1. Act no.

277 The Libel Law of 1901

The libel law enacted during the American colonial regime by the United States
Philippine Commission on Oct.24,1901. It is an act defining the law of libel and
threats to publish a libel, making libel and threats to publish a libel
misdemeanors, giving a right of civil action therefor and making obscene or
indecent publications misdemeanors. In section 1, A libel is a malicious
defamation expressed either in writing, printing or by signs or pictures. Section 2,
every person who willfully and with a malicious intent to injure another publishes
or procures to be published any libel shall be punished by a fine of not exceeding
two thousand dollars or imprisonment for not exceeding one year or both.

Reference: Act no. 277, (1901-10-24) - 4/24/2021 act no. 277, (1901-10-24). StuDocu. (n.d.).
Retrieved October 5, 2022, from https://www.studocu.com/ph/document/ateneo-de-manila-
university/law/act-no-277-1901-10-24/16167865

2. El Renacimiento’s “Aves de Rapina”

Aves de Rapina meaning Birds of Prey. It was an editorial that appeared in the
bilingual Spanish-Tagalog newspaper El Renacimiento/Muling Pagsilang on Oct.
30, 1908; it led to a landmark libel case. Hauled to court aside from the author
Fidel Reyes were Martin Ocampo, Teodoro M. Kalaw, Lope K. Santos and
Faustino Aguilar, the newspaper’s publishers, editors and writers.

3. Act. 292 or The Sedition Law of 1901

The sedition law was passed on November 4, 1901, it is an act of treason,
insurrection, sedition, conspiracies to commits such crimes, seditious utterances,
whether written or spoken, the formation of secret political societies, the
administering or taking of oaths to commit crimes, or to prevent the discovering
of the same, and the violation of oaths of allegiance, and prescribing the
punishment therefor. On section 1 those guilty of treason and upon conviction
shall suffer death or at the discretion of the court, shall be imprisoned at hard
labor for not less than five years and lined not less than ten thousand dollars.

Reference: Act no. 292 or the Sedition Law of 1901 - [ act no. 292, November 04, 1901 ] an
act defining the. StuDocu. (n.d.). Retrieved October 5, 2022, from
https://www.studocu.com/ph/document/ateneo-de-manila-university/law/act-no-292-or-
the-sedition-law-of-1901/16167854
 4. The flag law of 1907
On September 6, 1907 the Philippine Commission passed Act. No. 1696, also
known as “An Act to prohibit the display of flags, banners, emblems, or devices
used in the Philippine Islands for the purpose of rebellion or insurrection against
the authority of the United States”. The law also prohibited the display of
Katipunan flags, banners, emblems, or devices, and for other purposes. On
Section 2, those who commit shall be punished by a fine of not less than five
hundred pesos nor more than five thousand pesos, or by imprisonment for not
less than three months nor more than five years, or by both such fine and
imprisonment, in the discretion of the court.

Reference: Act no. 1696, S. 1907: Govph. Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines.
(1907, August 23). Retrieved October 5, 2022, from
https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1907/08/23/act-no-1696-s-1907/

5. Brigandage Law
Presidential Decree No. 532, August 8, 1974, It is a highway robbery/
brigandage, the seizure of any person for ransom, extortion or other unlawful
purposes, or the taking away of the property of another by means of violence
against or intimidation of person or force upon things of other unlawful means,
committed by any person on any Philippine Highway.

Reference: P.D. No. 532. (n.d.). Retrieved October 5, 2022, from

https://lawphil.net/statutes/presdecs/pd1974/pd_532_1974.html

6. The Philippine Organic of 1902 or Cooper Act

It is also known as the Philippine Bill of 1902, an act temporarily to provide for the
administration of the affairs of civil government in the Philippine islands, and for
other purposes. This law contained two important provisions that strengthen both
the civil and human rights of the Filipino people and bestowed on them the
privilege of legislation.

Reference: The Philippine bill of 1902:  turning point in Philippine legislation. National
Historical Commission of the Philippines. (2015, September 8). Retrieved October 5, 2022,
from https://nhcp.gov.ph/the-philippine-bill-of-1902-turning-point-in-philippine-
legislation/
 7. Philippine Independence Act of 1934 or Tydings-Mcduffie Law
March 24, 1934. An Act to provide for the complete independence of the
Philippine Islands, to provide for the adoption of a constitution and a form of
government for the Philippine Islands, and for other purposes.

Reference: Cheng, J. (n.d.). 1934 Philippine Independence Act (aka Tydings-McDuffie Act).
Asian American Digital History Archive. Retrieved October 5, 2022, from
https://aadha.binghamton.edu/items/show/315#?c=0&m=0&s=0&cv=0

8. Philippine Autonomy act of 1916 or Jones Law

August 29, 1916. An act to declare the purpose of the people of the United
States as to the future political status of the people of the Philippine islands, and
to provide a more autonomous government for those islands. It is also a statute
announcing the intention of the U.S government to “withdraw their sovereignty
over the Philippine Islands as soon as a stable government can be established
therein.” The U.S. had acquired the Philippines in 1898 as a result of the
Spanish–American War; and from 1901 legislative power in the islands had been
exercised through a Philippine Commission effectively dominated by Americans.

Reference: Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. (n.d.). Jones Act. Encyclopædia Britannica.

Retrieved October 5, 2022, from https://www.britannica.com/event/Jones-Act-United-
States-1916

9. 1935 Constitution
The Filipino people, imploring the aid of Divine Providence, in order to establish a
government that shall embody their ideals, conserve and develop the patrimony
of the nation, promote the general welfare, and secure to themselves and their
posterity the blessings of independence under a régime of justice, liberty, and
democracy, do ordain and promulgate this Constitution. This Constitution was
adopted by the Constitutional Convention on February 8, 1935. The 1935
Constitution, which featured a political system virtually identical to the American
one, became operative. The system called for a President to be elected at large
for a 4-year term (subject to one re-election), a bicameral Congress, and an
independent Judiciary. Delegate Manuel Roxas signs the Constitution.

References: Constitutional history of the Philippines. ConstitutionNet. (2021, February 26).

Retrieved October 5, 2022, from
https://constitutionnet.org/country/philippines#:~:text=The%201935%20Constitution%2C
%20which%20featured,Congress%2C%20and%20an%20independent%20Judiciary.
The 1935 constitution: GOVPH. Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. (n.d.).
Retrieved October 5, 2022, from https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/constitutions/the-
1935-constitution/