Ex-SC justice slams Lopez
Says ABS-CBN boss showed allegiance to US
RETIRED Supreme Court Justice Noel Tijam on Thursday slammed ABSCBN Corp. Chairman Emeritus Eugenio “Gabby” Lopez 3rd for showing his allegiance to the United States rather than the Philippines.
In a statement, Tijam questioned the loyalty of Lopez, citing his acts favoring the US, where he is a citizen by birth.
Tijam, a member of the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) representing
the academe, argued that the testimony of Lopez before the House of Representatives that he never renounced his Filipino citizenship should not be taken at face value.
As proof, Tijam said Lopez told the House hearing that he voted during the US presidential election in 2016.
“The statement [of Lopez] that he never lost his Filipino citizenship is a motherhood statementN Before one asserts his right to Filipino citizenship, one must demonstrate allegiance to the country and submit proof that he performed his d”ties as a Filipino citizen,” Tijam said.
“In case of war between two countries a dual citizen is affiliated with, which flag shall he defend? The country of his birth or the country of his parents?” Tijam said.
He said “citizenship is based on allegiance, not convenience.”
Tijam said the “principle of jus sanguinis is a legal fiction; citizenship is earned not inherited.”
He said it took Lopez 48 years before he applied for Filipino recognition and more than 50 years before he was iss” ed a Philippine passportN
He added that Lopez must also declare if he performed other duties as a Filipino citizen, such as voting during Philippine elections and paying taxes diligentlyN
Also on Thursday, a lawmaker said Filipinos with dual citizenship m” st not be allowed to own or manage any media entity in the country.
Anakalusugan party- list Rep. Mike Defensor made clear his position after Lopez acknowledged at a House hearing on Wednesday to being a Filipino who is also an American citizen.
Lopez defended his dual citizenship, saying it was affirmed by Justice Undersecretary Emmyline Aglipay-Villar using as basis the 1935 Constitution that provides Filipino citizenship to individuals born to Filipino parentsN
Lopez’s citizenship was one of the grounds raised by lawmakers
opposed to handing ABS- CBN another franchise.
TheManilaTimes earlier p”blished reports on the actions taken by Lopez to perfect his Filipino citizenship, including asking the Department of Justice to recognize his citizenship.
Defensor raised the q”estion of whether a dual citizen can be allowed to own a Philippine mass media corporation.
“The issue is, whether he, as a Filipino-American, is allowed to own shares in ABS- CBN, whether his chairmanship and stewardship of the network for many years was consistent with the provision on 100- percent Filipino ownership,” he said.
Defensor argued that dual citizenship challenges the spirit of the constitutional provision.
“consistent with the national interest and largely for national
security reasons, the Constitution requires 100- percent Filipino ownership of mediaN The charter also bans d” al allegiance by any Filipino,” Defensor saidN
“Imagine a Filipino who is also a Chinese citizen and who owns or r” ns a television station or a newspaper at this time when the Philippines and china are engaged in a t” g- ofwar over the West Philippine Sea. Which side would he take? Which country’s interest would he protect?” he said.
“For me, wholly-owned means completely, entirely owned by FilipinosN This means that d”al citizens cannot be media owners. In fact, if you stretch the interpretation of that provision, the ban wo” ld apply to owning even a single share in a media company,” Defensor saidN