THE Commission on Elections should keep the name of Senator Grace Poe on the 2016 ballot despite the ruling by its two divisions disqualifying her from next year’s presidential elections, Poe’s running mate Francis Escudero said Sunday.
Until the Supreme Court rules with finality on the disqualification cases filed against her, Poe should remain in the presidential race, Escudero told the Cauayan City Leadership Summit in Isabela attended by more than 3,000 mayors, vice mayors and village officials.
“I repeat that Senator Grace is still a candidate for president,” Escudero said.
He said the rulings of the First and Second Divisions on the four petitions filed against Poe would still be tackled by the Comelec en banc.
“There are four cases [against Poe] and the [rulings] will reach the Comelec en banc. The en banc will decide, and that will not be final and executory because there is still time to bring it to the Supreme Court,” Escudero said.
He talked about the apparent haste with which the Comelec’s two divisions decided the disqualification cases against Poe who, her detractors claim, may not run for president because she is not a natural-born Filipino citizen.
Escudero said Poe is a natural-born citizen and a resident of the country, and thus qualified to run for the highest office.
“I and Senator Grace are trusting that the law is with us and the Supreme Court will upheld the truth,” Escudero said.