United States vs Juan Pons, 31 Phil 729 34 Phil. 729 – Political Law – Journal – Conclusiveness of the Journals Juan Pons and Gabino Beliso were trading partners. On April 5, 1914, the steamer Lopez y Lopez arrived in Manila from Spain and it contained 25 barrels of wine. The said barrels of wine were delivered to Beliso. Beliso subsequently delivered 5 barrels to Pons’ house. On the other hand, the customs authorities noticed that the said 25 barrels listed as wine on record were not delivered to any listed merchant (Beliso not being one). And so the customs officers conducted an investigation thereby discovering that the 25 barrels of wine actually contained tins of opium. Since the act of trading and dealing opium is against Act No. 2381, Pons and Beliso were charged for illegally and fraudulently importing and introducing such contraband material to the Philippines. Pons appealed the sentence arguing that Act 2381 was approved while the Philippine Commission (Congress) was not in session. He said that his witnesses claim that the said law was passed/approved on 01 March 1914 while the special session of the Commission was adjourned at 12MN on February 28, 1914. Since this is the case, Act 2381 should be null and void. ISSUE: Whether or not the SC must go beyond the recitals of the Journals to determine if Act 2381 was indeed made a law on February 28, 1914. HELD: The SC looked into the Journals to ascertain the date of adjournment but the SC refused to go beyond the recitals in the legislative Journals. The said Journals are conclusive on the Court and to inquire into the veracity of the journals of the Philippine Legislature, when they are, as the SC have said, clear and explicit, would be to violate both the letter and the spirit of the organic laws by which the Philippine Government was brought into existence, to invade a coordinate and independent department of the Government, and to interfere with the legitimate powers and functions of the Legislature. Pons’ witnesses cannot be given due weight against the conclusiveness of the Journals which is an act of the legislature. The journals say that the Legislature adjourned at 12 midnight on February 28, 1914. This settles the question, and the court did not err in declining to go beyond these journals. The SC passed upon the conclusiveness of the enrolled bill in this particular case.
United States vs Juan Pons, 31 Phil 72934 Phil. 729 Political
Law Journal Conclusiveness of the JournalsJuan Pons and Gabino
Beliso were trading partners. On April 5, 1914, thesteamer Lopez y
Lopez arrived in anila !rom "pain and it #ontained $5barrels o!
wine. %he said barrels o! wine were delivered to Beliso.
Belisosubse&uentl' delivered 5 barrels to Pons( house. On the
other hand, the#ustoms authorities noti#ed that the said$5 barrels
listedas wine onre#ord were not delivered to an' listed mer#hant
)Beliso not being one*.And so the #ustoms o+#ers #ondu#ted an
investigation thereb'dis#overing that the $5 barrels o! wine
a#tuall' #ontained tins o! opium."in#e the a#t o! trading and
dealing opium is against A#t ,o. $-.1, PonsandBelisowere#harged!or
illegall'and!raudulentl'importingandintrodu#ing su#h #ontraband
material to the Philippines. Pons appealedthe senten#e arguing that
A#t $-.1 was approved while the Philippine/ommission )/ongress* was
not in session. 0e said that his witnesses#laim that the said law
was passed1approved on 21 ar#h 1914 whilethe spe#ial session o! the
/ommissionwas ad3ourned at 1$,on4ebruar' $., 1914. "in#e this is
the #ase, A#t $-.1 should be null andvoid.ISSUE: 5hether or not the
"/ must go be'ond the re#itals o! the Journals todetermine i! A#t
$-.1 was indeed made a law on 4ebruar' $., 1914.HELD: %he "/ loo6ed
into the Journals to as#ertain the date o! ad3ournment butthe "/
re!used to go be'ond the re#itals in the legislative Journals.
%hesaid Journals are #on#lusive on the /ourtand to in&uire into
the vera#it'o! the 3ournals o! the Philippine 7egislature, when
the' are, as the "/have said, #lear and e8pli#it, would be to
violate both the letter and thespirit o! theorgani# laws
b'whi#hthePhilippineGovernment wasbrought into e8isten#e, to invade
a #oordinate and independentdepartment o! theGovernment,
andtointer!erewiththelegitimatepowers and!un#tions o!
the7egislature. Pons( witnesses #annot begiven due weight against
the #on#lusiveness o! the Journals whi#h is ana#t o! the
legislature. %he 3ournals sa' that the 7egislature ad3ourned
at1$midnight on 4ebruar'$.,1914.%hissettles the&uestion,
andthe#ourt didnot err inde#liningtogobe'ondthese3ournals.
%he"/passed uponthe#on#lusivenesso! theenrolledbill
inthisparti#ular#ase.
