Aga Muhlach seeks dismissal of disqualification case

MANILA -- Actor-turned-politician Aga Muhlach asked Monday the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to dismiss for lack of merit the disqualification case filed against him on allegations that he is not a natural-born Filipino citizen.

Muhlach, who is running for the fourth congressional district of Camarines Sur in the May 2013 elections, was accused of a certain Gilmar Pacamarra of being a dual citizen, on account of his father, who had been given recognition by the Spanish government of being its citizen. The disqualification case was filed three weeks ago.

"Petitioner (Pacamarra) maliciously and baselessly accuses respondent of having allegedly committed material misrepresentation in his certificate of candidacy when he stated in his certificate of candidacy, among others, that he is a natural-born Filipino citizen," Muhlach’s lawyer, Romulo Macalintal told the Comelec.

Macalintal said the petition must be dismissed outright for violation of the constitutional provision which guarantees bona fide candidates for any public office shall be free from any form of harassment and discrimination.

He said the petitioner is misleading the Comelec by alleging that Muhlach admitted that his father was allegedly recognized as a citizen of Spain and that the respondent undertook the corresponding application process for him to have acquired Spanish citizenship.

"These allegations are absolutely false. It is petitioner who is making false material representation in the instant petition. The truth is that respondent never claimed that he acquired Spanish citizenship by origin," he said, noting that in his affidavit of renunciation, Muchlach "did not say that he acquired Spanish citizenship but that it was the Spanish government that gave him recognition as its citizen by operation of law or historical origin."

Muhlach also never undertook the corresponding application process for him to have acquired Spanish citizenship. (JCV/Sunnex)