JOSE RIZAL UNIVERSITY

College of Law
School Year 2021-2022

Atty. L. P. Fainza

COURSE SYLLABUS

COURSE TITLE : Statutory Construction

COURSE CODE : LS 118
CREDIT UNITS : 2 units
COURSE DESCRIPTION: A course that explores the use and force of statutes
and the principles and methods of their construction
and interpretation.
PLACEMENT : First Year, 1st Sem.

I. CONSTRUCTION AND INTERPRETATION OF THE LAWS

A. Statutory Construction, defined
Caltex vs. Palomar – 18 SCRA 247
B. Construction and Interpretation, distinguished
C. Significance of Construction and Interpretation
D. Statutory Construction vis-à-vis Constitutional Construction

II. RELEVANT CONCEPTS AND PRINCIPLES TO

CONSTRUCTION AND INTERPRETATION OF THE LAWS
A. Three Branches of the Government
a. Legislative Department
i. Legislative Power
ii. Types of Legislation
iii. Legislative Process
iv. Principles of Non-Delegation of Power and its
Exception

b. Executive Department
i. Executive Power
ii. Nature and Scope
iii. Relevant Powers of the President to Construction and
Interpretation

c. Judicial Department

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 i. Judicial Power
ii. Power to Apply or Interpret the Law
iii. Judicial Construction vis-à-vis Judicial Legislation
iv. Duty of the Court to Construe and Interpret the Law

Director of Lands vs. CA – G.R. No. 102858, July 28,

1997
Pascual vs. Bautista et.al. – G.R. No. 84240,
March 25, 1992
PP vs. Mapa – L-22301, August 30, 1967
PP vs. Amigo – G.R. No. 116719, Jan. 18, 1996
Lokin vs. COMELEC – G.R. Nos. 179431-32,
June 22, 2010

v. Stare Decisis
Gatchalian vs. Office of the Ombudsman – G.R. No.
229288, Aug. 1, 2018
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In Re Appointments dated March 30, 1998 of Hon.
Mateo A.
Valenzuela and Hon. Placido B. Vallarta,
A.M. No. 98-5-01-SC, Nov. 9, 1998

De Castro vs. JBC, G.R. No. 191149, March 17, 2010

-----
PCA vs. Enriquez, G.R. No. 113105, Aug. 19, 1994

Lawyers Against Monopoly and Poverty vs. Sec. of

Budget and Management, G.R. No. 164987,
April 24, 2012

Belgica vs. Executive Sec. Paquito Ochoa, Jr., G.R.

No. 208566, Nov. 19, 2013

B. Principle of Separation of Powers

C. Principle of Checks and Balances

III. LAWS: CONSTITUTION, STATUTE AND ORDINANCE

A. Definition of Law
B. Classifications of Law
C. Subjects of Construction and Interpretation
a. Constitution

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 i. Doctrine of Constitutional Supremacy
ii. Constitution vs. Statutes
Tawang Multi-Purpose Cooperative vs. La Trinidad
Water District, G.R. No. 166471, March 22, 2011

b. Statutes
i. Nomenclature of Statutes in the Philippines
ii. Parts of a Statute
BANAT Partylist vs. COMELEC, G.R. No. 177508,
Aug. 7, 2009

c. Ordinance
i. Test of Valid Ordinance
Hon. Fernando vs. St. Scholastica College, G.R. No.
161107, March 12, 2013
City of Manila, et.al. vs. Hon. Laguio, Jr., G.R No.
118127, April 12, 2005

IV. LEGISLATIVE INTENT

A. Concept
B. Rules in Determining Legislative Intent
Power Gen. Employee Association vs. NPC, 835 SCRA 645
Federal Express Corp. vs. Airfreight 2100, 809 SCRA 382

V. PRESUMPTION
A. Definition

B. Effects of Presumption in Construction and Interpretation

C. Presumption Against Unconstitutionality

a. Requisites of Judicial Inquiry
b. Effects of the Unconstitutionality of a Provision of a Statute

