BELLIS VS BELLIS

20 scra 358
Nationality Principle

Amos Bellis was a citizen of the State of Texas, and of the United States. By his first wife whom
he divorced he had five legitimate children, by his second wife, who survived him, he had three
legitimate children, and three illegitimate children. Before he died, he made two wills, one
disposing of his Texas properties and the other disposing his Philippine properties. In both wills,
his illegitimate children were not given anything. The illegitimate children opposed the will on the
ground that they have been deprived of their legitimes to which they should be entitled, if
Philippine law were to be applied.

ISSUE: Whether or not the national law of the deceased should determine the successional
rights of the illegitimate children.

HELD: The Supreme Court held that the said children are not entitled to their legitimes under
the Texas Law, being the national law of the deceased, there are no legitimes.