POLITICAL LAW

I.       THE 1987 CONSTITUTION A.    Legislative power

A.    Nature and concept of a constitution 1.     Scope and limitations
B.    Parts of a constitution 2.     Principle of non-delegability; exceptions
C.    Amendments and revision B.    Chambers of Congress; composition; qualifications
D.   Methods of interpreting a constitution 1.     Senate
2.     House of Representative
II.     BASIC CONCEPTS a.     District representatives and questions of appointment
A.    Declaration of principles and state policies b.     Party-list system
B.    Sovereignty C.    Legislative privileges, inhibitions, and disqualifications
C.    State immunity D.    Quorum and voting majorities
D.    Separation of powers E.    Discipline of members
E.    Checks and balances F.    Process of law making
F.    Delegation of powers G.    Electoral tribunals and the Commission on Appointments
G.    Fundamental powers of the State 1.     Nature
1.     Police power 2.     Powers
2.     Eminent Domain H.    Powers of Congress
3.     Taxation 1.     Legislative inquiries and oversight functions
2.     Non-legislative
III.    NATIONAL TERRITORY
a.     Informing function

IV.    CITIZENSHIP b.     Power of impeachment

A.    Kinds of citizenship, purpose of distinguishing citizenship and kinds of I.    Initiative and referendum
citizenship
B.    Who are citizens VI.   EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT
C.    Who can be citizens A.    Qualifications, elections, and term of the President and Vice-President
D. Modes of acquiring citizenship B.    Privileges, inhibitions, and disqualifications
E.    Modes of losing and reacquiring citizenship 1.     Presidential immunity
F.    Dual citizenship and dual allegiance 2.     Presidential privilege
C.    Powers of the President
1.     General executive and administrative powers
V.     LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT

Page 1 of 8
 POLITICAL LAW

2.     Power of appointment c.     Political question doctrine

a.     In general B.    Judicial independence and autonomy
b.     Limitations on the exercise/power C.    Appointments to the judiciary
c.     Types of appointment 1.     Qualifications of members of the judiciary
3.     Power of control and supervision 2.     Judicial and Bar Council
a.     Doctrine of qualified political agency a.     Composition
b.     Executive departments and offices b.     Powers
c.     Local government units D.    The Supreme Court
4.     Emergency powers 1.     Composition
5.     Commander-in-chief powers 2.     Powers and functions
a.     Calling out powers
b.     Declaration of martial law and suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas VIII. CONSTITUTIONAL COMMISSIONS
corpus; extension A.    Common provisions
6.     Executive clemency B.    Institutional independence and safeguards
a.     Nature and limitations C.    Powers and functions
b.     Forms of executive clemency D.    Compositions and qualifications of members
7.     Diplomatic power E.    Prohibited offices and interests
8.     Powers relative to appropriation measures
9.     Delegated powers
10.     Residual powers IX.  BILL OF RIGHTS

11.     Veto powers A.    Concept of Bill of Rights

D.    Rules on succession 1.     Privacy and autonomy

2.     Relation to human rights
B.    Due process of law
VII.  JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT 1.     Concept of right to life, liberty, and property
A.    Concepts 2.     Kinds of due process
1.     Judicial power a.     Substantive
2.     Judicial review b.     Procedural
a.     Requisites i.       Judicial
b.     Operative fact doctrine ii.      Administrative

