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Statutory Construction 2022

MODULE 6: LITERAL INTERPRETATION AND DEPARTURE THEREFROM


Act despite its exemption from laws involving position
A. Literal Interpretation classification.
As a general rule, the intent of legislature to be ascertained
and thereafter given effect is the intent expressed in the HELD:
language of the statute. No, under the principles of statutory construction, if a
statute is clear, plain and free from ambiguity, it must be
Index animi sermo: speech is the index of intention. given its literal meaning and applied without attempted
interpretation.
 Verba Legis Non Est Recedendum
This plain-meaning rule or verba legis is derived from the
Verba legis is a constitutional construction principle which maxim index animi sermo est (speech is the index of
means that wherever possible, the words used in the intention) and rests on the valid presumption that the words
Constitution must be given their ordinary meaning except employed by the legislature in a statute correctly express its
where technical terms are employed. intent and preclude the court from construing it differently.
The legislature is presumed to know the meaning of the
words, to have used words advisedly, and to have
Trade and Investment Development Corporation of the
expressed its intent by the use of such words as are found in
Philippines v. Civil Service Commission
the statute. Verba legis non est recedendum, or from the
G.R. No. 182249, March 5, 2013
words of a statute there should be no departure.

The principles of statutory construction, if a statute is clear, The phrase "to endeavour" means to "to devote serious and
plain and free from ambiguity, it must be given its literal sustained effort" and "to make an effort to do." It is
meaning and applied without attempted interpretation. synonymous with the words to strive, to struggle and to
seek.
KEYWORDS: Appointment, meaning of endeavor
The use of "to endeavour" in the context of RA 8494 means
FACTS: that despite TIDCORP’s exemption from laws involving
 Arsemio de Guzman was appointed on a permanent compensation, position classification and qualification
status as Financial Management Specialist IV of standards, it should still strive to conform as closely as
TIDCORP, a government-owned and controlled possible with the principles and modes provided in RA 6758.
corporation (GOCC). The phrase "as closely as possible," which qualifies
TIDCORP’s duty "to endeavour to conform," recognizes that
 Director Bugtong disallowed De Guzman’s the law allows TIDCORP to deviate from the Position
appointment because the position of Financial Classification Act, but it should still try to hew closely with its
Management Specialist IV was not included in the principles and modes. Had the intent of Congress been to
DBM’s Index of Occupational Service. require TIDCORP to fully, exactly and strictly comply with
the Position Classification Act, it would have so stated in
 TIDCORP’s Executive Vice President Jane U. unequivocal terms. Instead, the mandate it gave TIDCORP
Tambanillo appealed the invalidation of De Guzman’s was to endeavour to conform to the principles and modes
appointment to Director IV Agnes Padilla of the CSC- of RA 6758, and not to the entirety of this law.
NCR. According to Tambanillo, Republic Act No. 8494,
which amended TIDCORP’s charter, empowers its  Dura lex sed lex
Board of Directors to create its own organizational
structure and staffing pattern, and to approve its own The law may be harsh but that is the law.
compensation and position classification system and
qualification standards.
Olympio Revaldo v. People of the Philippines,
CSC-NCR Director Padilla denied Tambanillo’s appeal G.R. No. 170589, April 16, 2009

because De Guzman’s appointment failed to comply
with Section 1, Rule III of CSC Memorandum Circular Mere possession of forest products without the proper
No. 40, which requires that the position title of an documentation consummates the crime. Dura lex sed lex.
appointment submitted to the CSC must conform with The law may be harsh but that is the law.
the approved Position Allocation List and must be
found in the Index of Occupational Service. Since the KEYWORDS: illegal possession of lumber without permit,
position of Financial Management Specialist IV is not mala prohibita
included in the Index of Occupational Service, de
Guzman’s appointment to this position must be invalid. FACTS:
 Petitioner Olympio Revaldo was charged with the
 Valdes reiterated TIDCORP’s argument that RA 8494 offense of illegal possession 96.14 board feet of
authorized its Board of Directors to determine its own premium hardwood lumber in violation of Section 68
organizational structure and staffing pattern, and of the Forestry Code.
exempted TIDCORP from all existing laws on Value: P1,703.53; Pieces: 21
compensation, position classification and qualification
standards.  The petitioner was a carpenter who specialized in
furniture making. On June 18, 1992, policemen,
 In its Resolution No. 30144, the CSC-CO affirmed the without search warrant, arrived at his house and
CSC-NCR’s decision that de Guzman’s appointment inspected and seized the lumber therein.
should have complied with CSC Memorandum.
 Petitioner admitted to the police that he had no
ISSUE: permit to possess the lumber because they were only
Whether or not RA 8494 command TIDCORP to follow given to them by his aunt (Bolo), uncle (Bug-os) and
issued requirements pursuant to the Position Classification mother-in-law (Tenio). Seven pieces were actually

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Statutory Construction 2022

leftover lumber from a divider he worked on before. Judgment is hereby rendered in favor of plaintiff and
Petitioner said he will use the lumber to repair his hereby orders defendant to pay plaintiff.
dilapidated house.
 Respondent filed a Notice of Appeal, claiming that he
ISSUE: received a copy of the trial court’s Decision that the
Whether or not petitioner should be acquitted same was contrary to the law, facts, and evidence,
and praying that his appeal be given due course.
1. SC affirmed the decision of the trial court and the CA.
The Forestry Code provides that mere possession of forest  The Court of Appeals rendered the herein assailed
products without the proper documents consummates the Decision granting the appeal and setting aside the
crime (Section 68). In addition, the law authorizes the PNP Decision of the trial court. The appellate court held
to arrest even without warrant any person who has that the service of summons was irregular and such
committed or is committing in his presence any of the irregularity nullified the proceedings before the trial
offenses defined therein (Section 80). In the case at bar, court. Since it did not acquire jurisdiction over the
petitioner failed to produce the necessary permit person of the respondent, the trial court’s decision
authorizing him to possess the lumber. was void.

Dura lex sed lex. The law may be harsh but that is the law. ISSUE:
Whether or not there was a valid service of summons upon
Plain View Doctrine the respondent.
Objects falling in “plain view” of an officer who has a right
to be in the position to have that view are subject to HELD:
seizure and may be presented as evidence Yes, there was a valid service of summons upon the
respondent.

Arnel Sagana v. Richard A. Francisco The purpose of summons is two-fold: to acquire jurisdiction
G.R. No.161952, October 2, 2009 over the person of the defendant and to notify the
defendant that an action has been commenced so that
The principle of dura lex sed lex versus the notion that he may be given an opportunity to be heard on the claim
technicalities should yield to broader interests of justice. against him. Under the circumstances of this case, we find
that respondent was duly apprised of the action against
KEYWORDS: Petitioner not receiving summons him and had every opportunity to answer the charges
made by the petitioner. However, since respondent
FACTS: refused to disclose his true address, it was impossible to
 Petitioner Arnel Sagana filed a Complaint for personally serve summons upon him. Considering that
Damages alleging that respondent Richard A. respondent could not have received summons because of
Francisco, with intent to kill and without justifiable his own pretenses, and has failed to provide an
reason, shot him with a gun hitting him on the right explanation of his purported "new" residence, he must now
thigh. As a result, petitioner incurred medical expenses bear the consequences.
and suffered wounded feelings, and was compelled
to engage the services of a lawyer, due to It is, at times, difficult to reconcile the letter of the law with
respondent’s refusal to pay said expenses. Petitioner its spirit. Thus, it is not altogether surprising that two
thus demanded payment for actual damages, moral competing values are usually discernable in every
damages, exemplary damages and attorney’s fees. controversy – the principle of dura lex sed lex versus the
notion that technicalities should yield to broader interests
 Several summons was sent to the respondent’s given of justice. In our rules of procedure, for instance, judges
address, however the occupant of that house told him often struggle to find a balance between due process
that respondent is unknown at said address. considerations and a liberal construction to secure a just
disposition of every action.
 Process Server again tried to serve the summons at the
address of the respondent but no avail. According to B. Departure from literal interpretation
Iconar’s handwritten notation on the summons, he
was informed by Michael Francisco, respondent’s  Statutes must be capable of interpretation
brother, that respondent no longer lived at said Statute must be capable of interpretation, otherwise
address. However, he left a copy of the summons to inoperative.
Michael Francisco.
Court must use every authorized means to ascertain the
 The trial court issued an Order finding that the intent of the statute and give it an intelligible meaning. If
summons was validly served to respondent through his effort is impossible to solve the doubt and dispel the
brother, Michael. It thus declared respondent in obscurity of a statute, if no judicial certainty can be had as
default and allowed petitioner to present his evidence. to its meaning, the court is not at liberty to supply nor to
Nonetheless, copies of all pleadings and court make one.
documents were furnished to respondent.
If statute fails to express a meaning, judicial modesty
 Michael Francisco, through his counsel, Atty. Bernardo forbids court from assuming and from supplying a meaning
Q. Cuaresma, filed a Manifestation and Motion thereto.
denying that he received the summons or that he was
authorized to receive summons on behalf of his Interpretatio fienda est ut res magis valeatquam pereat:
brother. He alleged that the substituted service did not that interpretation as will give the thing efficacy is to be
comply with Section 8, Rule 14 of the Rules of Court. adopted. A law should be interpreted with a view to
upholding rather than destroying it.
 The trial court issued an Order denying Michael
Francisco’s Manifestation and Motion for lack of merit.

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Statutory Construction 2022

Miriam Defensor-Santiago v. COMELEC  Ratio legis et anima


G.R. No. 127325, March 19, 1997 Moving away from the literal interpretation

Subtitles are intrinsic aids for construction and interpretation. Maxims:


R.A. No. 6735 failed to provide any subtitle on initiative on ratio legis et anima legis (the reason of the law is its soul);
the Constitution, unlike in the other modes of initiative,
which are specifically provided for in Subtitle II and Subtitle ratione cessat lex et cessat lex (when the reason of the law
III. This deliberate omission indicates that the matter of ceases, the law ceases)
people’s initiative to amend the Constitution was left to Presumption: The letter of the law is its body; the spirit
some future law. (reason), the soul; and the construction of the former
should never be so rigid and technical as to destroy the
KEYWORDS: Amending the Constitution by People’s latter.
Initiative

FACTS: Rodolfo G. Navarro v. Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita,


 Private respondent filed with public respondent G.R. No. 180050, April 12, 2011
Commission on Elections (COMELEC) a “Petition to
Amend the Constitution, to Lift Term Limits of Elective A statute must be read according to its spirit or intent, for
Officials, by People’s Initiative” (Delfin what is within the spirit is within the statute although it is not
Petition) wherein Delfin asked the COMELEC for an within its letter, and that which is within the letter but not
order within the spirit is not within the statute.

(1) Fixing the time and dates for signature gathering all KEYWORDS: creating the province
over the country;
FACTS:
(2) Causing the necessary publications of said Order and  The President approved into law Republic Act (R.A.)
the attached “Petition for Initiative on the 1987 Constitution, No. 9355 (An Act Creating the Province of Dinagat
in newspapers of general and local circulation; and Islands).

(3) Instructing Municipal Election Registrars in all Regions of  The COMELEC conducted the mandatory plebiscite
the Philippines, to assist Petitioners and volunteers, in for the ratification of the creation of the province
establishing signing stations at the time and on the dates under the Local Government Code (LGC). The
designated for the purpose. plebiscite yielded 69,943 affirmative votes and 63,502
negative votes. With the approval of the people from
 Delfin asserted that R.A. No. 6735 governs the conduct both the mother province of Surigao del Norte and
of initiative to amend the Constitution and COMELEC the Province of Dinagat Islands (Dinagat).
Resolution No. 2300 is a valid exercise of delegated
powers. Petitioners contend that R.A. No. 6375 failed  Petitioners filed before this Court a petition for
to be an enabling law because of its deficiency and certiorari and prohibition challenging the
inadequacy, and COMELEC Resolution No. 2300 is constitutionality of R.A. No. 9355. The Court dismissed
void. the petition on technical grounds. Their motion for
reconsideration was also denied.
ISSUE:
Whether or not:  Undaunted, petitioners filed another petition for
(1) the absence of subtitle for such initiative is not fatal, certiorari seeking to nullify R.A. No. 9355 for being
(2) R.A. No. 6735 is adequate to cover the system of unconstitutional. They alleged that the creation of
initiative on amendment to the Constitution, and Dinagat as a new province, if uncorrected, would
(3) COMELEC Resolution No. 2300 is valid. perpetuate an illegal act of Congress, and would
unjustly deprive the people of Surigao del Norte of a
HELD: large chunk of the provincial territory.
1) NO. Petition (for prohibition) was granted. The
conspicuous silence in subtitles simply means that the main  Movants-intervenors raised three (3) main arguments
thrust of the Act is initiative and referendum on national to challenge the above Resolution, namely:
and local laws.
(1) that the passage of R.A. No. 9355 operates as
2) R.A. No. 6735 failed to provide sufficient standard for an act of Congress amending Section 461 of the
subordinate legislation. Provisions COMELEC Resolution No. LGC;
2300 prescribing rules and regulations on the conduct of
initiative or amendments to the Constitution are declared (2) that the exemption from territorial contiguity,
void. when the intended province consists of two or
more islands, includes the exemption from the
RATIO: application of the minimum land area
Subtitles are intrinsic aids for construction and interpretation. requirement; and
R.A. No. 6735 failed to provide any subtitle on initiative on
the Constitution, unlike in the other modes of initiative, (3) that the Operative Fact Doctrine is
which are specifically provided for in Subtitle II and Subtitle applicable in the instant case.
III. This deliberate omission indicates that the matter of
people’s initiative to amend the Constitution was left to  The Court denied the Motion and issued an order for
some future law. Entry of Judgment, stating that the decision in this
case had become final and executory.

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Statutory Construction 2022

ISSUE:  Literal import must yield to intent


Whether or not the provision in Rules and Regulations If there’s two conflicting theories, courts choose which best
Implementing the Local Government Code of 1991 valid. accords with the spirit or intent of the law.

HELD: Conscience and equity should always be considered in the


Yes, the Congress, recognizing the capacity and viability of construction of a statute.
Dinagat to become a full-fledged province, enacted R.A.
No. 9355, following the exemption from the land area The spirit and intendment of the law must prevail over its
requirement, which, with respect to the creation of letter.
provinces, can only be found as an express provision in the
LGC-IRR. In effect, pursuant to its plenary legislative powers, - Verba intentioni, non e contra, debent inservire: words
Congress breathed flesh and blood into that exemption in ought to be more subservient to the intent and not the
Article 9(2) of the LGC-IRR and transformed it into law when intent to the words.
it enacted R.A. No. 9355 creating the Island Province of
Dinagat. A statute may therefore be extended to cases not within
the literal meaning of its terms, so long as they come
Ratio legis est anima. The spirit rather than the letter of the within its spirit or intent.
law. A statute must be read according to its spirit or intent,
for what is within the spirit is within the statute although it is Limitation of rule
not within its letter, and that which is within the letter but What is within the spirit of a statute even if not within the
not within the spirit is not within the statute. Put a bit letter is applicable only if there is ambiguity in the
differently, that which is within the intent of the lawmaker is language of the law.
as much within the statute as if within the letter, and that
which is within the letter of the statute is not within the
statute unless within the intent of the lawmakers. Withal, Automotive Parts & Equipment Company v. Jose B. Lingad
courts ought not to interpret and should not accept an G.R. No. L-26406, October 31, 1969
interpretation that would defeat the intent of the law and
its legislators
The choice between conflicting theories falls on that which
best accords with the letter of the law and with its purpose
Atong Paglaum, Inc. v. Commission on Elections KEYWORDS: increasing of salaries due to enactment of a
G.R. No. 203766, April 2, 2013 new law

The quoted constitutional texts are both terse and general FACTS:
in their terms. However, they are not, in fact, as bare as  Automotive Parts & Equipment Company,
they would seem, as the words used carry meanings and Incorporated alleged that it was duly incorporated on
intents expressed during the deliberations and the voting 1961 and that from the start of its operation, its
that took place to determine what the Constitution would employees were paid on a daily and monthly basis.
exactly provide.
 The aforesaid amendatory act took effect and that
KEYWORDS: disqualification of partylist groups respondents construed its provision "in such a way as
to require the petitioner to increase the salaries of all
FACTS: the monthly paid employees of the petitioner.
 The Comelec disqualified 52 party-list groups and
organizations from participating in the 13 May 2013  Petitioner sought to justify its refusal to abide by the
party-list elections, particularly those that did not interpretative bulletin of respondents requiring the
satisfy these two criteria: (1) all national, regional, and increase to a minimum a month for employees paid
sectoral groups or organizations must represent the on a monthly basis in this wise: The petitioner believes
“marginalized and underrepresented” sectors; AND (2) that Sec. 19 of R.A. No. 602 particularly that portion
all nominees must belong to the “marginalized and prohibiting the reduction of wages paid to employees
underrepresented” sector they represent. in excess of the minimum wage established in the Act
only refers and applies to employers in business prior to
 Aggrieved by the disqualification, said part-list groups and at the time of enactment of the Act and that the
via Petitions for Certiorari and Petitions for Certiorari prohibition thereof against reduction of supplements
and Prohibition, alleging grave abuse of discretion as envisioned in Sec 19 should not be applied
amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction on the part prospectively to employers coming into existence
of the Comelec. subsequent to the effective date of said Act.

