Petitioner files separate MR to disqualify Poe
MANILA — One of the petitioners in the disqualification cases against presidential candidate Sen. Grace Poe on Tuesday sought to reverse the ruling of the Supreme Court allowing Poe to run for president as he submitted a separate motion for reconsideration.
In his motion for reconsideration, Amado Valdez, former dean of the University of the East College of Law sought to convince the three other associate justices who voted in favor of Poe by insisting that the Republic Act 9225 or the Citizenship Retention and Reacquisition Act of 2003 does not return the natural born status of citizenship to Poe.
“Itinakwil mo ang ‘ yung pagiging Filipino ‘ pag nagre- acquire ka under ( RA) 9225, you just re- acquire Philippine citizenship not natural born status,” he said in an ambush interview.
After the SC magistrates voted 9- 6 in favor of allowing Poe to run for president last March 8, Valdez already expressed his intention to challenge the high tribunal’s ruling, saying he will raise what he said are Poe’s violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust, which he both described as “strong grounds.”
Valdez said he is filing the motion for reconsideration “regardless of the time frame required by the elections” as he is for jurisprudence.
Valdez and other le- gal foes of Poe on March 18 also urged the SC to disqualify Poe from the presidential race by filing its combined urgent plea after they received the court’s complete decision. These petitioners who join forces were former Sen. Francisco Tatad, lawyer Estrella Elamparo and De La Salle University Dean Antonio Contreras.