University of Santo Tomas

Faculty of Civil Law

Statutory Construction

First Semester, S.Y. 2023-2024

Course Syllabus

Instructor: Atty. Arsenik B. Pagaduan

E-mail: abpagaduan@ust.edu.ph

Course Description

A course that explores the use and force of statutes and the principles and methods of their
construction and interpretation.

No. of Units: 2 units

Grading System

Class Standing 25%

Preliminary Examination 35%
Final Examinations 40%

Total: 100%

Course Outline

I. Preliminary Concepts

A. Definition of Statutory Construction

B. Statutory Construction distinguished from Statutory Interpretation
C. Object or Purpose of Statutory Construction and Interpretation
D. Situs of Construction and Interpretation
E. Basic requisites before the Courts can interpret and/or construe the law
1. Actual case or controversy
▪ Falcis III v. Civil Registrar General - G.R. No. 217910, 03 September
2019|

2. Ambiguity or Vagueness in the law

▪ Ambiguity distinguished from Vagueness

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 ▪ Analyzing Ambiguity and the Different Kinds of Ambiguity
▪ Chapter 25, Legal Reasoning (2011), Christopher Enright
▪ Chapter 4, The Language of Law (2014), Andrei Marmor
▪ Abello v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue – G.R. No. 120721,
23 February 2005

F. Void for Vagueness Doctrine

▪ Lagman v. Medialdea - G.R. No. 231658, 04 July 2017
▪ Madrilejos v. Gatdula - G.R. No. 184389, 24 September 2019

G. Judicial Legislation
▪ Article 9, Civil Code
▪ People v. Parajas - G.R. No. 237982, 14 October 2020
▪ Villarica Pawnshop v. Social Security Commission – G.R. 228087,
24 January 2018
▪ Silverio v. Republic –G.R. No. 174689, 22 October 2007
▪ Reyes v. Lim – G.R. No. 134241, 11 August 2003
▪ Floresca v. Philex Mining Corporation – G.R. No. 30642, 30 April 1985
▪ Republic v. Orbecido – G.R. No. 154380, 05 October 2005
▪ Republic v. Manalo – G.R. No. 221029, 24 April 2018. See also
Dissenting Opinion of Justice Caguioa in connection with the case

H. Stare Decisis
▪ Article 8, Civil Code
▪ UCPB v. Spouses Uy –G.R. No. 204039, 10 January 2018
▪ Ting v. Velez-Ting - G.R. No. 166562, 31 March 2009
▪ Deutsche Bank AG v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue - G.R. No. 188550,
19 August 19, 2013
▪ Eizmendi, Jr. v. Fernandez - G.R. No. 215280, 27 November 2019
▪ Philippines Guardian Brotherhood. Inc. v. COMELEC- G.R. No. 190529,
29 April 2010
▪ Knights of Rizal v. DMCI Homes – G.R. No. 213948, 25 April 2017

I. Rule-Making Power of the Supreme Court

▪ Art. VIII, Sec. 5(5), 1987 Constitution
▪ Estipona v. Hon. Lobrigo - G.R. No. 226679, 15 August 2017
▪ Global Medical Center of Laguna v. Ross Systems International-
G.R. Nos. 230112 & 230119, 11 May 2021

J. Executive Construction and Administrative Issuances

▪ CBK Power Company Limited v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue,
G.R. No. 247918, 01 February 2023
▪ Abrenica v. Commission on Audit, G.R. No. 218185, 14 September 2021

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II. STATUTES

A. Kinds of Statutes
1. As to Scope of Application
i. General
ii. Special
iii. Local

2. As to Interested Parties
i. Public
ii. Private
3. As to Effect (In Time)
i. Prospective
ii. Retrospective
4. As to Purpose
i. Remedial
ii. Penal
iii. Curative
5. As to Coercive Force Applied
i. Mandatory
ii. Directory
6. As to period of Effectivity
i. Permanent
ii. Temporary
7. As to Stage of Enactment
i. Original
ii. Amendatory
iii. Repealing
iv. Re-enacted

