Poe’s American family members, alarming to the Constitution, says lawyer

Sen. Grace Poe INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

There is no Constitutional crisis but it’s alarming once Sen. Grace Poe will be elected as the next president of the country because of the people around her.

This was the fear of lawyer and academician, Atty. Bruce Rivera, as the husband and children of Poe remain American nationals.

Poe admitted recently that her husband, Neil Llamanzares, was a former member of the US Air Force and like their three children, still maintain their US citizenship. But Poe said it was a non-issue.

“Ang katabi sa pagtulog ay isang dayuhan. Kahit Filipino ang dugo, mayroon pa rin pong kaunting pagkabahala. Isang foreigner ang ating First Gentleman,” said Rivera in a radio interview.

(She still sleeps beside a foreigner. Even if he has Filipino blood, there is still a difference. [If ever she becomes president], our First Gentlemen is a foreigner.)

Rivera is a law professor in San Beda College and also one of the persons who questioned the decision of the Supreme Court allowing Poe to run for President.

“I will not say it’s a constitutional crisis but I say it is something alarming to the constitution,” she said in an interview on “Isyu ng Bayan” on Radyo Inquirer 990 AM.

Rivera added there would be implications in the Philippine Constitution from the American family of Poe if ever she is elected.

“It’s a matter of value judgement kasi syempre you are the president representing the Filipino People. Sinasabi ko nga, you are not just representing Filipinos all over the world but Filipinos in the Philippines,” said Rivera.

“Among the implications could be there will be people here who may have other interests, who may necessarily not be Filipino in character or may not be in the best interest of Filipinos.”

Rivera added, “Kapag pangulo ka ng bansa, ang mga polisiya mo ay napakahalaga at hindi dapat na maapektuhan at maimpluwesyahan ng ibang tao, partikular ang mga nakapaligid sa’yo.”

(If you’re president of a country, your policies are important and this shouldn’t be influenced by other people, especially those around you.)

It would not be hard for some observers to perceive that because of the foreign family of Poe, the formulation or revision of the Constitution is probable and possible to think that it can be done because of the interest in the attitude of foreigners who will be with her in the Palace particularly her family, she added.

In November last year, Llamanzares made an announcement that if Grace wins, he and their children will renounce their US citizenship.

“But it’s conditional. There’s no certainty,” Rivera said.

Rivera said it’s the peak of the campaign season so it’s just but natural Poe’s family members are being scrutinized in all angles.

“Yung mga taong nakapaligid sa kanya would always be subject to scrutiny, sa ibang tao mas nagiging isyu ‘yung pamilya, ‘yung close family members,” said Rivera.

“But we have to respect the decision of the Supreme Court. Bilang isang abogado, natural lang na maraming questions,” she added.