Aga attends disqualification hearing, insists he is Pinoy

Actor Aga Muhlach went to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) main office in Manila on Monday to attend a hearing on his disqualification case and insisted that he is a Filipino citizen. The case was filed by Gilmar Pacamara, a Camarines Sur resident who accused Muhlach of being a Spanish citizen. The 1987 Constitution requires those running for a government position to be a “naturally born Filipino citizen.” Accompanied by his wife Charlene Gonzales, Muhlach, who is running for congressman in Camarines Sur’s fourth district, said he was not surprised by the disqualification case.   “’Yung sinasabi sa ‘kin ng mga kaibigan ko, ito pala ‘yun, na palaging sinasabi na pag mananalo ka daw, guguluhin ka talaga ng mga kalaban mo. I was expecting this, but experiencing it I didn’t expect it to be like this,” Muhlach told reporters.   “Pag malakas ka, sabi guguluhin ka daw. Legal naman ako lagi. Ba’t naman ako papasok sa isang bagay na mali ako?” he added. Muhlach will run against Felix William “Wimpy” Fuentebella, son of incumbent Rep. Arnulfo Fuentebella and a member of an established political family in the province. The elder Fuentebella is on his third-term as congressman, which means he cannot not run in 2013 as  the 1987 Constitution limits elected officials to three consecutive terms in office.   Pacamara was not present during the hearing, but he was represented by lawyer George Garcia, whose previous clients include former President Joseph Estrada, and Senators Loren Legarda and Francis Escudero, among others. “The issue is really about citizenship,” Garcia told GMA News Online in an interview. “We are claiming that Aga Muhlach is not a Filipino citizen… Sometime in 2011, he applied for Spanish citizenship. When you apply for Spanish citizenship that is a renunciation of the other citizenship.” He said Muhlach did not apply for dual citizenship. “You can get back your Filipino citizenship. You have to apply for repatriation for dual citizenship, but he failed to do that. Pinabayaan na kumuha siya ng Spanish citizenship. In-assume niya na dual citizen na  siya. The truth of the matter is hindi automatic sa batas naten ‘yun,” Garcia said. Asked about this allegation, Muhlach only said: “Pilipino ako noon pa.” Muhlach’s lawyer, Romy Macalintal, whose erstwhile clients include former President Gloria Arroyo, said the case is “politically motivated” and even linked the Fuentebellas to it. “I think so because I don’t know if [Garcia] really knows the background of the petitioner,” Macalintal said. He also said there’s no reason why Muhlach can’t be considered a natural born Filipino citizen. “His father was a naturalized Filipino and his mother was a naturally born citizen.” “The Constitution is very clear: If your mother and father is a Filipino citizen, then you are a naturally born Filipino citizen,” Macalintal told GMA News Online.     He added that Muhlach did not swear an oath of allegiance in Spain. “Ang pinagbabawal, ‘yung dual allegiance… Dual allegiance, ibig sabihin nanumpa ka sa dalawang bansa.”   “We are very confident that the Comelec will eventually dismiss the petition,” Macalintal added.   Macalintal noted though that Muhlach is Spanish by origin, from the actor’s father, grandfather and great-grandfather.   An actor of over 60 movies, Muhlach previously said he wanted to serve his hometown Camarines Sur. "Taga-doon naman talaga ako. Kung may tutulungan ako, sabi ko dun na sa pinanggalingan ng aking tatay, ng aking ninuno.”   “Ang dami daming pwedeng mangyari sa distrito, kung maayos ang namamahala,” he added. — KBK, GMA News