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Tuesday, January 13, 2004
KNP shows proof Poe is a Filipino
THE Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (KNP) has presented official records and documents to prove that its standard-bearer Fernando Poe Jr. is a natural-born Filipino citizen.
In a press briefing Monday, Sen. Vicente Sotto III and senatorial bet Ernesto Maceda said Poe’s father was a Filipino who fought under the Philippine flag in the World War II.
They added that his valor and gallantry in action have been duly-recognized with a Gold Cross medal by the government.
Sotto said issues raised against Poe are immaterial because based on Philippine jurisprudence under the 1935, 1973 and 1987 Constitutions, paternal lineage has always been the basis for determining one’s citizenship.
“Thus, Poe is undoubtedly a natural-born Filipino because his father himself was a Filipino and a war hero at that,” Sotto said.
Sotto also noted that Poe, since birth, has exercised his basic constitutional rights that only natural-born Filipino possess, like voting, owning real property and holding a valid Philippine passport.
“FPJ is a Filipino by birth and by choice,” Sotto added, in reaction to the petition filed by a certain group seeking to disqualify Poe because he is allegedly an alien.
Sotto said a legal panel led by lawyer Sixto Brillantes is preparing the documents to be submitted to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Thursday, proving that Poe is a Filipino and both his father and grandfather were also Filipino citizens.
On the other hand, Rod Reyes, head of Poe’s media bureau, stressed that Poe is even more Filipino than others because even if his mother was an American, he chose to be a Filipino despite having the option to become an American citizen.
Reyes recalled that because Poe’s mother was half-American and half-Filipino, he and his siblings had the chance to become American citizens, but Poe opted to remain a Filipino and stay here in the Philippines.
During the briefing, Sotto presented the documents of Allan Fernando Poe Sr. who had fought in the Second World War under the Philippine Army with Roll No. 0-2363, starting as a 1st lieutenant on Dec. 20, 1941 and promoted several months later to 2nd lieutenant on April 8, 1942.
Poe was also a Death March survivor and later served as major under the 34th Guerilla Division of the United States Allied Forces in the Far East (Usaffe).
In 1945, the government awarded the Gold Cross Medal to Poe Sr. for meritorious services rendered while under furious and intense bombing and strafing and for his “sterling daring sacrifice,” unselfish devotion to duty and gallantry in action. JPM
(January 13, 2004 issue)
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