IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION OF ALFONSO R. LIM SO, TO BE ADMITTED A CITIZEN OF THE PHILIPPINES. ALFONSO R. LIM SO, PETITIONER AND APPELLEE VS. REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES OPPOS…

This is a case of naturalization. The applicant has proven to the satisfaction of the trial court that he was born in China in 1894, came to the Philippines in 1912 as a Chinese merchant, and for almost forty years has continuously resided here; that he married a Filipina and by her had two children now both of age and educated in the public elementary and intermediate schools and in private secondary schools; that at present he is engaged in business and owns lands valued at more than P10,000; and that he speaks the Cebuano dialect and can write it as well as a little English and Spanish. The lower court has also found that in accordance with the provisions of section 10 of Commonwealth Act 473, as amended, otherwise known as the Revised Naturalization Law, the applicant has all the qualifications required of an applicant for naturalization without any of the disqualifications, and that he has complied with all the requisites established by the same, and so has granted the application, declaring him eligible to become a naturalized Filipino citizen.

The Solicitor General who opposed the application, while admitting the qualifications of the applicant for Philippine citizenship, nevertheless appeals from the decision of the lower court only on the ground that said applicant is not in a position to renounce his Chinese nationality effectively for the reason that according to article 11, Chapter III of the Chinese Law of Nationality, a Chinese citizen may renounce said citizenship only with the permission of the Chinese Ministry of Interior. We have already held in several cases (Parado vs. Republic of the Philippines,^[1] 47 Off. Gaz., Supp. (12), 19; King vs. Republic of the Philippines,^[2] G. R. No. L-2687, promulgated May 23, 1951, and Johnny Chausintek vs. Republic of the Philippines,^[3] G. R. No. 2755, promulgated May 18, 1951) that said permission from the Chinese Ministry of Interior is not required in our law as a condition precedent to naturalization. In justice to the Government counsel it may be stated that these decisions were promulgated after he had perfected his appeal and even after the preparation of his brief.

Finding the decision appealed from to be in conformity with law, the same is hereby affirmed without pronouncement as to costs.   So ordered.

Paras, C. J., Feria, Pablo, Bengzon, Tuason and Jugo, JJ., concur.

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^[1] 86 Phil., 840.

[2] Supra, p. 4.

^[3] 88 Phil., 717.