Email & Phone already exists check - codeigniter (Model & Controller) - php

Question

I have been creating API for Mobile App. My Task is to check whether email / phone no already exists. If so i should display the error as "Already Exist".
../models/Model_api.php
public function customer_email_check($customer_email){
$customer_email = $this->input->post('customer_email');
$this->db->where('customer_email', $customer_email);
$result = $this->db->get('customers_info');
if($result->num_rows() > 0){
/*
* the email already exists
* */
return false;
}
}
public function customer_phoneno_check($customer_phone_no){
$customer_phone_no = $this->input->post('customer_phone_no');
$this->db->where('customer_phone_no', $customer_phone_no);
$result = $this->db->get('customers_info');
if($result->num_rows() > 0){
/*
* the phone already exists
* */
return false;
}
}
../controllers/Api.php
public function customer_register_api(){
$path = $_FILES['customer_image']['name'];
$path_tmp = $_FILES['customer_image']['tmp_name'];
$final_name = $path;
move_uploaded_file( $path_tmp, './public/images/customers/'.$final_name );
$customer_name = $_POST['customer_name'];
$customer_image = $final_name;
$customer_address = $_POST['customer_address'];
$customer_city = $_POST['customer_city'];
$customer_state = $_POST['customer_state'];
$customer_pincode = $_POST['customer_pincode'];
$customer_phone_no = $_POST['customer_phone_no'];
$customer_email = $_POST['customer_email'];
$customer_password = md5($_POST['customer_password']);
$status = $_POST['status'];
//$existent_phoneno = $this->Model_api->existent_phoneno($this->input->post('customer_phone_no'));
//$existent_email = $this->Model_api->existent_email($this->input->post('customer_email'));
$customer_email_check = $this->Model_api->customer_email_check();
$customer_phoneno_check = $this->Model_api->customer_phoneno_check();
if(!$customer_name || !$customer_image || !$customer_address || !$customer_city || !$customer_state || !$customer_pincode || !$customer_phone_no || !$customer_email || !$customer_password || !$status){
//$this->response("Enter complete Product information to save", 400);
echo json_encode (
array(
"status"=>'false',
"error"=>'All Fields are Mandatory',
));
}elseif ($customer_email_check === 1) {
//elseif (!empty($existent_phoneno) || ($existent_email)) {
echo json_encode (
array(
"status"=>'false',
"error"=>'Email Already Exists',
));
}elseif ($customer_phoneno_check === 1) {
//elseif (!empty($existent_phoneno) || ($existent_email)) {
echo json_encode (
array(
"status"=>'false',
"error"=>'Phone Already Exists',
));
}else{
$result = $this->Model_api->add_customer(array("customer_name"=>$customer_name, "customer_image"=>$customer_image, "customer_address"=>$customer_address, "customer_city"=>$customer_city, "customer_state"=>$customer_state, "customer_pincode"=>$customer_pincode, "customer_phone_no"=>$customer_phone_no, "customer_email"=>$customer_email, "customer_password"=>$customer_password, "status"=>$status));
if($result === 0){
echo json_encode (
array(
"status"=>'false',
//"Seller Details"=>$query->result(),
));
}else{
//$this->response("success", 200);
echo json_encode (
array(
"status"=>'true',
"message"=>'Customer Registered Successfully',
//"Seller Details"=>$result->result(),
));
}
}
}
if the functions customer_phoneno_check & customer_email_check at Model_Api.php returns false i need to show the response saying already exist which is at ../controllers/Api.php using function customer_register_api()
Table : customers_info
Keys : customer_email & customer_phone_no