Aris (Phil), Inc. vs. NLRC, et.al., G.R. No. 90501, Aug. 5, 1991

Hon. Alfredo Lim vs. Ho. Pacquing and ADC, G.R. No. 115044,
Jan. 27, 1995 / Guingona, Jr. et.al vs. Hon. Reyes and ADC, G.R.
No. 117263, Jan. 27, 1995

Lim vs. People of the Philippines, G.R. No. 149276, Sept. 27, 2002

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 D. Presumption Against Violation of International Law
Deutsche Bank AG Manila vs. CIR, G.R. No. 188550,
August 28, 2013

E. Presumption Against Injustice

Salvacion vs. Central Bank of the Philippines, G.R. No. 94723,
August 21, 1997

Alonza vs. Intermediate Appellate Court and Padua, G.R. No. L-

72873, May 28, 1997

F. Presumption Against Absurdity

Privatization and Management Office vs. Strategic Dev. and/or
Phil. Estate Corp., G.R. No. 200402, June 13, 2013
CIR vs. ESSO, G.R. No. 28502-03, April 18, 1989

G. Presumption Against Ineffectiveness

Paras vs. Com. On Elections, G.R. No. 123169, Nov. 9, 1996

H. Presumption Against Undesirable Consequences

Ursua vs. CA, G.R. No. 112170, April 10, 1996

I. Presumption Against Implied Repeal

Executive Sec. vs. Forerunner Multi Resources, G.R. No. 199324,
January 7, 2013
Penera vs. COMELEC, G.R. No. 181613, Nov. 25, 2009
Lledo vs. Atty. Lledo, A.M. No. P-95-1167, Feb. 9, 2010
Berces vs. Hon. Guingona, Jr., G.R. No. 112099, Feb. 21, 1995

J. Presumption Against Retrospective Operation of Laws

VI. MAXIMS, DOCTRINES, RULES AND GUIDELINES IN

CONSTRUCTION AND INTERPRETATION OF THE LAWS
A. Dura Lex Sed Lex
Qatar Airways Company vs. CIR, G.R. No. 238914, June 8, 2020
Obiasca vs. Basallote, G.R No. 176707, February 17, 2010

B. Ubi Lex Non Distinguit Nec Nos Distinguere

Dabalos vs. RTC, Branch 59, Angeles City, G.R. No. 193960,
Jan. 7, 2013
Sps. Plopenio vs. DAR and LBP, G.R. No. 161090, July 4, 2012

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C. Generalia Verba Sunt Generaliter Inteligencia
Pp vs. Sandiganbayan and Amante, G.R. No. 167304,
August 25, 2009
Lewis vs. COMELEC, G.R. No. 223705, August 14, 2019

D. Reddendo Singula Singulis

E. Ejusdem Generis
Pelizloy Realty Corporation vs. The Prov. Of Benguet, G.R. No.
183137, April 10, 2013
Dela Paz vs. Republic, 845 SCRA 34, G.R. No. 195726, November
20, 2017
Orion Water Dist. Vs. GSIS, 793 SCRA 426

F. Noscitur A Sociis
Re: Letter of Tony Q. Valenciano, Holding Religious Rituals at the
Hall of Justice in Quezon City, 819 SCRA 313
Chavez vs. JBC et.al. G.R. No. 202242, July 17, 2012

G. Casus Omissus Pro Omisso Habendus Est

Association of Non-Profit Clubs, Inc. vs. BIR, G.R. No. 228539,
June 26, 2019

H. Expressio Unius Est Exclusio Alterius

Canet vs. Mayor Decena, G.R. No. 155344, Jan. 20, 2004
Municipality of Nueva Era, Ilocos Norte vs. Municipality of
Marcos, Ilocos Norte, G.R. No. 169435, Feb. 27, 2008

