AGLIPAY VS.

RUIZ

GR NO. L-45459

MARCH 13, 1937

FACTS:

In May 1936, the 33rd International Eucharistic Congress was held in Manila and was organized by the Roman
Catholic Church. Regarding this matter, the respondent, Juan Ruiz, who is the Director of Posts, initiated to
produce and sell postage stamps with a particular design. These postage stamps will be produced and sold in
commemoration of the said event.

Meanwhile, the petitioner, Msgr. Gregorio Aglipay, the head of the Philippine Independent Church that time,
criticized the production and sale of the stamps. The petitioner contends that the fund being used for the said
production was from the public money. Thus, Aglipay raised his concern to Vicente Sotto, a member of the
Philippine Bar, to denounce the matter to the President of the Philippines. But despite the protest of the
petitioner’s lawyer, the respondent publicly announced having sent to the United States the designs of such
postage stamps.

Ruiz was alleged to violate the provisions of Section 23, Subsection 3, Article VI of the Philippine Constitution.
The mentioned provision prohibits the appropriation or usage of public money for the use or benefit of any
church or denomination.

ISSUE:

Whether or not the production and sale of the postage stamps violates the Constitution.

HELD:

No, the production and sale of the postage stamps does not violate the Constitution. As a matter of fact, what
was being emphasized on the stamps was not the 33 rd International Eucharistic Congress itself, but rather the
City of Manila as being the seat of the said congress.

Act No. 4052 contemplates no religious purpose in view. What it gives the Director of Posts is the discretionary
power to determine when the issuance of special postage stamps would be “advantageous to the Government.”
And the phrase “advantageous to the government” does not authorize violation of the Constitution. It does not
authorize the appropriation, use or application of public money or property for the use, benefit or support of a
particular sect or church. In the present case, however, the issuance of the postage stamps in question by the
Director of Posts and the Secretary of Public Works and Communications was not inspired by any sectarian
denomination. The stamps were not issued and sold for the benefit of the Roman Catholic Church. Nor were
money derived from the sale of the stamps given to that church.