Constitutional Law 1

Professor- Atty. ELIZABETH S. ZOSA

SYLLABUS:

1. Political Law
a. Definition and nature
b. Components- as prescribed by the Supreme Court for Bar Exam
c. Cases:
i. Macariola vs Asuncion, A.M. No. 133-J May 31, 1982
ii. Peralta vs Director of Prisons, GR No. L-49, November 12, 1949
2. The Constitution
a. Definition, Nature and Basic Principles
b. Construction and Interpretation
c. Amendment or Revision
i. Amendment/revision through Congress
ii. Amendment through people’s initiative
iii. RA No. 6735- The Initiative and Referendum Act
d. Cases:
i. Manila Prince Hotel vs GSIS, GR No. 122156, Feb 3, 1997
ii. Collector of Customs vs Villaluz, L- 34038, June 18, 1976
iii. Imbong vs Ochoa, GR No. 2014819, April 8, 2014
iv. Santiago vs COMELEC, GR No. 127325, March 19, 1997
v. Javellana vs Executive Secretary, GR No. L-36142, March 31, 1973
vi. Planas vs. COMELEC, GR L-35925, Jan. 22, 1973

3. Brief History of the Philippine Constitution

a. 1899 Malolos Constitution
b. 1935 Constitution- Commonwealth
c. 1943 Constitution- Japanese Occupation
d. 1973 Constitution
e. 1986 Freedom Constitution
f. 1987 Constitution
g. Cases:
i. De Leon vs Esguerra, GR No. 78059, Aug 31, 1987
ii. Peralta vs Director of Prisons, GR No. L-49, November 12, 1949
iii. Republic vs Sandiganbayan, G.R. No. 10476, July 21, 2003

4. Concept of the State

a. Differentiate between state and nation
b. Elements of a state
c. People
i. Citizens of the Philippines
d. Territory
i. Archipelago Doctrine
ii. UN Convention on the Law of the Sea
e. Government
i. Constituent & Ministrant functions
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 ii. Concept of Parens Patriae
iii. De facto and de jure government
f. Sovereignty
i. Doctrine of jus postliminium
ii. Act of state
g. Cases:
i. Province of North Cotabato vs the GRP Peace Panel on Ancestral Domain, GR No. 183591, October
14, 2008
ii. Bengson vs House of Rep Electoral Tribunal, GR No. 142840, May 7, 2001
iii. Mercado vs Manzano, GR No. 135083, May 26, 1999
iv. Poe-Llamanzares vs COMELEC, GR No. 221697, March 8, 2016
v. Magallona vs Ermita, GR No. 187167, Aug 16, 2011
vi. Govt. of Philippine Islands vs Monte de Piedad Savings Bank, GR No. L-9959, Dec. 13, 1916
vii. Lawyers League for a Better Philippines vs Corazon Aquino, GR No. 73748, May 22, 1986
viii. Vilas vs City of Manila, No. 53, April 3, 1911

5. State Immunity
a. Exceptions to non-suability
b. Restrictive application of non-suability principle- jure imperii & jure gestionis
c. PD No. 1445- money claim to be filed before the COA
d. Cases:
i. German Agency for Technical Cooperation vs Court of Appeals, GR No, 152318, Apr 16, 2009
ii. China National Machinery & Equipment Corp vs Sta. Maria, GR No. 185572, Feb 7, 2012
iii. The Holy See vs Rosario, GR No. 101949, Dec 1, 1994
iv. UP vs Dizon, GR No. 171182, Aug 23, 2012
v. Lockheed Detective & Watchman Agency vs UP, GR No. 185918, Apr 18, 2012
vi. Amigable vs Cuenca, GR No. L-26400,Feb 29, 1972

6. Fundamental Principles and State Policies

a. Nature
b. Preamble
c. Republicanism
d. Defense of the state
e. Incorporation clause
f. Social justice
g. Separation of Church and state
h. Supremacy of Civilian Authority
i. Local autonomy
j. Cases
i. Estrada vs Escritor, AM No. P02-1651, June 22, 2006
ii. Villavicencio vs Lukban, GR No. 14639, Mar 25, 1919
iii. Ichong vs Hernandez, GR No. L-7995, May 31, 1957
iv. Garcia vs Drilon, GR No. 179267, June 25, 2013
v. Calalang vs Williams, GR No. 47800, Dec 2, 1940
vi. Aglipay vs Ruiz, GR No. L-45459, March 13, 1937
vii. Espina vs Zamora, GR No. 143855, Sept 21, 2010
viii. Gamboa vs Finance Secretary, GR No. 176579, June 28, 2011
ix. Oposa vs Factoran, GR No. 101083, July 30, 1993

