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ISSUE: Whether or not holding of the petitioners by reason of US Army, and its Intelligence
Department investigation that petitioners are involved in espionage during occupation is valid
notwithstanding that some of the petitioners are Filipino Citizens.
HELD: SC Held , there is no question that the power of the power of the Commander in Chief
of the United States Army to issue the foregoing proclamation cannot be seriously questioned
effects. Reason of the restraint of petitioners were upon two grave reasons, to wit, (1) that
evidence was before him "that certain citizens of the Philippines voluntarily have given aid,
comfort and sustenance to the enemy in violation of allegiance due the Government of the
United States and the Commonwealth of the Philippines;" and (2) that "military necessity
requires that such persons be removed from any opportunity to threaten the security of our
military forces or the success of our military operations." The exigencies of the military
operations for the destruction or defeat the enemy did not permit of any other procedure. To
deny such power or competency to determine the strength and sufficiency of such evidence
would have been destructive of that military efficiency with which, in the interest of all the
citizens of the Philippines themselves, not excluding the herein petitioners, the operations for
their liberation had to be conducted. Has the war terminated within the meaning of that part
of his proclamation wherein the Commander in Chief declared his purpose to hold such
persons in restraint "for the duration of the war"? The Sc decided, it did not as there was no
Presidential proclamation to that effect. The Court said in United States vs. Tubig (3 Phil.,
244, 254),