US v PONS

FACTS:
● Gabino Beliso, Juan Pons, and Jacinto Lasarte were charged with the crime of illegal importation of opium
● Pons and his co-accused brought 520 tins containing 125 kg of opium (value of P62, 400) aboard Lopez y Lopez from
Spain
● Juan Pons and Gabino Beliso’s cases were tried separately
○ Each were found guilty of the crime charged and sentenced to be confined in the Bilibid Prison for 2 years, to
pay a fine of P1K, and to suffer corresponding subsidiary imprisonment in case of insolvency
○ Same penalties were imposed upon Beliso, but he was sentenced to pay a fine of P3K
● Jacinto Lasarte was not found by the authorities
● Beliso dropped the case, hence, the verdict upon him was rendered final
● Pons is assailing Act. 2381 under which he must be punished if found guilty, was passed on March 1, 1914 but the last
day of the Special Session of the Philippine Legislature for 1914 was on February 28, 1914
○ Act No. 2381 is null and void

ISSUE:
WON the courts may go behind the legislative journals for the purpose of determining the date of adjournment of the Legislature?

HELD:
No.
● It seems that the courts have 2 choices in determining the date of adjournment of the Philippine Legislature:
○ By extraneous evidence OR
○ By taking judicial notice of the legislative journals
● The court ruled that it will not go behind the legislature journals
○ It will take judicial notice of the legislative journals which showed that the Philippine Legislature did adjourn at
12mn on February 28, 1914
● The court believes that the validity of the Act is assumed to have been signed before this date
● The validity of the Act is not questioned by the Court
● The journals are conclusive on the Court and to question its truthfulness would be to violate both the letter and spirit of the
organic laws, to invade a coordinate and independent department of Government, and to interfere with the legitimate
powers and functions of the legislature