STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION

COURSE OUTLINE

Part I – Preliminary Considerations

1. Legal System in the Philippines

2. Historical Overview
3. Branches of Government
4. Primary Source of Philippine Laws
5. Administrative Regulations: Rule-Making Power
6. Court Decisions: Stare Decisis
7. International Law: Incorporation Clause
8. Local Legislative Powers: Ordinances

Part II –Statutory Construction, Interpretation and Judicial Legislation

1. Definition of Statutory Construction

- Caltex v. Palomar, G.R. No. L-19650, September 29, 1966

2. Definition of Statutory Interpretation

3. Distinctions Between Construction and Interpretation

4. Situs of Construction and Interpretation

5. Legis interpretatio legis vim obtinet

- People v. Jabinal, G.R. No. L-30061, February 27, 1974

- Pesca v. Pesca, G.R. No. 136921, April 17, 2001

6. When is there room for interpretation or construction?

- Songco v. NLRC, GR L-50999 March 23, 1990

- Amores v. HRET, GR 189600, June 29, 2010

7. When can courts construe or interpret the law?

- RCBC v. IAC, G.R. No. 74851, December 9, 1999

8. When courts need not resort to interpretation or construction.

- Go Ka Toc Sons v. Rice and Corn Board, G.R. No. L-23607, May 23, 1967

- People v. Mapa, G.R. No. L-22301, August 30, 1967

- Luzon Surety v. De Garcia, G.R. No. L-25659, October 31, 1969

9. Punctuation and Grammar: An Aid to Construction

- US v. Hart, G.R. No. L-8848 November 21, 1913

Intrinsic or internal aids in Statutory Interpretation

Extrinsic or External aids in Statutory Construction
Statutory Construction vis-a-vis Judicial Legislation

