Poe: 2016 loss was ‘heartbreaking’

As her re-election bid looms, Senator Grace Poe on Monday acknowledged that her defeat in the 2016 presidential elections caused her some "heartbreak."

“Tinanong mo, nakaapekto ba ‘yung huling halalan, siyempre nakaapekto. Kahit paano, nagdadalawang isip ka. Iniisip mo ‘yung heartbreak. Pero pag naiisip mo, marami ka namang naabot na tao,” Poe said.

“Hindi ako tinanggap sa pwestong iyon; iginagalang ko iyon. Okay lang. Kaya inaalay ko ulit ang sarili ko ngayong [2019] dahil isang pribilehiyo at karangalan na makapagsilbi sa Senado. Kaya dapat ibalik natin sa taumbayan ang serbisyo na hindi natin ikahihiya,” Poe added.

In 2013, neophyte Poe was a surprise topnotcher in the Senate race, getting over 20 million votes. Prior to launching her maiden election bid, Poe was the chairperson of the Movie and Television Classification and Review Board.

In the 2016 presidential contest itself, Poe only finished third, with over nine million votes after leading most of pre-election surveys until Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte gradually overtook her in the top spot.

During the presidential campaign, Poe also had to wage a legal battle before the Supreme Court against camps who questioned whether she was actually a Filipino due to having been a foundling as a baby.

The Supreme Court eventually allowed Poe to run for President in March 2016, a month after the campaign period started.

Despite the heartbreak, Poe has no regrets, saying that the landmark ruling in her case could help other foundlings as well.

“”Yung ibang batang napulot, nagkaroon na ng kasiguruhan sa lipunan,” Poe said in closing. — BM, GMA News