By Manny Piñol
Yesterday, in an effort to validate my contention that Filipino citizenship could not be determined by a person’s appearance or looks, I posted pictures of three girls and asked readers to choose who among them is Filipina.
The exercise was conducted following the unprecedented Supreme Court ruling which declared Senator Grace Poe, a foundling, a natural born Filipino citizen because of “statistical probability” and her looks.
In a ruling penned by Associate Justice Jose Perez, the SC said Poe is probably natural-born because she was found at a Catholic church in Iloilo and possesses “typical Filipino features such as height, flat nasal bridge, straight black hair, almond shaped eyes, and an oval face.”
As I am writing this follow-up article, a total of 500 comments have been made by the followers of this page and I could only count with my fingers those who made the correct answer.
Not one of the three girls shown in the photos is Filipina. The first photo is that of a Thai, the girl in black is Malaysian while the third photo is that of an Indonesian.
The fact that 90% of the respondents could not exactly tell the nationality of the girls based on their looks is a proof that it is simply ridiculous to include “typical Filipino features such as height, flat nasal bridge, straight black hair, almond shaped eyes and an oval face” as a legal basis in determining a woman’s nationality.
Here are some of the comments of the readers of this page:
Ryarin Dahunan-Bontia: We cannot determine their citizenship by just merely looking at their picture.
Manalao Salacop: “with flat nasal bridge, straight black hair” i will go for top picture as Filipina.
Nora Lizardo Makinano: Cannot be distinguished … MJ Lastimosa is a natural born Filipino but her beauty and appearance is that of an Arab. Simple reason ,citizenship cannot be distinguished by its appearance!
Nap Borines: based on the doctrine of appearance, how would one know, i can just make a guess!
Phil Benz: 2…yet the 3ladies could be all Filipinas…basing on facial features #But, you can never be sure all three have mixed ancestry with other Asian race…Regarding Poe’s case, she might have been left and found in the Philippines yet that “#naturalbornFilipino” phrase couldnt still be proven legally. So ayoko Poe bumuto sa alien.
Larry Silva: It is a common fact that Filipinos are a mixture of races. Facial features, height and built cannot discern nationality. White Americans are aptly called “Caucasians” which denotes that they might have come “statistically” from Caucasus, a place in Asia Minor. Alaskans have featured similar to Japanese which makes Alaskans “statistically” relatives of Japanese.
Those were comments expressing confusion.
Now, read these comments expressing disgust and contempt.
Alvin Isip; Rule of law dies… SC is such a disgrace…
Albert Roy Medina: RIP constitution and rule of law yan ang sabi ng maraming abogado nung lumabas ang desisyon ng korte suprema. Katawatawa nga.
Joselito Mangahas Anda Pinoy pride yinurakan ng ambisyosang traPOE at money justices in SC.
Araceli Lou Razo: I could say the same, sir Manny. They all look like Filipinas to me but they can also be Malaysian or Indonesian. Same features. But to me the real question is how much were they paid, the justices I mean.
Phix Felipe Quibal: wala na talaga justice systems ng pinas naa may Justice ang mukha ng pera sana I abolish na ang law schools pag ganyan magiging pananaw nila.
Sebastiano Isaac Achay-Gimang Candido: Send these justices who voted in favor of Ms. Llamanzares back to law school and strip them with their titles. They are a disgrace, a shame to the authors of the Philippine constitution.
Douleen Delada: “Juri-prejudism…is naivete.
Kr Lopez: Mukhang pinay ata sila tatlo eh, pero feeling ko yung pangatlo ang pinay talaga. Appearance pala basehan sa pagiging isang pilipino ng mga justices dito sa pinas kahit walang dugong pinoy. Lol!
The most troubling comment though came from a girl who is apparently a law student.
Anabel Mangadlao: I cannot distinguish……. Kasi hindi talaga yan ang itinuro sa amin sa law school…Sabi pa when the law is not ambiguous there is no room for interpretation only implementation…. Kung tama pa yong naalala ko sabi pa do not include what is excluded and exclude those not included… Wala namang statistics at probability doon maging appearance pagdating sa usapin ng natural born citizen at kahit english ang ginamit na wika hindi rin mahirap intindihin yong batas ng natural born citizen kung pagbabasehan ang taas ng kanilang kaalaman at karunungan……Kung lalabas ang ganitong problem sa bar exam at ito lang ang tanong. Sigurado lahat ng kumuha zero sa subject na yan at first time na may batch year na walang pumasa kasi na DQ… Galing lang po ito sa munting tinig ng utak ko na natutuliro….
Confusion, contempt and total disbelief.
These were the feelings of the readers following the SC ruling declaring foundling Grace Llamanzares Poe a natural born Filipino citizen based on “statistical probabilities” and “physical appearance.”
Once again, the Highest Court of the land which is supposed to clearly rule on questions of law has created an atmosphere of confusion as it comes up with a decision on a very important issue which is very difficult to understand not only for laymen but for would-be lawyers and lawyers themselves.
(Photos of Thai, Malaysian and Indonesian beauties downloaded from Google)
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