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United Nationalist Alliance president and Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco is taking the advice of Makati Rep. Abigail Binay and will no longer speak up about the residency issue against Sen. Grace Poe.
In a text message, Tiangco apologized for causing a rift between the Poe and Binay families.
“I apologize for having caused damage to the friendship of the Poe and Binay families. I will follow Cong Abby’s advise to stop speaking on the matter as this is an issue for the proper courts to decide,” he said.
Tiangco, campaign manager of Vice-President Jejomar Binay, earlier said Poe cannot run for higher office in 2016 because she lacks the necessary 10-year residency requirement for presidential and vice-presidential candidates.
Tiangco showed media Poe’s certificate of candidacy for the 2013 midterm elections as senator where she stated she was a resident of the country for six years and six months at the time of the midterm election.
He said that adding three more years, that means Poe would only be a resident for 9 years and 6 months by the time of the May 2016 presidential elections. He said Poe may be qualified instead to run in the 2022 presidential elections.
Several lawyers, meanwhile, have questioned Tiangco’s interpretation of the residency requirement.
Ateneo School of Government dean Antonio La Viña said the Supreme Court has used the doctrine of animus revertendi, or intent to return, on many election-related cases in the past. ]
Under the doctrine, absence from residence to pursue studies or practice a profession or registration as a voter other than in the place where one is elected, does not constitute loss of residence.
Lawyer Howard Calleja also said that under Republic Act 9225, Poe never lost her natural-born status even when she became a US citizen and later renounced it.
He said there are other ways to prove that Poe fulfills the residency requirement other than her COC such as her stay in Greenhills and even her formal education in Philippine schools.
On Thursday, Makati Rep. Abigail Binay said the allegations leveled by Tiangco against Poe must be settled in a court of law and should not feed animosity between the senator and her father.
She said her father will welcome Poe’s decision if she decides to run for president or higher office.
“Kung sakaling marapatin nia na tumakbo bilang Pangulo sa 2016, malugod itong tinatanggap at ginagalang ng aking ama,” she said.
“Karapatan niya na tumakbo sa kahit anong posisyon. Hindi ito dapat pag ugatan ng kahit anumang away o alitan.”
Photo: News clip
This article has been re-published with permission from ABS-CBNnews.com.
