Title
People vs. Lagman
Case
G.R. No. 45892
Decision Date
Jul 13, 1938
Appellants refused military registration under the National Defense Law, claiming personal hardships. Supreme Court upheld the law's constitutionality, ruling personal circumstances do not exempt citizens from compulsory service.

Case Digest (G.R. No. 223099)
Expanded Legal Reasoning Model

Facts:

  • Parties and Procedural History
    • Appellants: Tranquilino Lagman and Primitivo de Sosa, Filipino citizens who reached age twenty in 1936.
    • Plaintiff: The People of the Philippines, prosecuting under Commonwealth Act No. 1 (National Defense Law), Section 60.
  • Allegations and Evidence
    • Appellants were notified to register for military service between April 1 and 7, 1936, before the Acceptance Board.
    • Despite these notices, neither appellant had registered by the date the information was filed.
  • Defenses Raised
    • Primitivo de Sosa claimed he was fatherless and needed to support his mother and eight-year-old brother.
    • Tranquilino Lagman claimed he was the sole support of his father and had no military leanings or desire to kill or be killed.
  • Trial Court Decision
    • The Court of First Instance found both appellants guilty of violating Section 60, Commonwealth Act No. 1.
    • Sentences: one month and one day of imprisonment, plus costs. Appeals were then filed.

Issues:

  • Constitutionality of Conscription
    • Whether compulsory military service under Section 60 of Commonwealth Act No. 1 violates Section 2, Article II of the Constitution.
  • Validity of Personal Hardship Defenses
    • Whether family-support obligations or personal convictions excuse failure to register.

Ruling:

  • (Subscriber-Only)

Ratio:

  • (Subscriber-Only)

Doctrine:

  • (Subscriber-Only)

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