Thinking of the beaches, my hubby Alan was inspired to write something on the newest islands this side of the Pacific.
Here’s his take on the issue –
What is China up to in the West Philippine Sea?
Hot Manila – By Alan Robles
Posted at 05/11/2015 1:27 PM at ABS-CBNNews.com
China has been busily engaged in mysterious activities in the West Philippine Sea, aka South China
Sea. Dredging and filling, it’s apparently turning slivers of coral barely protruding above the water into full-fledged large islandsWhat could all this island bodybuilding and buffing be for? It can’t possibly be to build military bases bristling with guns, missiles, planes, and hostile-type installations intended to harass air and maritime traffic – right? After all, China itself assures its intentions are purely peaceful and it, OF COURSE, is not encroaching on other countries’ territories and stealing islands. It’s probably prepared to swear this on the sainted relics of Mao, assuming it can locate them.
Given Beijing’s denials, we’re left to speculate just what it is China is up to. Here is a list of reasonable explanations, drawn up by the best experts and analysts coffee and deadlines could fabricate at short notice.
To read the rest, please click on this link.
Gievanz says
magandang umaga po sa lahat. I was just wandering about our political critics like Bayan Muna, KMU, at Eva pa dyan, I haven’t heard them make some noise about what’s happening about our philippine disputed island. China are bulling us and they even build and destroyed our coral reefs. Where are they, why they are not making noise and support the government. Does it mean they Are pro China? When the government has a good projects for the Filipino people they always make noise, barricade, rally, March, protest left and right. Now that the China people and government are terrorizing, bulling and even maltreated our Filipino fishermen we don’t hear any words from them..
Irineo B. R. Salazar says
Just wondering why some are afraid that China will occupy the Philippines. They will occupy the islands in the sea whatever you call them and whatever you call that sea. To control the sea lanes, which is obvious.
Occupy the overpopulated Philippines – para que? They have enough of their own people to take care of. Maybe Palawan if ever to have some kind of resupplying area to be based in and nice beaches for R&R. Luzon if I were China I would not take even as a gift, so better protect Mimaropa, that area they might want.
moonie says
philippines is source of cheap labor. and we have raw materials like timber, minerals, etc. that china needed. plus, they can mine the whole archipelago, get all the gold, cooper, rare earth, and anything that china can lay its grubby hands on. the profits going to china. china can monopolized domestic trade and the philippines can then be plied with substandard chinese goods, littered with chinese factories that are big on environmental pollution and know next to nothing about human health and safety, the workers working 13hrs a day and maybe more, and paid only peanuts.
moonie says
also, pinoys can supply body parts like kidneys, corneas, bone marrows, heart and lungs for organ transplant, things that china would be happy to harvest. there’s worldwide need for this kind of things and people pay big bucks for them.
vander says
they are everywhere in the PHL.
in the waters,
in the shoals,
in islets,
in islands,
in mainlands,
ongpin is full of them,
name it.
practically, phl is already occupied by them.
talk to them in tagalog or bisaya, will reply in their tongue.
need no fear or worry of that occupation.
they are here!
who are the richest among us?
Kajames says
…the ultimate target is oil/gas and eventually MALAMPAYA! This either directly or indirectly.
rOSARIO says
Mar – Poe
Binay – Poe
Duterte – Poe
Cayetano – Poe
Lacson – Poe
Mirrian – Poe
Marcos – Poe
Revilla – Poe
Poe – Mar
Poe – Duterte
Poe- Binay
Poe – Cayetano
Poe – Lacson
Poe – Mirrian
Poe – Marcos
Poe – Revilla
pustahan tayo, kahit independent at hindi magpailalim si gracia sa ibat-ibang factions, panalo sya, ma pa p or vp, wag lang dadayain ang bilangan. malakas ang hatak ni FPJ hanggang ngayon! kung gusto nyang isugal ang saln nya. 145M yata yon last 2013 saln.
nature vs nurture add individualism. matalino na pang masa pa ang dating. marunong makibagay kahit kanino. chameleon?
hope is she will work for the country, for the people. just remember elective office is a temp job. may limit.
mas mabuting ngayon na ng magkaalaman habang sariwa pa at hindi pa sagad ang ” ___________ ” IF kung nahawaan na ng mga kurap.
hector flores says
rOSARTO,
Dapat Vice Predident lang muna si Poe para hinog na hinog sa 2022 election at ibigay muna kay Mar Roxas ang pagka Presidente para matoto nang husto at para lalong lumakas ang hatak at magpatunay muna nang kakayahan…
raissa says
Welcome to Cyber Plaza Miranda, Hector.
Do join in the discussions and conversations.
But pls be aware that sometimes the arguments can get very heated.
Raissa
Kajames says
@rOSARIO: …with these combi, Binay is left with: Binay/Binay and Binay/Binay. Either suso or chimay or even mulagat. One writer wrote that as if: “may sakit na nakakahawa si Binay at walang gustong tumabi sa kanya sa ngayon. Binay in the end might run without a VP or might just pick one of his bodyguard as running mate. “Awanen ti choice gayyem”!
Rene-Ipil says
Right. Kaya aminin na. Lalong NAKAKAHIYA kung itatakwil ang sariling ina. Kapag inamin ay hindi na foundling. At natural-born Filipino citizen pa.
