SYLLABUS

LEGAL RESEARCH AND COMPUTER

AY 2014-2015, Second Semester
Oliver Xavier A. Reyes

I. Sources of Legal Authorities

A. Legislative Branch
Art. VI, Sec. 1, Constitution

B. Judicial Branch
Art. VIII, Sec. 1, Constitution
Articles 8 & 9, Civil Code

C. Executive Branch
Art. VII, Secs. 1, 5 & 17, Constitution
Chapter 2, Title I, Book III, Administrative Code

Assigned Cases

• Ople v. Torres, G.R. No. 127685, 12 July 1998, 293 SCRA 141.
• Review Center Association of the Philippines v. Executive Secretary, G.R. No. 180046, 2 April
2009.
• Endencia v. David, 93 Phil. 696 (1953)
• SJS v. Dangerous Drugs Board, G.R. Nos. 157870, 158633 & 161658, 3 November
2008, 570 SCRA 410
o (focus on discussion constitutionality of Republic Act 9165)
• Pesca v. Pesca, G.R. No. 136821, 17 April 2001, 356 SCRA 588
• Footnote No. 63, Abakada v. Purisima, G.R. No. 166715, 562 SCRA 251
• Sultan Camid v. Office of the President , G.R. No. 161414, 17 January 2005, 448 SCRA
711

II. The Constitution

A. The Constitution As Fundamental Law

Assigned Cases:

• Lambino v. COMELEC, G.R. Nos. 174153 & 174299, 25 October 2006, 505 SCRA
160.
• Tawang Multi-Purpose Cooperative v. La Trinidad Water District, G.R. No. 166471, 22
March 2011, 646 SCRA 21.

B. Historical Constitutions of the Philippines

Malolos Constitution
Instructions to the Philippine Commission (1900)
Philippine Bill of 1902
Jones Law (1916)
1935 Constitution (as amended)
1943 Constitution
1973 Constitution (as amended)
1986 Freedom Constitution
1987 Constitution

Assigned Cases:

• Co Kim Cham v. Valdez, 75 Phil. 113 (1945)

• Laurel v. Misa, 77 Phil. 856 (1947)
• Republic v. Sandiganbayan, G.R. No. 104768, 21 July 2003, 407 SCRA 10.

C. Self-Executory vs. Non Self-Executory Constitutional Provisions

Assigned Cases:

• Oposa v. Factoran, G.R. No. 101083, 30 July 1993, 224 SCRA 792
o Include Concurring Opinion of J. Feliciano
• Pamatong v. COMELEC, G.R. No. 161872, 13 April 2004, 427 SCRA 96
• Manila Prince Hotel v. GSIS, G.R. No. 122156, 3 February 1997, 267 SCRA 408
• Tanada v. Angara, G.R. No. 118295, 2 May 1997, 272 SCRA 18.

III. Statutes and Their Implementing Rules

A. Historical Classification of Statutes

1. American Occupation
• Act No. 1 (enacted September 12, 1900)
• Sections 1 and 7, Philippine Bill of 1902
• Sections 6, 7, 8 and 12, Jones Law (1916)

2. Commonwealth-Era (1935-1941)
• Art. VI, Sec. 1, 1935 Constitution

3. Japanese Occupation (1942-1945)

4. Third Philippine Republic (1946-1972)

5. Martial Law Rule

• General Order No. 1 (22 September 1972)
 • Presidential Decree No. 5 (1972)

6. Fifth Republic (1986 – present)

Assigned Cases:

• Co Kim Cham v. Valdez, 75 Phil. 113 (1945)

• Legaspi v. Minister of Finance, G.R. No. L-58289, 24 July 1982, 115 SCRA 418

B. Legislation

1. Enactment of Laws by Congress

• Sections 24-31, Article VI, Constitution

Cases:

• Tolentino v. Secretary of Finance, G.R. Nos. 115455, 115525, 115543, 115544, 115754,
115781, 115852, 115873, & 115931, 24 August 1994, 235 SCRA 630
• Arroyo v. De Venecia, G.R. No. 127255, 14 August 1997, 277 SCRA 268
• Lidasan v. COMELEC, G.R. No. L-28089, 25 October 1967, 21 SCRA 496.
• Cawaling v. COMELEC, G.R. Nos. 146319 & 146342, 26 October 2001, 368 SCRA
453

2. Enactment of legislation by Local Government Units

• Section 16, Chapter 2, Title I, Local Government Code
• Chapter III, Title II, Local Government Code

Assigned Case:

• City of Manila v. Hon. Laguio, G.R. No. 118127, 12 April 2005, 455 SCRA 308

3. Enactment of legislation by Autonomous Regions

Assigned Cases:

• Sema v. COMELEC, G.R. Nos. 177597 & 178628, 16 July 2008, 558 SCRA 700

C. Implementing Rules and Regulations/Subordinate Legislation

1. Valid Delegation of Legislative Power

Assigned Cases:

• Edu v. Ericta, G.R. No. L-32096, 24 October 1970, 35 SCRA 481, 496
 • Eastern Shipping Lines, Inc. v. POEA, G.R. No. 76633, 18 October 1988, 166
SCRA 533
• Gerochi v. DOE, G.R. No. 159796, 17 July 2007, 527 SCRA 696
• Banda v. Ermita, G.R. No. 166620, 20 April 2010.

