The Commission on Elections cancelled the Certificate of Candidacy (COC) of actor Edu Manzano, who is a candidate for congressman for the lone district of the City of San Juan. (Photo grabbed from Manzano's FB page)
MANILA — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Monday cancelled the Certificate of Candidacy (COC) of actor Edu Manzano, who is a candidate for congressman for the lone district of the City of San Juan.
In a 15-page decision, the poll body Second Division granted the petition filed in November 2018 by Sophia Patricia Gil, a San Juan City resident claiming that Manzano misrepresented himself after he declared that he is a Filipino citizen when he filed his COC for the May 13, 2019 elections.
“Respondent is not a Filipino citizen at the time he filed his COC for member of the House of Representatives for the lone district of San Juan City,” the Comelec said in its ruling promulgated on May 6.
“We therefore find that the COC of the respondent must be denied due course and/or canceled because he committed false material representation on his citizenship,” it added.
The Comelec noted that Manzano, who was born both a Filipino and an American citizen, failed to re-acquire his Filipino citizenship at the time he filed his COC in October last year.
It added that the actor lost his Filipino citizenship when he served as a member of the United States Army from 1973 to 1977 under Commonwealth Act (CA) No. 63.
“C.A. No. 63 is clear and explicit in stating that by rendering service to, or accepting commission in, the armed forces of a foreign country, a Filipino will lose his Philippine citizenship,” the Comelec said.
“In his submissions to this Commission (Second Division), respondent did not contest or dispute the allegations of Petitioner that he served in the United States Armed Forces. Hence, we therefore find that respondent automatically lost his Philippine citizenship when he served in the US Armed Forces pursuant to C.A. No. 63,” it added.
Prior to his congressional bid in San Juan, Manzano also ran for vice mayor and mayor of Makati City, in 1998 and 2001, respectively.
He also participated in the 2010 polls for the position of vice president, and in 2016 as a senatorial candidate. (PNA)