Victinluz says
And let us wait for the next survey’s ,, if Roxas will closed in to Binay and Poe..mageable for Roxas to overtake Binay , then we CPMERs must go with Roxas and tell POE tama na sya sa VP or SENADORA nalang muna sya..So let us wait for a while…
Victinluz says
And if Poe goes to Binay as VP ,then we must remain with Roxas as our P pero ,, kanya kanya na tayo sa VP….. .. He he ..
rOSARIO says
Bakit hindi ang mismong ina ang magbunyag ng katotohanan kung sakaling si rosemarie nga ang tunay na ina? bakit si grace?
siya na nga ang unang ipinamigay or ipinaampon kina susan at fpj. si gracia ang may malaking tampo! kung baga, kung ayaw niyo sa akin, e di ayaw ko rin sa inyo. ayaw mong tanggapin na anak mo ako, then hindi ko rin ipagsisigawang ikaw ang totoong nanay ko.
ngayon kapag lumabas si rosemarie nga ang ina, then mas maraming kwento, detalyeng ilalahad. mag papa dna pa rin ba dahil karamihang tanong bakit ngayon lang? ayos na ba? o mas marami pa ring anggulo na dapat tingnan sa personal na damdamin nila.
hindi naman si kris si gracia eh.
fpj and susan roces kept their private lives away from the limelight kahit pa all-time favorites sila ng moviegoers eh. hindi sila mga taklesa. kumbaga, makaluma style nila. hindi nila isinasampay sa labas ng bahay ang mga lingerie nila. ano nga sa english yong idiom na yon?
nature vs nurture. add individualism. ano mas higit?
Victinluz says
Tama ka [email protected]…sa akin nga unbeatable sya kahit saang pwesto ang tatakbuhin nya….pero kung makakahabol o kayang nang talunin ni Roxas si Binay ,,dapat siguro pagbigyan naman natin si Roxas dahil kundi sya na giveway noon kay Pnoy malamang o maaring tumagilid din si Pnoy at hindi natin naging PINUNO ngayon..Tuloy ligaya sana sina Rvilla, Enrile at Honasan at Anggarra at mga kakampi natin na kasama sa anomalya..
Sa status naman ni Grace …wala pa akong nakitang ampon na sya mismong nagbubulgar kung sino ang tunay niyang magulang…tatahimik mga iyan hanggang sa kamatayan kung sila ang hihintayin mung mag siwalat sa balita na sila ay ampon…
rOSARIO says
heto re being ampon: Vicki Belo
http://www.pep.ph/celeb/people-and-lifestyle/homes-and-family/16662/Inside-Vicky-Belo//'s-modernist-home
Vicki, one of nine children born to the late Imelda Cancio, was adopted at two weeks old by her mother’s sister, Florencia Belo. It was from Vicki’s biological mother that she apparently inherited her entrepreneurial genes, but her adoptive mother provided the environment in which that genetic predisposition thrived. Vicki sees her development, in fact, as an interesting case in the genes-versus-environment debate.
“Actually, it was my biological mother who was the super entrepreneur. I grew up with my mother Belo, who is not much of an entrepreneur. But my mother Belo encouraged me. Ever since I was young, she always wanted me to make money. So, I took up baking class, and I’d sell my baked goodies in school.”
i think it depends sino ang inampon, sino ang umampon, ano ang katayuan ng nagpaampon.
marami ang nakakaalam sina lotlot at matet mga ampon ni nora aunor. sino ang nagpaampon?
i’m sure maraming mga katanungan ang mga batang inampon. emotionally, psychologically. hanap-hanapin nila.
kung yong ngang buo na raw ang pagkatao nawawala pa eh kasi madalas mababasa mo, i’m finding my self. saan ba sila nagtago? ha ha ha
isa lang sa mga magulang mo ang hindi mo nakilala lalo na’t walang maipakitang nitso na pinupuntahan nyo every nov. 1. dami ng tanong eh. dalawa pa kaya?
Mar-Leni nga ang gusto ko. pero ndi lumalabas or itinatanong si leni, kaya wala pa.
Victinluz says
CPMERs: Grace Poe being a foundling ( in addition of being the adopted daughter of Fernando and Susan ) propelled her as the number 1 senator to date and loved by the masang Filipino for what she was…. And if ever found out to be the daughter of Rosemarie and the APO Marcos , then it will be an avalanche of votes coming from Batanes to Tawi-Tawi via Mapapasano , Maguindanao , SHE will be our President on 2016: TAKOT ang mga taga BINAY pero aminin natin mas TAKOT tayo na maka ROXAS…
.
LIGAWAN NATIN sa magandang pamaaraan si GRACE para wag nang kumandidato kahit VP pero wag nating syang sisiraan o sisrain kanyang pagakatao , humarap tayo sa katotohanan na hanggang ngayon kahit lumabas na ang BILYONES ni BINAY na ninakaw nya ay pag BINAY vs ROXAS ….BInay parin ang MASA…
PLUS point ang pagiging foundling ni GRACE at lalong lalo na pag anak nga sya ni Marcos….
Rene-Ipil says
Right. Kaya aminin na. Lalong NAKAKAHIYA kung itatakwil ang sariling ina. Kapag inamin ay hindi na foundling. At natural-born Filipino citizen pa.
Victinluz says
tama ka [email protected],….dapat sabihin na ni Susan kung sino talaga ang mga magulang nya pero palagay ko hindi pa panahon . Siguro kung mag deklara na at may mag file nang complaint about her citizenship, dapat ilabas ni Susan kung alam BUT never i think will GRACE anounced her natural parents even if she knows now or by that time….
