San Beda Lawyer Reacts to SC Decision Favoring Grace Poe

Bruce V. Rivera, a law teacher, turned to Facebook to voice out his grievances after the Supreme Court allowed Grace Poe to run as president of the Philippines for May 2016 elections. In the caption, Rivera said that as a lawyer, he can criticize the Supreme Court without being disrespectful.

In his statement, Rivera said he is hurt because Grace Poe once turned away to being a Filipino but the Supreme Court still granted her petition.

“Naging Americano ka. Nag asawa ka ng Americano. Yung mga anak mo Americano pa rin. Dapat intindihin mo. Huwag kang magpilit maging presidente ng Pilipinas” (You became an American. You married an American. And your children are Americans. You should understand. Do not insist on being the president of the Philippines.)

“Ang kailangan natin sa isang presidente ay hindi lang qualified sa kanyang gawa kundi qualified sa kanyang puso bilang Pilipino.” (What we need in a president is someone who is not only qualified in his deeds but also in his heart as a Filipino.)

He further stated that it is painful to him because he himself fought being a Filipino. He narrated that his family migrated to the U.S. and are enjoying the benefits of being U.S. citizens. They can easily travel around the world because of their American Passports – a benefit that a Filipino citizen with a Filipino passport cannot easily have.

“Pero kung ganito lang. Pwede naman palang ipamigay eh. Tatanggapin ka naman pala eh na maging presidente. Ano pang pinaglalaban natin? Bakit pa ako naging Pilipino dito kung pwede naman pala, diba?” (What are we fighting for if you can easily turn your back to the Philippines then can easily go back to run as President? Why did I fight being a Filipino in the first place?)

“Sana naman Supreme Court maawa kayo sa mga abugadong tulad ko na naniniwala sa batas. Naniniwala sa kagandahan ng batas. At naniniwala sa kagandahan ng maging isang Pilipino. Kasi ngayon hindi na ako masaya maging isang Pilipino… Kasi bakit? Eh yun ngang umaalis magiging presidente. What’s stopping me?” (Please Supreme Court, have pity on us lawyers who still believe in the law, who still believe in the beauty of the law, and who still believe in the beauty of being a Filipino. Because now I’m not happy to be Filipino. Why? Those who turn their backs to the Philippines can be president. What’s stopping me?)