THE CITIZENSHIP ISSUE OF GABBY LOPEZ
Admin's Note:
When the Philippines was screwed up by the privileged...
THE CITIZENSHIP ISSUE OF GABBY LOPEZ
By Atty. Bruce Villafuerte Rivera
What has been established? Lopez was born in the US to Filipino citizens. He is a dual citizen not by virtue of the Dual Citizenship Law but by an international citizenship aberration that is either a dual citizen or a stateless person. Absent a dual citizenship law in the Philippines, there should be a citizenship chosen as an effective citizenship.
That is the same question that was asked of Edu Manzano where the Supreme Court ruled that it is the doctrine of effective citizenship that should determine Manzano to be Filipino because the totality of his actions proved it. He grew up in the PH, he studied here, established his career in the country, married Ate Vi and run for public office.
But here is the real problem, is the exercise of a right SIMILAR to the exercise of a privilege. Under the rules of statutory construction, in the grant of a franchise, it shall be construed STRICTLY against the grantee and in favor of the State.
Exercising a RIGHT is different from exercising a grant of a PRIVILEGE. When you exercise a right like any citizen, it is something general like the right to vote, own real property, do business, live in the Philippines and the likes. Hence, it does not entail a strict reading of the laws. In fact, when a citizen runs for public office, it is required that he or she should only be a Filipino citizen.
When you are given a privilege, that is something that is more than a right because it is not available to all Filipinos. It takes Congress to act and grant it. So, it should be strictly construed against the grantee.
Lopez is a natural-born Filipino. He is also a natural-born American. Those intending to run for public office must give up foreign citizenship because there is a presumed conflict of interest. So, what difference is being given a franchise to operate a television broadcast that is constitutionally NATIONALIZED. There is a reason it is nationalized, there are presumed conflicts of interest if mass media is operated by someone who not only Filipino but a foreigner.. Imagine if we discover that a Chinese citizen who is also a Filipino citizen owns Kapamilya or Kapuso.
And Cong. Mike Defensor threw a loop when when he pointed out that instead of getting a PH passport in 1996, he renewed his US passport where is made a manifestation that he is swearing allegiance to the USA. By any breath, this is even worse. It is not even dual allegiance. It is allegiance ONLY to the US. The fact that he eventually got a Filipino passport in 2001 does not change the infidelity.
It is like saying to a mistress that she is first and foremost the love of his life and saying secretly to her legal wife....it had always been you. See, you have the papers. It is also known that Lopez used his US passport more than his Philippine passport.
You see, this is the same objection I voiced out when a person who became an American was allowed to run for President. Is there no premium for fidelity? Is it okey if we give beneficial franchises to Filipinos who do not even treat us with the respect of severing ties with a citizenship he even claim he never asked or wanted because he is a Filipino.
Being a FILIPINO Is not just a statement or status. It is not something you claim when it is beneficial to you. It is something that you valiantly identify with despite the odds.