Masakit para sa mga foundling children na sila pa ang magbubunyag sa tunay nilang magulang na dati nilang alam ay kunwari nga sina Susan and the king…
Ang foundling children karamihan pag nalaman nya na sya pala ay ay nang iba , anak ng kura parokyo o anak nang sinuman,, hindi nya iyan ikinatutuwa at tatahimik na lang sa una and it will take so much time to heal that wound…
Pero it was proven it so many instances na mga batang ganito ay natulad o tumulad sa mga nakagisnan nyang magulang so if Grace was really the heir of the APO that doesnt mean that she will approved the burial of Marcos sa libingan ng mga bayani in case na manalo syang Presidente ng Pilipinas o kaya magnanankaw din syang kagaya ni Marcos…Ang pag hubug ng nag alaga sa iyo ng magandang asal ng magandang ugali at mabuting mamayang Filino ay karamihanat walang paltos ito ang kanilang namana o mamanahin.
Victinluz says
Hindi pagtakwil [email protected]… Malaking TAMPO ng bata sa tunay nyang mga magulang dahil ipinamigay sya o itinapon nga sya… Pero naggamut din ang sugat na mga ito pero mayroong din ibinaon sa limut at hindi na pinatawad..
pelang says
@rene-ipil: Meron akong tanong. Pwede ba ang private citizen mag question sa Comelec tungkol sa Citizenship ng isang kandidato? If not, who is allowed to file a complaint?
Rene-Ipil says
In the case of FPJ, petitioners Tecson, Desiderio, Velez and Fornier were private citizens.
pelang says
Di pwede pala ang taga cpm mag-complain if only to settle the question once and for all. Mahirap na kung kailan pa si poe nahalal na vp or president ay saka lang merong mag pro-protest against her citizenship. You see, kung nakalusot man siya as senatoe is because nobody protested because she was running only for senator. They just assumed that she is a filipino citizen by birth. Wait tilll she files as candidate for a higher position and she shows lead. Baka pati si binay mag protesta at malamang he will use his might and pull on the present justices in all courts. Ngayon pa lang, he is already questioning the abilities of newbies to lead the country which every reader knows he was targeting poe.
rOSARIO says
@pelang
kaya nga nakakatawa si binay eh. ang galing lang magpahaging. hindi talaga marunong lumingon sa pinanggalingan. and to think na ang nagluklok sa kanya bilang oic ng makati was a really raw sa politics management, housewife pa. si Tita Cory.
yon na lang ang questionin nya natural born citizenship ni poe, baka makalusot pa.
pero magpahaging na newbie at inexperienced si poe, malabo yata.
unless i clarify ni binay na si poe ay newbie at inexperienced sa mga pag overpriced,
biding-bidingan ng mga infrastraktura, buildings at kung ano-ano pa,
at kung papaano magtago ng mga nakulimbat na yaman ng mga taxpayers hindi lang ng makati kung lahat ng nagbabayad ng tax. i clarify niya yan.
Kajames says
..I feel that Grace will good for us pinoys. Just listening to her in one of the senate hearings where she chaired, she really conducted herself the way we voters wanted to feel and see. Wala iyong yabang at pa-epek na feeling lawyer sya kahit hindi na gya ng isang naghihimas ng rehas sa ngayon dahil sa kasong “pandarambong”…
raissa says
And thats the problem, James.
Your use of the word “one”.
I want to know more about her. One Senate hearing is not enough to make me give my vote for her.
leona says
[email protected], ang ‘citizenship issue’ ni Sen. Grace Poe if she is a ‘natural-born citizen or not’ is pareho din sa USA. . . ito bigay ko sa yo [excuse me Tag-Lish lang kasi ‘di kabisado sa Tagalog]:
A mother whose identity isn’t known secretly gives birth to a child on a large US military base somewhere outside of the United States. She abandons her child, the (American) military police finds the infant and immediately takes it to an (American) military hospital. The mother is never found, the investigation concerning the child’s identity is inconclusive. It is deemed likely that the unknown mother is an American service member who had concealed her pregnancy, however, there is also a possibility that the mother is a locally employed woman (i. e. a civilian and not a US citizen).
Yun Ina hindi kilala. Walang naka alam na siya na nganak sa loob ng US military Base sa labas ng USA. Iniwan niya yun anak. Nakita ng mga American Military police yun anak. Dinala yun batang anak sa hospital. Yun Ina hindi na makita. Lahat ng imbestigasyon ginawa subalit ang ‘identity’ ng batang anak ‘inconclusive’ – walang kasiguruhan. Hindi alam kung yung Ina ay isang Americanang citizen, sundalo man ‘o hindi. Nag dadalang tao siguro at itinago niya yan. May posibilidad siya (yun Ina) ay isang emplyado lamang na civilian at hindi US citizen siya.
Eventually, the child is adopted by American parents, moves to the US, is raised there, always being considered an American citizen. He/she then becomes a prominent and successful politician and decides to run for President.
Yun batang anak was adopted by Amercan parents, lumipat sa USA. Lumaki yun bata doon. Parang US citizen siya. Sabihin natin lalaki siya. Naging prominente at isang mataas ng politiko doon sa USA. Ngayun, gusto niya tumakbo for President sa USA.
