Bodies of Grace Poe’s possible biological parents exhumed in Guimaras

GUIMARAS—The camp of Senator Grace Poe on Wednesday morning had the remains of her alleged biological parents exhumed at the East Valencia Public Cemetery in Buenavista town for purposes of DNA examination.

Poe's representatives at the site included a lawyer and a forensic pathologist.

First to be exhumed were the remains of Victoria Rodriguez, who is believed to be the Poe's biological mother.

A bone fragment from her thigh was extracted for DNA testing to determine whether her remains have a DNA match with the senator.

Also exhumed were bodies of Francisco Montañez and his son Paquito to determine the paternal line of the senator.

It is believed that either Francisco or Paquito was the real father of Poe, thus DNA samples needed to be extracted from both their remains.

"Kelangan kasi posibleng si Francisco Montañez or son Paquito (ang ama) kwento ng mga kapatid, to determine the proximity of relationship, only the result of DNA can ascertain kaya kinuha yung dalawa" says Guimaras Vice Governor Vicente de Asis who is also close to the Rodriguez and Montañez families.

Poe, a foundling, was adopted by the late actor Fernando Poe Jr. and his wife actress Susan Roces after she was found at the Jaro Cathedral in 1968.

She is now facing disqualification cases before the Supreme Court because of her questioned status as a natural-born Filipino citizen.

Poe is looking for her biological parents but has repeatedly said that her claim to being a natural-born Filipino need not be based on finding them.

She said that international statutes presume natural-born citizenship to foundlings like her.

DNA testing in Manila

The samples will be transported to Manila for DNA testing, together with nine buccal swabs from alleged Poe aunts and uncles. The swabs were extracted on Tuesday.

Six out of the nine swabs are from the siblings of Victoria Rodriguez while the other three are from the siblings of Paquito Montañez.

Poe's medical and legal teams arrived in Guimaras on Tuesday morning to obtain the DNA samples after the doctor conducting the earlier DNA tests in Manila told them to get more samples from purported relatives.

One of the alleged uncles, Junie Rodriguez said in Ilonggo that it is important for them to undergo DNA testing to help Grace Poe in the cases filed against her particularly that which questions her citizenship.

Earlier the Poe camp tried to get exhumation permit and permit to transport the bones and other dna samples from Guimaras to Manila from the municipal health office and the local government of Guimaras to make sure no sanitation and health procedures will be violated.

Help in citizenship case

On December 14, an alleged aunt of Poe, Lorena Dechavez, and two alleged sisters, Malyn and Magdalena, went to Manila to provide DNA samples also for matching with that of the senator.

"Gusto ko na lumabas dna test para ok na lahat ang pagtakbo niya magtuluy tuloy na...Eh kasi nagigipit na siya. Alam namin noon pa pero di kami naghabol maganda na kasi kalagayan niya" Dechavez said. —NB, GMA News