Roxas to Poe: Stop blaming others, face your DQ

Liberal Party presidential bet Mar Roxas. SCREENGRAB FROM INQUIRER VIDEO

Stop putting the blame on others and answer the allegations.

That was the call of Liberal Party standard-bearer Manuel “Mar” Roxas II to Senator Grace Poe after the latter accused Roxas of having a hand in her disqualification from the presidential race.

Roxas also maintained that he does not know lawyer Estrella Elamparo, the petitioner in the disqualification case that was upheld by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

“Kabahagi ito ng proseso. Mga hindi ko naman kakilala itong mga abogado na nag-file laban sa kanya, itong mga law groups. So imbis na manisi siya sa ibang tao ay sagutin nalang niya,” he said in an interview over RMN Cebu radio on Thursday.

(This is part of the process. I do not know who these lawyers are who filed [cases] against her, these law groups. So, instead of blaming others, she should answer [the allegations against her].)

Poe’s running mate Senator Francis Escudero earlier said that Elamparo could be traced to Roxas’ camp.

He said Elamparo is affiliated with Divina law firm former Defense Secretary Avelino “Nonong” Cruz “used” to file a case against former associate Pancho Villaraza.

According to Escudero, Cruz is connected to Roxas.

No involvement

Roxas also said he understands Poe’s predicament but he maintained that he has nothing to do with the poll frontrunner’s disqualification.

“Nauunawaan ko ang kanyang damdamin. Na-hurt siya. Pero lilinawin ko lang, wala akong kinalaman. Wala akong koneksyon at wala akong ni katiting na kinalaman sa pagdisqualify sa kanya,” he said.

(I understand her sentiment. She was hurt. But I want to clarify, I have nothing to do with it. I have no connections and I don’t have the tiniest bit of involvement in her disqualification.)

In her earlier interviews, Poe accused Roxas and Vice President Jejomar Binay of having involvement in the disqualification case against her.

But the Liberal Party vehemently denied it, pointing to Binay’s camp, which they said was the first to criticize Poe’s eligibility in the elections over her citizenship and residency issues.

Last Tuesday, the Comelec’s second division granted Elamparo’s petition nullifying Poe’s certificate of candidacy.

‘Why me?’

Roxas decried the accusations Poe levelled against him.

“Bakit niya ako sinisisi eh wala naman akong kinalaman eh. Hindi ba siya at ang abogado niya ang nag-file ng papeles niya? Hindi ba siya ang nag-take oath bilang Amerikano? Eh siguro pananagutan niya ‘yon. Hindi naman ako ang dapat niyang makita dito,” he lamented.

Since the issue of Poe’s citizenship and residency came to light, Roxas said he never gave a comment on the matter.

“May nadinig ba sa akin noong nagpasya ang SET (Senate Electoral Tribunal) na pwede magpatuloy si Senadora Grace? Wala kang nadinig sa akin. Wala ka ring nadidinig sa akin tungkol dito sa paghatol ng Comelec na hindi siya kwalipikado. Wala akong comment,” Roxas stressed.

‘Treat Poe fairly’

While Poe vows to continue to fight for her right, Roxas urged the lady senator to respect the rule of law and the institution.

“Ang akin lang is let’s respect the rule of law, let’s respect the institution. Constitutional bodies yan, mga independent yan, at tinakda yan para tignan nga itong mga bagay na ito,” he said.

But at the same time, Roxas called on the concerned institutions to process immediately and treat Poe’s case fairly so as “not to confuse the public.”