AFTER FINAL SC DECISION, POE SAYS NOTHING CAN STOP HER NOW

SORSOGON--After the Supreme Court affirmed its earlier ruling saying Sen. Grace Poe is qualified to run for president, the race frontrunner said nothing can stop her now.

"Parang nawalan na ng kadena ang ating pangangampanya at tuloy-tuloy na po," Poe said during a visit to Sorsogon, home province of her running mate, Sen. Francis Escudero.

Poe was reacting to the High Court ruling released earlier today denying with finality the motions for reconsideration of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) and other petitioners. The SC said "no substantial arguments were presented to warrant the reversal of the questioned decision."

"Nagbibigay lang ito ng affirmation na naging malakas at tama ang desisyon ng Korte Suprema. Kami ay nagpapasalamat sa hustisyang ibinigay nila," she said.

In the event that she is elected, the senator said she is confident that with the SC decision she will hurdle questions on her citizenship that could be raised before the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), which handles disqualification cases against an incumbent president.

"Matibay ang naging desisyon. Sa tingin ko ay kahit na kuwestiyunin pa nila sa PET, malakas ang laban natin," Poe said.

Poe, the lone independent presidential aspirant, leads all surveys as the voters' top choice for president. In the March 15-20 Pulse Asia report, 28 percent of voters choose Poe as the next president, while the March 30 Bilang Pilipino-SWS survey showed 34 percent of Filipinos choosing the senator.

"Para sa akin kasi ang pinaka-tinitingnan ng ating mga kababayan higit sa lahat ay talagang plataporma naman ng mga tumatakbo at 'yung karakter ng mga lider," she said.

Last March 8, the Supreme Court voted 9-6 to grant Poe's petition to reverse the COMELEC's decision that effectively disqualified Poe from the presidential race. The High Court said the poll body acted with grave abuse of discretion when it cancelled Poe's certificate of candidacy on questions of citizenship and residency.