Poll body affirms ruling on Reyes case
By Joel E. Zurbano | Posted on May. 18, 2013 at 12:01am | 656 views
The Commission on Elections on Friday affirmed an earlier ruling of its first division cancelling the certificate of candidacy of Regina Ongsiaco Reyes for the lone congressional seat in Marinduque.
The commission en banc voted 5-1 with one abstention affirming the March 27 decision of against Reyes’ candidacy.
Comelec chairman Sixto Brillantes dissented but did not provide a reason for his position, while Commissioner Luie Guia abstained.
Commissioner Christian Robert Lim, on the other hand, submitted a separate opinion concurring with the ponencia.
The First Division presided by Commissioner Elias Yusoph held that Reyes is a US citizen and relied on the certificate issued by the Bureau of Immigration detailing Reyes’ use of a US passport since 2005.
It stated that “Unless and until she can establish that she had availed of the privileges of RA 9225 by becoming a dual Filipino-American citizen, and thereafter, made a valid sworn renunciation of her American citizenship, she remains to be an American citizen and is, therefore, ineligible to run for and hold any elective public office in the Philippines.”
Reyes admitted in her Motion for Reconsideration that she is indeed an American citizen, but claims to be a dual citizen of the Philippines and of the United States due to her previous marriage to Saturnino S. Ador Dionisio. She claimed that she had acquired her US citizenship by virtue of her marriage to a US citizen but denied that she had undergone naturalization.
But the Commission denied the motion, saying it lacked merit. It said Reyes was not able to present any legal or factual basis, and failed to substantiate her claims that were merely a rehash of previously made arguments.
