COURSE OUTLINE

STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION

I. Introduction

a. Caltex (Philippines), Inc. v. Palomar (G.R. No. L-19650, 29

September 1966)
b. Daong v. Municipal Judge (G.R. No. L-34568, 28 March
1988)

II. Kinds of Law

a. Constitution

i. Tawang Multi-Purpose Cooperative v. La Trinidad

Water District (G.R. No. 166471, 22 March 2011)

b. Case Law

i. Velarde v. Social Justice Society (G.R. No. 159357,

28 April 2004)

c. Statutory Law

i. Kinds
1. Presidential Issuances
a. 1987 Administrative Code, Book III,
Chapter 2
b. Pesigan v. Angeles (G.R. No. L-64279,
30 April 1984)

2. Supreme Court Issuances

a. 1987 Constitution, Article VIII, Section
4; Article VIII, Section 5
b. Civil Code, Article 8

3. Administrative Issuances
a. Administrative Code of 1987, Book VII

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 b. Victorias Milling Co. v. Social Security
Commission (G.R. L-16704, 17 March
1962)
c. Fort Bonifacio Development Corp. v.
CIR (G.R. No. 158885, 2 October 2009)
d. Francel Realty Corp. v. Sycip (G.R. No.
154684, 8 September 2005)

4. Local Government Ordinances

a. Local Government Code of 1991, Title
II, Chapter III
b. Magtajas v. Pryce (G.R. No. 111097, 20
July 1994)
c. Solicitor General v. The Metropolitan
Manila Authority (G.R. No. 102782, 11
December 1991)

ii. Parts

1. Preamble
a. People v. Purisma (G.R. No. L-42050-
66, 20 November 1978)

2. Title
a. 1987 Constitution, Article VI, Section 26
(1)
b. Reman Enterprises, Inc. v. Professional
Regulatory Board of Real Estate Service
(G.R. No. 197676, 4 February 2014)
c. Tobias v. Abalos (G.R. No. L-114783, 8
December 1994)

3. Enacting clause

4. Body

5. Separability Clause
a. Tatad v. Secretary of Energy and Finance
(G.R. No. 124360, 3 December 1997)

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 6. Repealing Clause
a. Gov. Javier v. Comelec (G.R. No.
215847, 12 January 2016)
b. Sps. Mirasol v. Court of Appeals (G.R.
No. 128448, 1 February 2001)

7. Effectivity Clause
a. Tanada v. Tuvera (G.R. No. L-63915, 29
December 1986)
b. Tanada v. Tuvera (G.R. No. L63915, 24
April 1985)

8. Saving Clause
a. People v. Silva (G.R. No. 240541, 21
January 2019)

9. Sunset Clause
a. Bayanihan Law I, Section 9

iii. Validity and Procedures

1. Three separate readings

a. 1987 Constitution, Article VI, Section 26
(2)
b. Ang Nars Partylist v. Executive
Secretary (G.R. No. 215746, 8 October
2019)

2. Printing and distribution requirements

3. President’s Certification of Urgency
4. Rules of both Houses
a. 1987 Constitution, Article VI, Section 26
(2)
b. Arroyo v. De Venecia (G.R. No. 127255,
14 August 1997)

5. Bicameral Conference Committee

6. Authentication of Bills

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 a. Astorga v. Villegas (G.R. No. 23475, 30
April 1974)

7. Doctrine of Enrolled Bills

a. Tolentino v. Secretary of Finance (G.R.
No. 115455, 25 August 1994)

8. Rule on Presentment
a. 1987 Constitution, Article VI, Section 27

9. Presidential Veto (entire v line veto)

10. Legislative Veto Override
11. Publication
a. Civil Code, Article 2
b. Tanada v. Tuvera
c. People v. Que Po Lay (G.R. No. 6791, 29
March 1954)

III. Principles of Law

a. Stare Decisis
i. Civil Code Article 8
ii. De Mesa v. Pepsi Cola (G.R. No. 153063-70, 19
August 2005)
iii. Land Bank of the Philippines v. Pagayatan (G.R. No.
177190, 23 February 2011)

b. Res Judicata
i. PCGG v. Dumayas (G.R. No. 209447 and 210901, 11
August 2015)

c. Law of the Case

i. Spouses Sy v. Young (G.R. No. 169214, 19 June
2013)

d. Laches
i. Ali Akang v. Municipality of Sultan (G.R. No.
186014, 26 June 2013)

