GR L 5253; (February, 1954) (Digest)
G.R. No. L-5253; February 22, 1954
SANTIAGO NG, petitioner-appellant, vs. REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES, oppositor-appellee.
FACTS
On October 29, 1949, Santiago Ng filed a petition for naturalization as a Filipino citizen with the Court of First Instance of Marinduque. The petition was not accompanied by a declaration of intention filed one year prior, as required by law. The petitioner was born on May 29, 1927, in Boac, Marinduque, to Chinese citizen parents. He was single, 22 years old, a lifelong resident of Boac, of good moral character, and a trained mechanic with a lucrative occupation. He completed primary and elementary education and the first and second years of high school. After second year high school, he entered and graduated from the National Radio School and Institute of Technology in Manila on May 23, 1948. The trial court denied his petition, ruling that he was not exempt from the requirement of filing a prior declaration of intention because he did not complete his secondary education. The court found that his vocational course was not equivalent to the third and fourth years of high school, as the subjects and required hours differed, and cultural training in high school was emphasized over the scientific and practical training of the vocational course. The petitioner appealed, claiming exemption under Section 6 of the Naturalization Law.
ISSUE
Whether or not Santiago Ng is exempt from the requirement of filing a declaration of intention one year prior to his petition for naturalization under Section 6 of the Naturalization Law, on the ground of having received his primary and secondary education in schools recognized by the Government.
RULING
No. The Supreme Court affirmed the trial court’s decision denying the petition. The Court held that the petitioner did not complete his secondary education as required by Section 6 of the Revised Naturalization Law for exemption from filing a declaration of intent. His vocational course at the National Radio School and Institute of Technology was not equivalent to the third and fourth years of high school. The Court emphasized that the law must be strictly complied with, and courts have no authority to modify the statutory requirements for naturalization. Since the petitioner failed to file the required declaration of intention and did not qualify for the exemption, his petition was properly denied.