B. Parts of a Statute
1. Title
2. Preamble
▪ Eugenio v. Exec. Secretary - G.R. No. 109404, 22 January 1996
▪ Kuwait Airways Corporation v. Philippine Airlines - G.R. No. 156087,
08 May 2009
3. Enacting Clause
4. Body
5. Repealing Clause
6. Saving Clause
7. Separability Clause
▪ PKSMMN v. Exec. Secretary - G.R. Nos. 147036-37, 10 April 2012
8. Effectivity Clause

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 C. How Statutes are Enacted
▪ See Chart of the Legislative Process posted at the Official Gazette website

D. How to Read Statutes

III. PLAIN MEANING RULE/LITERAL RULE/VERBA LEGIS

▪ Padilla v. Congress of the Philippines – G.R. No. 231671, 25 July 2017
▪ Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan v. Commission on Elections En
Banc-G.R. No. 225152, 05 October 2021
▪ Republic v. Pryce Corp., Inc., G.R. No. 243133, 08 March 2023
▪ Secretary of Justice v. Koruga- G.R. No. 166199, 24 April 2009
▪ Civil Service Commission v. Cortez - G.R. No. 200103, 23 April 2014

IV. LINGUISTIC CANONS OF INTERPRETATION

A. Whole Act Rule

▪ Philippine International Trading Corporation v. Commission on Audit – G.R. No.
183517, 22 June 2010
▪ JMM Promotions v. NLRC – G.R. No. 109835, 22 November 1993
▪ Cocofed-Phil. Coconut Producers Federation v. COMELEC - G.R. No. 207026,
06 August 2013

B. Ejusdem Generis
▪ Mutuc v. COMELEC – G.R. No. 32717, 26 November 1970, 36 SCRA 288
▪ Benguet State University v. Commission on Audit – G.R. No. 169637, 08 June 2007
▪ Colgate Palmolive Philippines v. Jimenez – G.R. No. 14787, 28 January 1961
▪ Cagayan Valley Enterprises v. CA – G.R. No. 78413, 08 November 1989
▪ Espinas v. Commission on Audit - G.R. No. 198271, 01 April 2014

C. Noscitur a Sociis
▪ Buenaseda v. Flavier – G.R. No. 106719, 21 September 1993
▪ People v. Flores - G.R. No. 188315, 25 August 2010
▪ GSIS v. COA - G.R. No. 162372, 19 October 2011

D. Expressio Unius Est Exclusio Alterius

▪ Ordoña v. Local Civil Registrar of Pasig City - G.R. No. 215370, 09 November 2021
▪ Paramount Insurance Corporation v. A.C. Ordoñez Corp. – G.R. No. 175109,
06 August 2008
▪ Gomez v. Ventura – G.R. No. 32441, 29 March 1930
▪ Go-Tan v. Spouses Tan - G.R. No. 168852, 30 September 2008

E. Casus Omissus
▪ Spouses Nereo v. St. James Hospital – G.R. No. 166735, 05 September 2006
▪ Association of Non-Profit Clubs, Inc. v. Bureau of Internal Revenue,
G.R. No. 228539, 26 June 2019
▪ People v. Manantan – G.R. No. 14129, 31 July 1962

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 F. Last Antecedent Rule
▪ San Juan v. People, G.R. No. 236628, 17 January 2023
▪ Cadayona v. CA – G.R. No. 128772, 03 February 2000

G. Reddendo Singula Singulus

▪ City of Manila v. Lagiuo – G.R. No. 118127, 12 April 2005
▪ Forthrich v. Corona – G.R. No. 131457, 19 August 1999

H. Use of the word “Shall,” “Must,” or “Ought”

▪ Mirasol v. CA – G.R. No. 128448, 01 February 2001
▪ Berces v. Guingona – 241 SCRA 539, 21 February 1995
▪ Diokno v. Rehabilitation Finance Corporation – 11 July 1952

