Republic of the Philippines
SUPREME COURT
Manila
EN BANC
G.R. No. L-15313 March 25, 1961
PISINGAN CHIONG, petitioner-appellant,
vs.
REPUBLIC THE PHILIPPINES, oppositor-appellee.
BENGZON, Actg. C.J.:
By its decision of January 31, 1956, the Zamboanga court of first instance granted the petition for naturalization of Pisingan Chiong. The local City Attorney appealed; but this Court approved the grant on April 16, 1958.
On September 22, 1958, Pisingan Chiong moved that he be allowed to take the corresponding oath. The City Attorney opposed, because the two years provided in Re public Act 530 had not yet elapsed from April 1958. The petitioner replied that the two-year period should be counted from January 1956 when the Zamboanga court promulgated its decision.
After hearing the parties, the Hon. Gregorio D. Montejo Judge, denied the petition, in line with the ruling of this Supreme Court in Republic v. Makalintal, 48 Off. Gaz. 4346.
Pisingan Chiong brought up the matter on appeal.
His Honor acted correctly. The Makalintal ruling has been impliedly followed by Uy vs. Republic, 52 Off. Gaz. 5874. We see no reason to change or modify the doctrine enunciated therein.
Affirmed, with costs against appellant.
Padilla, Bautista Angelo, Labrador, Concepcion, Reyes, J.B.L., Barrera, Paredes and Dizon, JJ., concur.