Citizenship question snags Yasay confirmation

MANILA, Philippines - Citizenship issues continue to hound Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr., leading to the deferment of his confirmation by the Commission on Appointments (CA).

Legislators from both the House of Representatives and the Senate previously raised questions about the status of Yasay’s citizenship in the United States, which has repeatedly come up in various reports.

Based on the reports, Yasay was said to be a naturalized US citizen and a holder of a US passport.

But even after meeting with the members of the CA and answering all their questions during yesterday’s hearing, Yasay’s confirmation was deferred until he could submit all the documents to support his claims about his non-US citizenship.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson, chairman of the CA committee, said Yasay would be scheduled for another confirmation hearing at a later date.

During the hearing before the CA committee on foreign affairs, Yasay explained he was never able to acquire US citizenship.

Yasay admitted he was a green card holder or permanent resident of the US in the 1980s.

As part of the requirement for individuals granted permanent residence in the US, Yasay said he took an oath to support and defend the laws of the US, just as he did when he was allowed to practice law in the country.

“But I did not abandon my citizenship in the Philippines. So there is no inconsistency… Legal permanent residency does not imply becoming an American citizen,” Yasay told members of the CA.

Unsatisfied with the response of Yasay, Occidental Mindoro Rep. Josephin Ramirez-Sato pressed him on whether he has ever been a citizen of the US.

Yasay said that he applied for naturalization in the US, but when the time came that he was about to be considered in November 1986, he said that he had a change of heart and decided that he wanted to return to the Philippines.

He said he abandoned his permanent residence in the US that disqualified him from becoming a US citizen. “On that basis I never acquired legal status as a US citizen,” Yasay added.

Yasay noted that he has already executed the necessary affidavits for the purpose of “admitting my disqualification,” which he submitted to the American authorities.

He said the US government affirmed his decision and subsequently indicated in his application for a tourist visa that he was a non-American citizen.

“On that basis I have not been divested of my Philippine citizenship because precisely under the law of the Philippines, you will lose your citizenship upon acquiring legal status as a citizen abroad. I never legally acquired a US citizenship,” he said.

Even though he was convinced that the affidavit he executed was enough to establish the renunciation of his application to become a US citizen, Yasay said that he saw it fit to come up with yet another official renunciation, which he did at the US embassy in Manila.

He explained that he did this to douse all speculations about his citizenship.

Sato also cited the reports about Yasay allegedly holding a valid US passport, a privilege granted only to citizens of the US.