HELD:  The lower court rejected such a contention. Thus: "Sec.


Purpose Behind the Party-list Innovation 2 of R.A. No. 4180 provides that 'Any provision of law
previously enacted on the subject matter of this Act
Unmistakably, the quoted constitutional texts are both terse that is inconsistent with any provision of this Act is
and general in their terms. However, they are not, in fact, hereby repealed.' Sec. 19 of R.A. No. 602 not being
as bare as they would seem, as the words used carry inconsistent with R.A. No. 4180 has not been repealed;
meanings and intents expressed during the deliberations on the other hand, the provisions of Section 19 of R.A.
and the voting that took place to determine what the No. 602 not being inconsistent with R.A. No. 4180 were
Constitution would exactly provide. deemed and impliedly re-enacted.

Basic in understanding the constitutional text is the intent ISSUE:


that led to the modification of the system of legislative Whether or not the lower court decided the matter
district elections that the country has used even before the correctly.
1935 Constitution.

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HELD: compensation of owners, and it is an undue and


Yes, the lower court decided the matter correctly. unauthorized exercise of police power of the state for
it deprives them of the enjoyment of their private
Even if the plain legislative purpose so evident on the face property.
of the statute is not to vitalize and implement what the
Constitution enjoins, still there is no escape from an equally ISSUE:
authoritative principle of statutory construction that bars
acceptance on what appellant would foist upon the Whether or not the prohibition and the penalty imposed in
judiciary as an acceptable interpretation. "It is Act No. 1147 is limited only to the slaughter of large cattle
fundamental that once the policy or purpose of the law at the municipal slaughterhouse.
has been ascertained, effect should be given to it by the
judiciary. From Ty Sue v. Hord, decided in 1909, it has been HELD:
our constant holding that the choice between conflicting
theories falls on that which best accords with the letter of 1. NO. The prohibition and penalty imposed in Act No. 1147
the law and with its purpose. The next year, in an equally applies generally to the slaughter of large cattle for human
leading decision, United States v. Toribio, there was a consumption, anywhere, without a permit duly secured
caveat against a construction that would tend 'to defeat from the municipal treasurer, and specifically to the killing
the purpose and object of the legislator.' for food of large cattle at a municipal slaughterhouse
without such permit.
If the interpretation offered by appellant would be
considered acceptable, then there would be a negation Where the language of a statute is fairly susceptible of two
of the above purpose of the amendatory act increasing or more constructions, that construction should be
the minimum wage law. That would be to defeat and adopted which will most tend to give effect to the manifest
frustrate rather than to foster its policy. It must be rejected. intent of the lawmaker and promote the object for which
the statute was enacted, and a construction should be
rejected which would tend to render abortive other
United States v. Toribio provisions of the statute and to defeat the object which
15 Phil. 85 (1910) the legislator sought to attain by its enactment.

Topic: Literal import must yield to intent


Sy Tiong shiou v. Sy Chim and Felicidad Chan Sy
Where the language of a statute is fairly susceptible of two G.R. No. 174168, March 30, 2009
or more constructions, that construction should be
adopted which will most tend to give effect to the manifest KEYWORDS: failure to make deposits in a corporation
intent of the lawmaker and promote the object for which
the statute was enacted… FACTS:
 Juanita Tan, corporate treasurer of Sy Siy Ho & Sons,
KEYWORDS: slaughtering of cattles without permit Inc. (the corporation) submitted a letter to the
corporation’s Board of Directors stating that Felicidad
FACTS: Chan Sy did not make cash deposits to any of the
 Toribio was found by the trial court of Bohol violating corporation’s banks thus the total bank remittances
Sections 30 and 33 of Act No. 1147, an Act regulating for the past years were less than reflected in the
the registration, branding, and slaughter of Large corporate financial statements, accounting books
Cattle. The act prohibits the slaughter of large cattle fit and records. Finally, Juanita Tan sought to be free
for agricultural work or other draft purposes for human from any responsibility over all corporate funds.
consumption.
 Banaria, Banaria & Company in its report, the
 Appellant Toribio slaughtered or caused to be accounting firm attributed to the Spouses Sy
slaughtered his carabao without a permit from the P67,117,230.30 as unaccounted receipts and
municipal treasurer of the municipality. disbursements from 1994 to 2002.

 It appears that in the town of Carmen, in the Province  A demand letter was subsequently served on the
of Bohol, wherein the animal was slaughtered there is Spouses Sy. On the same date, the children of the
no municipal slaughterhouse, and counsel for Spouses Sy allegedly stole from the corporation cash,
appellant contends that under such circumstances postdated checks and other important documents.
the provisions of Act No. 1147 do not prohibit nor After the incident, the Spouses Sy allegedly transferred
penalize the slaughter of large cattle without a permit residence and ceased reporting to the corporation.
of the municipal treasure. Thereupon, the corporation filed a criminal complaint
for robbery against the Spouses Sy.
 Appellant contends that he applied for a permit to
slaughter the animal but was not given one because  The corporation filed its Amended Complaint for
the carabao was not found to be “unfit for agricultural Accounting and Damages against the Spouses Sy
work” which resulted to appellant to slaughter praying for a complete and true accounting of all the
said carabao in a place other than the municipal amounts paid to, received and earned by the
slaughterhouse. company since 1993 and for the restitution of the said
amount.
 Appellant then assails the validity of a provision under
Act No. 1147 which states that only carabaos unfit for  The Spouses Sy filed their Motion for Leave to File Third-
agricultural work can be slaughtered. Party Complaint, praying that their attached Third
Party Complaint be allowed and admitted against Sy
 Appellant also contended that the act constitutes a Tiong Shiou and his spouse. In the said third-party
taking of property for public use in the exercise of the complaint, the Spouses Sy accused Sy Tiong Shiou and
right of eminent domain without providing for the

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Juanita Tan as directly liable for the corporation’s - This may happen when the purpose of the statute sought
claim for misappropriating corporate funds. to be achieved by it is accomplished, or the mischief
sought to be repressed is prevented, by an act or event
 Tthe trial court granted the motion for leave to file the independent of the statute itself.
third-party complaint, and forthwith directed the
issuance of summons against Sy Tiong Shiou and
Juanita Tan. B/Gen. Jose Comendador v. Gen. Renato S. De Villa
G.R. No. 93177, August 2, 1991
 Their counsel allegedly discovered that Sy Tiong Shiou
and Juanita Tan were not furnished with the copies of
It is a basic canon of statutory construction that when the
several pleadings, as well as a court order, which
reason of the law ceases, the law itself ceases.
resulted in their having been declared in default for
failure to file their answer to the third-party complaint;
KEYWORDS: AFP’s participation in the failed coup d’ etat
thus, they instead filed a petition for certiorari before
the Court of Appeals.
FACTS:
 The petitioners are officers of the Armed Forces of the
 The Court of Appeals granted the petition of Sy Tiong
Philippines facing prosecution for their alleged
Shiou and Juanita Tan. The appellate court declared
participation in the failed coup d' etat
that a third-party complaint is not allowed under the
Interim Rules of Procedure Governing Intra-Corporate
 A Pre-Trial Investigation (PTI) Panel issued a uniform
Controversies Under R.A. No. 8799 (Interim Rules).
subpoena individually addressed to the petitioners.
The petitioners acknowledged receipt of a copy of
ISSUE:
the charge sheet, sworn statements of witnesses, and
Whether or not a third-party complaint is prohibited by the
death and medical certificates of victims of the
Interim Rules.
rebellion.
HELD:
 At the first scheduled hearing, the petitioners
No, the third-party complaint should be allowed.
challenged the proceedings on various grounds,
prompting the PTI Panel to grant them 10 days to file
For while a third-party complaint is not included in the
their objections in writing through a Motion for
allowed pleadings, neither is it among the prohibited ones.
Summary Dismissal.
Nevertheless, this conflict may be resolved by following the
well-entrenched rule in statutory construction, that every
 The PTI Panel denied the motion and gave the
part of the statute must be interpreted with reference to
petitioners 5 days to submit their respective counter-
the context, i.e., that every part of the statute must be
affidavits and the affidavits of their witnesses.
considered together with the other parts, and kept
subservient to the general intent of the whole enactment.
 The petitioners manifested that they were exercising
their right to raise peremptory challenges against the
Statutes, including rules, should be construed in the light of
president and members of GCM No.14 by invoking
the object to be achieved and the evil or mischief to be
Article 18 of Com. Act No. 408. GCM No. 14 ruled,
suppressed and they should be given such construction as
however, that peremptory challenges had been
will advance the object, suppress the mischief and secure
discontinued under P.D. No.39.
the benefits intended.
Peremptory means final and absolute, without needing
A statute should therefore be read with reference to its
any underlying justification.
leading idea, and its general purpose and intention should
be gathered from the whole act, and this predominant
ISSUE:
purpose will prevail over the literal import of particular
Whether or not petitioners can manifest the right to
terms or clauses, if plainly apparent, operating as a
peremptory challenge.
limitation upon some and as a reason for expanding the
signification of others, so that the interpretation may
HELD:
accord with the spirit of the entire act, and so that the
Yes, the petitioners have the right to peremptory challenge.
policy and object of the statute as a whole may be made
effectual and operative to the widest possible extent.
The right to peremptory challenge was originally provided
Otherwise stated, the spirit, rather than the letter of a law
under Article 18 of Com. Act No. 408 (Articles of War).
determines its construction; hence, a statute, as in the rules
in this case, must be read according to its spirit and intent
When President Marcos promulgated P.D. No. 39
(Governing the Creation, Composition, Jurisdiction,
Procedure, and other matters relevant to military Tribunals).
 Cessante ratione legis, cessat et ipsa lex This decree disallowed the peremptory challenge.
When reason of law ceases, the law itself ceases
President Marcos issued Proc. No. 2045 proclaiming the
- raton legis est anima: the reason of the law is its soul. termination of the state of martial law throughout the
Philippines. With the termination of martial law and the
The reason behind the law is the heart of the law. dissolution of the military tribunals created there under, the
Reason of the law plays a decisive role in its construction. reason for the existence of P.D. No. 39 ceased
automatically.
- A statute may render a prior law devoid of reason.
It is a basic canon of statutory construction that when the
- Where a later law has a purpose in conflict with that of a reason of the law ceases, the law itself ceases. Cessante
prior statute on the same subject, the latter has lost all rationelegis, cessat ipsa lex. Applying these rules, we hold
meaning and function and has ceased to exist. that the withdrawal of the right to peremptory challenge in
P.D. No. 39 became ineffective when the apparatus of

Kat Atienza | 6
Statutory Construction 2022

martial law was dismantled with the issuance of For while petitioner Al Nacino was appointed by the
Proclamation No.2045, As a result, the old rule embodied in provincial governor, he was not recommended by the
Article 18 of Com. Act No. 408 was automatically revived Sangguniang Bayan of San Nicolas. On the other hand,
and now again allows the right to peremptory challenge respondent Edward Palafox was recommended by the
Sangguniang Bayan but it was the mayor and not the
 Supplying legislative omission provincial governor who appointed him
Where a literal import of the language of a statute shows
that words have been omitted that should have been in  Construction to avoid absurdity
the statute in order to carry out its intent and spirit, clearly General terms of a statute should be so limited in their
ascertainable from the context, the court may supply the application as not to lead to absurdities. It is presumed that
omission to make the statute conform to the obvious intent the legislature intended exceptions to its language which
of the legislature or to prevent the act from being absurd. would avoid absurd consequences.

Rule is corollary with the rule that what is within the spirit of Interpretatio talis in ambiguis semper fienda est ut evitetur
the law is within the law. inconveniens et absurdum: Where there is ambiguity, such
interpretation as will avoid inconvenience and absurdity is
to be adopted.
Governor Rodolfo C. Farinas v. Mayor Angelo M. Barba
G.R. No. 116763, April 19, 1996 Where literal adherence to the language would result to
absurdity, the court has the power to supply or omit the
words from a statute in order to prevent an absurd result.
KEYWORDS: authority and power to appoint
Courts test the law by its result. There are laws which are
generally valid but may seem arbitrary when applied in a
FACTS:
particular case because of its peculiar circumstance.
 Domingo was a member of the Sangguniang Bayan
Courts are not bound to apply them in slavish obedience
of San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte. He resigned after going
to their language.
without leave to the United States.
A law should not be interpreted so as not to cause injustice.
 To fill the vacancy created by his resignation, a
Where a term is defined in a statute, the court may not
recommendation for the appointment of Edward
construe it to exclude what is included therein as to restrict
Palafox was made by the Sangguniang Bayan of San
its scope.
Nicolas but the recommendation was made to Mayor
Barba.The resolution, containing the recommendation,
was submitted to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Paras v. COMELEC
Ilocos Norte purportedly in compliance with Sec. 56 of G.R. No. 123169, 4 November 1996
the Local Government Code (R.A. No. 7160).
It is a rule in statutory construction that every part of the
 The Sangguniang Panlalawigan, purporting to act statute must be interpreted with reference to the context,
under this provision of the Local Government Code, i.e., that every part of the statute must be considered
disapproved the resolution “for the reason that the together with the other parts, and kept subservient to the
authority and power to appoint Sangguniang Bayan general intent of the whole enactment.
members are lodged in the Governor. Accordingly,
the Sangguniang Panlalawigan recommended to the KEYWORDS: recall election
Governor the appointment of petitioner Al Nacino. On
June 8, 1994, the Governor appointed petitioner FACTS:
Nacino and swore him in office that same day. On the  Petitioner Paras is the incumbent Punong Barangay of
other hand, respondent Mayor Barba appointed Pula, Cabanatuan City who won during the last
respondent Edward Palafox to the same position. regular barangay election in 1994. A petition for his
recall as Punong Barangay was filed by the registered
 Petitioners filed with the Regional Trial Court of Ilocos voters of the barangay.
Norte a petition for quo warranto and prohibition.
 Acting on the petition for recall, public respondent
 The trial court rendered its decision, upholding the COMELEC resolved to approve the petition,
appointment of respondent Palafox by respondent scheduled the petition and set the recall election. The
Mayor Barba. COMELEC, however, deferred the recall election in
view of petitioner's opposition.
ISSUE:
Who can appoint the replacement and in accordance  The COMELEC set anew the recall election. To prevent
with what procedure? the holding of the recall election, petitioner filed
before the Regional Trial Court of Cabanatuan City a
HELD: petition for injunction, with the trial court issuing a
The person who has the power to appoint under such temporary restraining order. After conducting a
circumstance is the Governor upon the recommendation summary hearing, the trial court lifted the restraining
of the Sangguniang concerned which is the Sangguniang order, dismissed the petition and required petitioner
Bayan of San Nicolas where the vacancy occurs. and his counsel to explain why they should not be
cited for contempt for misrepresenting that the
The upshot of this is that in the case at bar, since neither barangay recall election was without COMELEC
petitioner Al Nacino nor respondent Edward Palafox was approval.
appointed in the manner indicated in the preceding
paragraph, neither is entitled to the seat in the  The COMELEC, for the third time, re-scheduled the
Sangguniang Bayan of San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte which was recall election, hence, the instant petition for certiorari
vacated by member Carlito B. Domingo. with urgent prayer for injunction.

