MANILA, Philippines – Diniskwalipika ng Commission on Elections (Comelec) 1st Division si Joseph Chua Cua mula sa May 2025 midterm elections dahil sa mga hindi pa nareresolbang isyu na bumabalot sa kanyang citizenship, bagamat natalo ito sa karera sa pagka-alkalde ng Virac, Catanduanes.
Sa 10 pahinang desisyon nitong Biyernes, Hulyo 11, at inilabas sa media nitong Sabado, pinaboran ng Comelec ang petition for disqualification na inihain ni reelectionist Sinforoso Sarmiento, na nagsasabing si Cua ay hindi Filipino citizen kundi isang Chinese national.
Si Cua, na dating gobernador ng Catanduanes, ay natalo kay Sarmiento.
“Accordingly, the Petition for Disqualification is granted. Respondent Joseph Chua Cua is hereby disqualified as a candidate for municipal mayor of the municipality of Virac, Catanduanes,” saad sa ruling.
Sinabi ng Comelec na bigong maitama o mailinaw ni Cua ang kanyang citizenship status sa mga opisyal na dokumento.
Sa kanyang Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) birth certificate, makikita na siya ay ipinanganak sa San Andres, Catanduanes, noong Oktubre 16, 1962, ngunit ang kanyang matagal na pagkawala sa bansa at inconsistent residency claims ay nagdulot ng duda dahil ng kanyang diskwalipikasyon.
“Upon calculation, and assuming that Respondent was a resident of the Philippines since birth, he should have been a resident herein for 62 years and six months on the day before the 12 May 2025 NLE (National and Local Elections). However, as it appears, Respondent has been conspicuously absent for one year in the Philippines, something which he failed to explain. This gap in Respondent’s residency casts doubt on his compliance with the residence requirement of his derivative naturalization,” ayon sa Division.
Sinabi pa na may hindi pagkakatugma sa residency declaration ni Cua.
Bagamat sinabi niyang siya ay nanirahan sa Virac nang mahigit 61 taon, si Cua ay nagsilbing mayor ng San Andres mula 2001 hanggang 2004.
“It would be mathematically impossible for him to reside in Virac for 61 years and six months while serving as mayor of another municipality,” sinabi ng Comelec.
“This raises even more serious questions regarding the respondent’s eligibility to run for any local elective position.”
Ipinunto ng Comelec na ang pagkakaroon ng identification certificate o pagkilala ng ilang ahensya ng pamahalaan na siya ay Filipino ay hindi gumagarantiya ng kanyang citizenship.
“Exercising rights exclusive to Filipinos does not automatically make one a citizen,” dagdag pa, at iginiit na kulang sa iba pang credible na ebidensya. RNT/JGC