Tanong sa USA: Puede ba siya ma qualified as a ‘natural-born citizen at puede tumakbo ka presidente ng USA?
Diba ‘foundling’ din itong lalaki nito parehas kay Sen. Grace Poe? Tama. . . foundling siya.
Si Sen. Grace Poe ba iniwan sa pintuan ng isang Simbahan sa probinsiya ng iLoilo? [kwento sa dyaryo ko nabasa ito]. Kung tutuo man ‘o hindi, wala akong alam dyan.
Sa USA ang Saligang Batas ukol sa pag ka presidente ay kailangan yun candidate ay ‘born in USA’ – tawag nito “Jus Soli.”
Sa atin Bansa, kailangan ‘natural-born citizen’ (Filipino) para qualified pag ka presidente. Tawag nito – ‘Jus Sanguinis’ – by blood of parents who are Filipino, either father or mother, or both.
Wala pa, sa examples given here, in our country and in the US, regarding a FOUNDLING. Baka this issue of Sen. Grace Poe will be the first. But so far none yet in USA.
In the USA example, mayroon sagot sa tanong:
“It would depend on the law in the country he’s born in. I think most declare anyone born on their soil as their citizens (the military hospital is not sovereign American soil; it’s leased to the US, but still belongs to the country that leased it). If the local law makes him a citizen, then he’s not a natural born US citizen.” [Opinion lang ito ng isang Americano]
Sa example ni Sen. Poe, ganoon din ang tanong. But it appears no definite ‘o siguro na sagot/answer.
Filipino citizen si Sen. Grace Poe. But is she a ‘natural-born’ citizen (Citizen)? If admitted by her adopted parents, like Susan the mother, that Grace is/was a ‘foundling’ then nobody knows if Grace’s biological parents, or either of the father or mother, was a Filipino citizen when Grace was born para malaman ang citizenship niya ‘at birth.’
Wala talaga evidence so far to know this.
If Grace Poe runs for president like the USA example of the lalaking ‘foundling’ also, who wants to run for president in USA, and one citizen here files a case questioning Grace Poe’s not being a ‘natural-born’ Filipino citizen, and no one can offer proof that she is a natural-born citizen, ano ang mangyayari sa pag takbo ni Grace Poe pagka presidente?
Mahirap, sabi ni Father Bernas, itong issue ni Grace. Kung dinala si Grace sa pintuan ng isang Simbahan, para mabigyan ng ‘grace’ makukuha ba ang gracia? What is really the fate of Grace Poe? Now she is a senator.
What can Congress do about the fate of Sen. Grace Poe? What can the President do about the fate of Sen. Grace Poe?
Make a binding resolution that Grace at the time of her birth in one province in iloilo, Philippines, was a natural-born citizen of the Philippines, her mother most probably being a Filipino citizen? Or her father was also a Filipino citizen? If that was the story of the ‘foundling’ Grace Poe found at the doorsteps of the Simbahan.
May kahawig ba si Grace Poe sa mukha atbpa sa probinsiya, sa municipio, kung saan na Simbahan siya na iwan? Puede ba DNA tests sa mga kahawig niya para malaman ang katutuhanan niya? ‘O kung anu mang talaga ang estorya ukol sa kanya, a DNA tests be made for possible search of the truth to arrive at her status on her citizenhip.
In the USA example I gave, if you still remember it, there is one who gave answer to that USA example:
“n 1937, Congress addressed the problem, enacting a law that granted citizenship to people born in the Canal Zone after 1904. That made Mr. McCain a citizen, but not one who was naturally born, Professor Chin said, because the citizenship was conferred after his birth.
“In April 2008 Congress passed a non-binding resolution declaring McCain to be eligible for the Presidency. But because of the ex post facto nature of his citizenship, there would certainly seem to be grounds for a Supreme Court case challenging it. Rather ironically considering all the questioning of Obama’s citizenship, McCain actually had a more tenuous claim to be a natural born citizen.”
I will not anymore do any attempt for translation of the above as I believe or assume since you arrive here you know what that answer is about.
Forget Sen. McCain, as he is not a foundling. Forget Obama too for the same point. Focus only on what the US Congress did to that issue of theirs. Can it be done here by our own Congress?
Another American gave this answer: If Le People don’t care- or at least are satisfied that the candidate is qualified- there’s really not much anyone can do.
*hey, they were good for something after all.
Funny opinion.
Another American gave this opinion: Personally I think that legal citizenship is all that should be required, anyway. If a person can be elected to any other public office in the US, I cannot see why the Presidency should be any different.
And Grace Poe is already an elected senator. Is there any difference for the Presidency?
I will copy another opinion by an American: Why not start a movement to get a Constitutional amendment to get this done?’ Should it be done with Grace Poe’s situation?
Why is our Constitution requiring a ‘natural-born’ citizen for the Presidency? Is it for the reason of: clear links to and loyalty to the country and not to any other? As this phrase was given by another American’s opinion, it was also that ‘The requirement is no doubt an artifact of the concern during the early years of the Republic’ . . .
Is that the same with our Republic’s early years?
