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Poe’s husband junks US citizenship before barangay chairman in San Juan


 


Senator Grace Poe’s husband formally renounced his American citizenship before a barangay chairman in San Juan City a little more than a month before the May 9 elections.

Teodoro Misael Daniel “Neil” Llamanzares filed the affidavit renouncing his allegiance to the United States of America and his American citizenship on April 7 before Barangay Greenhills chairman Carlos Alan Tañada Yam.

He likewise filed an oath of allegiance before the barangay chairman.

“I hereby expressly and voluntarily renounce my United States nationality/American citizenship, together with all rights and privileges and all duties and allegiance and fidelity thereunto pertaining," Llamanzares said in his affidavit.

He said he was renouncing his American citizenship “intentionally, voluntarily, and of my own free will, free of any duress or undue influence.”

In his oath of allegiance, Poe’s husband solemnly swore and affirmed that he will defend the Philippine Constitution, obey laws and legal ordinances, and “recognize and accept the supreme authority of the Philippines… and maintain true faith and allegiance thereto.”

He said he imposes the obligation to do all he had vowed to do upon himself “voluntarily without mental reservation or purpose of evasion.”

 


During the “Fast Talk” segment of the third and last leg of PiliPinas Debates 2016 at the University of Pangasinan Sunday, Poe said her husband, who was born to Filipino parents in the US, already renounced his American citizenship.

"Ni-renounce na po," Poe said, adding, "Siguro mga isang buwan na ang nakalipas pero siya ay talagang Pilipino na ipinanganak ng mga magulang na Pilipino. Yan po ay para lang mawala ang duda pero siya po ay natural born."

According to the website of the US Embassy in Manila, among the acts that would subject a U.S. citizen to lose his citizenship is “taking an oath, affirmation or other formal declaration to a foreign state or its political subdivisions.”

At the sidelines of her sortie in Malasique, Pangasinan, Poe said it took some time for Llamanzares to renounce his American citizenship because it involved an arduous process, and several documents.

Although she admitted that the process is not yet through in the US, Poe said her husband’s renunciation is already valid under Philippine law.

“Pag ginawa mo ‘yan, meron ka ring kailangan na i-co-comply, kahit sa US. So—hindi pa nga tapos ‘yung proseso doon sa US, pero pagdating sa ating batas, talagang siya ay already complied,” she said.

Amid speculation that Llamanzares gave up her US passport to help her presidential bid, the senator maintained that her husband voluntarily chose to renounce his American citizenship.

“He’s actually a Filipino citizen, a natural-born Filipino citizen. Pero para maalis na lang ‘yung duda, ginawa niya ‘yung proseso na ‘yon,” she said. —Xianne Arcangel/NB, GMA News

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