Adrian Ayalin, ABS-CBN News

ILOILO - Actress Susan Roces debunked Tuesday rumors that her sister, Rosemarie Sonora, is the biological mother of her adoptive daughter, presidential aspirant and Senator Grace Poe.&quot;Bakit naman namin itatago yon kung totoo?&quot; she said during a visit to La Paz Market and Central Market in Iloilo City.Asked about persistent rumors that Sen. Ferdinand &quot;Bongbong&quot; Marcos Jr. is Poe&#x27;s brother, Roces said her sister, Rosemarie Sonora, was not pregnant in 1968.This was the same year the infant Mary Grace was found at the baptismal font of Jaro Cathedral in Iloilo.Roces said that during that time, her sister Rosemarie was busy with her acting career. Hiding a pregnancy, she said, would have been difficult from the public since Sonora was always seen on television.Roces married actor Fernando Poe Jr. in December 1968, the same year when Grace was found.In an earlier interview with ABS-CBN News, Poe herself denied that she is the love child of Sonora and the late President Ferdinand Marcos.“The easiest would just be to say, yes the rumor is true. But it’s not,” said Poe.“I wish it were, in a sense, so I can establish my natural-born status, to be the daughter of my aunt. Daughter with whom? Well that’s a different issue. Of course they will say I’m the daughter of Marcos. You know, if that were true, it would be more than just a loud whisper. Somebody would have come forward to prove that.”READ: <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/focus/06/03/15/curious-case-grace-poe">The Curious Case of Grace Poe</a><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2016/nation/02/poe-021616.jpg"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc">From right: Susan Roces, Tessie Ledesma Valencia, and Rosemarie Sonora with a friend</div></figcaption></figure></div>The young Grace was found at the Jaro Cathedral before dawn on September 3, 1968. A woman, Sayong Militar, took care of the baby before passing her on to haciendera Tessie Ledesma Valencia, a close relative of Sayong’s employers.Roces and Poe would later adopt the baby Grace after Valencia migrated to the US.READ: <a href="http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/06/02/15/foundling-named-grace">A foundling named Grace</a>Poe is currently facing disqualification cases before the Supreme Court amid doubts about her residency requirement and natural-born status. The Constitution states that only natural-born Filipinos may become President, Vice President, Senator and Congressman.http://cdnimages.abs-cbnnews.com/access/bandila/bandila062015/grace7.jpg Undated photo of Grace, Fernando Poe, Jr. and Susan RocesIn the interview, Roces said she believes Poe will surpass the challenges against her presidential candidacy.&quot;Nangyari na rin yan noon kay FPJ,&quot; she said, recounting the disqualification case filed against her husband in the 2004 presidential election.Roces, who is also currently known as &quot;Lola Kap&quot; in the drama series &quot;Ang Probinsyano&quot;, said she is campaigning for her daughter among senior citizens.Poe is campaigning together with her running mate, Senator Francis &quot;Chiz&quot; Escudero, and senatorial candidates in the towns of Carles and Barotac Viejo in Iloilo province.The team will have a campaign rally at the town plaza in Iloilo City Tuesday afternoon.After their Iloilo campaign sortie, the Partido Galing at Puso of Poe and Escudero will campaign in Kalibo, Aklan and Roxas City, Capiz on Wednesday.

ILOILO - Actress Susan Roces debunked Tuesday rumors that her sister, Rosemarie Sonora, is the biological mother of her adoptive daughter, presidential aspirant and Senator Grace Poe. 

Susan Roces denies Sonora is Grace Poe's mom

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Susan Roces denies Sonora is Grace Poe's mom

Adrian Ayalin,

ABS-CBN News

Published February 16, 2016 10:44 AM PHT

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