In the USA, one American gave this opinion citing a law:
US Immigration law does address the issue of foundlings who are found within the United States. I do not think that with this language in the law that American citizenship would be conferred to a foundling as in the OP’s example.
a. Under INA 301(f) (8 U.S.C. 1401(f)) (formerly Section 301(a)(6)) INA), a child of unknown parents is conclusively presumed to be a U.S. citizen if found in the United States when under 5 years of age, unless foreign birth is established before the child reaches age 21.
b. Under Section 201(f) of the Nationality Act of 1940, a child of unknown parents, found in the United States, was presumed to have been a U.S. citizen at birth until shown not to have been born in the United States no matter at what age this might have been demonstrated.
Can our Congress make this kind of law in our Immigration Law with retroactive effect from a certain date for all FOUNDLINGS whether Filipino-looking or not, in the Philippines so that they are all natural-born citizens at birth? I think so.
Thanks for reading [email protected]!
Pinay710 says
Puede po ba sumabat ulit ako kahit hindi tungkol sa batas ng citizenship.
Bago pumasok si grace sa larangan ng politika alam na nya kung ano ang mangyayari sa kataihan nya. BUBULATLATIN, HAHALUKAYIN AT HIHIMAY HIMAYIN ang kanyang pagkatao mula sa bago pa lang sya ipanganak. Isa pa ang kinagisnan nyang magulang mga artista. Mga artistang sikat at alam nina susan at fpj ang kalakaran sa industrya ang halukayin, bukatlatin at himayhimayin din ang kanilang buhay upang siraan para hindi sumikat.
Yan ngayon ang nangyaayri kay grace. Pero sigurado alam na nya ang pinasukan nya at alam din nya ang mga gagawin nya.
Sa aking palagay so Grace ay isang mabuting tao dahil ang mga nagpalaki sa kanya ay mabubuti kung may kamalian man di naman sila nanakit, nagnakaw at nanggulang ng kapwa.
Pakiramdam po at opinion ng isang pangkaraniwan nialalang.
Pinay710 says
Pagtutuwid po: KATAUHAN (kataihan)
leona says
Salamat din [email protected]
Link of the usa excerpts example
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/archive/index.php/t-679156.html
leona says
It looks like there is something ‘rising’ . . . in sympathy with anger by good people in favor of Sen. Grace Poe if she will run for president.
If one non-supporter will file a case questioning her status if she is a candidate for president, how will that complainant go about it? That she is not a natural-born citizen? How will it be proven that she is not a N.B.C.
Remember the cases of FPJ before the SC. There was still some doubts on FPJ qualifications but the SC dismissed those cases. Why? Because the complainants failed to prove that FPJ was not a N.B.C. of the Philippines.
Filing a case or cases might just INCREASE Sen. Grace Poe’s votes and overwhelm all her FOES. Poe vs Foes!
A better strategy should be: allow her candidacy and beat Poe through and through in the VOTES.
Any FOES will get a backlash of unfavorable VOTES if a legal contest against her is made in the COMELEC and the SC.
Alam na natin ang UGALI ng mga Pinoys at Pinays sa isang TAO na sa kanila ay INOSENTE at sinisiraan ng iba.
Ingat kayo mga FOE ‘o foes!
HighFive says
Filipino fishermen are being chased away by a big ship while fishing in their own sea. How are they going to feed their families if they are deprived from fishing inside their own maritime economic jurisdiction? The Philippine government should spread message across the globe regarding this mistreatment of Filipino fishermen.
Rene-Ipil says
Yvonne and Leona
Of course it is another story if Susan merely simulated the adoption of Grace without judicial intervention. That would be a criminal offense that includes falsification of birth records of Grace.
For now let us assume that Susan legally adopted Grace as a foundling. In that case Grace could never be a natural-born citizen of the Philippines. Here is the reason why.
The citizenship of Grace derives from the citizenship of her adoptive mother. Grace could not have acquired Filipino citizenship from Susan if not for the petition of Susan adopting her and the judicial decree of adoption issued by the court.
In other words it was the court judgement that granted Grace Filipino citizenship. It was a case of res judicata or a matter already judged. And our jurisprudence says that res judicata cannot qualify a person to being a natural-born citizen. Yes to Philippine citizenship but NO to natural-born Philippine citizenship. In Tecson vs. COMELEC a.k.a. The FPJ Case, G.R. No. 161434, March 3, 2004, the SC said:
“The date, month and year of birth of FPJ appeared to be 20 August 1939 during the regime of the 1935 Constitution. Through its history, four modes of acquiring citizenship – naturalization, jus soli, res judicata and jus sanguinis[28] had been in vogue. Only two, i.e., jus soli and jus sanguinis, could qualify a person to being a natural-born citizen of the Philippines. Jus soli, per Roa vs. Collector of Customs[29] (1912), did not last long. With the adoption of the 1935 Constitution and the reversal of Roa in Tan Chong vs. Secretary of Labor[30] (1947), jus sanguinis or blood relationship would now become the primary basis of citizenship by birth.”
Following the 1930 Hague Convention and specifically Article 2 of the 1961 Convention on Reduction of Statelessness, a foundling adopts the citizenship of her place of birth.
“A foundling found in the territory of a Contracting State shall, in the absence of proof to the contrary, be considered to have been born within that territory of parents possessing the nationality of that State.”
Of course it needs a judicial decree to grant her such citizenship. And it cannot be a natural-born citizenship due to her unknown blood relationship in accordance with the jus sanguines doctrine in our jurisdiction.
But in the event that Grace is proven as the daughter of Rosemarie, Grace would be considered as a natural-born Filipino citizen. And we would have a legitimate president in Grace if she is duly elected as such in 2016.
yvonne says
Thanks Rene-Ipil for the lengthy explanation for which I say I fully understand it.
