No need to ‘unmask’ Poe: Duterte camp

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.
The camp of presidential bet Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte denied allegations of “unmasking” his closest opponent Senator Grace Poe.
In a statement, Duterte’s spokesperson Peter Laviña said there is no ‘plan to unmask’ Poe but their camp cannot prevent people from expressing their apprehensions over the cloud of doubt hanging over the adoptive daughter of the late action star and movie king Fernando Poe Jr.
“Mayor Rodrigo Duterte has always treated Grace Poe with deference. But it is the people that are questioning her authenticity and sincerity,” he said.
Laviña made the statement after Poe complained of an alleged plot to ‘unmask’ the lady senator.
“Look, while the Supreme Court allowed her to run for president even if the Commission on Elections had disqualified her, legal luminaries are still questioning the ruling whether she has complied with the residency requirement and her status as natural-born citizen,” Laviña explained.
He said that the Supreme Court, in dismissing the disqualification cases against Poe, still left to the Senate Electoral Tribunal the onus of deciding any electoral protest that may arise from Poe’s candidacy on the subject of residency and citizenship.
Reports also came out that Poe was not forthright about the past employment of her Fil-American husband who turned out to be a former enlisted man in the US Air Force. Also, her sons are likewise all US citizens.
Poe’s husband, Teodoro Llamanzares, holds dual citizen ship and is now employed as an executive of the Cojuangco-controlled San Miguel Corporation.
Poe earlier admitted that the airplanes she is using for her provincial sorties are owned by San Miguel Corporation.
“All these information, which only came out during the campaign, did not come from us. Neither did these come for Poe herself. So there is no modicum of truth to the claims of her spokesman,” Laviña said.
“The people are well aware what is truth and what is sugarcoated. You just have to follow the social media where people are free to express their opinions and expose some incontrovertible facts,” he added.
Laviña also admitted that the question thrown at Poe by Duterte during the second presidential debate in Cebu was a test of her readiness and sound judgment when confronted with a crisis.
“That was Mayor Duterte speaking and in his element. The mayor is more than capable of carrying the issue on Poe himself. He does not really need that much help from us,” he said.
Earlier, Duterte “wished luck” for Poe after the Supreme Court issued its ruling but told the press later that a constitutional crisis may loom ahead.
“What if two years after, it is found out that Grace Poe is a US citizen? Naloko na! (We are going nuts),” Duterte said.