Grace Poe should learn from Apo Mabini

You know why people are now thinking twice of supporting Grace Poe? Two reasons: first, she thinks like she's Wonderwoman, the glamorous version of Joan of Arc, out on a mission to "continue the legacy of her father".

Ask her--what legacy is she talking about? Her father is an accomplished thespian, the King of Filipino movies, the darling of the masses. FPJ did what a Marlon Brando did to Hollywood, or a Pierce Bronson to action movies.

His legacy is in enriching Filipino arts and culture. If Grace Poe wants to continue her father's "legacy", then, she's in the wrong business. She should continue her post as MTRCB or better yet, run for the presidency of MOWELFUND or assume the presidency of FPJ Productions.

The second reason is the most important---Poe abandoned her Filipino citizenship. Poe gave a reason that it was "love of family"---that's why she did it. She renounced her being a Filipino "out of love" for her family.

Out of love? Is it because your husband is a full-blooded American (not raised, but born). Poe says it did not diminish her love for her country.

Pooh. Bull. Crap.

Grace Poe should take a cue from what Filipino patriot Apolinario Mabini did a century hence.

Mabini was one of the officials of the First Philippine Republic under the traitor Emilio Aguinaldo. When Aguinaldo was arrested, the executioner of the Supremo became the executioner of thousands of Filipino patriots fighting under the Katipunan banner.

Aguinaldo obviously did nothing to abandon his Filipino citizenship but what he did was worst---he betrayed once more the Katipunan and cooperated with the new Colonialists--the Americans. He was no lame person, but what he did is more than being crippled--Aguinaldo was crippled in his mind and heart.

When Mabini was arrested, he was exiled to Guam. After spending his sentence. Mabini went back. He was offered American citizenship but he refused. Mabini at that time was already physically disabled. He could have lived a prosperous life, filled with love and monies and everything he needed. He refused.

When Poe elected to abandon her being Filipino, it was a conscious choice, not a matter of life and death. It was that easy for Poe---contrast that to Mabini who, until his last grasp, was asking for freedom. And freed he surely became.

Citizenship is a trifling matter for Poe. But for millions of Filipinos who both stay here and those working abroad, being Filipino is the next best thing that happened to them since the arrival of Facebook.