James Derick Dequia

Legal Writing
KILOSBAYAN vs Ermita
G! N" #$$$%#
&A'(S)
*a+ #,- %..$- res/"n0ent E1ecutive Secretar+ Ermita ann"unce0 an
a//"intment in 2av"r "2 res/"n0ent Greg"r+ S Ong as Ass"ciate Justice "2 t3e
Su/reme '"urt (3e a//"intment 4as re/"rte0 t3e 2"ll"4ing 0a+- *a+ #$- %..$
5"4ever- "n t3e 0a+ "2 t3e sai0 a//"intment- it 4as 6recalle07 8+ t3e *alacaang in
questi"n "2 Ong9s citi:ens3i/- an0 4as 8eing vali0ate0 8+ t3e Ju0icial an0 Bar '"uncil
;JB'<=
>etiti"ners c"nten0 t3at t3e a//"intment "2 Ong is /atentl+ unc"nstituti"nal an0
issue0 4it3 grave a8use "2 0iscreti"n am"unting t" lack "2 ?uris0icti"n >etiti"ners als"
claim t3at res/"n0ent Ong is a '3inese citi:en- as in0icate0 in 3is 8irt3 certi2icate-43ic3
als" reveals t3at at t3e time "2 res/"n0ent9s 8irt3 "n *a+ %@- #A@B- 3is /arents 4ere
'3inese
>etiti"ners maintain t3at even i2 it 4ere grante0 t3at eleven +ears a2ter
res/"n0ent Ong9s 8irt3 3is 2at3er 4as 2inall+ grante0 &ili/in" citi:ens3i/ 8+
naturali:ati"n- t3at- 8+ itsel2- 4"ul0 n"t make res/"n0ent Ong a naturalC8"rn &ili/in"
citi:en >etiti"ners t3ereu/"n /ra+ t3at a 4rit "2 certiorari 8e issue0 annulling t3e
a//"intment Su8sequentl+- /etiti"ners 2ile0 an Drgent *"ti"n 2"r t3e Issuance "2 a
(em/"rar+ !estraining Or0er ;(!O< t" /revent an0 restrain res/"n0ent E1ecutive
Secretar+ 2r"m releasing t3e a//"intment "2 res/"n0ent Ong (3e '"urt require0
res/"n0ents t" '"mment "n t3e /etiti"n in 43ic3 Ermita state0 t3at t3e a//"intment "2
res/"n0ent Ong 4as ma0e 8+ t3e >resi0ent /ursuant t" t3e /"4ers veste0 in 3er 8+
Article EIII- Secti"n A "2 t3e '"nstituti"n
In su//"rt- Ermita su8mits t3at #< (3e >resi0ent 0i0 n"t gravel+ a8use 3er
0iscreti"n as s3e a//"inte0 a /ers"n- 0ul+ n"minate0 8+ t3e JB' %< Ong is a naturalC
8"rn citi:en as 0etermine0 8+ t3e Bureau "2 Immigrati"n an0 a22irme0 8+ t3e
De/artment "2 Justice B< Dn0is/ute0 evi0ence 0iscl"se0 t3at res/"n0ent Ong is a
naturalC8"rn citi:en F< >etiti"ners are n"t entitle0 t" a tem/"rar+ restraining "r0er
!es/"n0ent Ong su8mitte0 3is '"mment 4it3 O//"siti"n- maintaining t3at 3e is
a naturalC8"rn &ili/in" citi:enG t3at /etiti"ners 3ave n" stan0ing t" 2ile t3e /resent suit
an0 t3e /etiti"ners 2aile0 t" inclu0e t3e >resi0ent 43" is an in0is/ensa8le /art+ as t3e
"ne 43" e1ten0e0 t3e a//"intment
!es/"n0ent Ong su8sequentl+ "8taine0 2r"m t3e Bureau "2 Immigrati"n an0 t3e
DOJ a certi2icati"n an0 an i0enti2icati"n t3at 3e is a naturalC8"rn &ili/in" citi:en un0er
Article IE- Secti"ns # an0 % "2 t3e '"nstituti"n- since 3is m"t3er 4as a &ili/in" citi:en
43en 3e 4as 8"rn
ISSDE
W3et3er "r n"t res/"n0ent Ong a naturalC8"rn &ili/in" citi:en
!DLING
Yes- res/"n0ent Ong is a naturali:e0 &ili/in" citi:en On t3is /"int- t3e '"urt
takes ?u0icial n"tice "2 t3e rec"r0s "2 Ong9s /etiti"n t" 8e a0mitte0 t" t3e >3ili//ine 8ar
In 3is /etiti"n t" 8e a0mitte0 t" t3e >3ili//ine 8ar- Ong allege0 t3at 3e is quali2ie0 t" 8e
a0mitte0 t" t3e >3ili//ine 8ar 8ecause 3e is a &ili/in" citi:enG an0 t3at 3e is a &ili/in"
citi:en 8ecause 3is 2at3er- Eugeni" Ong 5an Seng- a '3inese citi:en- 4as naturali:e0
in #A,F 43en 3e- res/"n0ent Ong- 4as a min"r "2 eleven +ears an0 t3us 3e- t""-
t3ere8+ 8ecame a &ili/in" citi:en It 4as "n t3e 8asis "2 t3ese allegati"ns un0er "at3
an0 t3e su8mitte0 evi0ence "2 naturali:ati"n t3at t3is '"urt all"4e0 res/"n0ent Ong t"
take t3e "at3 as a la4+er
It is clear- t3ere2"re- t3at 2r"m t3e rec"r0s "2 t3is '"urt- res/"n0ent Ong is a
naturali:e0 &ili/in" citi:en (3e allege0 su8sequent rec"gniti"n "2 3is naturalC8"rn
status 8+ t3e Bureau "2 Immigrati"n an0 t3e DOJ cann"t amen0 t3e 2inal 0ecisi"n "2 t3e
trial c"urt stating t3at res/"n0ent Ong an0 3is m"t3er 4ere naturali:e0 al"ng 4it3 3is
2at3er
Eilan0" vs 5!E(
G! N"s #A%#F$ H #A%#FA
&A'(S
In t3e *a+ #F- %..$ electi"ns- Limkaic3"ng 2ile0 3er certi2icate "2 can0i0ac+ 2"r
t3e /"siti"n "2 !e/resentative "2 t3e &irst District "2 Negr"s Oriental S3e 4"n "ver t3e
"t3er c"nten0er- Olivia >aras On Jul+ %B- %..$- s3e assume0 "22ice as *em8er "2 t3e
5"use "2 !e/resentatives (3erea2ter- /etiti"ns t3at questi"ne0 Limkaic3"ng9s
citi:ens3i/ 4ere 2ile0 8+ 3er 0etract"rs) L"uis Bira"g"- Olivia >aras an0 !enal0 &
Eilan0" (3ese /etiti"ns 4ere c"ns"li0ate0 4it3 t3e /etiti"n 2"r certi"rari 2ile0 8+
Limkaic3"ng assailing t3e J"int !es"luti"n issue0 8+ t3e 'O*ELE' 43ic3 res"lve0 t3e
0isquali2icati"n cases against 3er

