Case Digest (G.R. No. L-9712)
Facts:
Ong Ho Ping v. Republic of the Philippines, G.R. No. L-9712, April 27, 1957, the Supreme Court En Banc, Reyes, A., J., writing for the Court.Petitioner Ong Ho Ping (appellant) is a Chinese citizen born in Amoy on March 7, 1917, who immigrated to the Philippines on December 7, 1929 and has continuously resided in Manila since then. He operates a jewelry and watch-repair business employing Filipino and Chinese workers, reports an annual net income of about P20,000, pays taxes, and holds clearances from the Manila Police Department, the Philippine Constabulary, the National Bureau of Investigation and other agencies. He is married to a Filipino-Chinese mestiza, Maria Enriquez, and they have four children, all born in Manila, baptized Catholic, and two of school age attending the Ateneo de Manila; the family is registered with the Bureau of Immigration.
Petitioner filed a petition for naturalization in the Court of First Instance of Manila. He produced testimony and documentary evidence attesting to his good moral character, lack of belief in communism, observance of Filipino customs and traditions, absence of polygamy and contagious disease, and general conduct compatible with Filipino society. The trial court denied the petition, finding that petitioner’s “scanty knowledge of English and Tagalog” did not justify a conclusion that he could speak and write those languages as required by law.
Petitioner appealed to the Supreme Court. The Court reviewed the trial record, including petitioner’s testimony in which he orally answered in English, wrote an English statement and its Tagalog translation when requested, and demonstrated acquaintance with constitutional principles. The Solicitor General (oppositor) argued insufficient proof of petitioner’s belief in the principles underlying ...(Subscriber-Only)
Issues:
- Did petitioner demonstrate sufficient knowledge of English and Tagalog to meet the language requirement for naturalization?
- Did petitioner sufficiently show belief in the principles underlying the Constitution as required for ...(Subscriber-Only)
Ruling:
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Ratio:
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Doctrine:
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