I. Use of the word “May”

▪ Federation of Free Workers v. Inciong – G.R. No. 48848, 11 May 1988
▪ Social Security Commission v. CA – G.R. No. 152958, 27 September 2004

J. Use of the word “Or”

▪ People v. Martin -39 SCRA 340, 31 May 1971
▪ Guzman v. COMELEC – G.R. No. 182380, 28 August 2009
▪ San Miguel Corporation v. Municipal Council – 52 SCRA 43. 11 July 1973

K. Use of the word “And”

▪ Commissioner of Internal Revenue v. Ariete – G.R. No. 164152, 21 January 2010

L. Use of the word “And/Or”

▪ China Banking Corporation v. Members of the Board of Trustees – G.R. No. 131787,
19 May 1999

V. PRESUMPTIONS IN AID OF CONSTRUCTION AND INTERPRETATION

A. Presumption of Validity and Constitutionality of Laws]

▪ Municipality of San Mateo, Isabela v. Smart Communications - G.R. No. 219506,
23 June 2021

B. Presumption against Injustice

▪ Salvacion v. Central Bank of the Philippines – G.R. No. 94723, 21 August 1997
▪ Alonzo v. Intermediate Appellate Court – G.R. No. L-72873, 28 May 1987

C. Presumption against Implied Repeal

▪ Lledo v. Lledo - A.M. No. P-95-1167, 09 February 2010

D. Presumption against Ineffectiveness

▪ Paras v. COMELEC- G.R. No. 123169, 04 November 1996

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 E. Presumption against Absurdity
▪ Commissioner of Internal Revenue v. Esso Standard Eastern, Inc. –
G.R. No. 28502-03, 18 April 1989

F. Presumption against Undesirable Consequences Never Intended by the Legislative

Measure
▪ Ursua v. CA – G.R. No. 112170, 10 April 1996

G. Presumption against Irrepealable Laws

▪ The City of Davao v. RTC Davao – G.R. No. 127383, 18 August 2005
▪ Datu Kida v. Senate of the Philippines - G.R. No. 196271, 28 February 2012

VI. CONSTRUCTION OF PARTICULAR STATUTES

A. Strict Construction

B. Liberal Construction

C. Penal Statutes
▪ De Leon v. Luis - G.R. No. 226236, 06 July 2021
▪ People v. Temporada- G.R. No. 173473, 17 December 2008
▪ Villaseñor v. Sandiganbayan - G.R. No. 180700, 04 March 2008

D. Statutes in Derogation of Fundamental Rights

▪ Provincial Chapter of Laguna, Nationalista Party v. COMELEC - G.R. No. L-53460,
27 May 1983
▪ Genaro V. Reyes Construction v. CA - G.R. No. 108718, 14 July 1994
▪ City of Manila v. Prieto - G.R. No. 221366, 08 July 8, 2019

E. Rules of Court
▪ Sec. 6, Rule 1, Rules of Court
▪ PNB v. Deang Marketing - G.R. No. 177931, December 8, 2008
▪ Le Soleil Int'l. Logistics Co., Inc. v. Sanchez - G.R. No. 199384 (Resolution),
09 September 2015
▪ Republic v. Desierto - G.R. No. 136506, 16 January 2023

F. Administrative Rules of Procedure

▪ Manila Hotel Corp. v. Office of the Director of the Bureau of Legal Affairs of the
Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines - G.R. No. 241034; 03 August 2022

G. Revenue/Tax Laws
▪ Petron Corp. v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue - G.R. No. 255961, 20 March
2023
▪ Serfino v. CA - G.R. No. L-40858, 15 September 1987, 154 SCRA 19

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 ▪ SMI-ED Phil. Technology, Inc. v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue, G.R. No.
175410, 12 November 2014
▪ Light Rail Transit Authority v. City of Pasay, G.R. No. 211299, 28 June 2022

H. Labor Laws
▪ Villavert v. ECC - G.R. No. L-48605, 14 December 1981
▪ Razonable, Jr. v. Torm Shipping Philippines, Inc., G.R. No. 241620, 07 July 2020

