and OFW party-list Representative Roy Señeres. —with Xianne Arcangel/NB/JST, GMA News