Doctrine of Constitutional Supremacy (2004 Bar Exam Question)

If a law violates any norm of the constitution, that law is null and void; it has no effect. (This is an overstatement, for a
law held unconstitutional is not always wholly a nullity)

The American case of Marbury v. Madison laid down the classic statement on constitutional supremacy” “It is a
proposition too plain to be contested, that the Constitution controls any legislative act repugnant to it.”

Constitutional supremacy produced judicial review.31

Principle of Separation of Powers

Essence. In essence, separation of powers means

that legislation belongs to Congress, execution to
the executive, settlement of legal controversies to
the judiciary. Each is prevented from invading the
domain of others. (Bernas, Commentary 656, 2003
ed.)
Division and Assignment. Its starting point is the
assumption of the division of the functions of the
government into three distinct classes—the
executive, the legislative and the judicial. Its
essence consists in the assignment of each class
of functions to one of the three organs of
government.3
Reason. The underlying reason of this principle is
the assumption that arbitrary rule and abuse of
authority would inevitably result from the
concentration of the three powers of government in
the same person, body of persons or organ.35
More specifically, according to Justice Laurel, the
doctrine of separation of powers is intended to:
1. Secure action
2. To forestall overaction
3. To prevent despotism
4. To obtain efficiency36
Limitations on the Principle
1. System of Checks and Balances
2. Existence of overlapping powers
Checks and Balances
The Constitution fixes certain limits on the
independence of each department. In order that
these limits may be observed, the Constitution
gives each department certain powers by which it
may definitely restrain the other from exceeding
their authority. A system of checks and balances is
thus formed.39
To carry out the system of checks and balances,
the Constitution provides:
1. The acts of the legislative department
have to be presented to the executive for
approval or disapproval.
2. The executive department may veto the
acts of the legislature if in its judgment
they are not in conformity with the
Constitution or are detrimental to the
interests of the people.
3. The courts are authorized to determine
the validity of legislative measures or
executive acts.
4. Through its pardoning power, the
executive may modify or set aside the
judgments of the courts.
5. The legislature may pass laws that in
effect amend or completely revoke
decisions of the courts if in its judgment
they are not in harmony with its intention
or policy which is not contrary to the
Constitution.40
6. President must obtain the concurrence of
Congress to complete certain significant
acts.
7. Money can be released from the treasury
only by authority of Congress.41
G. Judicial Review
Definition. Judicial review refers to the power of
the courts to test the validity of governmental acts
in light of their conformity with a higher norm (e.g.
the constitution).
Expression of Constitutional Supremacy.
Judicial review is not an assertion of superiority by
the courts over the other departments, but merely an expression of the supremacy of the
Constitution.42 Constitutional supremacy produced
judicial review, which in turn led to the accepted
role of the Court as “the ultimate interpreter of the
Constitution.”43
Judicial Review in Philippine Constitution.
Unlike the US Constitution44 which does not
provide for the exercise of judicial review by their
Supreme Court, the Philippine Constitution
expressly recognizes judicial review in Section 5
(2) (a) and (b) of Article VIII of the Constitution.
(More discussion of Judicial Review under Article
VIII)
H. Due Process
Origin: By the 39th chapter of the Magna Carta
wrung by the barons from King John, the despot
promised that “no man shall be taken, imprisoned
or disseized or outlawed, or in any manner
destroyed; nor shall we go upon him, nor send him,
but by the lawful judgment of his peers or by the
law of the land.”
In 1335, King Edward III’s Statute 28 declared that
“no man, of what state or condition whoever be,
shall be put out of his lands, or tenements, nor
taken, nor imprisoned, nor indicted, nor put to
death, without he be brought in to answer by due
process of law.” It is this immortal phrase that has
resounded through the centuries as the formidable
champion of life, liberty and property in all-freedom
loving lands. (Cruz)
Definition45: Embodiment of the sporting idea of
fair play.46 It is the responsiveness to the
supremacy of reason, obedience, to the dictates of
justice.47 Due process is a guaranty against
arbitrariness on the part of the government.
Observance of both substantive and procedural
rights is equally guaranteed by due process.48
(More discussion of Due Process under Article III)

A. Archipelagic Doctrine
(1989 Bar Question)
It is the principle whereby the body of water
studded with islands, or the islands surrounded
with water, is viewed as a unity of islands and
waters together forming one integrated unit. For
this purpose, it requires that baselines be drawn by
connecting the appropriate points of the “outermost
islands to encircle the islands within the
archipelago. We consider all the waters enclosed
by the straight baselines as internal waters.62
B. Elements of Archipelagic Doctrine
1. Definition of internal waters63
2. The straight line method of delineating the
territorial sea.
Straight Baseline Method- drawn connecting
selected points on the coast without departing to
any appreciable extent from the general direction
of the coast. RA 3046 and RA 5446 have drawn
straight baselines around the Philippines.
(The problem with the straight baseline method is
that it conflicts with the Law of the Sea because it
recognizes the right of innocent passage in
archipelagic waters. That is why we made a
reservation. However, as Bernas pointed out, the
reservation is ad cautelam)
C. Purposes of Archipelagic Doctrine
1. Territorial Integrity
2. National Security
3. Economic reasons