GR L 7545; (October, 1955) (Digest)
G.R. No. L-7545 October 25, 1955
SY CHIUCO alias SY CHIU, petitioner-appellant, vs. REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES, oppositor-appellee.
FACTS
Sy Chiuco, a 70-year-old native of Amoy, China, arrived in the Philippines in May 1894 and has resided continuously since. He is married to a Chinese national and has five children, with the two minors studying in a government-recognized private school. He is engaged in business, operating a cabaret in Quezon City and a tocua factory in Manila, and owns real property. He speaks Tagalog and has a working knowledge of Spanish, adheres to democratic principles, is not a polygamist, has no contagious diseases (though somewhat hard of hearing), has no criminal record, and is ready to renounce allegiance to China. Two prominent persons testified to his good moral character. The Court of First Instance of Quezon City denied his petition for naturalization.
ISSUE
Whether the trial court erred in denying Sy Chiuco’s petition for naturalization based on the grounds that: (1) his cabaret business does not speak well for an applicant and is not conducive to economic progress; (2) he is deaf; (3) he could not speak and write Spanish understandably; (4) he did not file his petition sooner despite long residence; and (5) his delayed filing casts doubt on his sincerity.
RULING
The Supreme Court reversed the trial court’s decision and allowed Sy Chiuco to become a Filipino citizen. On the first ground, the cabaret business is legal and licensed, and the judge’s personal opinion on it cannot control the applicant’s qualifications. On the second ground, hardness of hearing, common in old age, is not a disqualification, as he heard and answered questions intelligently. On the third ground, the record shows he testified intelligently in Spanish and his written Spanish sample was legible. On the fourth and fifth grounds, there is no law requiring an application to be filed within a specific period; his long residence is favorable and may exempt him from certain requirements, and it demonstrates familiarity with Filipino customs and principles. The court’s discretion in granting citizenship must be exercised within the clear limits of the law, which the applicant has complied with.