2. Illustrative Examples of Implementing Rules

• 2012 Implementing Rules to the B-O-T Law, in relation to Sec. 5, Republic Act
No. 6957 (as amended by R.A. No. 7718)
• 2004 Implementing Rules to P.D. No. 1986, in relation to Sec. 3(k) of P.D. No.
1986. (see also Soriano v. Laguardia, G.R. Nos. 164785 & 165636, 29 April 2009,
587 SCRA 79)

D. Effectivity of Laws

• Article 2, Civil Code

• Tanada v. Tuvera, G.R. No. L-63915, 24 April 1985, 136 SCRA 27
• Tanada v. Tuvera, G.R. No. L-63915, 29 December 1986, 146 SCRA 446
• Executive Order No. 200 (1987)
• Umali v. Estanislao, G.R. Nos. 104037 & 104069, 29 May 1992, 209 SCRA 450

IV. Ordinance Power of the President

1. Executive Orders

Cases:
• Laurel v. Desierto, G.R. No. 145368, 12 April 2002, 381 SCRA 48

2. Administrative Orders
3. Proclamations
4. Memorandum Orders
5. Memorandum Circulars
6. General or Special Orders

(Session on online research: Legislative/Executive Sources)

V. Case Law

A. Hierarchy of Courts

Assigned Case:

• People of the Philippines v. Cuaresma, G.R. No. L-67787, 18 April 1989

B. Binding Effect of Judicial Precedents

1. Article VIII, Civil Code
2. Stare Decisis doctrine

Assigned Cases:

• De Mesa v. Pepsi Cola, G.R. Nos. 153063-70, 19 August 2005

• PGBI v. COMELEC, G.R. No. 190529, 29 April 2010

3. Res Judicata doctrine

Readings:

• Section 47, Rule 39, Rules of Court

• Lopez v. Hon. Reyes, G.R. No. L-29498, 31 March 1977, 76 SCRA 179
• Selga v. Brar, G.R. No. 175151, 21 September 2011

4. Distinguishing Ratio Decidendi and Obiter Dictum

Cases:

• Megascope General Services v. NLRC, G.R. Nos. 109224, 19 June 1997

• Republic v. Nolasco, G.R. No. 155108, 27 April 2005
• Maquiling v. COMELEC, G.R. No. 195649, 16 April 2013

5. Pro Hac Vice rulings

Cases:

• Partido ng Manggagawa v. COMELEC, G.R. No. 164702, 15 March 2006

• Manotok v. Heirs of Barque, G.R. Nos. 162335, 162605, 18 December 2008

C. Parts of a Judicial Decision

1. Statement of Facts
2. Statement of Issues
3. Ruling
4. Dispositive Portion

D. Decisions of Quasi-Judicial Bodies

Assigned Cases:

• Integrated Management Systems v. Llogarta, G.R. No. 163657, 18 April 2012

• PBCOM v. CIR, G.R. No. 112024, 28 January 1999, 302 SCRA 241
 (Session on Online Research: Case Law)

VI. Basic Legal Citation

A. Primary Sources

1. Court Decisions
2. Statutory Materials

B. Secondary Sources

1. Books and Pamphlets

2. Collection of Essays of Articles
3. Law Journal/Periodical Articles
4. Newspapers
5. Annotations
6. Letters, Speeches and Interviews
7. Encyclopedias
8. Looseleaf Services
9. Book Reviews
10. Internet Sources

C. Foreign Sources
D. Repeating citations
VII. Plagiarism

General Readings:

(1) Matthew C. Mirow. Plagiarism: A Workshop for Law Students (available at

http://www.lwionline.org/publications/plagiarism/lawschool.pdf)
(2) Code of Professional Responsibility

A. Penalty Under Law

1. Sections 171, 172, 173, 176, 177, 184, 185, 187, 193-198, Intellectual Property
Code (Rep. Act No. 8293)
2. Habana v. Robles, G.R. No. 131522, 19 July 1999

B. In Academic Setting

1. UP Board of Regents v. CA, G.R. No. 134625, 31 August 1999

C. In Judicial Decisions:
 1. In the Matter of the Charges of Plagiarism against Associate Justice Mariano del Castillo,
A.M. No. 10-7-17-SC, 12 October 2010 (including separate opinions)
2. Halley v. Printwell, 30 May 2011, G.R. No. 157549
3. Cruz v. Iturralde, A.M. No. RTJ-03-1775, 30 April 2003

D. Correct Citations In Legal Pleadings:

1. Sps Pascual v. Ramos, G.R. No. 144712, 4 July 2002

2. Mercury Drug v. de Leon, G.R. No. 165622, 17 October 2008
3. Manufacturers Hanover Trust v. Guerrero, G.R. No. 136804, 19 February 2003 (see
also Sec. 24, Rule 132, Rules of Court)
4. Gozun v. Liangco, A.M. No. MTJ-97-1136, 30 August 2000