Tom Cruise: I'm Giving Senate Candidate a Filipino Pass

Tom Cruise zealously guards his image, which is why it's shocking he's allowing a Senate candidate in the Philippines to use his mug on campaign billboards.

Cresente Paez is gunning for an upgrade from the Philippines House of Representatives to the Senate. So the campaign brain trust came up with this ad, showing Tom Cruise scoffing at Paez's candidacy ... calling it "Mission Impossible." But Paez fires back, "It's Paezible!"

Tom has gone on the attack against people who use his name and likeness without permission, but his longtime lawyer, Bert Fields, tells TMZ, "Since the ad's meant to be funny and doesn't imply an endorsement, I'm sure Tom's not going to assert the right to protect his name and likeness."

Sidenote ... the movie poster is from 2006. Sometimes there's a bit of a delay when movies go international.