Poe residency issue déjà vu: Escudero

SEN. Francis Escudero yesterday said the residency issues hurled at Sen. Grace Poe are deja vu.

“It has already been seen in 2004, when the same issues were thrown at her father, the late Fernando Poe Jr. when he ran for president. Hindi na siguro nakakagulat. Pero nakakalungkot na ‘yung ginawa sa ama, ginagawa at gagawin din sa anak,” Escudero said.

Escudero, who was the campaign spokesman of the elder Poe in 2004, came to the defense of Sen. Poe who is bombarded with residency and citizenship issues.

Poe has yet to confirm her candidacy but is considered one of the stronger contenders for president for the 2016 polls.

Escudero also pointed that it was only last month when the camp of Vice President Jejomar Binay expressed preference for Poe as his running-mate in the 2016 elections.

“Pumirma lang siya sa committee report; tinanggihan lang siya at hindi kinakausap, biglang disqualified naman ngayon,” he said.

“Para sa akin, ano bang pinaghuhugutan ni Congressman Toby Tiangco. Of all people, dapat alam niya. Dahil auntie niya mismo, kapatid ng biyenan niya, eksaktong ganito ang nangyari,” Escudero said, pertaining to the case of former first lady and current representative of the 2nd district of Ilocos Norte, Rep. Imelda Marcos.

Marcos ran for representative of the first district of Leyte in 1995 and wrote in her Certificate of Candidacy (COC) that she has been a resident of Leyte for only seven months when the requirement was one year.

Escudero said that according to the Supreme Court, it is the fact of residence and not the statements made in the COC that will form the basis whether a person or a candidate is a resident of a certain place or not.

“Alam naman siguro nila ‘yan. Alam ko at tiyak ko, kung nag-research talaga sila, malalaman din nila ‘yan,” said Escudero.

He also recalled that since the elder Poe died December 2004, the senator then decided to stay and reside in the country. If and when Poe decide to run for president, according to Escudero, it would not be difficult to prove her residency in the country.

Escudero added that not only the animus revertendi or the intent to return is applicable to Poe’s case, but also the actual physical residence in the country. The doctrine has been used by the Supreme Court as a basis to decide in several electionelated cases.

“So, pagsamahin mo ang dalawang ‘yon, sobra pa at dagdag pa ‘yun sa sitwasyon ng ibang tao. Marami nga at may ilang kongresista diyan ang tinitirhan nilang bahay ay iba sa tinatakbuhan o kinakatawan nilang lugar. So sana, maghunus-dili, ika nga, at manalamin ang ilan sa mga nagsasalita,” Escudero said.