(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte said he ran for the presidency because the Supreme Court issued what he believed to be an erroneous decision on the citizenship of foundlings.
“No offense to Senator Grace Poe,” Duterte said.
Duterte, a lawyer, said he believes that while foundlings cannot not have a citizenship, “it follows that when you were naturalized, you are not a Filipino citizen.”
He said he believed natural-born citizens are those who came out of Filipino mothers.
For one to run for the presidency, among the requirements is for him or her to be natural-born.
“Naturalization is not..When (Poe) was disqualified, she appealed, and the SC ruled she could run. So, I’m sorry SC. I don’t agree with you so I ran (for president),” Duterte said.
Poe was allowed to run in the 2016 presidential elections but lost to Duterte.
