ABS-CBN chairman emeritus Eugenio Gabby Lopez III asserted that he is a natural-born Filipino citizen as he addressed questions about his citizenship at the House of Representatives today, June 3.
I am a natural-born Filipino citizen because both my parents are Filipino citizens, said Lopez.
Lopez said he never renounced his Filipino citizenship and only sought recognition of his Filipino citizenship from the Department of Justice to secure a Philippine passport.
Justice Undersecretary Emmyline Aglipay-Villar also affirmed that Lopez is a Filipino citizen by birth and that the certificate of recognition issued to him was not a grant but a confirmation of his Filipino citizenship.
She also maintained that Lopez did not lose his Filipino citizenship with his use of a US passport.
Ang kanyang paggamit ng US passport ay hindi po dahilan para mawala po ang kaniyang Filipino citizenship.
Stressing his commitment to serving the Filipinos, Lopez said, I am first and foremost a Filipino, I will live and die in the Philippines.
