ABS-CBN’s Gabby Lopez tells solons: Consider my commitment to Filipinos

ABS-CBN chairman emeritus Gabby Lopez III on Wednesday urged lawmakers to look beyond the technicalities of his citizenship and consider his service to the Filipino people over the last 35 years as testament to his allegiance to the country.

Lopez made the remark during the joint hearing of the House Committees on Legislative Franchises and on Good Government and Public Accountability on the ABS-CBN franchise issue, where his citizenship was being questioned.

"I stand by my record over the last 35 years. I have been committed to the people of this country, it is a trust that has been passed on to me by my father and by his father before him," Lopez told the members of the joint panel.

"In fact, I always tell our employees, dito sa ABS-CBN, it is not just a job, it is a calling. So please if you're going to look beyond technicality and talk about allegiance, please look at my record over the last 35 years," he added.

Lopez was born in 1952 in the United States from both Filipino parents, making him, under Philippine and American laws, both a Filipino and American citizen.

'Violation of constitutional provision'

Deputy Speaker Rodante Marcoleta alleged that Lopez was an American citizen when he took the helm of ABS-CBN in 1986, which he said is a violation of the constitutional provision that mass media companies should be 100% Filipino-owned.

During the hearing, Lopez admitted that he travelled using an American passport before 2001, when he applied for recognition for Philippine citizenship. He even said he voted during the 2016 US elections.

However, Lopez admitted that he never renounced his Philippine citizenship.

He said he applied for recognition for Philippine citizenship in 2001 to recognize his being a natural-born Filipino citizen.

"My understanding from my lawyer was that I am a natural-born Filipino citizen because both my parents are Filipino citizens. But because I was not born in the Philippines, I did not have a Filipino birth certificate," he said.

"So it behooves me to have a recognition by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Bureau of Immigration for whatever legal purposes I may use of that recognition," he added.

Lawyer Mario Bautista, counsel for Lopez, said that while the latter holds an American passport, it does not mean that he is not a Filipino citizen.

Bautista reiterated that Lopez's request for a recognition of his Philippine citizenship is only "for any legal purpose it may serve," and does not, in any way, grant him Philippine citizenship.

"Maliwanag na yung kanyang letter request is for recognition. Inaamin naman ng lahat na yung petition for recognition is a letter na dalawang pahina lang. Kaya paano natin masasabi na he acquired a Filipino citizenship by way of a two-page letter?" Bautista said.

This was concurred by Justice Undersecretary Emmeline Aglipay-Villar.

"Doon sa pagbigay ng kumpirmasyon ng DOJ sa citizenship ni Mr. Gabby Lopez, hindi ito pamamaraan ng pag-grant o pag-perfect ng citizenship. Dahil siya ay may magulang, both father and mother, na Philippine citizen. Kaya sa kanyang pagkapanganak, siya ang Filipino citizen," she said.

"Ang kanyang paggamit ng US passport ay hindi dahilan para mawala ang kanyang Filipino citizenship. At ang kanyang hindi pagkakaroon ng Philippine passport ay hindi rin isang dahilan na hindi siya maging Filipino," she added.

Further, Bautista said that Lopez, being a dual citizen, does not mean he cannot own or manage a mass media company, as per the 1987 Philippine Constitution.

He said the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has the jurisdiction to interpret nationalization of mass media, as well as the DOJ.

"Ni minsan, wala kaming narinig na question o reklamo from the SEC or from the DOJ. Walang nagsasabi sa amin na kapag dual citizen ka, hindi puwede. Ang nakalagay sa Constitution ay dapat Pilipino ka, wala namang nakalagay doon na kailangan Pilipino ka lang," Bautista said.

The joint House panels began hearing the bills granting another 25-year franchise to ABS-CBN after the House leadership decided to drop the measure that would supposedly give the network a provisional franchise until October 31, 2020.

Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, himself an author of the provisional franchise bill, has said the issue on the ABS-CBN franchise has already become "so divisive" and is taking up the time even as there are more pressing matters to discuss such as that of COVID-19 response measures.

He, however, vowed to have a fair and comprehensive hearings on the issue at the committee level. — RSJ, GMA News