New Witnesses For Asi

Looks like Asi Taulava will not only get to wed Anna May Corveau, but might also get back his old job.

Almost a week after he flew unannounced from the US to announce his forthcoming church wedding with his model-fiancee, Taulava yesterday submitted additional pieces of evidence to the Bureau of Immigration to prove his Filipino citizenship.

In a motion filed with the BID by the Picazo Buyco Tan Fider & Santos Law Office, counsel for the former Mobiline Fil-foreign cager, new witnesses have given sworn statements attesting to their having personally known Taulava’s mother, Pauline Hernandez Mateaki.

The new documents, they said, will also prove that Pauline’s parents were residents of Northern Samar before Pauline, as a child, apparently left the Philippines.

Additional statements were also submitted showing the existence of a Hernandez clan in Catarman and San Jose, Northern Samar, where Pauline Mateaki has claimed her place of birth.

One of the affidavits also attests to the existence of tall members of the Hernandez clan.

The motion states that Asi had already submitted or complied with all the legal requirements for recognition as Filipino citizen.

"With this additional evidence, we believe that the BID should have no more doubt of Asi’s Filipino lineage. And, the additional evidence is consistent with previous evidence," said Frankie Lim, Mobiline team manager.

Taulava was ordered deported by the Bureau of Immigration last year for failing to prove his Filipino roots after playing 12 games in his second PBA season. He was initially allowed to play as a Fil-foreigner by the BI but his clearance was later revoked as former BI chief Rufus Rodriguez said Taulava’s birth documents failed to establish his Filipino roots.

In one of the affidavits, a witness said that Asi’s grandmother, Ana Hernandez, worked for her family sometime in 1947, and that Ana got pregnant sometime in late 1949. The birth certificate of Pauline states Pauline was born on July 13, 1950.

Another witness said that he knew Pauline sometime in 1952 and 1953 in Carangian (now San Jose), Northern Samar. He also said that based on a photograph of Pauline Taulava in a newspaper when she was in Manila to appear before the BID, he is convinced that she is the same Pauline Hernandez Mateaki who was his playmate in 1953 in Carangian.

The motion also clarifies certain issues raised in the deportation order of the BID.

The motion says that "with respect to the late registration of the birth certificate of (Asi’s) mother, the law does not say that such a birth certificate is defective or intrinsically flawed. In fact, under Article 410 of the Civil Code, the books making up the civil register and all documents relating thereto shall be considered prima facie evidence of the facts contained therein."

In addition, the lawyers of Taulava contend that, in reference to Pauline, "suffice it to state that it is not uncommon that children of a number of migrant Filipinos do not speak any of the Philippine languages or dialects."

Meanwhile, Taulava, who played 37 games for Mobiline in 1999, has lost 45 pounds since his departure, and no longer can fill up the clothes he left behind.

"Most of it was depression," he admitted. "It’s true that I really worked out a lot, but I also sat at home thinking what to do. I didn’t know where to go. It was hard, not being able to be here when Ana May gave birth." — With report from Bill Velasco