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Statutory Construction 2022

 Petitioner's argument is simple and to the point. Citing Karen E. Salvacion v. Central Bank of the Philippines, China
Section 74 (b) of Republic Act No. 7160, otherwise Banking Corporation and Greg Bartelli y Northcott
known as the Local Government Code, which states G.R. No. 94723, August 21, 1997
that "no recall shall take place within one (1) year
from the date of the official's assumption to office or
In case of doubt in the interpretation or application of laws,
one (1) year immediately preceding a regular local
it is presumed that the lawmaking body intended for right
election", petitioner insists that the scheduled January
and justice to prevail.
13, 1996 recall election is now barred as the
Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) election was set by
KEYWORDS: minor lured by a foreigner, dollar account
Republic Act No. 7808 on the first Monday of May 1996,
and every three years thereafter.
FACTS:
 Karen E. Salvacion, then 12 years old, was coaxed
ISSUE:
and lured by private respondent Greg Bartelli y
Whether or not the recall election is valid.
Northcott to go with him in his apartment, where she
was detained for four days and was raped 10 times.
HELD:
Aside from the criminal case for serious illegal
No, the recall is not valid.
detention and 4 counts of rape filed by the Makati
investigating fiscal, the petitioner along with her
It is a rule in statutory construction that every part of the
parents, file in Regional Trial Court (RTC) a civil case for
statute must be interpreted with reference to the
damages with preliminary attachment against Bartelli,
context,i.e., that every part of the statute must be
which the court then granted.
considered together with the other parts, and kept
subservient to the general intent of the whole enactment.
 A notice of garnishment was served to China Banking
Corporation, where the dollar account of the private
The evident intent of Section 74 is to subject an elective
respondent was deposited, by the Deputy Sheriff of
local official to recall election once during his term of office.
Makati. But respondent bank invoking Republic Act
Paragraph (b) construed together with paragraph (a)
No. 1405 as its answer to the notice of garnishment
merely designates the period when such elective local
served on it and later on invoked Section 113 of
official may be subject of a recall election, that is, during
Central Bank Circular No. 960, to the effect that the
the second year of his term of office. Thus, subscribing to
dollar deposits of defendant Greg Bartelli are exempt
petitioner's interpretation of the phrase regular local
from attachment, garnishment, or any other order or
election to include the SK election will unduly circumscribe
process or process of any court, legislative body,
the novel provision of the Local Government Code on
government agency or any administrative body.
recall, a mode of removal of public officers by initiation of
the people before the end of his term. And if the SK
 In a letter in response to the inquiry of the counsel of
election which is set by R.A No. 7808 to be held every three
petitioners to Central Bank, it is stated that the
years from May 1996 were to be deemed within the
provision in Section 113 of Central Bank Circular No.
purview of the phrase "regular local election", as
960 is absolute in application and that it does not
erroneously insisted by petitioner, then no recall election
admit of any exception, nor has the same been
can be conducted rendering inutile the recall provision of
repealed nor amended.
the Local Government Code.
 The court rendered judgment in favor of petitioners,
Petitioner's too literal interpretation of the law leads to
Petitioners tried to execute on Bartelli’s dollar deposit.
absurdity which we cannot countenance. Thus, in a case,
the Court made the following admonition: We admonish
ISSUES:
against a too-literal reading of the law as this is apt to
Whether the dollar bank deposit of Greg Bartelli in China
constrict rather than fulfill its purpose and defeat the
Bank Corporation be exempted from attachment,
intention of its authors. That intention is usually found not in
garnishment or any other order or process of any court,
"the letter that killeth but in the spirit that vivifieth. The spirit,
legislative body, government agency or any administrative
rather than the letter of a law determines its construction;
body
hence, a statute, as in this case, must be read according
to its spirit and intent.
HELD:
No, the provisions of Section 133 of CB Circular No. 960 are
 Construction in favor of right and justice hereby held to be inapplicable to this case because of its
Any doubt in the construction of a statute should be peculiar circumstances and the Court requires respondents
resolved in favor of right and justice. to comply with the writ to execution and to release to
petitioners the dollar deposit of respondent Greg Bartelli y
The fact that a statute is silent, obscure or insufficient with Northcott in such amount as would justify the judgment.
respect to a question before the court will not justify the
latter from declining to render judgment thereon. In fine, the application of the law depends on the extent of
its justice. Eventually, if we rule that the questioned Section
Jure naturae aequum est neminem cum alterius 113 of CB Circular No 960 which exempts from attachment,
detrimento et injuria fieri locupletiorem, which was restated garnishment or any other order or process of any court.
with ninguno non deue enriquecerse tortizeramente con Legislative body, government agency or any
daño de otro. Courts invoke these principles when the administrative body whatsoever, is applicable to a foreign
statutes are silent or obscure in order to arrive at a solution transient, injustice would result especially to a citizen
that would respond to the vehement (passionate) urge of aggrieved by a foreign guessed like accused Greg Bartelli.
conscience. This would negate Article 10 of the New Civil Code which
provides that in case of doubt in the interpretation or
In balancing conflicting solutions, that one is perceived to application of laws, it is presumed that the lawmaking
tip the scales which the court believes will best promote body intended for right and justice to prevail. Simply stated,
the public welfare in its probable operation as a general when the statute is silent or ambiguous, this is one of those
rule or principle.

Kat Atienza | 8
Statutory Construction 2022

fundamental solutions that would respond to the Whether or not there was a failure on the part of the trial
vehement urge of conscience. court to furnish Petitioner with copies of orders and
processes issued in the course of the proceedings
 Law does not require the impossible
•Nemo tenetur ad impossible – the law obliges no one to HELD:
perform an impossibility No, Santos failed to file an answer in time, which is why he
had to file an Omnibus Motion to Admit Attached Answer.
•Impossibilium nulla obligation est – no obligation to do an
impossible thing The disputed order was a finding that the Santos was in
default for failure to file an answer or pleading within the
•Impossible compliance versus Substantial compliance period fixed. It is illogical to notify him of the order simply on
(as required by law) account of the reality that he was no longer residing
and/or found on his last known address and his
Pedro T. Santos, Jr. v. PNOC whereabouts unknown thus the publication of summons.
G.R. No. 170943, September 23, 2008
Santos could not reasonably demand that copies of orders
and processes be furnished him. His residence or
The law does not require that the impossible be done. whereabouts is not known and he cannot be located.
Nemo tenetur ad impossible. The law obliges no one to
perform an impossibility. Laws and rules must be interpreted In the case at bar, there is obviously no way notice can be
in a way that they are in accordance with logic, common sent to him and the notice requirement cannot apply to
sense, reason and practicability him. The law does not require that the impossible be done.
Nemo tenetur ad impossible. The law obliges no one to
KEYWORDS: unpaid car loan perform an impossibility. Laws and rules must be interpreted
in a way that they are in accordance with logic, common
FACTS: sense, reason and practicability. Be that as it may, a copy
 PNOC Exploration Corporation, respondent, filed a of the September 11, 2003 order was still mailed to him at
complaint for a sum of money against petitioner his last known address but it was unclaimed.
Pedro Santos Jr. in the RTC of Pasig. The amount
sought to be collected was the petitioner’s unpaid
 Number and gender of words
balance of the car loan advanced to him by
When the context of a statute so indicates, words in plural
respondent when he was still a member of its board of
include the singular, and vice versa.
directors.
A plural word in a statute may thus apply to a
 Personal service of summons were made to petitioner
singularperson or thing, just as a singular word may
but failed because the latter cannot be located in his
embrace two or more persons or things
last known address despite earnest efforts to do so.
Subsequently, on respondent’s motion, the trial court
 Art. 996 CC – (law on succession) such article also
allowed service of summons by publication.
applies to a situation where there is only one child
Respondent caused the publication of the summons
because “children” includes “child”
in Remate, a newspaper of general circulation in the
Philippines. Thereafter, respondent submitted the
 ElectionCode–“candidate” comprehends “some
affidavit of publication and the affidavit of service of
candidates” or “all candidates”
respondent’s employee to the effect that he sent a
copy of the summons by registered mail to petitioner’s
 On gender – the masculine, but not the feminine,
last known address.
includes all genders, unless the context in which the
word is used in the statute indicates otherwise
 Petitioner still failed to answer within the prescribed
period despite the publication of summons. Hence,
respondent filed a motion for the reception of its Santillon v. Miranda
evidence ex parte. Trial court granted said motion G.R. No. 19281, June 30, 1965
and proceeded with the ex parte presentation and
formal offer of its evidence. it is a maxim of statutory construction that words in plural
include the singular.
 Petitioner filed an Omnibus Motion for Reconsideration
and to Admit Attached Answer, alleging that the KEYWORDS: Child vs Children
affidavit of service submitted by respondent failed to
comply with Section 19, Rule 14 of the Rules of Court FACTS:
as it was not executed by the clerk of court.  Pedro Santillon died without testament leaving one
son, Claro Santillon, and his wife, Perfecta Miranda.
 Trial court denied the said motion and held that the During his marriage, Pedro acquired several parcels of
rules did not require such execution with the clerk of land located in that province.
court. It also denied the motion to admit petitioner’s
answer because the same was filed way beyond the  Four years after his death, Claro Santillon filed a
reglementary period. petition for letters of administration. Opposition to said
petition was entered by the widow Perfecta Miranda
 Petitioner appeals to the CA via a petition for and the spouses Benito U. Miranda and Rosario
certiorari contending that the court committed grave Corrales on the following grounds:
abuse of discretion since it has no jurisdiction due to
improper service of summons, failure to furnish him (a) that the properties enumerated in the
with copies of its orders and processes and upholding petition were all conjugal, except three parcels
technicality over equity and justice. which Perfecta Miranda claimed to be her
exclusive properties;
ISSUE:

Kat Atienza | 9
Statutory Construction 2022

(b) that Perfecta Miranda by virtue of two


documents had conveyed 3/4 of her undivided
share in most of the properties enumerated in
the petition to said spouses Benito and Rosario;

(c) that administration of the estate was not


necessary, there being a case for partition
pending; and

(d) that if administration was necessary at all, the


oppositor Perfecta Miranda and not the
petitioner was better qualified for the post. It
appears that subsequently, oppositor Perfecta
Miranda was appointed administrator of the
estate.

 The court appointed commissioners to draft within sixty


days, a project of partition and distribution of all the
properties of the deceased Pedro Santillon.

 Claro filed a "Motion to Declare Share of Heirs" and to


resolve the conflicting claims of the parties with
respect to their respective rights in the estate.

 The court issued an order, the dispositive portion of


which is hereby ruled and ordered that in the intestate
succession of the deceased Pedro Santillon, the
surviving spouse Perfecta Miranda shall inherit ONE-
HALF (1/2) share and the remaining ONE-HALF (1/2)
share for the only son, Atty. Claro Santillon. This is after
deducting the share of the widow as co-owner of the
conjugal properties.

ISSUE:
Whether or not the word “children” in Art. 996 can also be
interpreted as “child” in accordance with Art. 892?

HELD:
Yes, it is a maxim of statutory construction that words in
plural include the singular.

So Art. 996 could or should be read (and so applied) : "If


the widow or widower and a legitimate child are left, the
surviving spouse has the same share as that of the child."

Indeed, if we refuse to apply the article to this case on the


ground that "child" is not included in "children," the
consequences would be tremendous, because "children"
will not include "child".

Our conclusion (equal shares) seems a logical inference


from the circumstance that whereas Article 834 of the
Spanish Civil Code, from which Art. 996 was taken,
contained two paragraphs governing two contingencies,
the first, where the widow or widower survives with
legitimate children (general rule), and the second, where
the widow or widower survives with only one child
(exception), Art. 996 omitted to provide for the second
situation, thereby indicating the legislator's desire to
promulgate just one general rule applicable to both
situations.

Kat Atienza | 10
Statutory Construction 2022

MODULE 7: IMPLICATIONS
 Petitioner filed before the RTC a Motion for
I. Necessary Implications Reconsideration.
•So-called gaps in the law develop as the law is enforced
ISSUE:
•StatCon rule: to fill in the gap is the doctrine of necessary Whether or not the CA erred in applying the provisions of
Implication the Special ADR Rules, resulting in the dismissal of
petitioner’s special civil action for certiorari.
•Doctrine states that what is implied in a statute is as much
apart thereof as that which is expressed HELD:
The petition is DENIED.
•Ex necessitate legis – from the necessity of the law Republic Act No. (RA) 9285, otherwise known as the
Alternative Dispute Resolution Act of 2004,” institutionalized
•Every statutory grant of power, right or privilege is the use of an Alternative Dispute Resolution System (ADR
deemed to include all incidental power, right or privilege System) in the Philippines.

• In eo quod plus sit, simper inest et minus – greater The Act, however, was without prejudice to the adoption
includes the lesser by the Supreme Court of any ADR system as a means of
achieving speedy and efficient means of resolving cases
Necessity pending before all courts in the Philippines. Under Section
 includes such inferences as may be logically be drawn 17.2, Rule 17 of the CIAC Rules, no motion for
from the purpose or object of the statute, from what reconsideration or new trial may be sought, but any of the
the legislature must be presumed to have intended, parties may file a motion for correction of the final award.
and from the necessity of making the statute effective Execution is fittingly called the fruit and end of suit and the
and operative life of the law. A judgment, if left unexecuted, would be
nothing but an empty victory for the prevailing party. While
 excludes what is merely plausible, beneficial, or it appears that the Special ADR Rules remain silent on the
desirable must be consistent with the Constitution or to procedure for the execution of a confirmed arbitral award,
existing laws an implication which is violative of the it is the Court’s considered view that the Rules’ procedural
law is unjustified or unwarranted mechanisms cover not only aspects of confirmation but
necessarily extend to a confirmed award’s execution in
light of the doctrine of necessary implication which states
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)
that every statutory grant of power, right or privilege is
v. United Planners Consultants, Inc.
deemed to include all incidental power, right or privilege.
G.R. No. 212081, February 23, 2015
In Atienza v. Villarosa, the doctrine of necessary implication
FACTS: was explained, thus: No statute can be enacted that can
 Petitioner, through the Land Management Bureau provide all the details involved in its application. There is
(LMB), entered into an Agreement for Consultancy always an omission that may not meet a particular situation.
Services (Consultancy Agreement) with respondent What is thought, at the time of enactment, to be an all-
United Planners Consultants, Inc. in connection with embracing legislation may be inadequate to provide for
the Land Resource Management Master Plan Project the unfolding of events of the future. So-called gaps in the
(LRMMP). law develop as the law is enforced. One of the rules of
statutory construction used to fill in the gap is the doctrine
 Under the Consultancy Agreement, petitioner of necessary implication. The doctrine states that what is
committed to pay a total contract price of implied in a statute is as much a part thereof as that which
P4,337,141.00, based on a pre-determined is expressed. Every statute is understood, by implication, to
percentage corresponding to the particular stage of contain all such provisions as may be necessary to
work accomplished. effectuate its object and purpose, or to make effective
rights, powers, privileges or jurisdiction which it grants,
 Respondent completed the work required, which including all such collateral and subsidiary consequences
petitioner formally accepted. However, petitioner was as may be fairly and logically inferred from its terms. Ex
able to pay only 47% of the total contract price. necessitate legis. And every statutory grant of power, right
or privilege is deemed to include all incidental power, right
 For failure to pay its obligation under the Consultancy or privilege. This is so because the greater includes the
Agreement despite repeated demands, respondent lesser, expressed in the maxim, in eo plus sit, simper inest et
file a Complaint against petitioner. Upon motion of minus.
respondent, the case was subsequently referred to
arbitration pursuant to the arbitration clause of the
Consultancy Agreement, which petitioner did not
oppose. Sugbuanon Rural Bank, Inc. v. Hon. Undersecretary
Bienvenido E. Laguesma
The Arbitral Tribunal rendered its Award (Arbitral G.R. No. 116194, February 2, 2000

Award) in favor of respondent, directing petitioner to
pay. KEYWORDS:

 Unconvinced, petitioner filed a motion for FACTS:


reconsideration, which the Arbitral Tribunal merely  Association of professional supervisory office and
noted without any action, claiming that it had already technical Employees Union, a labor organization
lost jurisdiction over the case after it had submitted to affiliated with the trade Union Congress of the
the RTC its Report together with a copy of the Arbitral Philippines (APSOTEU-TUCP) file petition for certification
Award. election of supervisory employees of SRBI.

