Only Poe’s residency, citizenship questioned – Tiangco

IN RINA Jimenez David’s column titled “The grace of family, the grace of Pope Francis” (Opinion, 6/7/15), I noticed an unfortunate factual error in the following paragraph:

“One approach was that taken by UNA spokesman Rep. Toby Tiangco, who used the fact that no one knew (or would come forward) about who Poe’s natural parents were to question her citizenship and thus her qualification to run for president.”

Allow me to state for the record: I never raised any issue concerning Sen. Grace Poe’s natural parents, as all the issues I raised were limited to Poe’s own declarations in her certificate of candidacy (which was filed in connection with her senatorial candidacy in the May 13, 2013, elections), specifically the declarations pertaining to her residency as well as the fact of her renunciation of her Filipino citizenship to acquire American citizenship and the dates relative thereto.

As much as I would have wanted to further explain (what I raised), I respect Rep. Abigail Binay’s advice for me to cease from further discussing the same, considering that the Binays’ position on the issue (on Poe’s residency) is a matter for the courts to decide.

—REP. TOBY TIANGCO