On A/ril #- %..A- t3e '"urt grante0 t3e a2"resai0 /etiti"n "2 Limkaic3"ng-
reverse0 t3e J"int !es"luti"n "2 t3e '"melec- 0ismisse0 t3e t3ree ;B< "t3er /etiti"ns-
an0 0irecte0 t3e /etiti"ners t" seek relie2 8e2"re t3e 5!E( 8+ 4a+ "2 a /etiti"n 2"r Quo
Warranto

On A/ril %#- %..A an0 *a+ %$- %..A- /etiti"ner Eilan0" as ta1/a+erG an0 Jacint"
>aras- as registere0 v"ter "2 t3e c"ngressi"nal 0istrict c"ncerne0- 2ile0 se/arate
/etiti"ns 2"r Quo Warranto against Limkaic3"ng 8e2"re t3e 5!E( >etiti"ners asserte0
t3at Limkaic3"ng 4as a '3inese citi:en an0 ineligi8le 2"r t3e "22ice s3e 4as electe0
(3e+ allege0 t3at s3e 4as 8"rn t" a 2at3er ;Juli" S+<- 43"se naturali:ati"n 3a0 n"t
attaine0 2inalit+- an0 t" a m"t3er 43" acquire0 t3e '3inese citi:ens3i/ "2 Juli" S+ 2r"m
t3e time "2 3er marriage t" t3e latter

&"r 3er 0e2ense- Limkaic3"ng maintaine0 t3at s3e is a naturalC8"rn &ili/in"
citi:en S3e averre0 t3at t3e acquisiti"n "2 >3ili//ine citi:ens3i/ 8+ 3er 2at3er 4as
regular an0 in "r0er an0 3a0 alrea0+ attaine0 t3e status "2 res judicata &urt3er- s3e
claime0 t3at t3e vali0it+ "2 suc3 citi:ens3i/ c"ul0 n"t 8e assaile0 t3r"ug3 a c"llateral
attack On *arc3 %F- %.#.- t3e 5!E( 0ismisse0 8"t3 /etiti"ns an0 0eclare0
Limkaic3"ng n"t 0isquali2ie0 as *em8er "2 t3e 5"use "2 !e/resentatives (3e
/etiti"ners s"ug3t rec"nsi0erati"n "2 t3e a2"resai0 0ecisi"n- 8ut it 4as 0enie0 8+ t3e
5!E( in its !es"luti"n 0ate0 *a+ #$- %.#. 5ence- t3is /etiti"n 2"r certi"rari 2ile0 8+
Eilan0"
ISSDE
W3et3er "r n"t 5!E( erre0 in 2av"ring t3e quali2icati"n "2 Limkaic3"ng9s
citi:ens3i/