Kat Atienza | 11
Statutory Construction 2022

 The med-arbiter set the certification election Carmelo F. Lazatin v. HRET


conference between SRBI and APSOTEU-TUCP. SRBI G.R. No. 84297, December 8, 1988
filed a motion to dismiss the union’s petition.
KEYWORDS:
 Respondent members were not managerial
employees but supervisory employees which are
FACTS:
allowed to join, form or assist their own union (art 245
 During the canvassing of votes, Private respondent
labor code).
Lorenzo Timbol objected to the inclusion of certain
election returns. But since the Municipal Board of
 Med-arbiter denied the motion.
Canvassers did not rule on his objections, he brought
his case to the Commission on Elections. On May 19,
 SRBI appealed to the secretary of labor and
1987, the COMELEC ordered the Provincial Board of
employment about the med-arbiter's decision, but
Canvassers to suspend the proclamation of the
then secretary denied.
winning candidate for the first district of Pampanga.
However, on May 26, 1987, the COMELEC ordered the
 Med-arbiter scheduled the certification election, the
Provincial Board of Canvassers to proceed with the
SRBI filed a motion to suspend but then, it was denied.
canvassing of votes and to proclaim the winner. On
 SRBI seeking the cancellation of the respondents union
May 27, 1987, petitioner was proclaimed as
registration before Dole regional office; argued that
Congressman-elect. Private respondent thus filed in
APSOTEU-TUCP members are managerial and
the COMELEC a petition to declare petitioners
confidential employees who were prohibited from
proclamation void ab initio. Later, private respondent
joining, organizing unions, but then dole denied.
also filed a petition to prohibit petitioner from
assuming office. The COMELEC failed to act on the
 Then SRBI filed petition for certiorari and prohibition
second petition so petitioner was able to assume
before the court for the annulment of the resolution of
office on June 30, 1987. On September 15, 1987, the
dole in favor of the order of med-arbiter w/c denied
COMELEC declared petitioner's proclamation void ab
petitioner's motion to dismiss respondent union's
initio. Court set aside the COMELEC's revocation of
petition for cert. election.
petitioner's proclamation. On February 8, 1988, private
respondent filed in the House of Representatives
ISSUES:
Electoral Tribunal.
Whether or not the members of the union are managerial
and or highly placed confidential employees.
 Petitioner argued that the private respondent’s protest
2Whether or not the med-arbiter may validly order the
had been filed late citing Sec 250 of the Omnibus
holding of a certification of election upon the filing of a
Election Code. However the HRET filed that the protest
petition for certification by a registered union despite the
had been filed on time in accordance with Sec 9 of
petitioner's appeal.
the HRET Rules.
HELD:
ISSUE:
Court denied the Petition.
Whether or not the House of Representative Electoral
Art 212 Labor Code defines managerial and supervisory
Tribunal has jurisdiction over the case?
employees. Petitioner failed to show that the employees in
question recommend the hiring and appointing of his
HELD:
subordinates well as the power to recommend any
Yes, the court ruled that the petitioner’s reliance on Sec
promotions and or increase salaries, and other powers such
250 of the Omnibus Election Code is misplaced. The
as transfer, suspend, layoff, recall, discharge, assign or
COMELEC’s exclusive original jurisdiction over all contests
discipline. Cashiers, accountants, and acting chief loans
relating to the elections, returns and qualifications of all
department of Art 245 of labor code does not directly
elective regional, provincial and city officials and
prohibit confidential employees from engaging in union
appellate jurisdiction over contests relating to the election
activities. However, in doctrine of necessary implication the
of municipal and barangay officials [Art. IX(C), Sec. 2(2)].
disqualification of managerial employees equally applies
expressly makes the Electoral Tribunals of the Senate and
to confidential employees.
the House of Representatives the sole judge of all contests
Petitioner does not state who among the employees has
relating to the election, returns and qualifications of their
access to information specifically relating to its labor and
respective Members [Art. VI, Sec. 17].
relation policies.
The power of the HRET, as the sole judge of all contests
II. Grant of power includes incidental power relating to the election, returns and qualifications of the
As a rule, where a general power is conferred or duty Members of the House of Representatives, to promulgate
enjoined, every particular power necessary for the exercise rules and regulations relative to matters within its jurisdiction,
of one or the performance of the other is also conferred. including the period for filing election protests before it, is
The incidental powers are those which are necessarily beyond dispute. Its rule-making power necessarily flows
included in, and are therefore of lesser degree than the from the general power granted it by the Constitution. This
power granted. It cannot extend to other matters not is the import of the ruling in the landmark case of Angara v.
embraced therein, nor are not incidental thereto. Electoral Commission

Power conferred by law upon an administrative officer to It is a settled rule of construction that where a general
issue rules and regulations to carry out the purposes of a power is conferred or duly enjoined, every particular power
statute he is called upon to execute includes the authority necessary for the exercise of the one or the performance
to delegate to a subordinate officer the performance of a of the other is also conferred (Cooley, Constitutional
particular function, absent any express or implied provision Limitations, eighth ed., vol. 1, pp. 138, 139). In the absence
to the contrary. of any further constitutional provision relating to the
procedure to be followed in filing protests before the
Electoral Commission, therefore, the incidental power to
promulgate such rules necessary for the proper exercise of

Kat Atienza | 12
Statutory Construction 2022

its exclusivepower to judge all contests relating to the of respondents complaint and its authority to require
election, returns and qualifications of members of the Cemco to make a tender offer for UCC shares, and
National Assembly, must be deemed by necessary arguing that the tender offer rule does not apply. The
implication to have been lodged also in the Electoral Court of Appeals rendered a decision affirming the
Commission. ruling of the SEC.

The inescapable conclusion from the foregoing is that it is ISSUE:


well within the power of the HRET to prescribe the period Whether or not, the SEC has jurisdiction over respondent’s
within which protests may be filed before it. This is founded complaint.
not only on historical precedents and jurisprudence but,
more importantly, on the clear language of the HELD:
Constitution itself. Yes, The Court affirmed the decision of the CA. SEC was
acting pursuant to Rule 19(13) of the Amended
Consequently, private respondent's election protest having Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Securities
been filed within the period prescribed by the HRET, the Regulation Code
latter cannot be charged with lack of jurisdiction to hear
the case. Another provision of the statute, which provides the basis of
Rule 19(13) of the Amended Implementing Rules and
Cemco Holdings, Inc. v. National Life Insurance Company Regulations of the Securities Regulation Code, is Section
of the Philippines, Inc. 5.1(n), viz:
G.R. No. 171815, August 7, 2007
[T]he Commission shall have, among others, the
following powers and functions: x x x (n) Exercise
KEYWORDS:
such otherpowers as may be provided by law as
well as those which may be implied from, or which
FACTS:
are necessary orincidental to the carrying out of,
 Union Cement Corporation (UCC) has two principal
the express powers granted the Commission to
stockholders UCHC with shares amounting to 60.51%,
achieve the objectives and purposes of these laws.
and petitioner Cemco with 17.03%. Majority of UCHCs
stocks were owned by BCI with 21.31% and ACC with
The foregoing provision bestows upon the SEC the general
29.69%. Cemco, on the other hand, owned 9% of
adjudicative power which is implied from the express
UCHC stocks. BCI informed the Philippine Stock
powers of the Commission or which is incidental to, or
Exchange (PSE) that it and its subsidiary ACC had
reasonably necessary to carry out, the performance of the
passed resolutions to sell to Cemco the BCIs stocks in
administrative duties entrusted to it. As a regulatory agency,
UCHC equivalent to 21.31% and ACCs stocks in UCHC
it has the incidental power to conduct hearings and render
equivalent to 29.69%. as a result of petitioner Cemcos
decisions fixing the rights and obligations of the parties.
acquisition of BCI and ACCs shares in UCHC,
And as held by the Court of Appeals:
petitioners total beneficial ownership, direct and
indirect, in UCC has increased by 36% and amounted
We must bear in mind in interpreting the powers
to at least 53% of the shares of UCC.
and functions of the SEC that the law has made
the SEC primarily a regulatory body with the
 As a consequence the PSE, inquired to SEC as to
incidental power to conduct administrative
whether the Tender Offer Rule under Rule 19 of the
hearings and make decisions. A regulatory body
Implementing Rules of the Securities Regulation Code
like the SEC may conduct hearings in the exercise
is not applicable to the purchase by petitioner of the
of its regulatory powers, and if the case involves
majority of shares of UCC.The SECs Corporate Finance
violations or conflicts in connection with the
Department responded to the query of the PSE that
performance of its regulatory functions, it will have
while it was the stance of the department that the
the duty and authority to resolve the dispute for
tender offer rule was not applicable, the matter must
the best interests of the public
still have to be confirmed by the SEC en banc.
Thereafter, SEC confirmed that the SEC en banc had
resolved that the Cemco transaction was not covered III. What cannot be done directly cannot be done
by the tender offer rule. indirectly
 Feeling aggrieved by the transaction, respondent Quando aliquid prohibetur ex directo, prohibetur et
National Life Insurance Company of the Philippines, per obliquum
Inc., a minority stockholder of UCC, sent a letter to what cannot, by law, be done directly cannot be done
Cemco demanding the latter to comply with the rule indirectly
on mandatory tender offer. Cemco, however, refused.
Respondent filed a complaint with the SEC asking it to Tawang Multi-Purpose Cooperative v. La Trinidad Water
reverse its Resolution and to declare the purchase District
agreement of Cemco void and praying that the G.R. No. 166471, March 22, 2011
mandatory tender offer rule be applied to its UCC
shares. KEYWORDS:

 In a Decision the SEC ruled in favor of the respondent FACTS:


by reversing and setting aside its Resolution and  Petitioner Tawang Multi-Purpose Cooperative (TMPC)
directed petitioner Cemco to make a tender offer for was organized to provide domestic water services in
UCC shares to respondent and other holders of UCC Brgy. Twang, La Trinidad, Benguet. Respondent La
shares similar to the class held by UCHC in Trinidad Water District (LTWD) is a government owned
accordance with Section 9(E), Rule 19 of the Securities and controlled corporation, a local water utility
Regulation Code. created under PD No. 198, authorized to supply water
for domestic, industrial and commercial purpose
 Petitioner filed a petition with the Court of Appeals within municipality of La Trinidad, Benguet.
challenging the SECs jurisdiction to take cognizance

Kat Atienza | 13
Statutory Construction 2022

 October 9, 2000, TMPC filed with National Water


Resources Board an application for Certificate of
Public Convenience (CPC) to operate and maintain a
waterworks system in Brgy. Tawang LTWD claimed that
under Sec. 47 of PD No. 198, as amended, its franchise
is exclusive.

 August 15, 2002, the NWRB held that LTWD’s franchise


cannot be exclusive since exclusive franchises are
unconstitutional under Sec. 2, Art. XII.

 October 1, 2004, upon appeal of LTWD to the RTC, the


latter cancelled TMPC’s CPC and held that Sec. 47 of
PD No. 198 is valid; that the ultimate purpose of the
Constitution is for the State, through its authorized
agencies or instrumentalities, to be able to keep and
maintain ultimate control and supervision over the
operation of public utilities. What is repugnant to the
Constitution is a grant of franchise exclusive in
character so as to preclude the State itself from
granting a franchise to any other person or entity than
the present grantee when public interest so requires.

 November 6, 2004, RTC denied the motion for


reconsideration filed by TMPC.

ISSUE:
Whether RTC erred in holding that Sec. 47 of PD No. 198 is
valid

HELD:
Yes, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of petitioner. Quando
aliquid prohibetur ex directo, prohibetur et per obliquum –
Those that cannot be done directly cannot be done
indirectly. Under Sec. 2 and 11, Art. XII of the 1987
Constitution, The President, Congress, and Court cannot
create indirectly franchises that are exclusive in character
by allowing the Board of Directors (BOD) of a water district
and Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) to create
franchises that are exclusive in character. Sec. 47 of PD no.
198 is in conflict with the above-mentioned provision of the
Constitution. And the rule is that in case of conflict
between the Constitution and a statute, the former prevails,
because the constitution is the basic law to which all other
laws must conform to.

Kat Atienza | 14
Statutory Construction 2022

MODULE 8: INTERPRETATION OF WORDS AND PHRASES


criminal acts indicative of the overall unlawful scheme or
I. In General conspiracy
A word or phrase used in a statute may have an ordinary,
generic, restricted, technical, legal, commercial or trade  (Hence in determining whether the acts of the
meaning. legislature are in tune with the fundamental law,
courts should proceed with judicial restraint and act
Which meaning should be given depends upon what the with caution and forbearance. Every intendment of
legislature intended. As a general rule in interpreting the the law must be adjudged by the courts in favor of its
meaning and scope of a term used in the law, a careful constitutionality, invalidity being a measure of last
review of the whole law is involved, as well as the resort. In construing therefore the provisions of a
intendment of law, ascertained from a consideration of the statute, courts must first ascertain whether an
statute as a whole and not of an isolated part or a interpretation is fairly possible to sidestep the question
particular provision alone, must be made to determine the of constitutionality.)
real intent of the law.
 Estrada also points to the failure of the law to provide
Joseph Ejercito Estrada v. Sandiganbayan, for the statutory definition of the terms "combination"
G.R. No. 148560, 19 November 2001 and "series" in the key phrase "a combination or series
of overt or criminal acts" found in Sec. 1 and Sec. 2,
and the word "pattern" in Sec. 4. These omissions
As a general rule in interpreting the meaning and scope of supposedly render the Plunder Law unconstitutional
a term used in the law, a careful review of the whole law is for being vague and overbroad and deny him the
involved, as well as the intendment of law. The statute must right to be informed of the nature of the accusation
be considered as a whole to determine the real intent of against him (a violative of right to due process)
the law.
ISSUE:
FACTS: 1) Whether the Plunder Law is unconstitutional for being
 Former President Joseph Estrada was prosecuted vague.
under RA 7080 (Plunder Law), as amended by RA7659
(plunder law). 2) Whether a facial review (contends that a law is
unconstitutional as written, that is, on its face) of the validity
 He challenges the law as unconstitutional for of the Plunder Law is proper.
(a) it suffers from the vice of vagueness; (uncertain,
indefinite) 3) Whether the crime of plunder, as defined in RA 7080, is a
malum prohibitum.
(b) it violates the right of due process of the
accused as it dispenses with the "reasonable HELD:
doubt" standard in criminal prosecutions; and, 1) The court held that the provisions of Plunder Law is not
vague or ambiguous. It clearly show the elements of the
(c) it abolishes the element of mens rea in crimes crime that are easily understood.
already punishable under The Revised Penal
Code/ or that whether Plunder is a malum A statute is not rendered uncertain and void merely
prohibitum, and if so, whether it is within the power because of the employment of general terms or the failure
of Congress to so classify it to define the terms used.
All of which are clear violations of the fundamental rights of There is no constitutional or statutory command requiring
the accused to due process and to be informed of the the legislature to define each and every word in an
nature and cause of the accusation against him. enactment.