Page 2 of 8
 POLITICAL LAW

c.     Levels of scrutiny f.     Speech regulation in relation to media

C.    Equal protection of laws 3.     Judicial analysis, presumptions and levels and types of scrutiny
1.     Concept 4.     Special topics in free expression cases
2.     Requisites for valid classification a.     Hate speech
3.     Levels of scrutiny b.     Defamation and libel
D.    Right against unreasonable searches and seizures c.     Sedition and speech in relation to rebellion
1.     Concept of privacy d.    Obscenity/ pornography
2.     Concept of a search e.    Commercial speech
3.     Requisites of a valid warrant f.     National emergencies
4.     Warrantless searches g.     Speech of public officers
5.     Warrantless arrests and detention 5.     Cognate rights
6.     Exclusionary rule a.     Freedom of assembly
7.     Effects of unreasonable searches and seizures b.     Freedom of association
8.     Effects of illegal detention c.     Freedom of information
E.    Privacy of communications and correspondence G.    Freedom of religion
1.     Concept of communications, correspondence 1.     Basic principles
2.     Intrusion, when and how allowed a.     Purpose
3.     Exclusionary rule b.     Concept of religion
F.    Freedom of speech and expressions 2.     Principle of separation of church and state
1.     Concept 3.     Non-establishment clause
a.     Continuum of thought, speech, expression, and speech acts 4.     Free exercise clause
b.     Purpose of free speech doctrines H.    Liberty of abode and freedom of movement
c.     Balance between unbridled expression and liberty 1.     Scope and limitations
2.     Types of regulation 2.     Watch-list and hold departure orders
a.     Prior restraint and subsequent punishment I.    Eminent domain
b.     Content based and content neutral 1.     Concept
c.     Incitement and advocacy 2.     Just compensation
d.     Specificity of regulation and overbreadth doctrine 3.     Abandonment of intended use and right if repurchase
e.     Speech regulation in relation to election 4.     Expropriation by local government units

Page 3 of 8
 POLITICAL LAW

J.    Non-impairment of contracts T.    Ex post facto and bills of attainder

K.    Adequate legal assistance and free access to courts
L.    Right against self-incrimination
X.  LAW ON PUBLIC OFFICERS
1.     Scope and coverage
A.    General principles
2.     Application
B.    Modes of acquiring title to public office
3.     Immunity of statutes
C.    Modes and kinds of appointment
M.    Rights of persons under custodial investigation
D.    Eligibility and qualification requirements
1.     Availability
E.    Disabilities and inhibitions of public officers
2.     Requisites
F.    Powers and duties of public officers
3.     Waiver
G.    Rights of public officers
N.    Rights of the accused
H.    Liabilities of public officers
1.     Criminal due process
1.     Preventive suspension and back salaries
2.     Bail
2.     Illegal dismissal, reinstatement, and back salaries
3.     Presumption of innocence
I.    Immunity of public officers
4.     Right to be heard
J.    Distinguish: de facto and de jure officers
5.     Assistance of counsel
K.    Termination of official relation
6.     Right to be informed of the nature and cause of accusation
L.    Civil Service
7.     Right to speedy, impartial, and public trial
1.     Scope
8.     Right of confrontation
2.     Appointment to the civil service
9.     Compulsory process
3.     Personnel action
10.     Trials in absentia
M.    Accountability of public officers
O.    Right to the speedy disposition of cases
1.     Types of accountability
P.    Right against excessive fines and cruel, degrading, and inhuman
punishments a.     Administrative
Q.    Non-imprisonment of debts b.     Criminal
R.    Right against double jeopardy 2.     The Ombudsman and the Office of the Special Prosecutor
1.     Requisites; scope 3.     The Sandiganbayan
2.     Limitations N.    Term limits
S.    Right against involuntary servitude

Page 4 of 8
 POLITICAL LAW

XI.  ADMINISTRATIVE LAW 1. Qualifications and disqualifications of candidates

A. General Principles 2. Filing of certificates of candidacy
B. Administrative agencies a. Effect of filing
C. Powers of administrative agencies b. Substitution and withdrawal of candidates
1. Rule-making power c. Nuisance candidates
a. Kinds of administrative rules and regulations d. Effect of disqualification
b. Requisites for validity D. Campaign
2. Adjudicatory power 1. Premature campaigning
a. Administrative due proces 2. Prohibited contributions
b. Administrative appeal and review 3. Lawful and prohibited election propaganda
c. Administrative res judicata 4. Limitations on expenses
3. Fact-finding, investigative, licensing, and rate-fixing powers 5. Statement of contribution and expenses
D. Judicial review E. Board of Election Inspectors and Board of Canvassers
1. Doctrine of primary administrative jurisdiction 1. Composition
2. Doctrine of exhaustion of administrative remedies 2. Powers
3. Doctrine of finality of administrative action F. Remedies
1. Petition to deny due course to or cancel certificate of candidacy
2. Petition for disqualification
XII.  ELECTION LAW
3. Failure of election; call for special election
A. Suffrage
4. Pre-proclamation controversy
1. Qualification and disqualification of voters
5. Election protest
2. Registration and deactivation of voters
6. Quo warranto
3. Inclusion and exclusion proceedings
4. Local and overseas absentee voting XIII.  LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
5. Detainee voting A. Autonomous Regions and their relation to the National Government
B. Political parties B. Public corporations
1. Jurisdiction of the Commission on Elections over political parties 1. Concept; distinguished from Government-Owned or Controlled
2. Registration of political parties Corporations
C. Candidacy 2. Classifications
a. Quasi-corporations