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7. Separation of powers
a. Blending of powers
b. Checks and balances
c. Political vs justiciable questions
d. Duty of court to determine grave abuse of discretion
e. Cases:
i. Gonzales vs Office of the President, GR No. 196231, Sept 4, 2012
ii. De Castro vs Committee on Justice, GR No. 71688, Sept 10, 1985
iii. Barcelon vs Baker, GR No. 2808, Sept 30, 1905; Montenegro vs Castaneda, GR No. L-4221, Aug 30,
1952; Garcia-Padilla vs Enrile, GR No. L-61388, Apr 20, 1983
iv. Lansang vs Garcia, GR No. 33964, Dec 11, 1971
v. Belgica vs Executive Secretary, GR No. 208566, Nov 19, 2013

8. Delegation of powers
a. Permissible delegation of legislative powers
b. Tests of delegation
i. Completeness Test
ii. Sufficient Standard Test
c. Cases
i. First Emergency Powers Cases-Araneta vs Dinglasan, G.R. No. L-2044 , August 26, 1949
ii. Second Emergency Powers Cases-Rodriguez vs Gella, G.R. No. L-6266 February 2, 1953
iii. David vs Arroyo, GR No. 171396, May 3, 2006
iv. Divinagracia vs Consolidated Broadcasting System, Inc., GR No. 162272, April 7, 2009
v. People vs Vera, G.R. No. L-45685, November 16, 1937
vi. Ynot vs Intermediate Appellate Court, GR No. 74457, Mar 20, 1987

9. Legislative Department
a. Houses of Congress
i. Senate
ii. House of Representatives
b. Election, Qualifications, Term of Office, Salaries
i. Senators
ii. District representatives & Party-list representatives
c. Privileges and prohibitions
d. Congress’ Regular Business
e. Special bodies
i. Senate Electoral Tribunal
ii. House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal
iii. Commission on Appointments
f. Powers of the Congress
i. Classification – legislative & non-legislative
ii. Substantive and Procedural requirements in the approval of bills
iii. Legislative Inquiries
iv. Congressional oversight
v. Referendum and initiative
g. Cases
i. Pundaodaya vs COMELEC, GR No. 179313, Sept 17, 2009
ii. Social Justice Society vs Dangerous Drugs Board, GR No. 157870, Nov 3, 2008

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 iii. Atong Paglaum Inc. vs COMELEC, GR No. 203766, Apr 2, 2013
iv. BANAT vs COMELEC- GR No. 179271, July 8, 2009
v. Nicolas-Lewis vs COMELEC, GR No. 162759, Aug 4, 2006
vi. Datu Michael Abas Kida vs Senate of the Philippines, GR No. 196271, Oct 18, 2011
vii. Angeles University Foundation vs City of Angeles, GR No. 189999, June 27, 2012
viii. Lung Center of the Philippines vs Quezon City, GR No. 144104, June 29, 2004
ix. Tolentino vs Secretary of Finance, GR No. 115455, Oct 30, 1995

10. Executive Department

a. President- qualifications, election, proclamation, term
b. Vice-President- qualifications, election, proclamation, term
c. Presidential succession
d. Perquisites and inhibitions
e. Executive privilege
f. Presidential immunity
g. Powers of the President
i. Appointing power
ii. Removal power
iii. Control power
iv. “Take-care” clause
v. Military power
vi. Pardoning power
h. Cases:
i. Macalintal vs Presidential Electoral Tribunal, GR No. 191618, Nov 23, 2010
ii. Civil Liberties Union vs Executive Secretary, 194 SCRA 317 (1991)
iii. Betoy vs Board of Directors, National Power Corp, GR Nos. 156556-57, Oct 4, 2011
iv. AKBAYAN vs Aquino, GR No. 170516, July 16, 2008
v. Neri vs Senate Committee on Accountability of Public Officers, GR No. 180643, Mar 25, 2008
vi. Senate vs Ermita, GR No. 169777, Apr 20, 2006
vii. Estrada vs Desierto, GR Nos. 146710-15, Mar 2, 2001
viii. Philippine Coconut Producers Federation, Inc. vs Republic, GR Nos. 177857-58, Feb 11, 2010
ix. Pichay vs ODESLA Investigative and Adjudication Division, GR. No. 196425, July 24, 2012

