Presidential hopeful Grace Poe two weeks ago underwent a DNA testing for two reasons: first, to prove that she's a natural born citizen of the Philippines; and second, to resolve a disqualification case slapped against her at the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET).
Senator Poe's camp earlier said if the DNA test showed she's born to Filipino parents than it will be a conclusive evidence that she's a natural born citizen and not "naturalized" as claimed by her critics.
Her lawyer, Atty. George Garcia, said in a TV interview of a Supreme Court decision that "DNA tests are conclusive insofar as the courts are concerned. In fact it is already part of the rules of evidence,"
Garcia is talking about a decision penned by Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice and Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET) Chairman Antonio Carpio.
Carpio earlier said that Poe, as a foundling, is considered a naturalized Filipino and not natural-born and said the senator must prove her parents are Filipino citizens.
Poe is currently facing a disqualification case at the SET over doubts about her being a natural-born Filipino citizenship. This is because she does not know her biological parents.
According to ABS-CBN News, Poe was abandoned as a baby at the Jaro Cathedral in Iloilo. A woman named Sayong Militar found Poe and took care of her for a couple of years.
After that, the child was passed on to sugar heiress Tessie Ledesma Valencia, who eventually passed her on to showbiz couple Fernando Poe Jr. and Susan Roces.
On Monday, Poe revealed that family members of an individual who could be either of her biological parents approached her for a DNA test. She refused to disclose their identities, saying they are private individuals, ABS-CBN News added.
The DNA samples, which were sent abroad, will have its test results after about three weeks.
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