COURSE OUTLINE

Part I – Preliminary Considerations

1. Legal System in the Philippines
2. Historical Overview
3. Branches of Government
4. Primary Source of Philippine Laws
5. Administrative Regulations: Rule-Making Power
6. Court Decisions: Stare Decisis
7. International Law: Incorporation Clause
8. Local Legislative Powers: Ordinances
Part II –Statutory Construction, Interpretation and Judicial Legislation
1. Definition of Statutory Construction
Caltex v. Palomar, G.R. No. L-19650, September 29, 1966
2. Definition of Statutory Interpretation
3. Distinctions Between Construction and Interpretation
4. Situs of Construction and Interpretation
5. Legis interpretatio legis vim obtinet
People v. Jabinal, G.R. No. L-30061, February 27, 1974
Pesca v. Pesca, G.R. No. 136921, April 17, 2001
6. When is there room for interpretation or construction?
Songco v. NLRC, GR L-50999 March 23, 1990
Amores v. HRET, GR 189600, June 29, 2010
7. When can courts construe or interpret the law?
RCBC v. IAC, G.R. No. 74851, December 9, 1999
8. When courts need not resort to interpretation or construction.
Go Ka Toc Sons v. Rice and Corn Board, G.R. No. L-23607, May 23, 1967
People v. Mapa, G.R. No. L-22301, August 30, 1967
Luzon Surety v. De Garcia, G.R. No. L-25659, October 31, 1969
9. Punctuation and Grammar: An Aid to Construction
US v. Hart, G.R. No. L-8848 November 21, 1913
1. Intrinsic or internal aids in Statutory  Interpretation
2. Extrinsic or External aids in Statutory Construction
3. Statutory Construction vis-a-vis Judicial Legislation
Floresca v. Philex Mining, G.R. No. L-30642 April 30, 1985
Republic v. CA and Molina, G.R. No. 108763, February 13, 1997
3. How must legislative intent be ascertained?
Aisporna v. CA, G.R. No. L-39419 April 12, 1982
Republic v. CA and Molina, G.R. No. 108763, February 13, 1997
4. When is it construction and when is it judicial legislation?
Floresca v. Philex Mining, G.R. No. L-30642 April 30, 1985
Part III – Statutes, Ordinances and Administrative Regulations
1. What is a statute?
2. Parts of a Statute
3. Kinds of Statutes
4. Constitutional Limitations of Statutes
5. Legislative and Other Powers of Congress
 6. Legislative Process
A. How a Bill Becomes a Law
B. Flowchart of the Process
7. Enrolled Bill Theory
Mabanag vs. Lopez Vito, G.R. No. L-1123, March 5, 1947
Casco Phil. Chemical Co. Inc. vs. Gimenez, G.R. No. L-17931, February 28, 1963
Morales vs. Subido, G.R. No. L-29658, November 29, 1968
8. Journal Entry Rule
Astorga vs. Villegas, G.R. No. L-23475 April 30, 1974
9. Void-for-Vagueness Doctrine
Estrada vs. Sandiganbayan, G.R. No. 148560, 19 November 2001
David vs. Arroyo, G.R. No. 171396, 3 May 2006
Sps. Romualdez v. Comelec, G. R. No. 167011, April 30, 2008
1. When Does a Statute Become Effective?
Civil Code, Article 2; Section 18, EO 292

Tanada vs. Tuvera, G.R. No. L-63915 April 24, 1985

1. When Does a Regulation Become Effective?
Sections 2-9, Book VII of EO 292

People vs. Que Po Lay, G.R. No. L-6791, March 29, 1954
Tanada vs. Tuvera, G.R. No. L-63915 April 24, 1985
Yaokasin vs. Commissioner of Customs, G.R. No. 84111 December 22, 1989
2. When Does an Ordinance Take Effect?
Sections 54-59, RA 7160

