Mon 24 Mar 2003

Digest: Aglipay v. Ruiz (GR 45459, 13 March 1937)

Posted by Berne Guerrero under (a) oas , digests

Aglipay v. Ruiz
GR 45459, 13 March 1937 (64 Phil 201)
First Division, Laurel (p): 5 concur.
Facts: In May 1936, the Director oI Posts announced in the dailies oI Manila that he would order the issuance oI
postage stamps commemorating the celebration in the City oI Manila oI the 33rd International Eucharistic Congress,
organized by the Roman Catholic Church. The petitioner, Mons. Gregorio Aglipay, Supreme Head oI the Philippine
Independent Church, in the IulIillment oI what he considers to be a civic duty, requested Vicente Sotto, Esq.,
member oI the Philippine Bar, to denounce the matter to the President oI the Philippines. In spite oI the protest oI
the petitioner`s attorney, the Director oI Posts publicly announced having sent to the United States the designs oI the
postage Ior printing. The said stamps were actually issued and sold though the greater part thereoI remained unsold.
The Iurther sale oI the stamps was sought to be prevented by the petitioner.
Issue: Whether the issuance oI the postage stamps was in violation oI the Constitution.
Held: Religious Ireedom as a constitutional mandate is not inhibition oI proIound reverence Ior religion and is not a
denial oI its inIluence in human aIIairs. Religion as a proIession oI Iaith to an active power that binds and elevates
man to his Creator is recognized. And, in so Iar as it instills into the minds the purest principles oI morality, its
inIluence is deeply Ielt and highly appreciated. When the Filipino people, in the preamble oI their Constitution,
implored 'the aid oI Divine Providence, in order to establish a government that shall embody their ideals, conserve
and develop the patrimony oI the nation, promote the general welIare, and secure to themselves and their posterity
the blessings oI independence under a regime oI justice, liberty and democracy, they thereby maniIested their
intense religious nature and placed unIaltering reliance upon Him who guides the destinies oI men and nations. The
elevating inIluence oI religion in human society is recognized here as elsewhere.
Act 4052 contemplates no religious purpose in view. What it gives the Director oI Posts is the discretionary power
to determine when the issuance oI special postage stamps would be 'advantageous to the Government. OI course,
the phrase 'advantageous to the Government does not authorize the violation oI the Constitution; i.e. to
appropriate, use or apply oI public money or property Ior the use, beneIit or support oI a particular sect or church. In
the case at bar, the issuance oI the postage stamps was not inspired by any sectarian Ieeling to Iavor a particular
church or religious denominations. The stamps were not issued and sold Ior the beneIit oI the Roman Catholic
Church, nor were money derived Irom the sale oI the stamps given to that church. The purpose oI the issuing oI the
stamps was to take advantage oI an event considered oI international importance to give publicity to the Philippines
and its people and attract more tourists to the country. Thus, instead oI showing a Catholic chalice, the stamp
contained a map oI the Philippines, the location oI the City oI Manila, and an inscription that reads 'Seat XXXIII
International Eucharistic Congress, Feb. 3-7, 1937.
The Supreme Court denied the petition Ior a writ oI prohibition, without pronouncement as to costs.