Sheryl Cruz Escorted Out of Presscon for Speaking Against Grace Poe

An unidentified companion leads Sheryl Cruz (in black, center) out of the Manila Hotel where she was scheduled to hold a tell-all interview on Sen. Grace Poe’s presidential run. Sheryl intended to hold the interview during the grand press conference of the Iglesia ni Cristo biopic of its founder Felix Manalo, but was disinvited by its organizers because they did not want the event to be dragged into politics. Image courtesy of www.newsinfo.inquirer.net

Sheryl Cruz was allegedly escorted out of a Iglesia ni Cristo organized movie presscon for speaking against Sen. Grace Poe. The official story is that she was disinvited to the event when the organizers have learned that Sheryl Cruz will make a tell-all interview with the press present. The pocket interview still did happen at a nearby Manila Hotel cafe where Sheryl Cruz was able to express her concerns.

Sheryl Cruz spoke of an alleged "harassment" though she did not elaborate where it is coming from, after speaking out against her adoptive cousin Sen. Grace Poe. Sheryl Cruz said her long-time talent manager, Rams David, had been forced to resign because of the pressures to "keep her silent."

She also said that her long-time advocacy "Paper for Now," a foundation that aims to provide livelihood by turning paper weave into stylish items, was closed for reasons unknown to her.

Shery Cruz was earlier quoted in a Manila Standard report on September 17, that she was against her cousin Grace Poe's presidential run because she thinks that Sen. Poe would make a better president in 2022.

She said that the 47-year-old, Sen. Grace Poe should first make her mark as a senator before running for President of the Philippines. A sentiment, she shared, is the same as that of Senator Sergio Osmeña.

Sheryl Cruz stressed that she is not speaking out to vilify Grace Poe, but rather, she opined that she is exercising her right to be heard as a legitimate taxpayer.

"I am entitled to give my own opinion just like everybody else. I supported my cousin throughout her 2013 run. Halos ako nga ang pumunta sa buong Pilipinas para i-representa siya. Kung hindi ako naniniwala sa kakayahan niya, bakit ko gagawin iyon?"

Sheryl Cruz denies being used by other presidential candidates like Vice President Jejomar Binay and former DILG Sec. Mar Roxas, but she said she is reserving her right to announce whomever she will support in the future.

"I'm reserving my support for whomever candidate na nakikitang kong nararapat at dapat mamuno dahil maayos siyang tao at isa pa, ang puso niya ay para sa mga mamamayan, pati sa mga bata, at sa mga ina, at sa mga single mothers na tulad ko. Siya ang aking susuportahan ko," she said.

And lastly, Sheryl Cruz denied the long-standing rumor that she and Sen. Grace Poe are biological half-sisters but she refused to be subjected to a DNA test to clear up the matter.

The rumor which has been turned into an urban legend is that her mother, former actress Rosemarie Sonora, had an extra-marital affair with then President Ferdinand Marcos, and the fruit of their affair is Grace Poe, who was in turn adopted by Rosemarie Sonora's sister, Susan Roces.

"I'm taking it upon myself to defend my mom as any child would do who loves their mother. ...Sinasabi nila sisters kami. No. We have different mothers and we have different parents. Respeto na lang sa aking ina," Sheryl Cruz enthused.