ADMINISTRATIVE LAW | VIVO V. MONTESA G.R. No. L-24576, JULY 29, 1968
VIVO V. MONTESA
G.R. No.
L-24576, JULY 29, 1968
TOPIC/DOCTRINE
Section 1
(3), Article III of the Constitution, we perceive, does not require judicial
intervention in the execution of a final order of deportation issued in
accordance with law. But the
issuance of warrants of arrest by the Commissioners of Immigration, solely for
purposes of investigation and before a final order of deportation is issued,
conflicts with paragraph 3, Section 1, of Article III (Bill of Rights) of our
Constitution.
FACTS
The
private respondents Juan, Pedro, Julio, Marcelo, Jose, Manuel and Benito, all
surnamed "Calacday" arrived in the Philippines from Hongkong, the
first four on 18 November 1959, and the last three on 6 December 1959. After
investigation, a board of special inquiry found them to be the legitimate sons of a
Filipino citizen, one Isaac Calacday, and thus admitted them into this country.
Sometime
in February, 1963, however, Isaac Calacday confessed before an immigration
official that the seven respondents were not his sons. He retracted his
confession in March, 1963, in an investigation in the Department of Justice,
with the explanation that, in a fit of anger, he disclaimed, under oath,
paternity of the respondents because they refused to give him money
On
9 May 1963, Commissioner of Immigration Martiniano Vivo issued warrants of
arrest against the herein private respondents, stating in said warrants their
deportability under Section 37 (a) (1) and Section 37 (a) (2) in relation to
Section 29(a) (17) of the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940, as amended, for
having entered the Philippines "by means of false and misleading statements
and that they were not lawfully admissible at the time of entry, not being
properly documented for admission." The warrants directed any immigration
office or officer of the law to bring the respondents before the Commissioner,
for them to show cause, if any there be, why they should not be deported. Manuel
Calacday was subsequently arrested. The others remained at large.
On 27 May 1965, the respondent court, resolving the issue
only of "whether the respondent Acting Commissioner of Immigration
(therein petitioner) can summarily order the arrest and deportation of the
petitioners (therein respondents) ..., without giving them a chance to be heard
as Filipino citizens", and relying on the case of Commissioner of Immigration vs. Fernandez, et al., L-22696, 29 May 1964, issued the order, now being
questioned before this Court.
ISSUE
Whether the arrest
warrant was validly issued.
RULING
No.
The
court ruled that it agree with petitioning
Commissioner that the court below is without jurisdiction to restrain the
deportation proceedings of respondents Calacdays.These proceedings are within
the jurisdiction of the Immigration authorities under Sections 28 and 37 of the
Philippine Immigration Act (C.A. No. 613). That jurisdiction is not tolled by a
claim of Filipino citizenship, where the Commissioner or Commissioners have reliable
evidence to the contrary; and said officers should be given opportunity to
determine the issue of citizenship before the courts interfere in the exercise
of the power of judicial review of administrative decisions.
Here, the
court noted that it is clear from the order complained of that the court below
misapprehended the import of the warrants issued by the Commissioner herein.
Said warrants required the respondents to be brought to the immigration
authorities, not to be deported, but
"to show cause, if any there be, why he should not be deported from the
Philippines", as expressly recited therein. There was no case of
"summarily arresting and deporting" the respondents Calacdays, as
unwarrantedly assumed by the court below. Nevertheless, we are of the
opinion that, the issuance of warrants
of arrest by the Commissioners of Immigration, solely for purposes of
investigation and before a final order of deportation is issued, conflicts with
paragraph 3, Section 1, of Article III (Bill of Rights) of our Constitution.
It will be noted that the power to determine probable cause for warrants of
arrest is limited by the Philippine Constitution to judge exclusively. The
Constitution does not distinguish between warrants in a criminal case and
administrative warrants in administrative proceedings.