Secs. 1,2, and 4, these are the provisions wherein Estrada Moreover, it is a well-settled principle that words of a
claimed that it infringes constitutional boundaries. statute will be interpreted in their natural, plain and
ordinary acceptation and signification, unless the
Sec. 1 defines the ill-gotten wealth legislature intended a technical or special legal meaning
Sec. 2 defines the crime of Plunder to those words.
Sec. 4 is about the rule of evidence
Combination - the result or product of combining;
Section 2. Definition of the Crime of Plunder, Penalties. -Any the act or process of combining.
public officer who, by himself or in connivance with
members of his family, relatives by affinity or consanguinity, Series - a number of things or events of the same
business associates, subordinates or other persons, amasses, class coming one after another
accumulates or acquires ill-gotten wealth through
a combination or series of overt or criminal acts as Thus when the Plunder Law speaks of "combination," it is
described in Section 1 (d) hereof, in the aggregate amount referring to at least two (2) acts falling under different
or total value of at least fifty million pesos (P50,000,000.00) categories of enumeration provided in Sec. 1
shall be guilty of the crime of plunder and shall be
punished by reclusion perpetua to death. Xxx On the other hand, to constitute a series" there must be
two (2) or more overt or criminal acts falling under the
Section 4. Rule of Evidence. - For purposes of establishing same category of enumeration found in Sec. 1
the crime of plunder, it shall not be necessary to
prove each and every criminal act done by the accused As for “pattern” in Sec. 4, this term was sufficiently defined
in furtherance of the scheme or conspiracy to amass, in Sec. 4
accumulate or acquire ill-gotten wealth, it being sufficient
to establish beyond reasonable doubt a pattern of overt or

Kat Atienza | 15
Statutory Construction 2022

The petitoner’s reliance on the “void-for-vague” doctrine is amended, committed through a computer system or any
misplaced. other similar means which may be devised in the future.

The void-for-vagueness doctrine states that "a statute  Petitioners lament that libel provisions of the penal
which either forbids or requires the doing of an act in code and the libel provisions of the cybercrime law
terms so vague that men of common intelligence carry with them the requirement of “presumed
must necessarily guess at its meaning and differ as to malice” even when the latest jurisprudence already
its application, violates the first essential of due replaces it with “actual malice” as a basis for
process of law." conviction.
 Petitioners argue that inferring “presumed malice”
2) A facial challenge is allowed to be made to a vague infringes freedom of expression.
statute and to one which is overbroad because of possible
"chilling effect" upon protected speech. Section 12 provides:
Sec. 12. Real-Time Collection of Traffic Data. — Law
This rationale does not apply to penal statutes. Criminal enforcement authorities, with due cause, shall be
statutes have general in terrorem effect resulting from their authorized to collect or record by technical or electronic
very existence, and, if facial challenge is allowed for this means traffic data in real-time associated with specified
reason alone, the State may well be prevented from communications transmitted by means of a computer
enacting laws against socially harmful conduct. system.

The overbreadth and vagueness doctrines then have  Petitioners point out that the phrase "due cause" has
special application only to free speech cases. They are no precedent (example) in law or jurisprudence and
inapt for testing the validity of penal statutes. that whether there is due cause or not is left to the
discretion of the police. Replying to this, the Solicitor
As to violation of right to due process: General asserts that Congress is not required to define
The Bill of Rights guarantees the right of the accused in the meaning of every word it uses in drafting the law.
criminal prosecutions to be presumed innocent until proven
guilty. Rather than proving each criminal act done, it is  Petitioners also ask that the Court strike down Section
enough that the prosecution proves beyond reasonable 12 for being violative of the void-for-vagueness
doubt a pattern of overt acts indicative of the crime. doctrine and the overbreadth doctrine.

3) Plunder is malum in se which requires proof of criminal ISSUE:


intent. 1) Whether or not the certain provisions of the law are
The legislative declaration in R.A. No. 7659 that plunder is a unconstitutional?
heinous offense implies that it is a malum in se. For when
the acts punished are inherently immoral or inherently HELD:
wrong, they are mala in se (and it does not matter that 1) The Court held that Sections 4(c)(3), 12, and 19 of the
such acts are punished in a special law, especially since in Act were unconstitutional.
the case of plunder the predicate crimes are mainly mala
in se.) It found that Section 4(c)(3) restricted freedom of
expression by prohibiting the unsolicited transmission of
Petition denied. RA 7080, otherwise known as the Plunder commercial communications, such as spam.
Law, as amended by RA 7659, is CONSTITUTIONAL.
Section 12 was declared in violation of the right to privacy
because it lacked sufficient specificity and definiteness in
Jose Jesus M. Disini, jr. v. Secretary of Justice collecting real-time computer data.
G.R. No. 203335, 11 February 2014
Section 19 was found to violate the rights against
unreasonable searches and seizures, which gave the
FACTS:
government the authority to restrict or block access to
 Several consolidated (14) petitions seek to declare
computer data without a judicial warrant.
several provisions of RA 10175 (Cybercrime Prevention
Act) being unconstitutional and void.
Statutory Construction:
 The cybercrime law aims to regulate access to and Void-for-vagueness Issue:
use of the cyberspace. The Court held that this doctrine apply only to free speech
cases. Section 12 on its own, neither regulates nor punishes
 And because linking with the internet opens up a user any type of speech. Therefore, such analysis is unnecessary.
to communications from others, the ill-motivated can
use the cyberspace for committing several crimes, like Section 5 with respect to Section 4(c)(4) is unconstitutional.
hacking, illicit trafficking in sex. Its vagueness raises apprehension on the part of internet
users because of its obvious chilling effect on the freedom
 For this reason, the government has a legitimate right of expression, especially since the crime of aiding or
to regulate the use of cyberspace and contain and abetting ensnares all the actors in the cyberspace front in
punish wrongdoings.Hence this Cybercrime Law. a fuzzy way

 But petitioners claim that this law will violate their When void-for-vagueness doctrine is acceptable
freedom of expression and access to information. When a penal statute encroaches upon the freedom of
They cite 21 provisions on the said law and also the speech, a facial challenge grounded on the void-
related articles of the RPC on the crime of libel. forvagueness doctrine is acceptable.

Sec 4(4) Libel. — The unlawful or prohibited acts of libel as Generally, the overbreadth and vagueness doctrine is
defined in Article 355 of the Revised Penal Code, as inapplicable in ‘facial” challenges to penal statutes not
involving free speech. In an “as applied” challenge, the

Kat Atienza | 16
Statutory Construction 2022

petitioner who claims a violation of his constitutional right HELD:


must assert his own right, not that of third persons. NO. COMELEC did not gravely abuse its discretion in
including airsoft guns in R.A. No. 8714. However, the
This rule is also known as the prohibition against third-party replicas and imitations of airsoft guns and airguns are
standing. excluded from the term "firearm" in Resolution No. 8714,
because they are not subject to any regulation, unlike
Exceptions: A petitioner may for instance mount a “facial” airsoft guns.
challenge to the constitutionality of a statute even if he
claims no violation of his own right under the assailed A word of general significance in a statute is to be taken in
statute where it involves free speech on the grounds of its ordinary sense and comprehensive sense, unless it is
overbreadth or vagueness of the statute. shown that the word is intended to be given a different or
restricted meaning; what is generally spoken shall be
The rationale for this exception is to counter the “chilling generally understood and general words shall be
effect” on protected speech that comes from statutes understood in a general sense.
violating free speech. A person who does not know
whether his speech constitutes a crime under an The term “firearm” in Resolution No. 8714 was intended for
overbroad or vague law may simply restrain himself from purposes of the gun ban during the election period. The
speaking in order to avoid being charged of a crime. The inclusion of airsoft guns in the term “firearm” and their
overbroad or vague law thus chills him into silence. resultant coverage by the election gun ban is to avoid the
possible use of recreational guns in sowing fear,
intimidation or terror during the election period.
II. General rules of interpretation
An ordinary citizen may not be able to distinguish between
a real gun and an airsoft gun. It is fear subverting the will of
Atty. Reynante B. Orceo v. COMELEC
a voter, whether brought about by the use of a real gun or
G.R. No. 190779, 26 March 2010
a recreational gun which is sought to be averted.

What is generally spoken shall be generally understood Dispositive Portion:


and general words shall be understood in general sense Replicas and imitations of airsoft guns and airguns are
hereby declared excluded from the term "firearm" in
FACTS: Resolution No. 8714.
 Atty. Reynante B. Orceo contended the validity of
Resolution No. 8714; in particular, the term “firearm” to The petition is DISMISSED in regard to the exclusion of airsoft
include airsoft guns and their replicas/imitations in the guns from the term "firearm" in Resolution No. 8714. Airsoft
election gun ban. guns and airguns are covered by the gun ban during the
election period.
Under Section 2 (b) of Resolution No. 8714, the
term "firearm" includes "airgun, airsoft guns, and
their replica/imitation in whatever form that can
Mustang Lumber, Inc. v. Hon. Court of Appeals
cause an ordinary person to believe that they are
real." Hence, airsoft guns and their G.R. No. 104988, 18 June 1996
replicas/imitations are included in the gun ban
during the election period from January 10, 2010 to FACTS:
June 9, 2010.  An information was filed on June 5, 1991 by the DOJ
with Branch 172 of the RTC of Valenzuela, charging
 Petitioner claims that he is a real party-in-interest, respondent-petitioner Ri Chuy Po with the violation of
because he has been playing airsoft since the year Section 68 of P.D. No. 705, as amended by E.O. No.
2000, making him liable for an election offense. 277 (The Forestry Reform Code of the Philippines) with
the following details: That on or about the 3rd day of
 Petitioner contends that the COMELEC gravely April 1990, or prior to or subsequent thereto, within the
abused its discretion amounting to lack or excess of premises and vicinity of Mustang Lumber, Inc. in
jurisdiction in including "airsoft guns and their Fortune Village, Valenzuela, Metro Manila, and within
replicas/imitations" in the definition of "firearm" in the the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, the above-
resolution, since there is nothing in R.A. No. 7166 that named accused, did then and there wilfully,
mentions "airsoft guns and their replicas/imitations” feloniously and unlawfully, have in his possession
truckloads of almaciga and lauan and approximately
 Petitioner asserts that playing airsoft provides bonding 200,000 bd. ft. of lumber and shorts of various species
moments among family members. Families are including almaciga and supa, without the legal
entitled to protection by the society and the State documents as required under existing forest laws and
under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. They regulations.
are free to choose and enjoy their recreational
activities. These liberties, petitioner contends, cannot  Petitioner-respondent filed in the a Motion to Quash
be abridged by the COMELEC. and/or to Suspend Proceedings for the criminal case,
based on, inter alia, the information does not charge
 On the other hand, COMELEC asserted that an offense, for possession of lumber, as opposed to
constitutional freedoms are not absolute, and may be timber, is not penalized in Section 68 of P.D. No. 705, as
abridged to some extent to serve appropriate and amended, and even granting arguendo that lumber
important interests. falls within the purview of the said section, the same
may not be used in evidence against him for they
ISSUE: were taken by virtue of an illegal seizure.
Whether or not the COMELEC gravely abused its discretion
in including airsoft guns and their replicas/imitations in the ISSUE:
term “firearm” in Section 2(b) of RA 8714? Whether the contention of the petitioner is correct that
lumber is different from timber

Kat Atienza | 17
Statutory Construction 2022

Visayas Community Medical Center (VCMC) v. Erma


HELD: Yballe
The court held that the term ‘lumber’ as used in the G.R. No. 196156, January 15, 2014
information against petitioners, although not mentioned in
express terms as among the prohibited articles under
 The respondents are nurses and midwives employed in
Revised Forestry Code, must be understood in its ordinary
VCMC. They are rank and file employees. An illegal
and common usage. Lumber is to be understood as a
strike was commenced by NAMA-MCCH-NFL which is
processed log or timber. Since the law makes no distinction
not a legitimate labor organization. The respondents
between raw or processed timber, neither should the court.
participated in the said illegal strike. The respondents
Ubi lex non distinguere debemus. Thus, petitioners were
were dismissed because of such.
correctly charged.
 The CA, however, found thatrespondents cannot be
considered to have committed illegal acts since their
III. Where the law does not distinguish participationwas limited to the wearing of arm bands.
Ubi lex non distinguit, nec nos distinguere debemus - where
the law does not distinguish, courts should not distinguish. ISSUE:
1) Whether or not the dismissal of the employees is valid
 Corollary principle: General words or phrases in a
statute HELD:
 Should ordinarily be accorded their natural and Paragraph 3, Article 264 (a) of the Labor Code provides
general significance that ". . . [a]ny union officer who knowingly participates in
an illegal strike and any worker or union officer who
 General term or phrase should not be reduced into knowingly participates in the commission of illegal acts
parts and one part distinguished from the other to during a strike may be declared to have lost his
justify its exclusion from operation. employment status . . ."In the Decision dated December 7,
2011, we declared as invalid the dismissal of MCCH
 Corollary principle: where the law does not make employees who participated in the illegal strike conducted
any exception, courts may not except something by NAMA-MCCH-NFL which is not a legitimate labor
therefrom, unless there a compelling reason to justify it. organization. Since there was no proof that the
complainants committed any illegal act during the strike,
 Application: when legislature laid down a rule for one they may not be deemed to have lost their employment
class, no difference to other class. status by their mere participation in the illegal strike. On the
other hand, the union leaders (Nava group) who
Presumption: that the legislature made no qualification in conducted the illegal strike despite knowledge that NAMA-
the general use of a term. MCCH-NFL is not a duly registered labor union were
declared to have been validly terminated by petitioner.
Republic of the Philippines v. Daisy R. Yahon We stress that the law makes a distinction between union
G.R. No. 201043, June 16, 2014 members and union officers. The law grants the employer
the option of declaring a union officer who participated in
FACTS: an illegal strike as having lost his employment. It possesses
Daisy R. Yahon (respondent) filed a petition for the the right and prerogative to terminate the union officers
issuance of protection order under the provisions of from service.
Republic Act (R.A.) No. 9262, 3 otherwise known as the
"Anti Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of
2004," against her husband, S/Sgt. Charles A. Yahon (S/Sgt. Republic of the Philippines v. Marelyn Tanedo Manalo
Yahon), an enlisted personnel of the Philippine Army who G.R. No. 221029, April 24, 2018
retired in January 2006. A temporary protection order (TPO)
was issued. The TPO directed among other orders that the  Respondent Marelyn Tanedo Manalo (Manalo) filed a
retirement,pension and other benefits of Sgt. Yahon is to be petition for cancellation of entry of marriage in the
withheld until further orders from the court to ensure Civil Registry of San Juan, Metro Manila, by virtue of a
spousal support in favor of Daisy Yahon. However, the judgment of divorce rendered by a Japanese court.
Armed Forces of the Philippines Finance Center contended Finding the petition to be sufficient in form and in
that half of the retirement benefits of Sgt Yahon cannot be substance, Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Dagupan City
given to the respondent as it is from a military institution. set the case for initial hearing. The Office of the
The petitioner contended that money due to government Solicitor General (OSG) entered its appearance for
employees is not liable to the creditors of the said petitioner Republic of the Philippines authorizing the
employees in the process of garnishment. Office of the City Prosecutor of Dagupan to appear
on its behalf. Likewise, a Manifestation and Motion
ISSUE: was filed questioning the title and/or caption of the
petition considering that, based on the allegations
Whether or not the retirement benefits of Sgt Yahon be therein, the proper action should be a petition for
subject to the ruling of the court to provide for the financial recognition and enforcement of a foreign judgment.
spousal support of respondent. As a result, Manalo moved to admit an Amended
Petition, which the court granted.
HELD:  The trial court denied the petition for lack of merit. In
Retirement benefits of Sgt Yahon are subject to the ruling that the divorce obtained by Manalo in Japan
financial spousal support of respondent. As a rule in should not be recognized, it opined that, based on
statutory construction, when the law does not distinguish, Article 15 of the New Civil Code, the Philippine law
the court should not distinguish. As section 8 (g) of RA No. “does not afford Filipinos the right to file for a divorce,
9262 used the general term 'employer', it includes in its whether they are in the country or living abroad, if
coverage the military institution, which is the employer of they are married to Filipinos or to foreigners, or if they
Sgt Yahon. celebrated their marriage in the Philippines or in
another country” and that unless Filipinos “are

