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EN BANC

G.R. No. L-19502 April 29, 1966

IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION TO BE ADMITTED A CITIZEN OF THE PHILIPPINES.
PEDRO CO, petitioner-appellee, vs. REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES, oppositor-appellant.

Office of the Solicitor General Arturo A. Alafriz and Solicitor H. C. Fule, for oppositor-appellant.
De Leon, De Leon and N. V. Benedicto, Jr., for petitioner-appellee.

BENGZON, C.J.:chanrobles virtual law library

In this case, the Manila court of first instance approved the petition for naturalization of Pedro Co, a Chinese citizen married to Anita Lim. Its decision was in due time appealed by the Solicitor General, whose office questions the sufficiency of the qualifications of said petitioner, sustaining the proposition, among others, that he had no lucrative trade, profession or occupation.chanroblesvirtualawlibrarychanrobles virtual law library

It is admitted that for the past three years before the hearing, Pedro Co's average annual income was P2,320.00¹ only. In the light of our decisions, he is deemed to have no lucrative income, considering further that he has a wife to support.

1. Applicant, married, earning P400.00 a month held to have no lucrative trade or occupation (Yu Kian vs. Republic, L-20169, February 26, 1965).chanroblesvirtualawlibrarychanrobles virtual law library

2. Applicant, single, with P250.00 monthly income, denied naturalization for having no lucrative occupation (Uy vs. Republic, L-20799, November 29, 1965).chanroblesvirtualawlibrarychanrobles virtual law library

3. Applicant, single, with P3,600.00 annual income, denied naturalization for having no lucrative business, trade or occupation (Uy vs. Republic, L-20208, June 30, 1965).chanroblesvirtualawlibrarychanrobles virtual law library

4. See also Yap vs. Republic, L-19649, April 30, 1965, and Tan vs. Republic, L-20021, June 23, 1965.

Wherefore, without passing on the other objections of Republic's counsel, we hereby sustain this appeal, reverse decision a quo, and deny the petition for naturalization. Costs against appellee.

Bautista Angelo, Concepcion, Reyes, J.B.L., Barrera, Dizon, Regala, Makalintal, Bengzon, J.P. and Sanchez, JJ., concur.
Zaldivar, J., took no part.

Endnotes:

¹1959-P1800; 1959-P2160; 1960-P3000.