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 e. Estoppel
i. Ali Akang v. Municipality of Sultan (G.R. No.
186014, 26 June 2013)
ii. Republic of the Philippines v. Sundiam (G.R. No.
236381, 27 August 2020)

f. Prescription
i. Romualdez v. Marcelo (G.R. No. 165510-33, 28 July
2006)

g. Jurisdiction
i. Mitsubishi Motors v. Bureau of Customs (G.R. No.
209830, 17 June 2015)

h. Due Process
i. Alliance for the Family Foundation v. Garin (G.R.
No. 217872 and 221866, 26 April 2017)

IV. Power to Construe

a. Judicial
i. Power to construe belongs to the judiciary
ii. Belgica v. Ochoa (G.R. No. 208566, 19 November
2013)
iii. Corpuz v. People of the Philippines (G.R. No.
180016, 29 April 2014)
iv. Director of Lands v. Court of Appeals (G.R. No.
102858, 28 July 1997)
v. Kilusang Mayo Uno v. Aquino (G.R. No. 210500, 2
April 2019)
vi. 1987 Constitution, Article VIII, Section 1

b. Legislative
i. Endencia v. David (G.R. No. L-6355-56, 31 August
1953)

c. Executive
i. Nestle Philippines, Inc. v. CA (G.R. No. 86738, 13
November 1991)

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 d. Quasi judicial agencies
i. Monetary Board v. Philippines Veterans Bank (G.R.
No. 189571, 21 January 2015)

V. Construction and Interpretation

a. Strict or liberal construction

i. Penal statutes
1. Centeno v. Villalon-Pornillos (G.R. No.
113092, 1 September 1994)
2. Lent v. Tullet Prebon (Philippines), Inc. (G.R.
No. 189158, 11 January 2007)

ii. Tax Laws

1. Imposing tax
a. CIR v. Ginebra San Miguel (G.R. No.
175188, 15 July 2015)
b. Republic v. IAC (G.R. No. L-69344, 26
April 1991)

2. Granting tax exemption

a. CIR v. Guerrero (G.R. No. L-20942, 22
September 1967)
b. PAGCOR v. BIR (G.R. No. 172087, 15
March 2011)

iii. Labor and Social Legislations

1. Labor Code Article 4
2. Manahan v. Employee’s Compensation
Commission (G.R. No. L-44899, 22 April
1981)

iv. Election Rules

1. Engle v. COMELEC (G.R. No. 215995, 19
January 2016)

v. Retirement Laws

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 1. Tantuico v. Domingo (G.R. No. 96422, 28
February 1994)

vi. Data Privacy Act (Section 38)

vii. Rules of Court (Rule 1, Section 6)
viii. Insurance
1. Finnman v. CA (G.R. No. 100970, 2 September
1992)

b. Legal Presumption in aid of legislation

i. Presumption of validity
1. Lim v. Pacquing (G.R. No. 115044, 27 January
1995)

ii. Presumption against injustice

1. Civil Code Article 10
2. Salvacion v. Central Bank of the Philippines
(G.R. No. 94723, 21 August 1997)
3. CIR v. ESSO Standard Eastern, Inc (G.R. No.
L-28502-03, 18 April 1989)

iii. Presumption against absurdity

1. CIR v. ESSO Standard Eastern, Inc. (G.R. No.
L-28502, 18 April 1989)

iv. Presumption against implied repeals

1. Almadovar v. COA (G.R. No. 213330, 16
November 2015)

v. Presumption against ineffectiveness or impossibility

1. Paras v COMELEC (G.R. No. 123169, 2
November 1996)

vi. Presumption against violations of international law

1. Constitution, Article II, Section 2
2. Reyes v. Bagatsing (G.R. No. L-65366, 9
November 1983)

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c. Literal interpretation

i. Villarica Pawnshop, Inc. v. Social Security

Commission (G.R. No. 228087, 24 January 2018)
ii. People v. Amigo (G.R. No. 116719, 18 January 1996)
iii. Republic v. Lacap (G.R. No. 158253, 2 March 2007)

d. Intrinsic aids to interpretation

i. Punctuation marks
1. Agcaoili v. Suguitan (G.R. No. 24806, 13
February 1926)

ii. Capitalization
1. Unabia v. Honorable City Mayor (G.R. No.
8759, 29 May 1956)

