By Perfecto T. Raymundo
MANILA, Oct. 1 (PNA) — The camp of losing senatorial candidate Rizalito David on Thursday submitted a formal offer of evidence before the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET) in connection with the “quo warranto” case filed against Senator Grace Poe.
According to Atty. Manuelito Luna, legal counsel of David, they submitted a 160-page evidence to the SET which was marked as “exhibits A to MM”.
Through such pieces of evidence, Luna said, they will be able to prove that Poe is not a natural-born Filipino citizen in the sense that her “adoption” is considered as “null and void” such that the Municipal Court in San Juan, which was then under Rizal Province, had no jurisdiction over the “adoption proceedings”.
Luna added that the 2006 birth certificate of Poe states that her “biological parents” are Jesusa Sonora and Ronald Allan Poe, she was born in Jaro, Iloilo and that Jesusa Sonora had knowledge about the details of her birth.
He argued that the “reacquisition” of Poe of her Philippine citizenship was null and void, and based on her travel records from 2006 to 2010, she used a United States passport in travelling to and from the United States.
And because she is not a natural-born Filipino, Luna said, her alleged “reacquisition” of her Philippine nationality was unclear to take effect under the Dual Citizenship Law.
Nevertheless, the camp of the senator had earlier expressed the belief that the three magistrates of the Supreme Court (SC) and six senators comprising the SET will render a decision based on the merits of the case. (PNA)