I. Doctrine of Necessary Implication

Atienza vs. Villarosa, G.R. No. 161081, May 10, 2005
Chua vs. Civil Service Commission and NIA – G.R. No. 88979,
February 7, 1992

J. “Shall,” “Must,” “Ought,” and “May”

Gachon vs. Devera, Jr., G.R. No. 155344, Jan. 20, 2004
Loyola Grand Villas Homeowners (South) Association, Inc. vs. CA,
G.R. No. 117188, August 7, 1997
Heirs of Felino Timbol vs. PNB, 790 SCRA 57
UCPB Gen. Insurance Company vs. Hughes Electronics Corp.,
809 SCRA 139

K. “And,” “Or,” and “And/Or”

L. “Year,” “Month,” “Day,” and “Night”
M. “Week”

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 N. Proviso

VII. AIDS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND INTERPRETATION OF

THE LAWS
A. Intrinsic Aids
i. Parts of the Statute
ii. Title
iii. Preamble
iv. Definition Section
v. Punctuation

B. Extrinsic Aids
i. History of Legislative Enactment
ii. Dictionary
iii. Judicial Decisions
iv. Administrative Regulations or Decisions
v. Constitutional Deliberations
vi. Foreign Jurisprudence

VIII. CONSTRUCTION AND INTERPRETATION OF THE

DIFFERENT TYPES OF LAWS
A. Kinds of Construction and Interpretation
B. Construction and Interpretation of Different Kinds of Laws
i. Criminal Law
Ient et.al. vs. Tullett Prebon (Philippines), Inc., G.R. No.
189158, January 11, 2017
Bangayan vs. People of the Philippines, G.R. No. 235610,
September 16, 2020

ii. Labor Law

Article 4, PD No. 442, as amended

iii. Social Legislation

Lledo vs. Atty. Lledo, A.M. No. P-95-1167, Feb. 10, 2010

iv. Election Law

Violago, Sr. vs. COMELEC, G.R. No. 194143, Oct. 4, 2011

v. Procedural Laws
vi. Tax Law
vii. Tax Exemptions/Tax Amnesty/Tax Deductions

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 CIR vs. Transfield Philippines, Inc., G.R. No. 211449,
January 16, 2019
H. Tambunting Pawnshop, Inc. vs. CIR, G.R. No. 173373,
July 29, 2013

viii. Naturalization Law

Republic of the Philippines vs. Kerry Lao Ong, G.R. No.
175430, June 18, 2012

IX. LAWS RELATING TO THE SAME SUBJECT MATTER

A. Basic Guidelines
B. Horizontal Coherence
C. Statutes In Pari Materia
D. General Law vs. Special Law
CIR vs. Semirara Mining Corp., 827 SCRA 300
CIR vs. PAL, 818 SCRA 497
CIR vs. Sec. of Justice, 808 SCRA 14

E. Vertical Coherence

X. EFFECT AND OPERATION OF LAWS

A. Prospectivity of Laws
B. Exceptions
i. When Law Expressly Provides for Retroactive Application
ii. When the Penal Law is Favorable to the Accused Who is
Not a Habitual Criminal
iii. When the Law is Procedural in Nature
iv. When the Law is Curative in Nature
v. When the Law Creates a New Substantive Right

Eastern Mediterranean Maritime Ltd. And Agemar Manning

Ageny, Inc. vs. Est Anislao Surio, et.al., G.R. No. 154213, August
23, 2012

H. Villarica Pawnshop, Inc. et.al. vs. Social Security Commission,

et.al., G.R. No. 228087, January 24, 2018

XI. CONSTITUTIONAL CONSTRUCTION AND

INTERPRETATION

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 A. Basic Guidelines in the Construction and Interpretation of the
Constitution
B. Aids in Construing and Interpreting the Constitution

References:
1. Statutory Construction
Author: Atty. Ruben E. Agpalo

2. Statutory Construction
Author: Judge Noli C. Diaz

3. Construction and Interpretation of the Laws

Author: Atty. Cyrus Victor T. Sualog