Lawyer: Poe used US passport despite having Philippine passport

MANILA, Philippines — The camp of Sen. Grace Poe on Tuesday admitted that the senator used her United States passport despite having a Philippine passport.

During the oral arguments on the senator's cases before the Supreme Court, Poe's lawyer, Alexander Poblador, said that the presidential aspirant used her US passport four times until March 2010.

LIVE: Oral arguments on Poe vs Comelec

Poblador argued that Poe was a dual citizen at the time and had the right to use either passport.

During the interpellation, Justice Mariano Castillo pointed out that a dual citizen will not be allowed to be president of the Philippines.

However, Poe's legal counsel stressed that Poe had not used her US passport after renouncing her American citizenship.

Poblador pointed out that records showed that she last used her US passport in March 2010 and renounced her American citizenship on October 2010.

The senator's use of her US passport is a recantation of Poe's renunciation of her American citizenship, Poblador said.

The high court is expected to focus on legal and technical issues on the cases filed against Poe.

Issues on the presidential aspirant's citizenship and residency will be discussed as the SC holds oral arguments on the disqualification cases filed against her.