ONE of the very amusing things I have learned from following the political news here in the United States and in the Philippines is this: Do not discredit the power of the narrative during election season. In fact, most political campaigns revolve around how to best sell the narrative of a candidate, if only to catch the voters’ attention and make them listen to the campaign promises and platform. Take President Barack Obama’s case, for example. His compelling narrative helped catapult this relatively newbie politician to the highest post in America.
Following the latest headlines in the political arena gearing up for the the 2016 Philippine Presidential Elections, it seems the opponents of Senator Grace Poe’s quest to reveal the skeletons in her closet — questioning her nationality and her qualifications to even run for President — may be helping in putting the spotlight on her very colorful narrative that satisfies all the dramatic elements required of a top-rating teleserye.
If you subscribe to The Filipino Channel, you may have already seen the investigative report presented by ABS-CBN News. If not, let me share this as presented by Correspondent Gigi Grande.
The story takes the viewers to Jaro, Iloilo on the dawn of September 3, 1968. The sound of an infant crying inside the Jaro Cathedral reportedly caught the attention of Sayong, a woman who was then working as a nanny at the mansion of the Lizares serendipitously located nearby.
This baby found at the entrance of the Jaro Cathedral was said to be Senator Grace Poe. Just like in many movies, this cute helpless angelic baby girl was reportedly wrapped in a baby blanket and covered in blood, indicating that the baby had just been born.
Who could be the mother and the father who abandoned this baby? No one knew for sure, not even Senator Grace Poe herself, who reportedly had admitted she did not know who her biological parents are.
What she and the public know for sure is that Grace Poe was adopted by the late King of Filipino Movies Fernando Poe Jr and the Queen Susan Roces, one of the most popular showbiz couples of all times.
Poe herself had been searching for the truth about her true identity not because of any political ambition. The report said she wanted to know the truth “so she can finally put closure to this chapter in her life”.
But for Poe’s political opponents, such a mysterious past of the woman who is now running neck and neck in surveys with Vice President Jejomar Binay provides an opening for her possible disqualification to run for the highest political office in 2016.
According to the Philippine Constitution, only natural-born Filipinos may become President, Vice President, Senator and Congressman.
Nobody knows who Grace Poe’s biological parents are. The report says infants who are abandoned at birth are called foundlings. A foundling like Grace Poe may, or may not, be a natural-born Filipino.
To her detractors, Poe said in the report: “Ang ibig sabihin ba natin, ang isang foundling, kailangang limitahan ang pagkakataon nito sa buhay sapagkat hindi natin alam ang tunay na mga magulang? para sa akin siguro tao na ang magdedesisyon niyan.”
Poe added, taking a swipe at her opponents [like VP Binay]: “I would rather have that issue than plunder or anything else to defend my self.”
While the town of Jaro, Iloilo may provide a clue to the truth on Grace Poe’s true nationality, there is yet another hurdle she may have to overcome: the residency requirement.
The Opposition party leader Toby Tiangco raised the issue that based on records, Poe would only be a Philippine resident for only a little over nine years by the May 2016 Elections. Tangco pointed out that a presidential candidate must be a resident of the country for at least 10 years, immediately preceding the election.
As the voting public knows more about Sen. Grace Poe, her meteoric rise in popularity and approval rating may see exponential gains as a result, which will certainly help her if she ever runs for President in 2016 or 2022. Blame it on the power of the narrative.
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Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https://www.facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos
