ANTONIO CO VS. ELECTORAL TRIBUNAL footing.

Ong and his father are both considered to be natural born

G.R. No. 92191-92- July 30, 1991 citizens.

FACTS  Election will only be an issue under Section 2 of Article IV of the

Constitution accords natural born status to children born of Filipino
 The HRET declared that respondent Jose Ong, Jr. is a natural born mothers before January 17, 1973, IF they elect citizenship upon
Filipino citizen and a resident of Laoang, Northern Samar for voting reaching the age of majority.
purposes. Ong was one of the candidates along with petitioners Sixto
Balinquit and Antonio Co.
 Jose Ong Chuan was naturalized when Ong was 9 years old. Thus,
it would be unnecessary to have him formally or in writing elected
 Ong was proclaimed the duly elected representative of the second citizenship when he came of age.
district of Northern Samar. Petitioners filed election protests against
Ong on the ground that he is neither a natural born citizen of the
 An election of Philippine citizenship presupposes that the person
Philippines nor a resident of the second district of Northern Samar.
electing is an alien. Or his status is doubtful because he is a national
of two countries.
 The HRET ruled in favor of Ong. A motion for reconsideration was
filed by the petitioners, but was denied by the HRET. Hence, they
 There is no doubt in this case about Mr. Ong’s being a Filipino when
filed a petition for certiorari.
he turned twenty one (21).
ISSUE
PETITION DISMISSED
WON Jose Ong Jr. needed to elect citizenship upon reaching the age of
majority? NO

HELD

 Ong’s grandfather Ong Te, from China, established his residence in

the municipality of Laoang, Samar. Jose Ong Chuan, Ong’s father,
was brought to Samar and became a Filipino citizen after filing an
application for naturalization.

 Ong also married Filipina Desiree Lim, and as a registered voter in

Laoang Samar, voted in the 1984 and 1986 elections. Ong did more
than merely exercise his right of suffrage. He has established his life
here in the Philippines.

 Under the 1973 Constitution, those born of Filipino fathers and those
born of Filipino mothers with an alien father were placed on equal