At A Glance
- Manila 6th district congressman-elect Joey Uy on Friday, June 20, insisted on his Filipino citizenship and that he grew up and studied in Manila.
Manila 6th district congressman-elect Joey Uy on Friday, June 20, insisted on his Filipino citizenship and that he grew up and studied in Manila.
This, after the Commission on Elections (Comelec) annulled his proclamation following his victory in the May 12 elections.
Vox Populi, Vox Dei. The voice of the people is the voice of God, Uy said, as he asserted his right to the position after garnering 64,746 votes against his lone opponent and reelectionist Benny Abante, who had 63,358 votes.
In a statement, Uy said he was born in Sta. Mesa, Manila to a naturalized Filipino father and a natural-born Filipino mother.
Kung ang inyong ina ay natural-born at ang Pilipinas ang iyong lupang sinilangan, 'di ba natural-born Filipino [ang tawag sayo]. Ako po ay Pilipino (If your mother is a natural-born Filipino, and you were born in the Philippines, isn't it that you're called a natural-born Filipino? I am a Filipino), he said.
Lumaki, nag-aral, nanirahan, nagsilbi at patuloy akong nagsisilbi sa aking mahal na Lungsod ng Maynila bilang konsehal ng ilang termino mula pa noong 2004 (I grew up, studied, lived as well as served and continue to serve in my beloved city of Manila as a councilor for several terms since 2004), he added.
Uy said the resolution released by Comelec's Second Division was alarming and caused confusion regarding his supposedly questionable nationality.
He said that following the free and democratic elections, residents of the city's 6th district had already spoken about the official who they want to represent them in the next Congress.
Sana naman po ay mapakinggan ang kanilang boses (I hope that their voice would be heard), he added.