Kat Atienza | 18
Statutory Construction 2022

naturalized as citizens of another country, Philippine are dealers of different brands of liquefied petroleum gas
laws shall have control over issues related to Filipinos’ (LPG) while petitioner FPII is an association comprised of
family rights and duties, together with the entities engaged in various industries in the country.
determination of their condition and legal capacity to Individual petitioners lodged before the COMELEC a
enter into contracts and civil relations, including complaint for the cancellation of LPGMA's registration as a
marriages.” party-list organization. They were later on joined by FPII as a
 On appeal, the CA overturned the RTC decision. It complainant-in-intervention. in essence that LPGMA does
held that Article 26 of the Family Code of the not represent a marginalized sector of the society because
Philippines (Family Code) is applicable even if it was its incorporators, officers and members are not
Manalo who filed for divorce against her Japanese marginalized or underrepresented citizens since they are
husband because the decree they obtained makes actually marketers and independent re-fillers of LPG.
the latter no longer married to the former, LPGMA countered that Section 5 (2), Article VI of the 1987
capacitating him to remarry. Conformably with Constitution does not require that party-list representatives
Navarro, et al. v. Exec. Secretary Ermita, et al. ruling must be members of the marginalized and/or
that the meaning of the law should be based on the underrepresented sector of the society.
intent of the lawmakers and in view of the legislative ISSUE:
intent behind Article 26, it would be the height of WON the Constitution and the Party-List System Act (RA
injustice to consider Manalo as still married to the 7941) require that incorporators, officers and members of a
Japanese national, who, in turn, is no longer married party-list must be marginalized or underrepresented citizens.
to her. For the appellate court, the fact that it was
Manalo who filed the divorce case is inconsequential. HELD:
 The OSG filed a motion for reconsideration, but it was There was no valid justification for the dismissal of the
denied; hence, this petition. complaint for cancellation. . For the COMELEC to validly
exercise its statutory power to cancel the registration of a
ISSUE: party-list group, the law imposes only two (2) conditions: (1)
Whether a Filipino citizen has the capacity to remarry due notice and hearing is afforded to the party-list group
under Philippine law after initiating a divorce proceeding concerned; and (2) any of the enumerated grounds for
abroad and obtaining a favorable judgment against his or disqualification in Section 6, R.A. No. 7941 exists.
her alien spouse who is capacitated to remarry.
The legal meaning of the term "and/or" between "refusal"
RULING: and "cancellation" should be taken in its ordinary
Yes. Van Dorn v. Romillo settled the matter by holding that significance "refusal and/or cancellation" means "refusal
an alien spouse of a Filipino is bound by a divorce decree and cancellation" or "refusal or cancellation". It has been
obtained abroad. There, we dismissed the alien divorcee’s held that the intention of the legislature in using the term
Philippine suit for accounting of alleged post-divorce "and/or" is that the word "and" and the word "or" are to be
conjugal property and rejected his submission that the used interchangeably.
foreign divorce.
The term "and/or" means that effect shall be given to both
Paragraph 2 of Article 26 speaks of “a divorce x x x validly the conjunctive "and" and the disjunctive "or" or that one
obtained abroad by the alien spouse capacitating him or word or the other may be taken accordingly as one or the
her to remarry.” Based on a clear and plain reading of the other will best effectuate the purpose intended by the
provision, it only requires that there be a divorce validly legislature as gathered from the whole statute. The term is
obtained abroad. The letter of the law does not demand used to avoid a construction which by the use of the
that the alien spouse should be the one who initiated the disjunctive "or" alone will exclude the combination of
proceeding wherein the divorce decree was granted. It several of the alternatives or by the use of the conjunctive
does not distinguish whether the Filipino spouse is the "and" will exclude the efficacy of any one of the
petitioner or the respondent in the foreign divorce alternatives standing alone.
proceeding.
Hence, effect shall be given to both "refusal and
Nonetheless, the Japanese law on divorce must still be cancellation" and "refusal or cancellation" according to
proved. Since the divorce was raised by Manalo, the how Section 6 intended them to be employed. The word
burden of proving the pertinent Japanese law validating it, "and" is a conjunction used to denote a joinder or union; it
as well as her former husband’s capacity to remarry, fall is pertinently defined as meaning "together with", "joined
squarely upon her. Japanese laws on persons and family with", "along or together with."The use of "and" in Section 6
relations are not among those matters that Filipino judges was necessitated by the fact that refusal and cancellation
are supposed to know by reason of their judicial function. of party-list registration share similar grounds, manner of
initiation and procedural due process requirements of
By reasons of the foregoing, CA decision was affirmed. The notice and hearing. With respect to the said matters,
case was remanded to the RTC for reception of evidence "refusal" and "cancellation" must be taken together. The
as to relevant Japanese laws on divorce. word "or", on the other hand, is a disjunctive term signifying
disassociation and independence of one thing from the
IV. Disjunctive and Conjunctive Words other things enumerated; it should, as a rule, be construed
Word “or” is a disjunctive term signifying disassociation and in the sense in which it ordinarily implies, as a disjunctive
independence of one thing from each other. word.29 As such, "refusal or cancellation", consistent with
their disjunctive meanings, must be taken individually to
Antonio D. Dayao v. COMELEC mean that they are separate instances when the
COMELEC can exercise its power to screen the
G.R. No. 193643, January 29, 2013
qualifications of party-list organizations for purposes of
participation in the party-list system of representation.
FACTS:
At bench are consolidated petitions for certiorari under That this is the clear intent of the law is bolstered by the use
Rule 65 of the Rules of Court, with prayer for the issuance of simply of the word "or" in the first sentence of Section 6 that
a temporary restraining order, seeking the annulment of "the COMELEC may, motu propio or upon verified
the Resolutions of the COMELEC. The individual petitioners

Kat Atienza | 19
Statutory Construction 2022

complaint of any interested party, refuse or cancel, after approved by a majority of the votes cast at an election at
due notice and hearing, the registration of any national, which the amendments are submitted to the people for
regional or sectoral party, organization or coalition. their ratification." Pursuant to this provision, amendments to
the constitution may be proposed, either by Congress, or
People of the Philippines v. Antonio Comadre by a convention called by Congress for that purpose.
G.R. No. 153559, June 8, 2004 Congress may adopt either one of two alternatives
propose amendments or call a convention therefor but
may not avail of both. Also the election must be a special
FACTS:
election, not a general election.
Robert Agbanlog, Jimmy Wabe, Gerry Bullanday, Rey
Camat and Lorenzo Eugenio (drinking grioup) were having
a drinking spree on the terrace of the house of Robert’s V. Noscitur a sociis
father (Jaime). As the drinking session went on, Robert and where a particular word or phrase is ambiguous in itself or
the others noticed appellants Antonio Comadre, George equally susceptible of various meanings, its correct
Comadre and Danilo Lozano (appellants) walking. The construction may be made clear and specific by
three stopped in front of the house. While his companions considering the company of words in which it is found or
looked on, Antonio suddenly throw a hand grenade, with which it is associated.
ripping a hole in the roof of the house. Drinking group were People of the Philippines v. Isidro Flores
hit by shrapnel (fragments of the grenade) and slumped G.R. No. 188315, August 25, 2010
unconscious on the floor. They were all rushed to the
Hospital. However, Robert died before reaching the FACTS:
hospital. TC: appellants guilty of complex crime of murder AAA lived with her adoptive mother, BBB, since she was just
with multiple attempted murder. a few months old. BBB is married to appellant, Isidro Flores.
BBB was working as a restaurant supervisor from 4:00 p.m.
ISSUE: to 2:00 a.m. for six 6 days a week. In February 1999 at
WON the trial court erred in convicting the appellants? around 9:30 p.m., AAA, then 11 years old, was sleeping
inside the house when she felt and saw appellant touch
HELD: her thighs. The following day, at around the same time,
Only Antonio is liable for the crime. It was established that and while BBB was at work, appellant again touched AAA
prior to the grenade explosion, Rey Camat, Jaime from her legs up to her breast. Two weeks after the incident,
Agbanlog, Jimmy Wabe and Gerry Bullanday were able to AAA was already asleep when she suddenly woke up and
identify the culprits, namely, appellants Antonio Comadre, saw appellant holding a knife against her neck; he
George Comadre and Danilo Lozano because there was a penetrated her twice, despite of AAA’s resistance and on
lamppost in front of the house and the moon was bright. account of his threats to kill her and BBB. AAA recounted
No conspiracy. Only Antonio is liable for the crime. When that appellant raped her at least three times a week at
Antonio Comadre was in the act of throwing the hand around the same time until 15 October 2002, when she was
grenade, George Comadre and Danilo Lozano merely 14 years old. After the last rape incident, AAA did not go
looked on without uttering a single word of home after school and instead went to the house of her
encouragement or performed any act to assist him. friend, Marvin, who advised her to report the incident.

ISSUE:
Gonzales v. COMELEC Whether qualifying/aggravating circumstance is present in
G.R. No. 28196, November 9, 1967 the case to qualify death penalty.

FACTS: HELD:
On March 16, 1967, the Senate and the House of For failure of the prosecution to prove the qualifying
Representatives (HOR) passed Resolutions No. 1, 2 and 3 i.e. circumstance of relationship, appellant could only be
to increase the seats of the lower house from 120 to 180; to convicted for two counts of simple rape, and not qualified
convoke a Constitutional Convention of 1971; and to rape. The appellant cannot be considered as the guardian
amend the Constitution (Section 16, Article VI) so they can falling within the ambit of the amendatory provision
become delegates themselves to the Convention. introduced by Republic Act No. 7659. He would not fall
Subsequently, Congress passed a bill which upon approval either in the category of the "common-law spouse of the
by the President on June 17,1967 became Republic Act No. parent of the victim" in the same enumeration, since his
4913, providing that the amendments to the Constitution liaison is with respect to the aunt of AAA. Since both logic
proposed in the aforementioned Resolutions No. 1 and 3 and fact conjointly demonstrate that he is actually only a
be submitted, for approval by the people, at the general custodian, the court cannot impose the death penalty
elections which shall be held on November 14, 1967. contemplated for a real guardian.
Hence, two cases were filed against this act of Congress:
One is an original action for prohibition, with preliminary Cesar M. Carandang v. Vicente Santiago
injunction by Ramon A. Gonzales. Another one is by G.R. No. L-8238, May 25, 1955
PHILCONSA.
FACTS:
ISSUE: The petitioner seeks the help of the Supreme Court for a
Whether or not the resolution of Congress acting as writ of certiorari to annul the order of Judge Vicente
constituent assembly violates the constitution. Santiago suspending the civil case filed by the petitioner
against Tomas Valenton, Sr. and Tomas Valenton, Jr. to
HELD: await the result of a criminal case filed by said petitioner
Yes, Section 1 of Article XV of the Constitution, as amended, against the defendants In his contention, Judge Santiago
reads: "The Congress in joint session assembled by a vote of stated that trial of the civil action must await the result of
three -fourths of all the Members of the Senate and of the the criminal case on appeal. The court anchored its
HOR voting separately, may propose amendments to this decision on the contention of the defendants that the
Constitution or call a convention for that purpose. Such plaintiff cannot invoke article 33 since the defendants were
amendments shall be valid as part of this Constitution when

Kat Atienza | 20
Statutory Construction 2022

charged with frustrated homicide and not for physical Hermogenes Liwag. As a result, Transfer Certificate of Title
injuries. (TCT) No. C350099 was issued to the latter.

ISSUE: ISSUE:
Whether or not the order of the court of first instance is Whether or not Lot 11, Block 5 of the Happy Glen Loop is
correct. considered an “open space” as defined in P. D. 1216.

HELD: HELD:
No. The supreme court in its ruling decided in favor of the Yes, the aforementioned parcel of land is considered an
appellant, the term physical injuries just like the words “open space.” The Court used the basic statutory
defamation and fraud mentioned in the aforementioned construction principle of ejusdem generis to det ermine
article were used in its generic sense. It does not pertain to whether the area falls under “othersimilarfacilities and
the “physical injury” stated in the Revised Penal Code, amenities” since P.D. 1216 makes no specificmention of
since the defendant in his attempt to kill the plaintiff areas reserved for water facilities. Ejusdem generis - stat es
caused him bodily injury the court deemed it proper for the that where a general word or phrase follows an
plaintiff to invoke article 33 of the Civil Code. enumeration of particular and sp ecific words of the same
class, the general word or phrase is to be construed to incl
VI. Ejusdem generis ude or to be restricted to things akin to or resembling, or of
the same kind or class a s, those specifically mentioned.
General rule: where a general word or phrase follows an Applying that principle, the Court found out that th e
enumeration of particular and specific words of the same enumeration refers to areas reserved for the common
class or where the latter follow the former, the general welfare ofthe community.There fore,the phrase
word or phrase is to be construed to include, or to be “othersimilarfacilities and amenities” should be interpreted
restricted to, persons, things or cases akin to, resembling, or in like manner. It is without a doubt that the facility was
of the same kind or class as those specifically mentioned. used for the benefit of the community. W ater is a basic
necessity, without which, survival in the community would
Purpose: give effect to both particular or general words, by be impos sible
treating the particular words as indicating the class and the
general words as indicating all that is embraced in said
class, although not specifically named by the Commissioner of Customs v. Court of Appeals
particular words. G.R. No. 33471, January 31, 1972

