Course Syllabus in PL 112: Philosophy of Law

JD 1C
Atty. Nelda Ethel P. Torio

I. Course Description
A study of the historical roots of law from Roman times, the schools of legal thought
that spurred its growth and development, and the primordial purpose of law and
legal education.

II. Course Objectives

At the end of the course, the students should be:
A. Aware of the different perspectives of legal thought;
B. Able to identify how these perspectives are applied, especially in laws and in
court decisions; and
C. Able to develop a foundation for critical legal thinking.

III. Course Outline

A. Introduction: The Philippine Situation
1. The “X” Factors of Philippine Legal Paradigm
- Philawsophia: Chapter 12
2. Brief background of the development of Philippine law
- In re application of Max Shoop for admission to the practice of law, 41
Phil. 213 (1920)
3. Application of different perspectives
- Republic v. Sandiganbayan, G.R. No. 104768, 21 July 2003 [All opinions]
4. Jurisprudence, Jural, and Non-Jural Laws
- Introduction to Legal Philosophy, Chapter 1
B. Theory
1. Historical Perspective
- Introduction to Legal Philosophy, Chapter 2
2. Teleological Perspective
- Introduction to Legal Philosophy, Chapter 3
3. Positivist Perspective
- Introduction to Legal Philosophy, Chapter 4
4. Functional Perspective
- Introduction to Legal Philosophy, Chapter 5
5. Legal Realist Perspective
- Introduction to Legal Philosophy, Chapter 6
6. Policy Science Perspective
- Introduction to Legal Philosophy, Chapter 7
C. Application
1. Educational Trip
2. Political Law: Reform, Revolution and Resistance – The Neo Classical
Philosophers
- Philawsophia, Chapter 9
- Cases
a. Tolentino v. Comelec, G.R. No. 148334, 21 January 2004, J. Puno,
Dissent [Philosophical Evolution of Democracy]
b. Province of North Cotabato v. Government of the Republic of the
Philippines, G.R. No. 183591, 14 October 2008, CJ Puno, Concur
[The Constitution as a Social Contract]
c. Air Transportation Office v. Spouses Ramos, G.R. No. 159402, 23
February 2011, J. Bersamin [Hobbes and State Immunity from
Suit]

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 d. David v. Macapagal-Arroyo, G.R. No. 171936, 3 May 2006, J.
Sandoval-Gutierrez [Philosophers on Emergency Powers]
e. Joseph Ejercito Estrada v. Sandiganbayan, G.R. No. 148560, 29
November 2001, J. Bellosillo [Mill on State Authority and
Individual Liberty]
3. Civil Law: The Roman Jurists
- Philawsophia, Chapter 5
- Cases
a. Kasilag v. Rodriguez, G.R. No. 46623, 7 December 1939, J. Laurel,
Concur [The Justinian Code on Mutual Bad Faith]
b. Jain v. Intermediate Appellate Court, G.R. No. L-63129, 28
September 1984, J. Abad Santos [The Roman Law on Theft]
c. People v. Velasco, G.R. No. 127444, 13 September 2000, J.
Bellosillo [The Roman Law on Double Jeopardy]
4. Criminal Law and Family Law: The Christian Philosophers
- Philawsophia, Chapter 6
- Cases
a. Echegaray v. Secretary of Justice, G.R. No. 132601, 19 January
1999, J. Panganiban, Separate Opinion [On the Right to Life]
b. Santos v. Court of Appeals, G.R. No. 112019, 14 January 1995, J.
Vitug [On Psychological Incapacity]
c. Estrada v. Escritor, A.M. No. P-02-1651, 22 June 2006, J. Puno [On
the Separation of Church and State]
d. People v. Dela Cruz, G.R. No. L-52, 21 February 1946, J. Perfecto
[St. Thomas Aquinas on Robbery]
5. Lex Mercatoria: From Custom to Law
- Philawsophia, Chapter 7
- Cases
a. Araullo v. Aquino, G.R. No. 209287, 1 July 2014, J. Bersamin
[Adam Smith on Public Financing]
b. Abakada Guro v. Ermita, G.R. No. 168056, 1 September 2005, J.
Sandoval Gutierrez [Adam Smith on Fiscal Policy]
c. US v. Tan Quingco Chua, G.R. L-13708, 29 January 1919, J.
Malcolm [Mansfield on Unconscionable Sales]
d. Philippine National Bank v. The National City Bank of New York,
G.R. L-43596, 31 October 1936 [Mansfield’s Old Rule on Drawer-
Drawee Liability]
e. Compagnie Franco Indo-Chinoise v. Deutsch Australische
Dampschiffs GEssellschaft, G.R. L-1395, 17 January 1919, J. Street
[Mansfield on International Maritime Law]
6. Remedial Law: The Empirical Philosophers
- Philawsophia: Chapter 8
- Cases
a. Apiag v. Cantero, A.M. MTJ-95-1070, 12 February 1997, J.
Panganiban [Bacon on Judicial Ethics]
b. Arianza v. Workers’ Compensation Commission, G.R. L-43352, 28
February 1978, J. Makasiar [Presumption of Compensability for
Work-Related Illness]
c. Sevilla v. Cardenas, G.R. No. 167684, 31 July 2006, J. Chico Nazario
[Presumption of Regularity of Performance and Validity of
Marriage]
d. Bayan Muna v. Romulo, G.R. No. 159618, 1 February 2011, J.
Carpio, Dissent [Custom as Source of Law]

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 e. Civil Service Commission v. Belagan, G.R. No. 132164, 19 October
2004, J. Sandoval Gutierrez [Probability and Improbability of
Crime]
f. Herrera v. Alba, G.R. No. 148220, 15 June 2005, J. Carpio
[Probative Value of Evidence]
7. Labor Law: Socialism and Communism
- Philawsophia: Chapter 10
- Cases
a. De Ramas v. Court of Agrarian Relations, G.R. No. L-19555, 29 May
1964, J. Labrador [Socialism and Land Tenancy]
b. People v. Lava, G.R. No. L-4974, 16 March 1969, J. Zaldivar
[History of the Communist Party of the Philippines]
c. People v. Hernandez, G.R. No. L-6025, 30 May 1964, J. Labrador
[Communist Advocacy Not a Conspiracy to Rebellion]
8. Everyone In?: Post Modernism and the Future of Law
- Philawsophia: Chapter 11
- Cases
a. Romualdez-Marcos v. Commission on Elections, G.R. No. 119976,
18 September 1995, J. Romero, Separate Opinion [On Women’s
Rights and Domicile]
b. Oposa v. Factoran, G.R. No. 101083, 30 July 1993, J. Davide
[Environmental Rights of Unborn Generations]
c. Ang Ladlad LGBT Party v. Commission on Elections, G.R. No.
190582, 8 April 2010, CJ Puno, Separate Opinion [The Quasi-
Suspect Classification of Homosexuals]

IV. Textbooks
A. Introduction to Legal Philosophy (2003) by Crisolito Pascual
B. Philawsophia: Philosophy and Theory of Philippine Law (2017) by Nicolo F.
Bernardo and Oscar B. Bernardo

V. Standard Grading System

Class Standing – 25%
Quizzes – 6%
Assignments – 6%
Recitation – 5%
Attendance – 5%
Report – 3%
Midterm – 35%
Finals – 40%

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