52 to reiterate the intention of the legislature in

and affinity to the customs and traditions.
52
To reiterate, the
intention of the legislature in enacting R.A. No. 9139 was to
make the process of acquiring Philippine citizenship less
tedious, less technical and more encouraging which is
administrative rather than judicial in nature.
A naturalization proceeding is not a judicial adversary
proceeding, and the decision rendered therein does not
constitute res judicata . A certificate of naturalization may be
cancelled if it is subsequently discovered that the applicant
obtained it by misleading the court upon any material fact.
Law and jurisprudence even authorize the cancellation of a
certificate of naturalization upon grounds or conditions
arising subsequent to the granting of the certificate.
59
If the
government can challenge a final grant of citizenship, with
more reason can it appeal the decision of the RTC within the
reglementary period despite its failure to oppose the
petition before the lower court.
IN LIGHT OF ALL THE FOREGOING, the petition is DENIED for
lack of merit.
D. Loss and Reacquisition of Philippine Citizenship
– C.A. 63
1. Loss of citizenship
a. By naturalization in a foreign country
i) However, this is modified by R.A. 9225, entitled An Act
Making
the Citizenship of Philippine Citizens Who Acquire Foreign
Cititzenship Permanent (which took effect September 17,
Constitutional Law 1 based on the syllabus of Atty. Remoroza 2018-
2019
98

Merzy’s Notes Prelim Exam
2003), which declares the policy of the State that all
Philippine citizens who become citizens of another country
shall be deemed not to have lost their Philippine citizenship
under the conditions of this Act.
ii) Natural-born citizens of the Philippines who have lost their
Philippine citizenship by reason of their naturalization as
citizens of a foreign country are deemed to have reacquired
Philippine citizenship upon taking the following oath of
allegiance to the Republilc: 7
iii) Natural-born citizens of the Philippines who, after the
effectivity
of this Act, become citizens of a foreign country shall retain
their Philippine
citizenship upon taking the aforesaid oath [Sec. 3, R.A.
9225].
iv) The unmarried child, whether legitimate, illegitimate or
adopted,
below 18 years of age, of those who reacquire Philippine
citizenship upon the effectivity of this Act shall be deemed
citizens of the Philippines
v) Those who retain or reacquire Phiilippine citizenship
under this
Act shall enjoy full civil and political rights and be subject to
all attendant liabilities
and responsibilities under existing laws of the Philippines
and the following conditions:
va) Those intending to exercise their right of suffrage must
meet
the requirements under Sec. 1, Art. V of the Constitution,
R.A. 9189, otherwise known as “The Overseas Absentee
Voting Act of 2003” and other existing laws;
vb) Those seeking elective public office in the Philippines
shall
meet the qualifications for holding such public office as
required by the Constitution and existing laws and, at the
time of the filing of the certificate of candidacy, make a