PHILIPPINES: MANILA COURT REJECTS PETITION QUESTIONING NATIONALITY OF OPPOSITION PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE AND FILM STAR FERNANDO POE JR

Record ID: 647231

  • Title: PHILIPPINES: MANILA COURT REJECTS PETITION QUESTIONING NATIONALITY OF OPPOSITION PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE AND FILM STAR FERNANDO POE JR
  • Date: 23rd January 2004
  • Summary: (W2) MANILA, PHILIPPINES (JANUARY 23, 2004) (REUTERS) 1. ELECTION COMMISSIONERS SEATING; CU CLERK OPENING LETTER (2 SHOTS) 0.14 2. (SOUNDBITE) (English) COMELEC CLERK READING DECISION SAYING: "The petition is dismissed for lack of merit." 0.33 3. SCU: CAMERA OPERATOR 0.40 4. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LAWYER OF POE, ESTELITO MENDOZA SAYING: "It is a victory for the Filipino electorate, not just of FPJ." 0.53 5. REPORTERS AND POLICE INSIDE HALL; MENDOZA POINTING FINGER IN THE AIR (2 SHOTS) 1.05 6. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LAWYER-PETITIONER ANDRESITO FORNIER SAYING: "Being the product of an illegitimate union, he is illegitimate. And being illegitimate, they must necessarily follow the citizenship of his mother, Bessie Kelly who admittedly an American in her birth certificate." 1.22 7. CU/WS: EXTERIOR OF COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS BUILDING (2 SHOTS) 1.29 8. VARIOUS OF BALLOT BOXES (2 SHOTS) 1.42 9. VARIOUS OF ANTI-RIOT POLICE OUTSIDE COMMMISSION ON ELECTIONS BUILDING (3 SHOTS) 2.01 10. VARIOUS OF MANILA TRAFFIC; JEEPNEY'S 2.08 11. (SOUNDBITE) (Filipino) BUS DRIVER SOGOFREDO TILA SAYING: "He should be allowed to run, because he is the only hope of the poor." 2.14 12. TRAFFIC/PEDESTRIANS/JEEPNEY (3 SHOTS) 2.33 13. (SOUNDBITE) (Filipino) JEEPNEY DRIVER TOMAS ELMA SAYING: "If he is able to run in the elections, then he is a Filipino, if he is not allowed to run, then is he is not a Filipino." 2.49 14. VARIOUS OF PHILIPPINE STOCK EXCHANGE TRADING FLOOR (4 SHOTS) 3.08 (W2) MANILA, PHILIPPINES (RECENT - JANUARY 2, 2004) 15. SV: LEADING OPPOSITION CANDIDATE FERNANDO POE JR. SURROUNDED BY SUPPORTERS 3.13 16. SV/CU: POE SUPPORTERS CHANTING HIS NAME (2 SHOTS) 3.21 17. WIDE OF POE SURROUNDED BY SUPPORTERS 3.24 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 7th February 2004 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: MANILA, PHILIPPINES
  • Country: Philippines
  • Reuters ID: LVABSYP2ZKTD9WYDMHZO7I67P911
  • Story Text: Actor cleared for Philippine presidential bid.


    The Philippine election body rejected on Friday
    (January 23) a petition questioning the Filipino
    nationality of opposition candidate and movie star Fernando
    Poe Jr, clearing him to run for president in May elections.

    "The petition is dismissed for lack of merit," a
    spokeswoman for the Commission on Elections told reporters.

    A group of lawyers had argued in the petition that Poe,
    a household name who is leading most opinion polls, was not
    qualified to stand in the elections because he was an
    illegitimate son of an American mother and Spanish father.

    "It is a victory for the Filipino electorate," said
    Poe's lawyer Estelito Mendoza.

    One of the lawyers who filed the petition against Poe
    said they would appeal the decision.

    Andresito Fornier said they can prove Poe is not a
    natural born Filipino, a requirement for any candidate.

    "Being the product of an illegitimate union, he is
    illegitimate. And being illegitimate, they must necessarily
    follow the citizenship of his mother, Bessie Kelly who
    admittedly an American in her birth certificate," Fornier
    said.

    The prospect of his disqualification had raised concern
    that his supporters could react by staging mass protests.

    Poe is said to be even more popular among the masses
    than his close friend, former President Joseph Estrada.

    "He should be allowed to run, because he is the only
    hope of the poor."
    Despite the rising political uncertainty ahead of
    elections shaping up as a battle between Poe and President
    Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, the Manila debt yields were mostly
    steady on Friday.

    Traders said fears eased after the poll body decided to
    dismiss the petition to stop Poe from running.

    Arroyo's administration has stressed it is not fuelling
    the doubts about Poe's citizenship or a smear campaign that
    has included an anonymous full-page advertisement in
    newspapers listing supposed flaws in the official documents
    of the actor and his parents.

    Hopes that this election will be less chaotic than
    previous polls have already been dented by the Supreme
    Court nullifying a deal for vote-counting machines due to
    bidding irregularities and candidates playing musical
    chairs among parties.



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