Principle: based on proposition that had the legislature FACTS:


intended the general words to be used in their generic and The whole controversy revolves around a vessel and its
unrestricted sense, it would have not enumerated the cargo. On January 7, 1989, the vessel M/V "Star Ace,"
specific words. coming from Singapore laden with cargo, entered the Port
of San Fernando, La Union (SFLU) for needed repairs. The
Presumption: legislators addressed specifically to the vessel and the cargo had an appraised value, at that time,
Particularization of more or less Two Hundred Million Pesos (P200,000,000).
When the Bureau of Customs later became suspicious that
Limitations of ejusdem generis the vessel’s real purpose in docking was to smuggle its
Requisites: cargo into the country, seizure proceedings were instituted
 Statute contains an enumeration of particular & under S.I. Nos. 02-89 and 03-89 and, subsequently, two
specific words, followed by general word or phrase Warrants of Seizure and Detention were issued for the
 Particular and specific words constitute a class orare vessel and its cargo.
the same kind
 Enumeration of the particular & specific words is not ISSUE:
exhaustive or is not merely by examples Whether Urbino's claim is a preferred lien in this case.
 There is no indication of legislative intent to give the
general words or phrases a broader meaning HELD:
 Rule of ejusdem generis, is not of universal application; First of all, the Court finds the decision of the RTC of Manila,
it should use to carry out, not defeat the intent of the in so far as it relates to the vessel M/V "Star Ace," to be void
law. as jurisdiction was never acquired over the vessel. In filing
the case, Urbino had impleaded the vessel as a defendant
to enforce his alleged maritime lien. This meant that he
Emeteria Liwag v. Happy Glen Loop Homeowners’ brought an action in rem under the Code of Commerce
Association, Inc. under which the vessel may be attached and sold.
G.R. No. 189755, July 4, 2012 However, the basic operative fact for the institution and
perfection of proceedings in rem is the actual or
FACTS: constructive possession of the res by the tribunal
In 1978, F. G. R. Sales, the original developer of Happy Glen empowered by law to conduct the proceedings. This
Loop, loaned from Ernesto Marcelo, owner of T. P. Marcelo means that to acquire jurisdiction over the vessel, as a
Realty Corporation. The former fai led to settle its debts with defendant, the trial court must have obtained either actual
the latter, so, he assigned all his rights to Marcelo over se or constructive possession over it. Neither was
veral parcels of land in the Subdivision including the accomplished by the RTC of Manila.
receivables from the lots alre ady sold. As the successor,
Marcelo presented to lot buyers the National Housing
Authority (NHA) and the Human Settlement Regulatory Co VII. Expressio unius est exclusion alterius and casus omissus
mmission (HSRC) that a water facility is available in the The express mention of one person, thing or consequence
subdivision. The said wat er facility has been the only implies the exclusion of all others.
source of water of the residents for thirty (30) years. In
September 1995, Marcelo sold Lot 11, Block 5 to Rule may be expressed in a number of ways:
 Expressum facit cessare tacitum

Kat Atienza | 21
Statutory Construction 2022

What is expressed puts an end to that which is was subject to the 3% miller’s task. HELD: Sec. 168 of the
implied where a statute, by its terms, is expressly 1987 Tax Code was clear. The tax exemption applied only
limited to certain matters, it may not, by to the exportation of rope, coconut oil, palm oil, copra by-
interpretation or construction, be extended to products and desiccated coconuts, whether in their
other matters. original state or as an ingredient or part of any
manufactured article or products, by the proprietor or
 Exceptio firmat regulam in casibus non exceptis operator of the factory or by the miller himself. Where the
A thing not being excepted must be regarded as law enumerates the subject or condition upon which it
coming within the purview of the general rule applies, it is to be construed as excluding from its effects all
those not expressly mentioned. Expressio unius est exclusio
 Expressio unius est exclusion alterius alterius.
The expression of one or more things of a class
implies the exclusion of all not expressed, even
though all would have been implied had none Coconut Oil Refiners Assn., Inc. v. Torres,
been expressed; opposite the doctrine of G.R. No. 132527, July 29, 2005
necessary implication
FACTS:
Application of expression unius rule
The petitioner seeks to declare Republic Act No. 7227 as
Generally used in construction of statutes granting powers,
unconstitutional on the ground that it allowed only tax-free
creating rights and remedies, restricting common rights,
(and duty-free) importation of raw materials, capital and
imposing rights & forfeitures, as well as statutes strictly
equipment. It reads: The Subic Special Economic Zone shall
construed.
be operated and managed as a separate customs territory
ensuring free flow or movement of goods and capital
Limitations of the rule
within, into and exported out of the Subic Special
1. It is not a rule of law, but merely a tool in
Economic Zone, as well as provide incentives such as tax
statutory construction
and duty-free importations of raw materials, capital and
equipment. [RA 7227, Sec 12 (b)]. Petitioners contend that
2. Expressio unius est exclusion alterius, no more
the wording of Republic Act No. 7227 clearly limits the
than auxiliary rule of interpretation to be ignored
grant of tax incentives to the importation of raw materials,
where other circumstances indicate that the
capital and equipment only thereby violating the equal
enumeration was not intended to be exclusive.
protection clause of the Constitution. They asserted that
private respondents operating inside the SSEZ are not
3. Does not apply where enumeration is by way of
different from the retail establishments located outside.
example or to remove doubts only.
ISSUE:
Doctrine of casus omissus
Whether or not Republic Act No. 7227 is valid on the
A person, object or thing omitted from an enumeration
ground that it violates the equal protection clause.
mustbe held to have been omitted intentionally.
HELD:
The maxim operates only if and when the omission has
The SC ruled in the negative. The phrase ‘tax and duty-free
been clearly established, and in such a case what is
importations of raw materials, capital and equipment was
omitted in the enumeration may not, by construction, be
merely cited as an example of incentives that may be
included therein.
given to entities operating within the zone. Public
respondent SBMA correctly argued that the maxim
Exception: where legislature did not intend to exclude
expressio unius est exclusio alterius, on which petitioners
theperson, thing or object from the enumeration. If
impliedly rely to support their restrictive interpretation, does
such legislative intent is clearly indicated, the court may
not apply when words are mentioned by way of example.
supply the omission if to do so will carry out the clear intent
The petition with respect to declaration of
of the legislature and will not do violence to its language
unconstitutionality of Executive Order No. 97-A cannot be,
likewise, sustained. The guaranty of the equal protection of
the laws is not violated by a legislation which was based on
San Pablo Manufacturing Corporation v. Commissioner of reasonable classification.
Internal Revenue
G.R. No. 147749, June 22, 2006
The Commission on Audit of the Province of Cebu v.
FACTS: San Pablo Manufacturing Corporation is a domestic Province of Cebu
corporation engaged in the business of milling, G.R. No. 141386, November 29, 2001
manufacturing and exporting of coconut oil and other
allied products. It was assessed and ordered to pay by the
FACTS:
Commissioner of Internal Revenue miller’s tax and
In the audit of accounts conducted by the Commission on
manufacturer’s sales tax, among other deficiency taxes, for
Audit (COA) of the Province of Cebu, it appeared that the
taxable year 1987 particularly on SPMC’s sales of crude oil
salaries and personnel-related benefits of the teachers
to United Coconut Chemicals, Inc. (UNICHEM) while the
appointed by the province for the extension classes were
deficiency sales tax was applied on its sales of corn and
charged against the provincial SEF. Likewise charged to
edible oil as manufactured products. SPMC opposed the
the SEF were the college scholarship grants of the province.
assessments. The Commissioner denied its protest. SPMC
Consequently, the COA issued Notices of Suspension to the
appealed the denial of its protest to the Court of Tax
province of Cebu, saying that disbursements for the salaries
Appeals by way of a petition for review. The CTA cancelled
of teachers and scholarship grants are not chargeable to
SPMC’s liability for deficiency manufacturer’s tax on the
the provincial SEF.
sales of corn and edible oils but upheld the Commissioner’s
assessment for the deficiency miller’s tax. SPMC elevated
the case to the Court of Appeals, CA dismissed the petition.
ISSUE: WON SPMC’s sale of crude coconut oil to UNICHEM

Kat Atienza | 22
Statutory Construction 2022

ISSUE: reject the complaint or uphold it; (3) whether the resolution
Whether or not the salaries and personnel-related benefits of the Committee rejects or upholds the complaint, the
of public school teachers to the Special Education Fund resolution must be forwarded to the House for further
processing; and (4) there is the processing of the same
HELD: complaint by the House of Representatives which either
Undoubtedly, the legislature intended the SEF to answer affirms a favorable resolution of the Committee or overrides
for the compensation of teachers handling extension a contrary resolution by a vote of one-third of all the
classes. Under the doctrine of necessary implication, the members. If at least one third of all the Members upholds
allocation of the SEF for the establishment and the complaint, Articles of Impeachment are prepared and
maintenance of extension classes logically implies the transmitted to the Senate. It is at this point that the House
hiring of teachers who should, as a matter of course be "initiates an impeachment case." It is at this point that an
compensated for their services. The doctrine of Expressio impeachable public official is successfully impeached. That
unius est exclusion alterius and casus omissus cannot be is, he or she is successfully charged with an impeachment
invoked because what is controlling is the intent of the "case" before the Senate as impeachment court.
legislature in the interpretation of a statute. Indeed, the
operation and maintenance of public schools is lodged
principally with the DECS. The SEF may be expended only City of Manila v. Laguio
for the salaries and personnel-related benefits of teachers G.R. No. 118127, April 12, 2005
appointed by the local school boards in connection with
the establishment and maintenance of extension classes.
FACTS:
With respect, however, to college scholarship grants, a
Private respondent Malate Tourist Development
reading of the pertinent laws of the Local Government
Corporation (MTDC) is a corporation engaged in the
Code reveals that said grants are not among the projects
business of operating hotels, motels, hostels and lodging
for which the proceeds of the SEF may be appropriated.
houses. City of Manila passed an ordinance which prohibits
the establishment of certain businesses in Malate. Thereafer,
VIII. Reddendo singula singulis MTDC filed a Petition for Declaratory Relief with Prayer for a
Variation of the doctrine of last antecedent Writ of Preliminary Injunction and/or Temporary Restraining
• Referring each to each; Order7 with the lower court. MTDC prayed that the
• Referring each phrase or expression to its Ordinance, insofar as it includes motels and inns as among
appropriate object, its prohibited establishments, be declared invalid and
or let each be put in its proper place, that is, the word unconstitutional.
should be taken distributively.
ISSUE:
Ma. Merceditas N. Gutierrez v. The House of WON the Ordinance is unconstitutional
Representatives Committee on Justice
G.R. No. 193459, February 15, 2011 HELD:
All considered, the Ordinance invades fundamental
FACTS: personal and property rights and impairs personal privileges.
Two impeachment complaints were filed against It is constitutionally infirm. The Ordinance contravenes
Ombudsman Gutierrez, both were based betrayal of statutes; it is discriminatory and unreasonable in its
public trust and culpable violation of the Constitution. The operation; it is not sufficiently detailed and explicit that
House Plenary referred the two complaints to the House of abuses may attend the enforcement of its sanctions. And
Representative Committee on Justice. After hearing, the not to be forgotten, the City Council under the Code had
House of Representative Committee on Justice issued a no power to enact the Ordinance and is therefore ultra
Resolution finding both complaints sufficient in form and vires, null and void. The rule is that the City Council has only
substance. Consequently, Ombudsman Gutierrez such powers as are expressly granted to it and those which
contended that the issued the Resolution violated the one- are necessarily implied or incidental to the exercise thereof.
year bar provision under Article XI, Section 3, paragraph 5 Moreover, it is a general rule in statutory construction that
of the Constitution. the express mention of one person, thing, or consequence
is tantamount to an express exclusion of all others. Expressio
HELD: unius est exclusio alterium. This maxim is based upon the
The object in the first sentence is "impeachment case." The rules of logic and the natural workings of human mind. It is
object in the second sentence is "impeachment particularly applicable in the construction of such statutes
proceeding." Following the principle of reddendo singula as create new rights or remedies, impose penalties or
singulis, the term "cases" must be distinguished from the punishments, or otherwise come under the rule of strict
term "proceedings." An impeachment case is the legal construction.
controversy that must be decided by the Senate. Above-
quoted first provision provides that the House, by a vote of IX. Provisos, Exceptions and Saving Clauses
one-third of all its members, can bring a case to the Senate. Provisos, generally
It is in that sense that the House has "exclusive power" to to limit the application of the enacting clause, section or
initiate all cases of impeachment. No other body can do it. provision of a statute, or except something, or to qualify or
However, before a decision is made to initiate a case in restrain its generality, or exclude some possible ground of
the Senate, a "proceeding" must be followed to arrive at a misinterpretation of it, as extending to cases not intended
conclusion. A proceeding must be "initiated." To initiate, by legislature to be brought within its purview.
which comes from the Latin word initium, means to begin.
On the other hand, proceeding is a progressive noun. It has Rule: restrain or qualify the generality of the enacting
a beginning, a middle, and an end. It takes place not in clause or section which it refers.
the Senate but in the House and consists of several steps: (1)
there is the filing of a verified complaint either by a Purpose: limit or restrict the general language or operation
Member of the House of Representatives or by a private of the statute, not to enlarge it.
citizen endorsed by a Member of the House of the
Representatives; (2) there is the processing of this Location: commonly found at the end of a statute, or
complaint by the proper Committee which may either provision & introduced, as a rule, by the word “Provided”.

Kat Atienza | 23
Statutory Construction 2022

HELD:
Determined by: What determines whether a clause is Petitioner claims that the proviso in Article 280 蜉 of the
a proviso is its substance rather than its form. If it performs Labor Code supports his claim that he should be regarded
any of the functions of a proviso, then it will be regarded as as a regular employee. No, the proviso in the second
such, irrespective of what word or phrase is used to paragraph of Article 280 of the Labor Code has recently
introduce it. been explained in Mercado v. NLRC, where it was held
that said proviso deems as regular employees only those
Proviso may enlarge scope of law "casual" employees who have rendered at least one year
It is still the duty of the courts to ascertain the legislative of service regardless of the fact that such service may be
intention and it prevails over proviso. continuous or broken. It is not applicable to "project"
employees, who are specifically excepted therefrom. The
Thus it may enlarge, than restrict general rule is that the office of a proviso is to qualify or
modify only the phrase immediately preceding it or restrain
Proviso as additional legislation or limit the generality of the clause that it immediately
Expressed in the opening statement of a section of a follows. Thus, it has been held that a proviso is to be
statute construed with reference to the immediately preceding
part of the provision to which it is attached, and not to the
Purpose: statute itself or to other sections thereof. The only exception
 To limit generalities to the rule is where the clear legislative intent is to restrain
 Exclude from the scope of the statute that or qualify not only the phrase immediately preceding it but
whichotherwise would be within its terms also earlier provisions of the statute or even the statute itself
as a whole.
What proviso qualifies
General rule: qualifies or modifies only the phrase
immediately preceding it; or restrains or limits the Commissioner of Internal Revenue v. Filipinas Compania De
generality of the clause that it immediately follows. Seguros
G.R. No. L-14880, April 29, 1960
Exception: unless it clearly appears that the legislature
intended to have a wider scope
FACTS:
Respondent Filipinas Compania de Seguros, an insurance
Saving clause
company, is also engaged in business as a real estate
 Provision of law which operates to except from the
dealer. On January 4, 1956 (respondent)- in accordance
effect of the law what the clause provides, or save
with the single rate then prescribed under Section 182 of
something which would otherwise be lost.
the National Internal Revenue Code paid amount of
P150.00 as real estate dealer’s fixed annual tax for the year
 Used to save something from effect of repeal of
1956. Subsequently said Section 182 of the Code was
statute
amended by Republic Act No. 1612, which took effect on
August 24, 1956, by providing a scale of graduated rates:
 Legislature, in repealing a statute, may preserve in the
P150 if the annual income of the real estate dealer is P4,000
form of a saving clause, the right of the state to
but does not exceed P10,000; P300 if such annual income
prosecute and punish offenses committed in violation
exceeds P10,000 but does not exceed P30,000; and P500 if
of the repealed law.
such annual income exceeds P30,000. On October 23,
1957, petitioner informed respondent that “R.A. No. 1856
 Where existing procedure is altered or substituted
which took effect June 22, 1957 amended the date of
by another, usual to save proceedings under the old
effectivity of R.A. No. 1612 to January 1, 1957. However, the
law at the time the new law takes effect, by means of
said amendment applies only to fixed taxes on occupation
saving clause
and not to fixed taxes on business. “Hence, petitioner
insisted that respondent should pay the amount of P350.00
 Construed: in light of intent by legislature
as additional real estate dealer’s fixed annual tax for the
year 1956.
 Given strict or liberal meaning depending on
nature of statute.
ISSUE:
Whether RA 1612 be given a retroactive effect.
Ricardo Fernandez v. NLRC
G.R. No. 106090, February 28, 1994 HELD:
Since the respondent has paid the annual tax then
FACTS: prescribed for the year 1956, to require it to pay the
Petitioner was hired as a laborer at the D.M. Consunji, Inc additional tax provided in RA 1612 would result in the
on 1974.He became a skilled welder and worked for imposition upon respondent of a tax burden to which it was
private respondent until March 23, 1986 when his not liable before the enactment of said amendatory act,
employment was terminated on the ground that the thus rendering its operation retroactive rather than
project petitioner had been assigned to was already prospective, which cannot be done, as it would
completed and there was no more work for him to do. contravene Section 21 of said Act as well as the
established rule regarding the prospectivity of operation of
ISSUE: statutes.
whether or not the NLRC acted with grave abuse of
discretion in reversing the Labor Arbiter's decision by
dismissing the complaints for illegal dismissal, one of which
is petitioner's, on the finding that they were project
employee.

