G.R. No. L-16767; June 30, 1965
IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION OF TAN NGA KOK TO BE ADMITTED A CITIZEN OF THE PHILIPPINES. TAN NGA KOK, petitioner-appellant, vs. REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES, oppositor-appellee.

FACTS

Tan Nga Kok, a Chinese citizen, appealed the decision of the Manila Court of First Instance denying his petition for naturalization as a Filipino citizen. The trial judge, Hon. Antonio Cañizares, found him not qualified due to material contradictions in his testimonial evidence concerning his age, alleged yearly income, and family affairs.

ISSUE

Whether the trial court correctly denied Tan Nga Kok’s petition for naturalization.

RULING

The Supreme Court affirmed the appealed decision, denying the petition. The Court found no abuse of discretion by the trial judge and identified two specific grounds for denial:
1. Insufficient Income: The appellant claimed a monthly income of P400. Even assuming this to be true, the Court, citing prior decisions, ruled that such an income did not constitute a lucrative occupation, as he had to support his mother, three brothers, and one sister.
2. Failure to Declare All Residences: The certificates and documents submitted by the petitioner referred to addresses at 676-680 Rizal Avenue, 680 Rizal Avenue, and 676 Rizal Avenue. However, in his petition and court testimony, he declared his residence as 666-B Rizal Avenue. This discrepancy either disproved his material allegations or demonstrated that he had multiple residences and failed to declare all of them in his declaration of intention and application, a sufficient ground for denial under existing jurisprudence.
Costs were imposed against the appellant.