The only point I’m trying to drive at is that there is already a presumption that Grace Poe is a natural-born Filipino citizen by virtue of her being qualified as candidate for senator for which a natural-born citizenship is a requirement. The irreputable fact is that she is still serving as senator and no one questioned her citizenship as to whether she is a natural-born citizen, or not.
Of course someone can now raise that issue and argue that the COMELEC erred in qualifying her, and that the error needs to be rectified. That said, the burden of proof will be on the person raising the issue, and that will be a very tall order. Grace Poe does not have to prove her “innocence”, rather someone else has to prove her “guilt”.
Rene-Ipil says
By Susan and Grace admission that the latter was a foundling, no proof is needed anymore. The rules on evidence say so. All I need to do is put Susan in the witness stand and elicit judicial admission. Or such admission could happen during the pre-trial stage.
leona says
It is nice to read the citations of laws and cases. The problem is we don’t really know yet, I say ‘yet,’ if all those can apply to the case, if there will be one, on Sen. Grace Poe’s status.
Again, we still are speaking of possibilities here. Isn’t it? Until we have definite ‘facts’ of the Grace’s ‘historical facts,’ we cannot prematurely conclude things yet. It may be also possible soon that she may be a natural born Filipino citizen. that even ‘any adoption’ that was taken in her favor may not be material to determine her citizenship at all anymore. If such adoption were, let’s say, still pending, the same would be dismissed if facts shows that Grace is a natural born Filipino citizen. Of course, on all other things re adoption, it would be good for her adopter and herself.
Is Grace proven as daughter of Rosemarie Sonora? We don’t know yet. You don’t know also. Would a judicial decree granting Grace citizenship be still required if facts are shown that she is a natural born Filipino citizen? No. Whatever case pending on this would be dismissed
Serra vs. Republic of the Philippines, G.R. No. L-4223 decided in 1952 by the trial court as prnounced by the SC said “The court dismissed the case for being unnecessary it appearing that petitioner is already a Filipino citizen.”
The Serra case was followed in the case of In the matter of the petition for the admission to Philippine citizenship. LEON RATUNIL SY QUIMSUAN, petitioner-appellee, vs. REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES, oppositor-appellant, G.R. No. L-4693, February 16, 1953, SC En Banc, saying:
“Neither do we find any error on the part of the lower court in concluding that appellee is already a Filipino citizen.The evidence he presented bears this out. It appears that he was born in Iligan, Lanao, on February 20, 1898; that his mother was Nicolasa Ratunil and his father Simeon Sy Quimsuan, who were not legally married; that his mother was a Filipino citizen while his father a Chinaman, and he had been a resident of the place where he was born continuously up to 1925 with the exception of one occasion when he went to China for a short visit; and that upon advice of his lawyer, he sought the opinion of the Secretary of Justice about his citizenship, who opined that he is a Filipino citizen (Exhibit B). This evidence stands uncontradicted. The government did not present any to the country. Considering this evidence on the light of well-known authorities on the matter, let alone the opinion of the Secretary of Justice, we are of the opinion that petitioner is already a Filipino citizen as found by the lower court.”
Again, nobody yet knows what incontrovertible evidence Sen. Grace Poe has on her citizenship re being a natural-born Filipino citizen except that she is a current Senator presumed to be a natural born citizen.
I keep an open mind on Sen. Grace Poe’s citizenhip issue and will not dwell on conclusions even for hypothetical presentations only, if I can help it to maintain an open mind on it. Thanks [email protected]
leona says
Link of the cases referred to –
http://www.lawphil.net/judjuris/juri1953/feb1953/gr_l-4693_1953.html
rOSARIO says
ating balikan ang nakaraan:
How FPJ, Susan Roces adopted Grace Poe
by David Dizon, ABS-CBNnews.com
Posted at 04/10/2013 4:49 PM | Updated as of 04/11/2013 1:42 AM
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/focus/04/10/13/how-fpj-susan-roces-adopted-grace-poe
“Grace said the couple approached a wealthy haciendera and asked if she wanted to take care of the baby. The haciendera, who was childless, agreed and often brought the baby Grace to Manila where she was following her idol, actress Susan Roces.”
dito sa parting ito ako nagtataka. mayamang haciendera walang anak, bakit hindi niya inampon si grace?
Grace said she also did her own search for her biological parents by asking the couple who first took her in as well as her ninang.
who are the couple? who is the ninang? tessie is the name. is tessie the wealthy haciendera?
She said that before she was formally adopted, there were several people who claimed to be her parents but were later found out to be lying. this part probably ikwenuento na lang siguro sa kanya, my opinion kasi baby pa raw sya noon eh.
april 2013 pa lang ito, wala ni isa man sa mga kumandidato ang nag question ng citizenship niya. it’s all because i think she is fpj and susan roces daughter kahit adopted siya. at yon na nga, inindorso siya ni Pnoy. dagdag pa na marami pa rin nagmamahal kay fpj at susan. at sa totoo lang, matalino na, masa pa ang dating. at may posibilidad rin na sa mga kumandidatong nakalaban niya ay mahina rin sa batas, bawat isa busy sa kani-kanilang pansariling pangangampanya.
