More love children in Poe's closet

More love children in Poe's closet

Agence France Presse, Manila

Philippines presidential frontrunner Fernando Poe has fathered
more children out of wedlock than he acknowledged, his campaign
spokesman said over the weekend, while the movie icon shed tears
in public.

Poe publicly admitted earlier this week that he had a 22 year-
old son by a 1980s movie starlet, dealing a blow to his public
image as a model husband and family man.

Poe is married to fellow movie star Susan Roces, but they have
no children.

"There are more of them," legislator and Poe spokesman Francis
Escudero told GMA television in an interview when asked about
rumours that Poe had more than one love child.

However, he said only Poe could provide the details as "this
is entirely a family matter".

Pressed later, Poe told reporters they should respect other
people's privacy.

"You know, we should not hurt other people," he said, adding
in reference to his love children, "They're very private people,
we should not hurt them."

Poe later publicly shed tears as fellow movie stars gathered
at a suburban Manila sports club to launch a movement in support
of his candidacy.

"I'm sorry I'm just so overwhelmed," the 64 year-old action
star said as he used his forefinger to wipe away tears behind his
gold-rimmed glasses.

A section of the Filipino electorate say Poe's philandering
shows he cannot be trusted with the highest office of the land in
this overwhelmingly Roman Catholic Southeast Asian nation.

However, this group is not known to comprise the majority. His
friend and fellow movie star, Joseph Estrada, who won the 1998
presidential election but was toppled in a military-backed
popular revolt 30 months later, has acknowledged siring children
by a number of mistresses.

Philippine law does not allow divorce or abortion, which are
both barred by the Church.

Filipino bishops said Poe should be given credit for admitting
adultery, while stressing that morality is a key component of
leadership.

Poe, touted as the Philippine version of John Wayne, is the
standard bearer of the political opposition and has been leading
President Gloria Arroyo in opinion polls. Formal campaigning for
the May 10 vote began on Feb. 3.