Binay hits Poe: You could've worked in US without giving up PHL citizenship

Vice President Jejomar Binay continued to criticize Senator Grace Poe's renunciation of Filipino citizenship at one point in her life.

During the last leg of the PiliPinas Debates 2016 on Sunday in Pangasinan, Binay told Poe she did not have to give up her Filipino citizenship just to work in the United States, where she raised her family with husband Neil Llamanzares.

"Ikinahihiya niyo ang pagka-Pilipino ninyo para kayo maging mamamayan ng Amerika. Pwede naman kayo magtrabaho dun kahit na hindi ka American citizen," Binay said.

Poe explained she became a US citizen in 2001 out of love for her family.

“Noong mga pagkakataon na iyon, inisip ko din na makasama ang aking pamilya. Hindi sa kakulangan ng pagmamahal sa bansa, kundi dahil iniisip ko na hindi ako mawawalay sa kanila," the senator said.

“Wala naman akong ibang intensyon kung hindi mabuhay ng marangal kasama ng aking pamilya. Pwede mo alisin ang Pilipino sa Pilipinas pero hindi mo maaalis ang Pilipinas sa puso ng Pilipino,” she added.

The senator regained her Filipino citizenship in 2006 and renounced her American citizenship in 2010 when she joined the government as chairman of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board.

Several petitions had been filed by Poe's critics against her presidential bid on the grounds of citizenship and residency, which the Supreme Court dismissed with finality early this month. —JST, GMA News