On May 26, 2013 Father Bernas wrote: @ sir rene ipil 38.3.3
tapos na ang election at nanguna si grace sa senatorial line up.
where she will served as a senator until June 30, 2019 kung hindi siya tatakbo or walang mag kukwestyon ng kanyang citizenship sa comelec hahahha.
sino ang mangungulit at gagastos para sa kaso para malaman ang buong katotohanan?
moonie says
rosario, thanks for the link. the part that said ‘may anunsyo sa local newspapers’ got me interested. it was announced in the local newspapers but no one came to claim the foundling, sabi. but which local newspapers? there are plenty local newspapers in iloilo. also, national and local newspapers often archieved and kept backcopies, some are kept in libraries. so, there must be a copy somewhere in storage of the said newspapers containing said announcement about a foundling. that newspapers would have been dated and formatted and now, worth a gold mine if found and produced.
rOSARIO says
ALam mo @moonie, dito lang kay ma’m raissa sa mga previous blog nya, napakaraming diskusyon at kuro kuro na ang nagpalitan at naisulat kahit yang tungkol sa “anunsyo sa pahayagan” kapag lumabas na ang pangalan ni gracia. Madalas dahil sa kuro kuro na baka anak ni marcos, yan ang unang takot na manchurain candidate.
ngayon lang binusisi ang citizenship..
thanks to @sir Rene.
kung talagang susundin at pananatlihin ang integredad at implementasyon ng saligang batas, . . .
Hindi maaalis ang mga katanungan.
Dont get me wrong, i still like grace being the sentor that she is.
Kahit pa twice na nyang inignore ang tanong ko sa fb nya re her silence in the binays makati anomalies. I am still giving her the benefit of the doubt, and i hope her reasons will convince me.
now if she runs either p or vp, she will win kahit blank ang boto natin.
let us just HOPE that she will work for the country and keep those bigtime kurakots in jail.
leona says
The cases of FPJ – Ronald Allan Kelly Poe, candidate for P 2004, the SC dismissed all petitions against FPJ. It said among others also,
“But while the totality of the evidence may not establish conclusively that respondent FPJ is a natural-born citizen of the Philippines,the evidence on hand still would preponderate in his favor enough to hold that he cannot be held guilty of having made a material misrepresentation in his certificate of candidacy in violation of Section 78, in relation to Section 74, of the Omnibus Election Code.”
leona says
link
http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2004/mar2004/161434.HTM
leona says
Just to follow-up: in the cases of FPJ, he was challenged before the COMELEC in his CoC [see the linked for the cases above].
In Sen. Grace Poe, nobody questioned her Coc for senator. Her CoC must have stated she is a natural born Filipino citizen, with some proofs at that (maybe, I don’t know).
Would Sen. Grace Poe be held guillty of a material misrepresentation in her certificate of candidacy for senator in violation of Section 78, in relation to Section 74, of the Omnibus Election Code? And she was duly elected senator. No protest was filed on her election.
Keeping an open mind.
Rene-Ipil says
In her CERTIFICATE OF CANDIDACY AS SENATOR, Grace declared under oath that:
“14. I AM A NATURAL BORN FILIPINO CITIZEN.”
http://www.comelec.gov.ph/uploads/Elections/2010natloc/Modernization/2010NationalLocal/Resolutions/senator.pdf
Which declaration is FALSE.
Of course her birth certificate (BC) shows her name, sex, date of birth, place of birth and name and citizenship of adoptive mother and father, and the date and place of their marriage. The certificate does not bear any notation or mark that it is new or amended in compliance with the rules on adoption. Meaning that it looks like the birth certificate of an ordinary or non-adoptive child.
So that prima facie or on its face, Grace’ BC indicates that she is the daughter of Filipino parents and, therefore, a natural-born Filipino citizen. But in case of any legal question on her citizenship, the foundling certificate and decree of adoption on file with the civil registrar could be presented as evidence. It would prove that Grace is not a biological child of Susan nor FPJ. And only a blood relation could qualify a child as natural-born Filipino citizen following the jus sanguines doctrine.
rOSARIO says
there you go! which grace can also use as her defense at that time,
kahit sabihin pang ignorance of the law is no excuse.
but now, with this natural-born re foundling? no more ignorance of the law as an excuse eh?
NHerrera says
BONDAL: HIDDEN NG MGA TAO
GMA-NEWS — Accuser Bondal challenges VP Binay to produce his alleged dummies
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/488214/news/nation/accuser-bondal-challenges-vp-binay-to-produce-his-alleged-dummies
“Sabihan man ni Vice President na wala siyang hidden wealth, eh ‘yung hidden na mga tao? Obligasyon ni vice president sa taumbayan, sa buong bayan ng Pilipinas, ilabas niya ang mga tao niya! Sana nga na si Gerry Limlingan na malaking malaking susi sa misteryong ito, sana nga buhay pa,” Bondal said in a report on GMA 7’s “24 Oras”.
leona says
Bank Banks and Bankiest! Withdraw, Withdrawals and Withdrawlests!
This despite Limlingan supposedly paid only a salary of P30,000 a month, and only being employed by Binay from 2011 to 2012.
Assume that with a P30TH monthly salary, given a 33,333% Interest on it, THOUSANDS YAN, puede maging P1B ang pera ng depositor!
Anong usurious financier(s) kaya ito? ‘Di sinabi ng AMLC council.
leona says
Defense of VP Binay will be initially alibis in the meantime. Or it might be forever.
