LAWYERS

 LEAGUE  FOR  A  BETTER  PHILIPPINES  vs.  AQUINO  

TOPIC:  De  Jure  Government  
 
(G.R.  No.  73748  -­‐  May  22,  1986)    
 
 
Petitioner:  Lawyers  League  for  a  Better  Philippines  
Respondent:  President  Corazon  C.  Aquino,  Et  Al.  
Deciding  Body:  En  Banc  (Teehankee,  C.J.  and  Abad  Santos.,  Melencio-­‐Herrera,  Plana,  Escolin,  Gutierrez,  Jr.,  Cuevas,  
Alampay  and  Patajo,  JJ.)  
 
 
I. FACTS  
 
On   February   25,   1986,   President   Corazon   Aquino   issued   Proclamation   No.   1   announcing   that   she   and   Vice  
President  Laurel  were  taking  power.    
 
On  March  25,  1986,  proclamation  No.3  was  issued  providing  the  basis  of  the  Aquino  government  assumption  of  
power  by  stating  that  the  “new  government  was  installed  through  a  direct  exercise  of  the  power  of  the  Filipino  
people  assisted  by  units  of  the  New  Armed  Forces  of  the  Philippines.”  
 
The   petitioners   questioned   the   legitimacy   of   the   Aquino   government.   They   alleged   that   her   government   is   illegal  
because  it  was  not  established  pursuant  to  the  1973  Constitution.    
 
 
II. ISSUE  
 
Whether  or  not  the  government  of  Corazon  Aquino  is  a  de  jure  government.  
 
III. HELD  
 
Yes.  The  Court  held  that  the  government  of  Corazon  Aquino  is  a  legitimate  government.  
 
The  Court  further  explained  that  the  legitimacy  of  the  Aquino  government  is  not  a  justiciable  matter.  It  belongs  to  
the   realm   of   politics   where   only   the   people   of   the   Philippines   are   the   judge.   And   the   people   have   made   the  
judgment;  they  have  accepted  the  government  of  President  Corazon  C.  Aquino  which  is  in  effective  control  of  the  
entire   country   so   that   it   is   not   merely   a   de   facto   government   but   is   in   fact   and   law   a   de   jure   government.  
Moreover,   the   community   of   nations   has   recognized   the   legitimacy   of   the   present   government.   All   the   eleven  
members   of   this   Court,   as   reorganized,   have   sworn   to   uphold   the   fundamental   law   of   the   Republic   under   her  
government.