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BY RESEL JOY TIANERO
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Friday, February 3, 2017
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ILOILO City – Nearly nine months after her election defeat, Sen. Grace Poe made a sentimental visit to the Jaro Cathedral where she was abandoned as an infant.
Yesterday she attended a morning Mass celebrating the feast of Jaro district’s patroness, Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria (Our Lady of Candles).
Last Feb. 16, 2016 Poe also visited the cathedral before facing supporters in Jaro Plaza where she held a campaign rally. She was then a candidate for president.
“I was found in the cathedral,” said Poe yesterday. “It’s the fiesta of Jaro and I’m taking this opportunity to express my gratitude to God and to my countrymen who supported me.”
On Sept. 3, 1968 a resident of Jaro, Sayong Militar, found in a holy water font of the cathedral an infant wrapped in a blanket and covered in blood.
The newborn would grow up to be Poe whom movie stars Susan Roces and Fernando Poe Jr. adopted.
Poe said she was grateful of the Ilonggos’ support.
“In fact, I said during the campaign that should I win, I would take my oath as president in Jaro,” she said.
During the campaign, Poe’s citizenship as a natural-born Filipino was questioned because, as a foundling, her parents and their citizenship were unknown.
Poe actually spent years trying to find her biological parents. During a campaign sortie in Iloilo in 2013 – she was then running for senator – she even met Militar who found her as an infant at the cathedral holy water font, in search of the truth.
Up to now, however, Poe’s biological parents remain unknown.
Eventually, the Supreme Court overturned a Commission on Elections’ decision cancelling her certificate of candidacy for president over questions on her citizenship./PN
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