Eugenio
"Gabby" Lopez III, ABS-CBN chairman
emeritus has found an ally in
former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile when the latter said Lopez is very
much qualified to own and manage a media company in the country.
Enrile is of the
opinion that it is a “weak ground” to question Gabby’s citizenship as he was born
to Filipino parents in the United States of America (USA) in relation to the
right of his company’s application of a new franchise in Congress.
Enrile explains that
Lopez acquired his Philippine and US citizenships at birth by virtue of the
doctrine jus sanguinis (law of ethnicity) and jus soli (law of the soil).
(PHOTO CREDIT TO OWNER) |
The Philippine
constitution never required Gabby Lopez and those similarly situated like him
to elect and choose which of his two citizenship he would retain or follow.
Below is the full
quote of Enrile’s post in his Facebook account:
GABBY LOPEZ AND
HIS CITIZENSHIP
HIS CITIZENSHIP
The
citizenship of Gabby Lopez, standing alone or by itself, is a weak ground to
deny ABS-CBN a new franchise or to extend its old franchise. I understand Gabby
Lopez was born in the United States with parents who were both citizens of the
Philippines.
Under that factual situation, Gabby Lopez, at birth, acquired
the status of being a natural born citizen of the United States by virtue of
the principle of JUS SOLI ( law of the soil or place of birth), which is
generally followed to determine the citizenship of the United States. Also at
birth, Gabby Lopez simultaneously acquired the status of being a natural born citizen
of the Philippines by virtue of the principle of JUS SANGUINIS (law of
nationality or ethnicity), which is generally followed to determine Philippine
citizenship. Gabby Lopez (and all Filipinos similarly situated like him) was
never required under our Constitution to elect and choose which of his two
citizenship he would retain or follow. Both attached to him at birth without
any choice or act on his part. From the view point of US law, he is a natural
born American.
At the same time, from the view point of Philippine law, he is a
natural born Filipino. This dual citizenship is, in fact, recognized by our
Congress under the dual citizenship law passed by it. And so under those
circumstances, I personally believe that Gabby Lopez is qualified to own and
managed a mass media broadcast business in our country, and that ABS-CBN
Corporation is not disqualified because of him to engaged in mass media
broadcast business under a provision of our Constitution which says - "The
ownership and management of mass media shall be limited to citizens of the
Philippines . . . ."
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