- Floresca v. Philex Mining, G.R. No. L-30642 April 30, 1985

- Republic v. CA and Molina, G.R. No. 108763, February 13, 1997

10. How must legislative intent be ascertained?

- Aisporna v. CA, G.R. No. L-39419 April 12, 1982

- Republic v. CA and Molina, G.R. No. 108763, February 13, 1997

11. When is it construction and when is it judicial legislation?

- Floresca v. Philex Mining, G.R. No. L-30642 April 30, 1985

Part III – Statutes, Ordinances and Administrative Regulations

1. What is a statute?

2. Parts of a Statute

3. Kinds of Statutes

4. Constitutional Limitations of Statutes

5. Legislative and Other Powers of Congress

6. Legislative Process

A. How a Bill Becomes a Law

B. Flowchart of the Process

7. Enrolled Bill Theory

- Mabanag vs. Lopez Vito, G.R. No. L-1123, March 5, 1947

- Casco Phil. Chemical Co. Inc. vs. Gimenez, G.R. No. L-17931, February
28, 1963

- Morales vs. Subido, G.R. No. L-29658, November 29, 1968

8. Journal Entry Rule

- Astorga vs. Villegas, G.R. No. L-23475 April 30, 1974

9. Void-for-Vagueness Doctrine

- Estrada vs. Sandiganbayan, G.R. No. 148560, 19 November 2001

- David vs. Arroyo, G.R. No. 171396, 3 May 2006

- Sps. Romualdez v. Comelec, G. R. No. 167011, April 30, 2008

10. When Does a Statute Become Effective?

Civil Code, Article 2; Section 18, EO 292

Tanada vs. Tuvera, G.R. No. L-63915 April 24, 1985

11. When Does a Regulation Become Effective?

- Sections 2-9, Book VII of EO 292

- People vs. Que Po Lay, G.R. No. L-6791, March 29, 1954

- Tanada vs. Tuvera, G.R. No. L-63915 April 24, 1985

- Yaokasin vs. Commissioner of Customs, G.R. No. 84111 December 22,

1989

12. When Does an Ordinance Take Effect?

- Sections 54-59, RA 7160

- Bagatsing vs. Ramirez, G.R. No. L-41631 December 17, 1976

13. Equity of the Statute Rule

- Articles 9 and 10, Civil Code

14. Constitutional Test in the Passage of a Bill

15. Repeals of Statutes

Part IV – Basic Principles Used in Statutory Construction

1. Casus omissus pro omisso habendus est

- Mun. of Nueva Era v. Mun. of Marcos, G.R. No. 169435 February 27, 2008

- People v. Manantan, G.R. No. L-14129, August 30, 1962

2. Constitutional Avoidance

PACU v. Secretary of Education, G.R. No. L-5279, October 31, 1955

3. Expressium facit cessare tacitum

- Canet v. Decena, G.R. No. 155344. January 20, 2004

- Malinias v. Comelec, G.R. No. 146943 October 4, 2002

4. Last Antecedent Rule

- PLDT Co. v. The Public Service Commission, G.R. No. L-26762 August 29,
1975

5. Legislative intent must be ascertained from a consideration of the

statute as a whole

- Alpha Investigation and Security Agency v. NLRC, G.R. No. 111722 May
27, 1997

- Serana v. Sandigabayan, G.R. No. 162059, January 22, 2008

6. Mens Legislatoris or Mischief Rule

- Vda. De Macabenta v. Davao Stevedore Terminal Co., G.R. No. L-27489.

April 30, 1970

7. Pari Materia Rule

- City of Naga v. Agna, G.R. No. L-36049 May 31, 1976

- Tan Co v. Civil Register of Manila, G.R. No. 138496. February 23, 2004

8. Plain Meaning Rule

- Republic v. Lacap, G.R. No. 158253, March 2, 2007

- Rural Bank of San Miguel v. Monetary Board, G.R. No. 150886, February
16, 2007

9. Ratio Legis or Golden Rule

- Hidalgo v. Hidalgo, G.R. No. L-25326 May 29, 1970

10. Rule Against Surplasage

11. Rule of Lenity

- People v. Temporada, G.R. No. 173473, December 17, 2008, Corona, J.,
Sep. Op.

12. Spirit of the Law vs. Letter of the Law

- People v. Salas, G.R. No. L-66469 July 29, 1986

- Alonzo v. IAC, G.R. No. 72873 May 28, 1987

13. Stare Decisis

- Tala Realty Services Corp. v. Banco Filipino Savings and Mortgage Bank,
G.R. No. 132051, June 25, 2001

- J.R.A. Phils. Inc. v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue, G.R. No. 177127,

October 11, 2010

14. Verba Legis

- Pagcor v. Philippine Gaming Jurisdiction Inc., G.R. No. 177333, April 24,
2009

- Bolos v. Bolos, G.R. No. 186400, October 20, 2010

Part V – Latin Maxims Applied to Statutory Construction

1. Absolute Sentencia Expositore Non Indiget (An absolute sentence
needs no explanation)

- Barcellano v. Bañas, G.R. No. 165287 September 14, 2011

2. Casus Omissus Rule

- People vs. Manantan, G.R. No. 14129, July 31, 1962

3. Cessante ratione legis, cessat ipsa lex (The reason for a law ceasing,
the law itself ceases)

- People v. Almuete, G.R. No. L-26551 February 27, 1976

4. Dura lex sed lex (The law may be harsh but it is the law)

- Obiasca v. Basallote, G.R. No. 176707 February 17, 2010

5. Ejusdem generis (Of the same kind)

- Liwag v. Happy Glen Loop Homeowners Association, G.R. No. 189755

July 4, 2012

6. Expressio unius est exclusio alterius (The expression of one thing is

the exclusion of another)

- Malinias v. Comelec, G.R. No. 146943. October 4, 2002

7. Generalia specialibus non derogant (General things do not derogate

from special things)

Tomawis v. Balindong, G.R. No. 182434 March 5, 2010

8. Leges posteriores priores contrarias abrogant (Subsequent laws

repeal those before enacted to the contrary)

- Manila Trading & Supply Co. v. Philippine Labor Union, G.R. No. L-47796,
April 22, 1941
9. Lex de futuro, judex de praeterito (The law provides for the future, the
judge for the past)

- PDIC v. Stockholders of Intercity Savings and Loan Bank, G.R. No.

181556, December 14, 2009

10. Lex Prospicit, Non Respicit (The law looks forward, not backward)

- Valeroso v. CA, G.R. No. 164815 September 3, 2009

11. Noscitur a sociis (Known from its associates)

- Chavez v. JBC, G.R. No. 202242 July 17, 2012

12. Optima statuti interpretatrix est ipsum statutum (The best interpreter
of a statute is the statute itself)

- Serana v. Sandiganbayan, G.R. No. 162059 January 22, 2008

13. Ratio legis est anima (The reason of the law is the soul of the law.)

- League of Cities v. Comelec, G.R. No. 176951 December 21, 2009

14. Reddendo singula singulis (Referring each to each)

- City of Manila v. Laguio, Jr., G.R. No. 118127 April 12, 2005

15. Ubi lex non distinguit nec nos distinguire debemus (When the law
does not distinguish, we must not distinguish.)

- Amores v. HRET, G.R. No. 189600, June 29, 2010