‘I deny about dummies.’ ‘I deny about 242 bank accounts.’ ‘I deny about bank withdrawals.’ ‘I deny waiving my bank secrecy deposits right,’
‘I deny. I deny. I deny.’ Denials. ‘But these are banks’ documents?’ ‘Basta! I deny!’
Will VP Binay FILE a court written ‘Manifestation’ thru lawyer at the CA 1st Div giving ‘facts’ to controvert AMLC council’s given facts in the Petition?
Or will he deny to do such thing also? When confronted with ‘documents’ it is not easy to use denials as this is the weakest of all defenses everywhere including before the courts.
So, what will he do? ‘Basta! I will continue my denials!’
VP Binay, you will be denied the presidency!
Kalahari says
Mere denial if unsubstantiated by clear and convincing evidence is a self-serving assertion that deserves no weight in law (people vs nelmoda, 680 SCRA 386)
NHerrera says
THAT AWFUL SMELL
Inquirer — 53 accounts in 4 banks (3:47 AM, Saturday, May 16th, 2015)
http://opinion.inquirer.net/84935/53-accounts-in-4-banks
There is nothing essentially new in this Solita Collas-Monsod opinion not already posted/ discussed here in CPM, but she summarized the points with a viewpoint the reader may appreciate.
Excerpts:
————————————————————
As far as I can make out, 53 OF THOSE ARE IN THE NAME OF EDUVIGES DUENAS BALOLOY (not including one in her husband’s name), held singly (29) or jointly (11) with Gerry Limlingan, the rest with Limlingan’s staff or other persons whose names come out very often in the stories. So the question arises: Who is Eduviges Duenas Baloloy? She is described as the long-time secretary of VP Binay, where she holds the position of executive assistant 4, with an annual income, as of December 2013, of P697,658 (starting at P266,948 in 2006).
The story gets more interesting. HOW COME, WITH THAT KIND OF A SALARY, SHE HAS 53 ACCOUNTS IN FOUR DIFFERENT BANKS? Not only that, the deposits made in those accounts were humongous. The smallest was P550,000 and the largest was P100,000,000 (that is not a typographical error). I am sorry I didn’t have time to get the average, and I will do so at some point. There is still more: the AMLC lists down other large transactions in which she appears to have placed funds in investment management accounts.
…
IF BALOLOY HAD 53 OF THE 224 ACCOUNTS, SHE PALES IN COMPARISON WITH LIMLINGAN. Either singly or jointly with his staff, Limlingan accounted for the rest of the accounts, except for those six held by Ernesto Mercado (the AMLC did not spare him from their examinations), and for the 19 held by Chinese-sounding names like Tiu, and Lee and Chong, allegedly other dummies as well. IF MY ARITHMETIC IS CORRECT, LIMLINGAN’S DEPOSITS NUMBERED ABOUT 120, with enormous amounts being deposited and withdrawn. CONSIDERING THAT LIMLINGAN’S AVOWED INCOME (WHICH IS WHAT HE TOLD THE BANKS) WAS ABOUT P30,000 A MONTH, or P360,000 a year—less than Baloloy’s income—THE MAGNITUDE OF THOSE DEPOSITS FAIRLY SCREAM “DUMMY.” No wonder he cannot be found.
How many readers remember the Senate hearings on Alphaland, where Mario Oreta and Roberto Ongpin were all holier than thou, saying that the Boy Scouts of the Philippines were not in the least bit disadvantaged by the Binay decision to sell them the Makati property of the Boy Scouts? Again, it seems that Mercado’s testimony may be the correct version. Because it turns out that 14 of the Limlingan accounts were held jointly by a Mario Alejo Oreta. WHY SHOULD ALPHALAND’S PRESIDENT (OR VICE PRESIDENT) BE INVOLVED IN ANY LIMLINGAN ACCOUNT? AGAIN, THERE IS THAT AWFUL SMELL.
————————————————————
NHerrera says
Emphasis (capitalization) mine.
caliphman says
So is it just me and no one else has any clue about the origins of this ALMA instigated freeze of the Binay-related accounts? The Binays blame the LP party, the media are either quiet or have no idea, and in this site rumors have been swirling this is due to the work of Pinoy anti-Binay camp of ministers. Nope, schemers and conspiracies lead to the wrong trail. Its origins hark back to the Senate hearings on the Hacienda Binay sale where none other than SPCMB, the firm where the bumbling lawyers Certeza, Subido and Binay’s daughter are a member of, drew attention of the AMLA because of very large transactions between parties represented by members of the firm. When the AMLA started poking into the firm’s bank accounts without prenotifying these lawyers of the rich and infamous, Certeza went running to the Supreme Court on March 11 asking for a TRO to stop the AMLA and the CA who authorized the latter srom examining their firm and clients accounts. As is obvious from recent events, the SC denied the TRO and the CA went on to freeze the accounts where the examination showed suspicious probably criminal activity. So why was most everyone caught surprised by the Binay accounts freeze? Because the OMB suspension order and the CA TRO now before the SC captured media attention.
So if anyone asks, you can say you read it here first! Hehehe
http://mobile.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/03/24/15/sc-wont-rule-yet-binay-law-firm-plea-tro/
http://www.hatawtabloid.com/2015/03/26/p1-6b-nabisto-ba-sa-bank-accounts-ng-law-firm-ni-rep-binay/