Comelec disqualifies Edu Manzano from running for congressman in San Juan

A division of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has disqualified actor Edu Manzano's candidacy for congressman in San Juan.

The Comelec Second Division found that Manzano lied as regards his Filipino citizenship and granted the petition against his candidacy.

In a resolution promulgated on Monday, the Comelec Second Division said that Manzano automatically renounced his Filipino citizenship when he served the United States Armed Forces from 1973 to 1977.

Manzano argued that while he served in the US Armed Forces as a US citizen, he retained his status as a natural born Filipino citizen.

"When Respondent voluntarily served in the United States Armed Forces, he forfeited the priceless gift of Philippine citizenship bestowed to him by the Philippine Constitution," the resolution read. From that moment, Respondent is no longer a Filipino," the resolution read.

Further, the Comelec said that Manzano failed to comply with the requirements for reacquisition of his Filipino citizenship under the provisions of Republic Act 2630.

"Respondent failed to show the Commission that he took an oath of allegiance to the Republic of the Philippines," it said.

The poll body added that filing the Certificate of Candidacy (CoC) alone "cannot and should not be considered equivalent" to taking an oath of allegiance as required under the RA 2630.

Manzano acquired dual citizenship because he was born of Filipino parents in San Francisco, California, United States in 1955.

This is not the first time that his citizenship was questioned. When he ran for vice mayor of Makati City in 1998, a petition was also filed against his candidacy on the grounds of his citizenship but the Supreme Court declared him a qualified candidate "because he had repudiated his American citizenship when he filed his CoC and that resulted in his sole citizenship as a Filipino."

He was also allowed to run for mayor of Makati City in 2001; vice president in 2010; and senator in 2016.

Manzano may still appeal the decision before the Comelec en banc. —NB/KG, GMA News