Comelec also gets complaint vs Poe over citizenship

MANILA, Philippines - After filing a petition with the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET), a losing senatorial bet filed another complaint against Sen. Grace Poe with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for allegedly violating the Omnibus Election Code in relation to her citizenship.

In a 20-page complaint, Rizalito David said Poe “misrepresented the facts” of her being a natural-born citizen of the Philippines in the certificate of candidacy she filed when she ran for senator in 2013.

David earlier filed a petition with the SET to unseat Poe, claiming she is not a natural-born Filipino.

Classified by law as a foundling because her biological parents are unknown, Poe can at most avail of Filipino citizenship, David said.

He added that the assumption that Poe had re-acquired her Filipino citizenship in July 2006 after becoming an American citizen in October 2001 was “null and void.” He said a person who is not a natural-born Filipino could not apply for re-acquisition of his Filipino citizenship.

In an ambush interview, David said he was not being used by anyone in filing the complaints against Poe.

“It’s an election offense with criminal liability. Once Comelec finds out that there is probable cause, they will file it with a higher court and it is for the court to determine if indeed she erred and should be penalized,” he added.

A member of the Kapatiran party, David ran for senator during the 2010 and 2013 elections but lost.

As this developed, David re-submitted his petition before the SET yesterday morning after the tribunal asked him to correct some deficiencies.

David said the SET asked him to include in his petition when Poe was proclaimed senator, provide a clear copy of one of the annexes and follow the margin required in writing a petition letter so the tribunal can start hearing the case.

He said he filed the petition because he believes that Poe should not have been elected senator because she is not a natural-born citizen and she lacked the residency requirement for a senatorial candidate.

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., vice chairman of the ruling Liberal Party, dismissed the petition as another attempt to discourage Poe from running for president. 

“If she is not doing very well in the polls, no one would bother,” Belmonte said. “I myself am convinced she is qualified to run for president.”  – With Robertzon Ramirez, Paolo Romero