The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirmed that all passengers aboard the bus have been identified and their next-of-kin have been notified.
THE Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C. has issued a warning against false information circulating on social media claiming that the U.S. government is cracking down on dual citizens.
“This is not true,” the embassy stated in an advisory posted on its official website on Tuesday.
The embassy clarified that “the U.S. government has not implemented any policy changes regarding dual citizenship,” following the renewed spread of a video that caused concern among some Filipino-Americans.
According to the embassy, the U.S. continues to recognize that individuals in their country may hold more than one citizenship. “There is no new policy requiring dual citizens to renounce another nationality, nor is there a crackdown underway,” the embassy stated.
The embassy urged the Filipino community to verify information through official government sources, avoid sharing unverified content, and report false information to the platform where it is published.
The embassy also advised Filipino-Americans against making legal decisions, such as renouncing their Philippine citizenship, based solely on information found on social media.
Under Republic Act No. 9225, or the Dual Citizenship Law, natural-born Filipinos who have become naturalized citizens of another country can reacquire their Philippine citizenship if they are 18 years of age or older.
“Renunciation of Philippine citizenship is a serious, irreversible legal action,” the embassy emphasized.