I. Social Security Laws

▪ Oceanmarine Resources Corp. v. Nedic, G.R. No. 236263, 19 July 2022
▪ Vicente v. ECC, 193 SCRA 190

J. Election Laws
▪ Cumigad v. Commission on Elections, G.R. No. 167314, 20 March 2007
▪ Teves v. Commission on Elections, G.R. Nos. 262622 & 262682, 14 February 2023
▪ Amora Jr. v. Comelec - January 25, 2011, G.R. No. 192280
▪ Loong v. COMELEC, G.R. No. 133676, 14 April 1999

K. Corporation Laws
▪ Home Insurance Co. v. Eastern Shipping Lines, G.R. No. L-34382, L-34383, 20 July
1983

L. Insurance Laws
▪ Alpha Insurance v. Castor – GR No. 198174, 02 September 2013
▪ Fieldmens Insurance v. Vda de Songco -G.R. No. L-24833, 23 September 1968

M. Retirement and Pension Laws

▪ GSIS v. De Leon – 17 November 2010 G.R. No. 186560
▪ Fetalino v. Comelec - G.R. No. 191890; 04 December 2012
▪ Salabe v. Social Security Commission, G.R. No. 223018, 27August 2020

N. Agrarian Laws
▪ Estolas v. Mabalot - G.R. No. 133706, 07 May 2002

O. Naturalization Laws
▪ Republic v. Ong –G.R. No. 175430, 18 June 2012

P. Wills
▪ Testate Estate of the Late Paula Toray v. Abaja - G.R. No. L-2415, 31 July 1950
▪ In the matter of the intestate estate of Andres and Bibibana De Jesus v. De Jesus, Jr. -
G.R. No. L-38338, 28 January 1985

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VII. CONFLICTING STATUTES

▪ Apex Mining v. Southeast Mindanao Gold - G.R. Nos. 152613 & 152628,
20 November 2009
▪ Teotico v. City of Manila - G.R. No. L-23052, 29 January 1968
▪ Nuñez v. GSIS Family Bank – G.R. No 163988, 17 November 2005
▪ Magtajas v. Pryce Properties Corporation – G.R. No. 111097, 20 July 1994
▪ Department of Trade and Industry v. Enriquez, G.R. No. 225301, 02 June 2020

VIII. CONSTRUCTION OF THE CONSTITUTION

A. Requisites before the court can exercise its power of judicial review in relation to
constitutional issues
▪ Apex Mining v. Southeast Mindanao Gold - G.R. Nos. 152613 & 152628,
20 November 2009

B. Intent of the framers of the organic law and of the people adopting it given effect.
▪ Nitafan v. Commissioner - G.R. No. 78780, 23 July 1987
▪ Civil Liberties Union v. Executive Secretary - G.R. No. 83896, 22 February 22, 1991
▪ Co v. HRET - G.R. Nos. 92191-92, 30 July 1991
▪ Heirs of Gamboa v. Finance Secretary - G.R. No. 176579, 09 October 2012

C. Language of the Constitution construed in the ordinary meaning

▪ Ordillo v. COMELEC - G.R. No. 93054, 04 December 1990
▪ Manila Prince Hotel v. GSIS - G.R. No. 122156, 03 February 1997

D. Rules of Construction in relation to issue of constitutionality

▪ Victoriano v. Elizalde Rope Worker’s Union - G.R. No. L-25246, 12 September 1974
▪ Manila Trading v. Reyes - G.R. No. L-43263, 31 October 1935

E. Construction of Statute to Harmonize it with the Constitution

▪ Ifurung v. Carpio-Morales, G.R. No. 232131, 24 April 2018
▪ Garcia v. COMELEC - G.R. No. 111230, 30 September 1994

F. Supremacy of the Constitution

▪ Resident Marine Mammals of the Protected Seascape Taňon Strait v. Secretary Reyes
– G.R. No. 180771, 21 April 2015

G. The Doctrine of Operative Fact

▪ Araullo v. Aquino - G.R. No. 209287, 03 February 2015

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