Two senators on Tuesday questioned Malacañang’s adherence to the law that provides stringent policies for citizens with dual citizenship.

In separate text messages, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. and Sen. Francis Escudero aired their views on reports that Malacañang allowed its deputy presidential spokesman Gary Olivar to hold position in the Philippine government without asking him to renounce his American citizenship.

Both senators said President Arroyo and Olivar may be held accountable for violating Republic Act 9225 or the Dual Citizenship Law that establishes a procedure for former Filipinos who have become naturalized citizens of other countries to re-acquire Philippine citizenship without affecting their current citizenship status.

Earlier, former Sen. Franklin Drilon, author of the law, questioned Malacañang for appointing Olivar without asking him to renounce his oath of allegiance to the foreign country where he acquired secondary citizenship.

Under the law, it is customary that those aspiring to seek public office, both elective and appointive to follow this procedure if they hold “dual citizenship.”

According to Drilon, Filipinos who have acquired foreign citizenship need only to present evidence that his or her father or mother is a Filipino to be able to retain Philippine citizenship.

The law amended the 1936 Commonwealth Act No. 63 that mandates that a pledge of allegiance to another country would mean loss of one’s citizenship as a Filipino.

Pimentel said R.A. 9225 stipulates that any person with dual citizenship should have first abandoned his foreign citizenship before accepting a position