iii. Title
1. Constitution, Article VI, Section 26(1)
2. Singapore Airlines Local Employees
Association v. NLRC (G.R. No. L-65786, 16
July 1984)
3. Lidasan v. Comelec (G.R. No. 28089, 25
October 1967)
4. Cawaling v. Comelec (G.R. No. 146319, 26
October 2001)
5. People v. Buenviaje (G.R. No. 22945, 3 March
1925)
6. Cordero v. Cabatuando (G.R. No.14542, 31
October 1962)

iv. Preamble
1. People v. Echaves (G.R. No. L-47757, 28
January 1980)

v. Headnotes or epigraphs
1. People v. Yabut (G.R. No. 39085, 27
September 1933)

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e. Construction as a whole

i. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas v. Office of the

Ombudsman (G.R. No. 201069, 16 June 2021)
ii. CIR v. TMX Sales, Inc. (G.R. No. 83736, 15 January
1992)

f. Interpretation of words and phrases

i. Definition
1. Literal or ordinary meaning
a. Chavez v. JBC (G.R. No. 202242, 17
July 2012)
b. Bolos v. Bolos (G.R. No. 186400, 20
October 2010)

2. Technical term
a. San Miguel Corporation v. Municipal
Council of Mandaue (G.R. No. L-30761,
11 July 1973)

3. Statutory definition
a. Victorias Milling Co. v. Social Security
Commission (G.R. L-164704, 17 March
1962)
b. People v. Buenviaje (G.R. No. 22945, 3
March 1925)

ii. Republic of the Philippines v. Yahon (G.R. No.

201043, 16 June 2014)

iii. De Villa v. CA (G.R. No. 87416, 8 April 1991)

iv. Disjunctive and conjunctive words

1. Microsoft Corporation v. Manansala (G.R. No.

166391, 21 October 2015)
2. San Miguel Corporation v. Municipal Council
of Mandaue (G.R. No. L-30761, 11 July 1973)

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g. Proviso, Exception, and Saving Clause

i. Proviso
1. Purpose
a. Arenas v. City of San Carlos (G.R. No.
L-34024, 5 April 1978)

2. Mercado v. NLRC (G.R. No. 79869, 5

September 1991)
3. Lokin v. Comelec (G.R. No. 179431, 22 June
2010)
4. Saving Clause

h. Associated words

i. Buenaseda v. Secretary Flavier (G.R. No. 106719, 21

September 1993)
ii. Philippine Basketball Association v. CA (G.R. No.
119122, 8 August 2000)
iii. Parayno v. Jovellanos (G.R. No. 148408, 14 July
2006)
iv. Municipality of Nueva Era v. Municipality of Marcos
(G.R. No. 169435, 27 February 2008)
v. Spouses Delfino v. St. James Hospital (G.R. No.
166735, 23 November 2007)
vi. Cadayona v. CA (G.R. No. 128772, 3 February 2000)

i. Extrinsic aids to construction

i. Explanatory note
1. Municipality of Nueva Era v. Municipality of
Marcos (G.R. No. 169435, 27 February 2008)
2. Chang Yung Fa v. Gianzon (G.R. No. 7785, 25
November 1955)
3. Guzman v. Municipality of Taytay, Palawan
(G.R. No. 43626, 7 March 1938)

ii. Legislative history

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 1. Commissioner v. Esso (G.R. No. L-28329, 7
August 1975)

iii. Congressional Records

1. De Villa v. CA (G.R. No. 87416, 8 April 1991)
2. Escalante v. Santos (G.R. No. L-36828, 2
February 1932)

iv. Legislative deliberations

1. National Police Commission v. Judge De
Guzman (G.R. No. 106724, 9 February 1994)
2. Casco Philippine Chemical Co v. Gimenez
(G.R. No. 17931, 28 February 1963)

v. President’s message
1. Camacho v CIR (G.R. No. L-1505, 12 May
1948)

vi. Opinions and Rulings of Administrative Agencies

1. Vera v. Cuevas (G.R. No. L-33693, 31 May
1979)

vii. Contemporaneous construction

1. Nestle Philippines, Inc. v. CA (G.R. No. 86738,
13 November 1991)

viii. Prior law

1. People v. Manantan (G.R. No. L-14129, 31 July
1962)

ix. Adopted statutes

1. Wise & Co, Inc. v. Meer (G.R. No. 48231, 30
June 1947)

x. Dictionary
1. Estrada v. Sandiganbayan (G.R. No. 148560,
19 November 2001)

