The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has revoked the proclamation of the mayor of Pangasinan over his citizenship or at best his use of using his passport which has upended his citizenship rights in the Philippines.
In a 15-page resolution the poll body unseated Manolito de Leon and declared Jocelyn Perez as the duly elected mayor – saying in fact that De Leon who was an American citizen, availed himself of repatriation under Republic Act #9925 on December 3rd, 2008. On Oct. 17, 2009, De Leon executed the Oath of Renunciation of his foreign citizenship.
But his troubles began when he used his American passport in 2010. “He is qualified to run and seek local elective position. However, his act of using his American passport on September 10, 2010 and June 26, 2011 or before the 2013 elections barred him from running and holding public office. He reverted to his earlier status of being a dual citizen,” the resolution stated.
The Comelec gave De Leon five days from receipt of the resolution to file his motion for reconsideration.