!DLING

N"- t3e '"urt is "2 t3e vie4 t3at t3e 5!E( c"mmitte0 n" grave a8use "2
0iscreti"n in 2in0ing t3at Limkaic3"ng is n"t 0isquali2ie0 t" sit as *em8er "2 t3e 5"use
"2 !e/resentatives Eilan0"9s argument- t3at t3e /etiti"n 0"es n"t "/erate as a
c"llateral attack "n t3e citi:ens3i/ "2 Limkaic3"ng9s 2at3er as t3e certi2icate "2
naturali:ati"n is null an0 v"i0 2r"m t3e 8eginning- is "2 n" merit
In t3is /etiti"n- Eilan0" seeks t" 0isquali2+ Limkaic3"ng "n t3e gr"un0 t3at s3e is
a '3inese citi:en (" /r"ve 3is /"int- 3e makes re2erence t" t3e allege0 nullit+ "2 t3e
grant "2 naturali:ati"n "2 Limkaic3"ng9s 2at3er 43ic3- 3"4ever- is n"t all"4e0 as it 4"ul0
c"nstitute a c"llateral attack "n t3e citi:ens3i/ "2 t3e 2at3er In "ur ?uris0icti"n- an attack
"n a /ers"nIs citi:ens3i/ ma+ "nl+ 8e 0"ne t3r"ug3 a 0irect acti"n 2"r its nullit+ Eilan0"
asserts t3at as an inci0ent in 0etermining t3e eligi8ilit+ "2 Limkaic3"ng- t3e
5!E(- 3aving t3e ?uris0icti"n t" 0etermine 3er quali2icati"ns- can /ass u/"n t3e e22icac+
"2 t3e certi2icate "2 naturali:ati"n
!ec"r0s 0iscl"se t3at Limkaic3"ng 4as 8"rn in Dumaguete 'it+ "n N"vem8er A-
#A@A In0u8ita8l+- 4it3 Limkaic3"ng9s 2at3er 3aving 8een c"n2erre0 t3e status as a
naturali:e0 &ili/in"- it 2"ll"4s t3at s3e is a &ili/in" citi:en 8"rn t" a &ili/in" 2at3er

Even "n t3e assum/ti"n t3at t3e naturali:ati"n /r"cee0ings an0 t3e su8sequent
issuance "2 certi2icate "2 naturali:ati"n 4ere invali0- Limkaic3"ng can still 8e c"nsi0ere0
a naturalC8"rn &ili/in" citi:en 3aving 8een 8"rn t" a &ili/in" m"t3er an0 3aving im/lie0l+
electe0 &ili/in" citi:ens3i/ 43en s3e reac3e0 ma?"rit+ age (3e 5!E( is- t3us- c"rrect
in 0eclaring t3at Limkaic3"ng is a naturalC8"rn &ili/in" citi:en Eilan0"9s asserti"n
t3at Limkaic3"ng cann"t 0erive >3ili//ine citi:ens3i/ 2r"m 3er m"t3er 8ecause t3e
latter 8ecame a '3inese citi:en 43en s3e marrie0 Juli" S+- as /r"vi0e0 2"r un0er
Secti"n # ;$< "2 '"mm"n4ealt3 Act N" ,B in relati"n t" Article % ;#< '3a/ter II "2 t3e
'3inese !evise0 Nati"nalit+ La4 "2 &e8ruar+ @- #A@A- must like4ise 2ail

As a/tl+ /"inte0 "ut 8+ t3e 5!E(- Eilan0" 4as n"t a8le t" "22er in evi0ence a 0ul+
certi2ie0 true c"/+ "2 t3e allege0 '3inese !evise0 La4 "2 Nati"nalit+ t" /r"ve t3at
Limkaic3"ng9s m"t3er in0ee0 l"st 3er >3ili//ine citi:ens3i/ Eeril+- Eilan0" 2aile0 t"
esta8lis3 3is case t3r"ug3 c"m/etent an0 a0missi8le evi0ence t" 4arrant a reversal "2
t3e 5!E( ruling