MANILA – A lower court has disqualified the daughter of one of the country’s richest businessmen from joining the congressional race in suburban Quezon City, Metro Manila in the May 10 elections because she is an American citizen.
Disqualified was Vivienne Khao Tan, 40, the daughter of low-key Filipino-Chinese tycoon Lucio Tan whose business empire covers a wide range, including the country’s biggest tobacco company, the Philippine Airlines, banks, hotels, education as well as real estate development, among others..
In a seven-page decision, the Quezon City Metropolitan Trial Court ordered that the name of Tan be removed from the list of eligible voters in the city.
In effect, legal experts said the order also automatically disqualified Vivienne Tan from joining the electoral race in May to represent the first congressional district of Quezon City in the House of Representatives.
The disqualification case was filed by Tan’s main rival, Congressman Vincent Crisologo, who is seeking reelection for this third and final term.
Crisologo claimed Vivienne Tan has been committing glaring violations of the law in her desire to seek public office.
The court sided with Crisologo’s argument that Tan should not be allowed to vote because she took her oath of allegiance as a Filipino citizen belatedly.
The court noted that Tan could not be considered a Filipino citizen at the time she sought to be registered as a voter because she took her oath on December 1, 2009, or 36 days after her application for registration was filed before the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
It added that Tan was an American citizen, not a Filipino citizen, when she registered as a voter on October 26, 2009, as it stressed: “The fact that she took an oath of allegiance in December is a clear manifestation of her lack of Philippine citizenship upon her registration (as a voter).â€
But despite the decision, Vivienne Tan has remained unperturbed, saying that it is not yet final and can be appealed to a higher court, including possibly the Supreme Court which is the final arbiter on cases involving the qualifications of a voter or candidate.
As such, Tan emphasized the decision does not affect her right to vote or to seek public office in the May elections.
Tan, who is running on the platform of promoting entrepreneurship and business development, also assailed Crisologo for allegedly resorting to “unfair and malicious tactics†to prevent her from contesting his reelection bid in the May polls.
She likewise alleged the decision is “tainted†because the judge assigned to handle the case had admitted in open court that he is a personal friend of Crisologo.
Tan said: “The incumbent (Crisologo) seems to be afraid of me. We’ll give him a contest he won’t forget. Unlike him, I fight fair but I fight hard.â€
Loading ...
Isn’t it that Lucio Tan is on of Marcos’ cronies?
Just this last night her paid men, place her “Happy Valentine” and “kung Hei Fat Choi” banners on the posts and electric cable. This draw me to a conclusion that she is not worthy of faith and trust, simply because lawmakers should not be law breakers.
Even though it is not her who placed this banners, it was her political machinery and bad money that placed those banners up.