Bagatsing vs. Ramirez, G.R. No. L-41631 December 17, 1976

3. Equity of the Statute Rule
Articles 9 and 10, Civil Code

4. Constitutional Test in the Passage of a Bill

5. Repeals of Statutes
Part IV – Basic Principles Used in Statutory Construction
1. Casus omissus pro omisso habendus est
Mun. of Nueva Era v. Mun. of Marcos, G.R. No. 169435 February 27, 2008
People v. Manantan, G.R. No. L-14129, August 30, 1962
2. Constitutional Avoidance
PACU v. Secretary of Education, G.R. No. L-5279, October 31, 1955
3. Expressium facit cessare tacitum
Canet v. Decena, G.R. No. 155344. January 20, 2004
Malinias v. Comelec, G.R. No. 146943 October 4, 2002
4. Last Antecedent Rule
PLDT Co. v. The Public Service Commission, G.R. No. L-26762 August 29, 1975
5. Legislative intent must be ascertained from a consideration of the
statute as a whole
Alpha Investigation and Security Agency v. NLRC, G.R. No. 111722 May 27, 1997
Serana v. Sandigabayan, G.R. No. 162059, January 22, 2008
6. Mens Legislatoris or Mischief Rule
Vda. De Macabenta v. Davao Stevedore Terminal Co., G.R. No. L-27489. April 30,
1970
7. Pari Materia Rule
City of Naga v. Agna, G.R. No. L-36049 May 31, 1976
Tan Co v. Civil Register of Manila, G.R. No. 138496. February 23, 2004
8. Plain Meaning Rule
Republic v. Lacap, G.R. No. 158253, March 2, 2007
Rural Bank of San Miguel v. Monetary Board, G.R. No. 150886, February 16, 2007
9. Ratio Legis or Golden Rule
Hidalgo v. Hidalgo, G.R. No. L-25326 May 29, 1970
1. Rule Against Surplasage
2. Rule of Lenity
People v. Temporada, G.R. No. 173473, December 17, 2008, Corona, J., Sep. Op.
2. Spirit of the Law vs. Letter of the Law
People v. Salas, G.R. No. L-66469 July 29, 1986
Alonzo v. IAC, G.R. No. 72873 May 28, 1987
3. Stare Decisis
Tala Realty Services Corp. v. Banco Filipino Savings and Mortgage Bank, G.R. No.
132051, June 25, 2001
J.R.A. Phils. Inc. v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue, G.R. No. 177127, October 11,
2010
4. Verba Legis
Pagcor v. Philippine Gaming Jurisdiction Inc., G.R. No. 177333, April 24, 2009
Bolos v. Bolos, G.R. No. 186400, October 20, 2010
Part V – Latin Maxims Applied to Statutory Construction
1. Absolute Sentencia Expositore Non Indiget (An absolute sentence
needs no explanation)
Barcellano v. Bañas, G.R. No. 165287 September 14, 2011
2. Casus Omissus Rule
People vs. Manantan, G.R. No. 14129, July 31, 1962
3. Cessante ratione legis, cessat ipsa lex (The reason for a law ceasing,
the law itself ceases)
People v. Almuete, G.R. No. L-26551 February 27, 1976
4. Dura lex sed lex (The law may be harsh but it is the law)
Obiasca v. Basallote, G.R. No. 176707 February 17, 2010
5. Ejusdem generis (Of the same kind)
Liwag v. Happy Glen Loop Homeowners Association, G.R. No. 189755 July 4, 2012
6. Expressio unius est exclusio alterius (The expression of one thing is
the exclusion of another)
Malinias v. Comelec, G.R. No. 146943. October 4, 2002
7. Generalia specialibus non derogant (General things do not derogate
from special things)
Tomawis v. Balindong, G.R. No. 182434 March 5, 2010
 8. Leges posteriores priores contrarias abrogant (Subsequent laws
repeal those before enacted to the contrary)
Manila Trading & Supply Co. v. Philippine Labor Union, G.R. No. L-47796, April 22,
1941
9. Lex de futuro, judex de praeterito (The law provides for the future, the
judge for the past)
PDIC v. Stockholders of Intercity Savings and Loan Bank, G.R. No. 181556, December
14, 2009
1. Lex Prospicit, Non Respicit (The law looks forward, not backward)
Valeroso v. CA, G.R. No. 164815 September 3, 2009
1. Noscitur a sociis (Known from its associates)
Chavez v. JBC, G.R. No. 202242 July 17, 2012
2. Optima statuti interpretatrix est ipsum statutum (The best interpreter of
a statute is the statute itself)
Serana v. Sandiganbayan, G.R. No. 162059 January 22, 2008
3. Ratio legis est anima (The reason of the law is the soul of the law.)
League of Cities v. Comelec, G.R. No. 176951 December 21, 2009
4. Reddendo singula singulis (Referring each to each)
City of Manila v. Laguio, Jr., G.R. No. 118127 April 12, 2005
5. Ubi lex non distinguit nec nos distinguire debemus (When the law does
not distinguish, we must not distinguish.)
Amores v. HRET, G.R. No. 189600, June 29, 2010