Kat Atienza | 24
Statutory Construction 2022

Arenas v. City of San Carlos HELD:


G.R. No. 34024, April 5, 1978 To ascertain the meaning of the various provisions of the
insolvency law, every section, provision and clause of a
statue must be expounded in reference to every other.
FACTS:
Thus, Sec. 60 should be understood in reference with the
Arenas was a judge of San Carlos City. He instituted a
other provisions of the same law, and as such the PNB falls
petition for mandamus against City of San Carlos. He
under the exception to Sec. 60 as stated in the other
alleged that SC City is a 3rd class city; CONTENTION: That
provision of the same law.
under RA 5967 provides that the basic salary of 2nd and
3rd class cities shall be 18 000 per annum. He was receiving
monthly salary of 1 000: 350 of national government while
650 by the city government and that it was short of 500. He Roberto S. Benedicto v. Court of Appeals,
was entitled to salary differential of 9 500. He requested the G.R. No. 125359, September 4, 2001
respondent to enact the necessary budget and pay him
but refused. CONTENTION: (Respondent) Admitted and FACTS:
denied the allegations: That city judge shall at least be 100 In 1991-1992, petitioners, together with former First Lady
pesos less than that of city mayor. CFI dismissed the petition. Imelda Marcos, were charged with 25 information at the
CONTENTION #2 (Petitioner) THAT if the last proviso of Sec 7, RTC for dollar salting. The complaints alleged that
RA 5967 would be interpreted as the controlling measure petitioners maintained foreign exchange abroad without
for fixing the salary of the city judges, Then the principal prior authorization from and failed to report earnings or
provision of SEC 7 of fixing the salary of city judge higher receipt to the Central Bank. Meanwhile, CB circular No.
than city mayor would be useless that since it is the 1318 revised the rules governing non-trade foreign
intention to increase the salary of city judge, then the last exchange transactions and Circular No. 1353 deleted the
proviso should give way to the preceding provisions. requirement of prior Central Bank approval for foreign
ISSUE: exchange-funded expenditures obtained from the banking
Whether or not the petitioner is entitled to the deficiency of system. Both circulars contained a saving clause
his salary. exempting from its coverage pending criminal actions
involving violations of Circular No. 960 and Circular No.
HELD: 1318, respectively.
The intention of Congress in enacting Republic Act No.
5967 was that the salary of a city judge should not be HELD:
higher than the salary of the city mayor. The saving clause In the instant case, it must be noted that despite the repeal
"Provided, however, That the salary of a city judge shall be of Circular No. 960, Circular No. 1353 retained the same
at least P100.00 per month less than that of the city mayor" reportorial requirement for residents receiving earnings or
qualifies the earlier provision which fixes the salary of city profits from non-trade foreign exchange transactions.
judges for second and third class cities at P18,000.00 per Second, even the most cursory glance at the repealing
annum. Inasmuch as the city mayor of San Carlos City circulars, Circular Nos. 1318 and 1353 shows that both
(Pangasinan) was receiving an annual salary of P13,200.00, contain a saving clause, expressly providing that the repeal
the respondents cannot be compelled to provide for an of Circular No. 960 shall have no effect on pending actions
annual salary of P18,000.00 for the petitioner as city judge for violation of the latter Circular. A saving clause operates
of the said city. to except from the effect of the repealing law what would
otherwise be lost under the new law. In the present case,
the respective saving clauses of Circular Nos. 1318 and
Chartered Bank of India v. C. A. Imperial 1353 clearly manifest the intent to reserve the right of the
G.R. No. L-17222, March 15, 1921 State to prosecute and punish offenses for violations of the
repealed Circular No. 960, where the cases are either
pending or under investigation.
FACTS:
Philippine National Bank brought suit in the CFI of the City
of Manila against Umberto de Poli, Henry Hunter Bayne
and J.G. Lawrence to compel defendants to deliver to it Balagtas Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Inc. v. Court of
goods and merchandise described in the mortgage Appeals
executed. Immediately after filing the complaint, PNB’s G.R. No. 159268, October 27, 2006
lawyer asked the clerk of court to issue a writ ordering the
sheriff to seize the goods described in the affidavit. The FACTS:
order having been issued under the seal of court, the sheriff Balagtas Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Inc. (Balagtas, for
proceeded and seized the goods and merchandise in the brevity) is a duly organized and existing cooperative under
warehouse of de Poli. The Chartered Bank of India, the laws of the Philippines. Balagtas hired Josefina G.
Australia and China, the Hongkong & Shanghai Banking Hipolito-Herrero as part time manager in its office in Sulok,
Corporation and W.F. Stevenson & Co., Ltd. Filed a petition Bulacan. Balagtas created a branch office at Wawa,
in the office of the clerk of the court in which they asked Balagtas, Bulacan. Josefina was required to report at the
Umberto de Poli be declared insolvent under the provisions said Wawa branch before reporting to her office at Sulok.
of Act No. 1956. The sheriff, then, took charge and Thereafter, the board members contemplated closing its
possession of all properties except those exempted from Wawa Branch Office. In one of their monthly meeting,
execution. Chartered Bank of India prayed for a Josefine informed them that she intends to take a leave of
reconsideration and annulment of the writ of attachment absence. After awhile, the board of members resolved to
issued against Umberto de Poli and that all further close its Wawa Branch. Josefina did not report to work
proceedings should be suspended until a decision has anymore. Later on, she filed her resignation. Almost nine (9)
been rendered by the court as to the discharge of the months thereafter, she filed a complaint for illegal dismissal.
insolvent debtor.
ISSUE:
ISSUE: WON cooperatives are exempted from filing a cash or
Which provision is controlling in this case? surety bond

Kat Atienza | 25
Statutory Construction 2022

HELD: whether a statute is to be given a strict or liberal


It must be kept in mind that the enactment of the construction will depend upon the following:
Cooperative Code is pursuant to the State’s declared  The nature of the statute
policy of fostering the “creation and growth of  The purpose to be subserved
cooperatives as a practical vehicle for prompting self-  The mischief to be remedied
reliance and harnessing people power towards the
attainment of economic development and social justice.” Purpose: to give the statute the interpretation that will best
In line with this, certain benefits and privileges were accomplish the end desired and effectuate legislative
expressly granted to cooperative entities under the statute. intent
Considering that the provision relates to “tax and other
exemptions,” the same must be strictly construed. This Strict construction, generally
follows the well-settled principle that exceptions are to be  Construction according to the letter of the statute,
strictly. An express exception, exemption, or saving clause which recognizes nothing that is not expressed, takes
excludes other exceptions. Express exceptions constitute the language used in its exact meaning, and
the only limitations on the operation of a statute and no admits no equitable consideration
other exception will be implied. The rule proceeds from the
premise that the legislative body would not have made  Not to mean that statutes are construed in its
specific enumerations in a statute, if it had the intention not narrowest meaning
to restrict its meaning and confine its terms to those
expressly mentioned.  It simply means that the scope of the statute shall not
be extended or enlarged by implication,
MODULE 9: STATUTES CONSTRUED AS A WHOLE AND intendment, or equitable consideration beyond the
literal meaning of its terms
IN RELATION TO OTHER STATUTES
 It is a close and conservative adherence to the
I. Statutes construed as a whole literal or textual interpretation
Generally, Statute is passed as a whole
 It should have one purpose and one intent The antithesis of liberal construction
 Construe its parts and section in connection with other
parts Liberal construction, defined
 Why? To “produce” a harmonious whole Equitable construction as will enlarge the letter of a statute
to accomplish its intended purpose, carry out its intent,
Never: or promote justice
 Divide by process of etymological dissertation (why?
Because there are instances when the intention Not to mean enlargement of a provision which is clear,
of the legislative body is different from that of the unambiguous and free from doubt
definition in its original sense)
It simply means that the words should receive a fair and
 Separate the words (remember that the whole point reasonable interpretation, so as to attain the intent, spirit
of this chapter is to construe it as a whole) and purpose of the law
 Separate context Liberal construction applied, generally
Where a statute is ambiguous, the literal meaning of
 The whole point of this part is to construe the whole the words used may be rejected if the result of adopting
statute and its part together said meaning would be to defeat the purpose of the law

Aquino v. Quezon City Ut res magis valeat quam pereat


G.R. No. 137534, August 3, 2006 That construction is to be sought which gives effect to the
whole of the statute – its every word

Liwayway Vinzons-Chato v. Fortune Tobacco Corporation


I. Statutes strictly construed
G.R. No. 141309, June 19, 2007
 Penal laws
People of the Philippines v. Luisito D. Bustinera Penal or criminal laws are strictly construed against the
G.R. No. 148233, June 8, 2004 State and liberally in favor of the accused cannot be
enlarged or extended by intendment, implication, or any
MODULE 10: MANDATORY AND DIRECTORY STATUTES equitable consideration. The language of a penal statutes
cannot be enlarged beyond the ordinary meaning of its
terms in order to carry into effect the general purpose for
Article 5, New Civil Code which the statute was enacted. Resolved in favor of the
person accused of violating the statute. No person should
Acosta v. Adaza be brought within the terms of a statute who is not clearly
G.R. No. 168617, February 19, 2007 within them, nor should any act be pronounced criminal
which is not clearly made so by the statute.
Luis K. Lokin, Jr. v. COMELEC
G.R. Nos. 179431-32, June 22, 2010 The rule that penal statutes are strictly construed does not
mean that every penal law must be so narrowly construed
as to defeat the law itself; it merely means that they are
Florante S. Quizon v. COMELEC not to be construed so strictly as to nullify or destroy the
G.R. No. 177927, February 15, 2008 obvious purpose of the legislature. Be construed with such
strictness as to carefully safeguard the rights of the
MODULE 11: STRICT OR LIBERAL CONSTRUCTION defendant and at the same time preserve the obvious
intention of the legislature. It will endeavor to effect
Generally substantial justice.

Kat Atienza | 26
Statutory Construction 2022

Raoul B. Del Mar v. PAGCOR


Careful scrutiny safeguard the rights of the accused. Two G.R. No. 138298, November 29, 2000
reasonable but contradictory constructions, that which
operates in favor of a party accused under its provision is
to be preferred. The principle is that acts in and of Republic of the Philippines v. Kerry Lao Ang
themselves innocent and lawful cannot be held to be G.R. No. 175430, June 18, 2012
criminal unless there is a clear and unequivocal expression
of the legislative intent to make them such.  Exceptions and provisos
As a rule, exceptions should be strictly but reasonably
construed; they extend only so far as their language fairly
Reason why penal statutes are strictly construed. warrants, and all doubts should be resolved in favor of the
Law is tender in favor of the rights of an individual; the general provision rather than the exception. The court will
object is to establish a certain rule by conformity to which not curtail the former nor add to the latter by implication,
mankind would be safe, and the discretion of the court and it is a rule that an express exception excludes all others,
limited. The purpose of strict construction is not to enable a although it is always proper in determining the applicability
guilty person to escape punishment through a technicality of this rule to inquire whether, in the particular case, it
but to provide a precise definition of forbidden acts. accords with reason and justice. Similarly, a statute, rule or
situation which allows exceptions to the requirement of
Intestate Estate of Manolita Gonzales Vda. De warrant of arrest or search warrant must be strictly
Carungcong v. People of the Philippines construed. A preference is an exception to the general rule
G.R. No. 181409, February 11, 2010 and it is what its name implies.

A proviso should be interpreted consistently with the


Gerardo R. Villaseñor v. Sandiganbayan legislative intent. The reason is that the legislative purpose
G.R. No. 180700, March 4, 2008 set forth in the general enactment expresses the legislative
policy and only those expressly exempted by the proviso
 Statutes in derogation of rights should be freed from the operation of the statute.
People in republican state enjoy certain rights, which are
either inherent or guaranteed by the constitution or
protected by law; rights are not absolute, and the state, in Commissioner of Internal Revenue v. The Court of Appeals,
the exercise of its police power, may enact legislations Central Vegetable Manufacturing Co., Inc.
curtailing or restricting their enjoyment. As these statutes G.R. No. 107135, February 23, 1999
are in derogation of common or general rights, they are
generally strictly construed and rigidly confined to cases
clearly within their scope or purpose.; two reasonably Geologistics, Inc. v. Gateway Electronics Corporation
possible constructions, one which would diminish or restrict G.R. Nos. 174256-57, March 25, 2009
fundamental right of the people and the other of which
would not do so, the latter construction II. Statutes Liberally Construed
General social legislation Implement the social justice and
Heirs of Alberto Suguitan v. Mandaluyong, protection-tolabor provisions of the Constitution are known
G.R. No. 135087, March 14, 2000 as general welfare legislations. These statutes are
construed liberally. General welfare legislations, the courts
will be guided by more than just an inquiry into the letter of
Philacor Credit Corporation v. Commissioner of Internal the law as against its spirit and will ultimately resolve any
Revenue
doubt in favor of the persons whom the law intended to
G.R. No. 169899, February 06, 2013 benefit. Labor laws, tenancy laws, land reform laws and
social security laws. However, while general welfare
Commissioner of Internal Revenue v. Kudos Metal legislations are construed liberally in favor of those
Corporation intended to be benefited, this principle holds true only
G.R. No. 178087, May 5, 2010 when there is doubt or ambiguity in the law and not when
the law itself is clear and free doubt. Workingman’s welfare
should be the primordial and paramount consideration.
Mapulo Mining Association v. Hon. Fernando Lopez
Article 4 of the New Labor Code which states that ‘all
G.R. No. L-30440, February 7, 1992
doubts in the implementation and interpretation of the
provisions of the Labor Code including its implementing
 Statutes granting privileges rules and regulations shall be resolved in favor of labor.
Statutes granting advantages to private persons or entities Based on the premise that the statute is ambiguous.
have in many instance created special privileges or
monopolies for the rantees and have thus been viewed Re: Application for Survivorship Pension Benefits Under
with suspicion and strictly construed; public advantage is Republic Act No. 9946
gained by the grant, it narrowly appears to be secondary A.M. No. 14155-Ret., November 19, 2013
significance compared with the advantage gained by the
grantee. Strict construction requires that those who invoke
a special privilege granted by the statute must comply Maria Obra v. SSS
strictly with its provisions. Privilegia recipient largam G.R. No. 147745, April 9, 2003
interpretationem voluntati consonam concedentis, or
privileges are to be interpreted in accordance with the will In Re: Petition for Adoption of Michelle P. Lim
of him who grants them. G.R. Nos. 168992-93, May 21, 2009

Commissioner of Internal Revenue v. Philippine Long


The Coca-Cola Export Corporation v. Clarita P. Gacayan
Distance Telephone Company
G.R. No. 149433, December 15, 2010
G.R. No. 140230, December 15, 2005

Kat Atienza | 27
Statutory Construction 2022

Regional Agrarian Reform Adjudication Board v. Court of


Appeals
G.R. No. 165155, Apr 13, 2010

Commissioner of Internal Revenue v. BASF Coating


G.R. No. 198677, November 26, 2014

Ramon A. Syhunliong v. Teresita Rivera


G.R. No. 200148, June 4, 2014

Kat Atienza | 28

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