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.