GR L 20992; (May, 1966) (Digest)
G.R. No. L-20992, May 14, 1966
IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION OF KOCK TEE YAP alias UY KOC TE TO BE ADMITTED A CITIZEN OF THE PHILIPPINES. KOCK TEE YAP alias UY KOC TE, petitioner and appellee, vs. REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES, oppositor and appellant.
FACTS
The petitioner, Kock Tee Yap alias Uy Koc Te, a citizen of Nationalist China, was born in Bunawan, Davao City, Philippines, on June 9, 1936. He is single and had resided continuously in the Philippines for twenty-five years, including at least one year in Davao City prior to filing his petition for naturalization. He was employed as a salesman at O.D Commercial in Davao City with a monthly salary of P300.00 and had been using the names Kock Tee Yap, Uy Koc Te, and Yap Kock Tee. The Court of First Instance of Davao granted his petition, finding he possessed all qualifications and no disqualifications. The Republic appealed, contending the petitioner lacked a lucrative income and had not conducted himself in a proper and irreproachable manner due to his unauthorized use of alias names.
ISSUE
1. Whether the petitioner has a lucrative trade or profession.
2. Whether the petitioner conducted himself in a proper and irreproachable manner, given his use of multiple names without legal authorization.
RULING
The Supreme Court reversed the lower court’s decision and denied the petition for naturalization.
1. On the first issue, the Court held that a single applicant earning P300.00 a month did not have a lucrative trade or profession, considering the prevailing low buying power of the Philippine currency.
2. On the second issue, the Court found the petitioner violated Commonwealth Act No. 142 , which prohibits the unauthorized use of an alias name. His alien certificate of registration, certificate of residence, and certificate of nationality showed his name only as “Kock Tee Yap.” However, he used “Uy Koc Te” exclusively in his school records and “Yap Kock Tee” exclusively in his income tax returns and statements of assets and liabilities, without indicating his other names. He also adjusted his signature to match the name on each document. Unlike in People vs. Uy Jui Pio, the petitioner did not use his alias names alongside his official name. This practice constituted an unauthorized use of aliases, indicated a lack of proper and irreproachable conduct, and raised suspicion about his motives, rendering him unworthy of Philippine citizenship.