Digest on David v Poe

SENATE SENATE ELECTORAL TRIBUNAL DAVID v. POE-LAMANZANES  ISSUE:  ISSUE: Whether Grace Poe is eligible to sit as a Senator of the Repblic!  ARGUMENTS  ARGUMENTS OF THE PETITIONER" Poe is not #ali$e% to be a &e&ber of the Senate on accont of her not being a natral'born citi(en! )! Poe %oes %oes not not fall fall n%e n%err an* an* of the the clas classe ses s of nat natra ral' l'bo born rn citi citi(e (ens ns en&erate% in Sec! )+ Art! I,+ I,+ )-./ Constittion a! To be a nat natral ral'b 'bor orn n citi( iti(en en++ one0 one0s s paren arents ts &st be 1ili 1ilip pino ino citi(ens! Poe cannot clai& natral'born stats as her parents are not 2no3n an% cannot be pres&e% as 1ilipino citi(ens! 4! The pro5isi pro5isions ons of the )-67 8age 8age Con5enti Con5ention on on Certai Certain n 9estions 9estions Rela Relati ting ng to the the Con: Con:ic ictt of Nati Nation onal alit it* * La3s La3s an% an% the the )-;) )-;) UN Con5 Con5en enti tion on on the the Re% Re%ct ctio ion n of St Stat atel eles essne sness ss are are not not appl applic icab able le becase the Philippines has *et to acce%e to both Con5entions! 6! Poe0s oe0s a%op a%opti tion on %i% %i% not not conf confer er pon pon her her the the stat stats s of nat natra ral'b l'bor orn n citi(en! The e of the the ICCP ICCPR! R! Both Both treaties are rati$e% b* the Philippines! a! These treaties treaties create create an obligat obligation ion on the part part of the the Philippines Philippines to recogni(e a fon%ling as its citi(en fro& the ti&e of the fon%ling0s birth! b! Althogh Althogh neither neither the ICCPR ICCPR nor the UNCRC UNCRC 3as in force force 3hen she 3as born in )-;.+ each &a* appl* retroacti5el* to the %ate of her birt irth! To rle rle othe other3 r3is ise e 3o 3o l% be to %isc %iscri ri&i &in nate ate agai agains nstt fon%lings born before the rati$cation of these treaties! 6! Poe in5o in5o2e 2es s Art! Art! )= of the the U?8R U?8R 3h 3hic ich h reco recogn gni( i(es es the the righ rightt of  e5er*one to a nationalit*! >! Poe in5o2e in5o2es s Art! Art! )> of the )-67 )-67 8age 8age Con5 Con5en enti tion on on Con: Con:ic ictt of  Nationalit* La3s! The pres&ption that a fon%ling is a citi(en of the Stat St ate e in 3h 3hic ich h she she is fon fon% % is a gene genera rall ll* * acce accept pte% e% prin princi cipl ple e of  international la3! =! Poe in5o in5o2e 2es s Art! Art! 4 of the the UN Con5 Con5en enti tion on on St Stat atel eles essn snes ess s 3h 3hic ich h e@pr e@pres esse ses s a reb rebtt ttab able le pres pres& &pt ptio ion n of %esc %escen entt fro& fro& a citi citi(e (en+ n+ consistent 3ith s sanginis! ;! 1inall*+ 1inall*+ Poe arges that that she 5ali%l* reac#ire% reac#ire% her natral'born natral'born stats stats prsant to R!A! No! -44=!

 RULING OF THE SET ON POE’S CITIZENSHIP:

)! From the deliberations of the !"# $onstit%tional $onvention on &iti'enshi() it *as never the intention of the framers to e+&l%de fo%ndlin,s from nat%ral-born &iti'enshi( stat%s. Chil%ren or people born in a contr* of n2no3n parents are citi(ens of this nation an% the onl* reason that there 3as no speci$c reference to fon%lings in the )-6= pro5ision 3as that these cases are fe3 an% far in bet3een! E5i%ent intent 3as to a%opt the concept fon% in the Spanish Co%e 3herein all chil%ren of n2no3n parentage born in Spanish territor* are consi%ere% Spaniar%s+ becase the pres&ption is that a chil% of n2no3n parentage is the son of a Spaniar%! •

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4! nder Art. # of the a,%e $onvention of !"/ 0on $on1i&t of  Nationalit2 La*s3) a fo%ndlin, is (res%med to have been born on the territor2 of the State in *hi&h it *as fo%nd %ntil the &ontrar2 is (roved.  Althogh the Philippines is not a signator* to sai% con5ention+ its pro5isions are bin%ing as the* for& part of the la3 of the lan% prsant to the incorporation clase! Sr! Ro@as in the )-6> Constittional Con5ention re&ar2e% B* international la3 the principle that chil%ren or people born in a contr* of n2no3n parents are citi(ens in this nation is recogni(e%D  B* referring to this rle in international la3 3hich 3as no other than Art! )> of the 8age Con5ention of )-67F+ 3hat 3as e
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6! en&e) fo%ndlin,s 0&hildren born in the Phili((ines *ith %n4no*n (arenta,e3 *ere) b2 birth) a&&orded nat%ral-born &iti'enshi( b2 the $onstit%tion. natral'born citi(ens b* legal $ction The fra&ers of the Constittion 3ere s
>! Poe validl2 rea&5%ired her nat%ral-born Fili(ino &iti'enshi( %(on ta4in, her Oath of Alle,ian&e to the 6e(%bli&) as re5%ired %nder Se&tion ") 6.A. No. !778 Before ass&ing her position as TRCB Chair&an+ Poe e@ecte% an a
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5.

en&e) the (etition for quo warranto is DISMISSED.