Grace Poe Says No to US Military Support to PH Over Spratly Dispute

Grace Poe, a presidential aspirant and believed to be an American Citizen made comments on public forums recently that she is against US presence in the country.

China has repeatedly telling the public through its official news agency that it would not accept any UN decision with regards to dispute on South China Sea, but Grace Poe Poe said the Philippines should continue pursuing its case against China in the United Nations Arbitral Tribunal.

In a public forum last week where US Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg was also present, Poe said that the Philippines cannot always expect the US to come for aid in its conflict with China even though the two countries are allies.

“I’m sorry to say, Mr. Ambassador, but I know the US, our ally…we can’t fault them for thinking of their own interests. In pursuing any conflict, the first interest we need to think of are our constituents,” Poe said at the Rotary Club of Manila’s Journalism Awards ceremony where she was the guest of honor.

“Can we rely on the United States to defend us? I don’t think we should do that. And I don’t think the US would be in the position to do that because they have to be able to weigh in also on what their citizens want or what to do for their country,” she said.

In a public forum where she was asked to comment in various current situations, especially in sea disputes, Poe added that the Philippines should maintain good relationship with China over other aspects such as economy, business, and tourism.

Poe is considered a strong presidential candidate because of her last name she inherited from the late Filipino actor Fernando Poe Jr, her adoptive father. Many believe though that Poe will only worsen the country’s current problem due to her lack of experience. A website called “presidentegracepoe.com” compared her to the late President Corazon Aquino, who became a puppet after winning during the 1986 presidential election.

/Lori Gomez/ Assisted Press

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