Page 5 of 8
 POLITICAL LAW

b. Municipal corporations 11. Recall

i. Elements 12. Term limits
ii. Nature and functions
iii. Requisites for creation, conversion, division, merger or
dissolution XIV.  NATIONAL ECONOMY AND PATRIMONY
C. Principles of local autonomy A. Exploration, development, and utilization of natural resources
D. Powers of local government units B. Franchise, authorities, and certificates for public utilities
1. General welfare clause C. Acquisition, ownership, and transfer of public and private lands
2. Eminent domain D. Practice of profession
3. Taxing power E. Organization and regulation of private and public corporations
4. Closure and opening of roads F. Monopolies, restraint of trade, and unfair competition
5. Legislative power
a. Requisites for valid ordinance
XV.  SOCIAL JUSTICE AND HUMAN RIGHTS
b. Local initiative and referendum
A. Concept of social justice
6. Ultra vires acts
B. Economic, social, and cultural rights
7. Corporate powers
C. Commission on Human Rights
8. Liability of local government units
1. Powers
9. Settlement of boundary disputes
2. Composition and qualification of members
10. Local officials
a. Vacancies and succession
b. Discipline XVI.  EDUCATION, SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ARTS, CULTURE AND
SPORTS
i. Elective officials
A. Academic freedom
(a) Grounds
(b) Jurisdiction
(c) Preventive suspension XVII.  PUBLIC INTERNATIONAL LAW
(d) Removal A. Concepts
(e) Administrative appeal B. Relationship between international and Philippine domestic laws
(f) Doctrine of condonation C. Sources of international law
ii. Appointive officials 1. Article 38, International Court of Justice

Page 6 of 8
 POLITICAL LAW

2. Effect of United Nations Declarations, Security Council Resolutions 1. Universal Declaration of Human Rights
3. Effects of action of organs of international organizations created by 2. International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
treaty
3. International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights
D. Subjects of international law
M. International Humanitarian law
1. States
1. Categories of armed conflicts
2. International organizations
a. International armed conflicts
3. Individuals
b. Internal or non-international armed conflict
4. Others
c. War of national liberation
E. Jurisdiction of states
2. Core international obligation of States
1. Basis of jurisdiction
3. Principle of international humanitarian law
a. Territoriality principle
a. Treatment of civilians
b. Nationality principle and statelessness
b. Prisoners of war
c. Protective principle
4. Law on neutrality
d. Universality principle
N. Law of the sea
e. Passive personality principle
1. Baselines
2. Exemptions from jurisdiction
2. Archipelagic states
a. Act of State doctrine
a. Straight archipelagic baselines
b. International organizations and their officers
b. Archipelagic waters
F. Diplomatic and consular law
c. Archipelagic sea lanes passage
G. Nationality and statelessness
d. Regime of islands
H. General principles of treaty law
3. Internal waters
I. Doctrine of state responsibility
4. Territorial sea
J. Refugees
5. Contiguous zone
K. Treatment of aliens
6. Exclusive economic zone
1. Extradition
7. Continental shelf
a. Fundamental principles
8. International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea
b. Procedure
O. International environment law
c. Distinguished from deportation
1. Principle 21 of Stockholm Declaration
L. International human rights law
2. Precautionary principle

Page 7 of 8
POLITICAL LAW

Page 8 of 8