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 xi. History
1. San Miguel Corporation Employees Union v.
Confesor (G.R. No. 111262, 19 September
1996)
2. Valera v. Tuason (G.R. No. 1276, 30 April
1948)

j. Construction in relation to other statutes

i. Statutes in pari materia

1. City of Naga v. Agna (G.R. No. L-36049, 31
May 1976)
2. Vda. De Urbano v. GSIS (G.R. No. 137904, 19
October 2001)

ii. Reference Statutes

iii. Supplemental Statutes
iv. Reenacted Statutes

k. Earlier v. Later law

i. Philippine National Bank v. Cruz (G.R. No. 80593, 18
December 1989)

l. General v. Special Statutes

i. Land Bank of the Philippines v. BIR (G.R. No.
242319, 16 June 2021)
ii. City of Manila v. Teotico (G.R. No. L-23052, 29
January 1968)

m. Mandatory v. Directory Statutes

i. Director of Lands v. Court of Appeals (G.R. No.
102858, 28 July 1997)
ii. Bermudez v. Executive Secretary (G.R. No. 131429, 4
August 1999)

n. Prospective v. Retroactive statutes

i. Gamboa v. Tevez (G.R. No. 176579, 9 October 2012)
ii. Civil Code Article 4

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 iii. Penal statutes
1. RPC, Article 366, Article 22
2. Hernan v. Sandiganbayan (G.R. No. 217874, 5
December 2017)

iv. Procedural laws

1. Ocampo v CA (G.R. No. 79060, 8 December
1989)
2. Yakult Philippines v. CA (G.R. No. 91856, 5
October 1990)

v. Curative statutes
1. Narzoles v. NLRC (G.R. No. 141959, 29
September 2000)
2. Briad-Agro Development Corporation v. Dela
Cerna (G.R. No. 83225, 29 June 1989)

vi. Judicial interpretation

1. CEMCO Holdings, Inc. v. National Life
Insurance Company (G.R. No. 171815, 7
August 2007)

VI. Departure from literal interpretation

a. Spirit and purpose of the law

i. League of cities v. COMELEC (G.R. No. 176951, 21
December 2009)
ii. Salenillas v. CA (G.R. No. 78687, 31 January 1989)
iii. Borromeo v. Mariano (G.R. No. 16808, 3 January
1921)

b. When the reason for the law ceases

i. Commendador v. De Villa (G.R. No. 96948, 2 August
1991)

c. Doctrine of Necessary Implication

i. Atienza v. Villarosa (G.R. No. 161081, 10 May 2005)
ii. Macalintal v PET (G.R. No. 191618, 1 June 2011)

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VII. Amendment

a. Dreamwork Construction v. Janiola (G.R. No. 184861, 30

June 2009)
b. Gloria v. CA (G.R. No. 131012, 21 April 1999)

VIII. Repeal

a. Civil Code, Article 7

b. Administrative Code of 1987, Book I, Chapter 5, Sections
21-22

c. Express v Implied
i. Gov. Javier v. Comelec (G.R. No. 215847, 12 January
2016)

d. Prohibition against irrepealable clause

i. City of Davao v RTC (G.R. No. 127383, 18 August
2005)

e. Repeals by implication not favored

i. Sps. Mirasol v. Court of Appeals (G.R. No. 128448, 1
February 2001)
ii. Mecano v. Commission on Audit (G.R. No. 103982,
11 December 1992)
iii. Berces v. Guingono (G.R. No. 112099, 21 February
1995)

f. Effects of repeal

IX. Revision or codification

a. Lumauig v. People (G.R. No. 166680, 7 July 2014)

b. Relampagos v. Cumba (G.R. No. 118861, 27 April 1995)

X. Constitutional construction

a. How
i. Plain meaning

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 ii. Intent of framers
iii. Interpretation as whole
iv. Francisco v. HOR (G.R. No. 160261, 10 November
2003)

b. Relative constitutionality
i. Central Bank Employees Association v. BSP (G.R.
No. 148208, 15 December 2004)

c. Progressive interpretation
i. Orceo v. Comelec (G.R. No. 190779, 26 March 2010)

Notes

Grades:

30% midterms
30% recitations/quizzes
40% finals

Passing grade is 75%

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