INDEPENDENT presidential candidate Grace Poe said Sunday she was overwhelmed and at the same time humbled after regaining the lead in the latest Pulse Asia survey for the presidential aspirants.
Based on the January poll results, Senator Poe garnered 33 percent of the votes while erstwhile leader Vice President Jejomar Binay dropped to second spot along with administration candidate Manuel Roxas II and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.
”It echoes the voice of the people who trust and believe in my capacity to be a leader no matter what hurdles are thrown my way,” Poe said in a statement.
”The Filipinos will always be my inspiration to stay the course and work harder, especially now that the official campaign period is about to commence. I am ready to serve and work to bring the change that the Filipinos deserve.”
Poe made her statement even as the youth group Anakbayan said the prevailing anti-Aquino sentiment made her regain her lead in the surveys.
“If this shows anything, it it that Poe should maintain her independence and should continue to project herself as the candidate in contrast to the ruling party in the Palace,” Anakbayan national chairman Vencer Crisostomo said.
Meanwhile, a group of adoptive parents has asked the Supreme Court to decide in favor of foundlings by ruling that Senator Grace Poe is a natural-born Filipino citizen.
The Adoptees, Adoptive Families and Foundlings Conference said such ruling would recognize the inherent rights of foundlings to hold high office and remove the social stigma attached to abandoned children.
“We appeal to the humanity of the Supreme Court, group convenor Eric Mallonga said in a statement. “Our children are natural-born citizens as they embrace the Philippines and serve their fellowmen in the country of their birth and culture.”
Poe dropped to second place in the December survey after the Commission on Elections ruled in favor of the petition to disqualify her for being a foundling and for allegedly not meeting the residency requirement.
Her camp elevated her disqualification case to the Supreme Court to seek the dismissal of the two petitions.
Poe’s running mate, Senator Francis Escudero, kept his lead in the vice presidential race by receiving 33 percent of the votes in January from 29 percent in December.
Escudero kept his lead despite having no political ads, and with two days left before the 90-day election campaign period starts.
Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. received 23 percent to remain in second place, while Roxas’ running mate Leni Robredo placed third after improving her ratings to 18 percent from 14 percent.
Duterte’s running mate, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, dropped to fourth place with 14 percent from 18 percent in December last year. With Rey E. Requejo and Rio N. Araja