G.R. No. L-28147 - De la Paz vs. De Guzman

Chang Yung Fa, et al. (petitioners/appellants) filed a petition for declaratory judgment in the Court of First Instance of Manila.
The petition sought a declaration that the Commissioner of Immigration lacked the right to limit their period of stay in the Philippines under an express condition, and questioned the validity and constitutionality of Opinion No. 314, series of 1952, rendered by the Secretary of Justice.

On November 11, 1949, petitioners were admitted to the Philippines under Section 13(a) of the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940 (Commonwealth Act No. 613) on the basis of pre-arranged employment.
Their admission was expressly conditioned upon a limitation that confined their stay in the country to not more than two years.

On June 12, 1950, Republic Act No. 503 amended Commonwealth Act No. 613, altering the classification of pre-arranged employees from "immigrants" to "non-immigrants".
On November 21, 1952, upon the proper request of petitioners, the Secretary of Justice issued Opinion No. 314, series of 1952.

The opinion validated the condition imposed at admission, holding that the two-year limitation on stay was valid.
It intimated that failure to comply with the condition would subject petitioners to deportation.

Petitioners contended that having been classified as "non-quota immigrants" they should have been admitted for permanent residence.
They argued that the common usage of the term "immigrant" implies permanent intent and that the imposition of a temporary stay contradicts this understanding.
After unsuccessful attempts to secure a favorable reconsideration of their status, petitioners instituted the present action for declaratory judgment.

After a full trial and submission of memoranda by counsel for both sides, the trial court (Court of First Instance of Manila) issued an order on March 4, 1954.
The order found that petitioners had no legal right to remain in the Philippines beyond the stipulated two-year period, mandating their deportation to their country of origin.
Consequently, the petition for declaratory judgment was dismissed as lacking merit.

Whether the imposition of a two-year limitation on the petitioners’ stay in the Philippines by the Commissioner of Immigration is supported by the statutory provisions of Commonwealth Act No. 613.
Whether the issuance of Opinion No. 314, series of 1952, by the Secretary of Justice is valid and constitutional as it pertains to limiting the period of stay for aliens admitted on pre-arranged employment.
Whether the term “immigrant,” as used in Commonwealth Act No. 613, should be interpreted exclusively to mean individuals granted permanent residence, thus precluding the imposition of temporal limitations.
Whether petitioners are estopped from challenging the limitation imposed upon their stay given their initial consent to the condition at the time of admission.