Sotto: We can prove FPJ is a Filipino

Actor Fernando Poe Jr.’s camp said it has documents to prove that Poe is a Filipino citizen and thus qualified to run for president.

At a press conference yesterday, Poe’s spokesman Senate Minority Leader Vi-cente Sotto III presented a document showing that Poe’s father was a decorated Philippine Army soldier during World War II.

"FPJ’s father himself was a Filipino who fought under the Philippine flag in World War II, where his valor and gallantry in action was duly recognized with a Gold Cross medal by the government," Sotto said.

"Thus, Poe is undoubtedly a natural-born Filipino because his father himself was a Filipino and a war hero at that."

The document stated that Poe’s father, Allan Fernando Poe, was awarded the Gold Cross for gallantry while under "furious and intense enemy bombing and strafing" during the war. It was dated Sept. 27, 1945, and signed by Maj. Gen. Basilio Valdez, chief of staff of the Philippine Army.

Sotto did not say exactly where and when Poe’s father saw action during the war.

Issues raised against Poe’s citizenship 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," Sotto said.

Poe also has been exercising rights exclusive to natural-born Filipinos such as owning real property and holding a Philippine passport, Sotto added.

"FPJ is a Filipino by birth and by choice. He did not choose the American citizenship even as his mother was an American," he said.

Former press secretary Rod Reyes, head of Poe’s media bureau, said Poe is even more Filipino than others.

"Even if his mother was an American he voluntarily chose to remain a Filipino despite having the option to become an American citizen," he said. "But FPJ opted to remain a Filipino and stay here in the Philippines."

A legal panel led by lawyer Sixto Brillantes will present the documents to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Thursday, Sotto said.

He presented other documents that showed that Poe’s father was an officer in the Philippine Army with serial number 0-23463.

He began as a second lieutenant on Dec. 20, 1941, just days after the outbreak of war in the Pacific, and was promoted to first lieutenant on April 8, 1942, the eve of Bataan’s fall to invading Japanese troops.

The elder Poe was a veteran of the Death March. He later became a major in the 34th Guerrilla Division of the United States Armed Forces in the Far East.

After the war, the Philippine government awarded the Gold Cross to Poe "for his meritorious services rendered under furious and intense bombing and strafing and for his sterling daring sacrifice and unselfish devotion to duty and gallantry in action."

Lawyer Victorino Fornier filed a petition last Friday with the Comelec seeking Poe’s disqualification because he is allegedly not a Filipino citizen. Fornier claimed Poe’s father was a Spanish citizen while his mother was an American.

Fornier argued that even if Poe Sr. was a Filipino, Poe still cannot be considered a Filipino because his American mother’s marriage to his father was allegedly bigamous.

The Comelec will conduct its first hearing on Fornier’s petition tomorrow. The petition has been raffled off to the Comelec’s first division, headed by commissioner Rufino Javier, Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos said.

Poe’s backers suspect that the Arroyo administration is behind the petition to derail Poe’s presidential bid. They branded Fornier as an "administration minion."

Palace officials denied the charge. Fornier insisted he was acting on his own initiative merely to set the record straight.

"The President’s electoral bid will not be marred by smear campaign against other contenders," Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said.

"We are sticking to the gains the country has achieved under her administration (and) given President Arroyo the clout and expertise to turn around the economy and lead the fight for change."

President Arroyo earlier said she believes that Poe is a Filipino citizen and is qualified to be in the presidential race.

Opposition senatorial candidate Ernesto Maceda said Mrs. Arroyo should go to the Comelec and defend Poe if she was sincere in her statement.

Maceda’s statement drew criticism from Surigao del Sur Rep. Prospero Pichay, an Arroyo ally.

"The President has been gracious and a good sport. Maceda’s ill-advised statement against her on Poe’s citizenship will not help resolve the issue," Pichay said.

"The burden of proof lies with Poe’s camp and Poe’s lawyers must be skillful enough to present the evidence needed to convince the Comelec about Poe’s citizenship."

Poe is seen as Mrs. Arroyo’s major stumbling block to her bid for a full six-year term because of his movie star popularity. But his lack of political experience has rattled the country’s financial markets and the business community.

However, some quarters in the opposition believe Mrs. Arroyo still has a chance of winning because opposition lawmaker Sen. Panfilo Lacson is also in the running.

The opposition is trying to unify its ranks in the belief that the anti-Arroyo vote will be split unless either Poe or Lacson back out.

Makati Rep. Agapito Aquino, whose Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino backs Lacson, said efforts to resolve the impasse have been put on hold until questions on Poe’s citizenship are settled. — With Jose Aravilla, Paolo Romero