11. Judicial Department

a. Judicial power
b. Jurisdiction of Courts
c. Qualifications of Justices and judges
d. Judicial and Bar Council
e. Cases heard by the Supreme Court
i. En banc
ii. By division
f. Judicial Inquiry
i. Actual case
ii. Proper party
1. Taxpayer suit
iii. Earliest opportunity
iv. Necessity of deciding the constitutional question
1. Operative fact doctrine

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 g. Effects of declaration of unconstitutionality of statute
h. Powers of the Supreme Court
i. Jurisdiction- Original & Appellate
ii. Rule-making power
iii. Administrative supervision over courts
iv. Decisions of the court
i. Judicial doctrines
j. Cases:
i. IBP vs Zamora, G.R. No. 141284, August 15, 2000
ii. Tanada vs Angara, G.R. No. 118295 May 2, 1997
iii. Bengzon vs Drilon, G.R. No. 155336, July 21, 2006
iv. De Castro vs JBC, GR No. 191002, Mar 17, 2010
v. PACU vs Secretary of Education, G.R. No. L-5279, October 31, 1955
vi. Garcillano vs House of Representatives, GR No. 170338, Dec 23, 2008
vii. Javier vs COMELEC, G.R. Nos. L-68379-81 September 22, 1986
viii. Funa vs Chairman of the Commission on Audit, GR No. 1927981, Apr 24, 2012
ix. League of Cities of the Philippines vs COMELEC, GR No. 176951, Aug 24, 2010
x. Hacienda Luisita Inc. vs Presidential Agrarian Reform Council- GR No. 171101, Nov 22, 2011

12. Constitutional Commissions

a. Salaries, Disqualifications, Term of Office of Members
b. Decisions
c. Fiscal autonomy
d. Promulgation of rules of procedure
e. Decision appealable to SC, except CSC- to Court of Appeals
f. Civil Service Commission
i. Composition & Qualification
ii. Scope of Civil service
iii. Appointments of government employees- competitive examination. Exceptions
iv. Kinds of appointments
v. Guaranteed rights of civil servants
vi. Prohibitions
vii. Discipline of Government employees
g. Commission on Elections
i. Composition, Qualifications of Members
ii. Powers and functions
iii. Conduct of elections
h. Commission on Audit
i. Composition, qualification of Members
ii. Powers and functions
iii. No entity of government shall be exempt from audit
iv. To pass transaction in audit- discretionary power
v. Critical function- old Constitution
vi. Pre-audit vs post-audit
i. Cases:
i. Brillantes vs Yorac, GR No. 93867, Dec 18, 1990
ii. Veloso vs COA, GR NO. 193677, Sept 6, 2011
iii. Talaga vs COMELEC, GR No. 196804, Oct 9, 2012
iv. Labo vs COMELEC, GR No. 105111 & 105384, July 3, 1992
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 v. Maquiling vs COMELEC , GR No. 195649, Apr 16, 2013
vi. Funa vs Chairman of COA, GR No. 192791, Apr 24, 2012
vii. Versoza vs Carague, GR No.157838. Mar 8, 2011
viii. Civil Service Commission vs Pobre, 438 SCRA 334
ix. Philippine Coconut Producers Federation Inc vs Republic, GR Nos. 177857-58, Sept 17, 2009

13. Accountability of Public Officers

a. Concept of public office & accountability
b. Constitutional safeguards to accountability
i. Removal of high officials through impeachment
ii. Sandiganbayan
iii. Ombudsman
iv. RA No. 3019- Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act
v. RA No. 6714- Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards of Public Officials
vi. SALN- Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth
vii. Forfeiture of Ill-Gotten wealth
c. Impeachment
d. Sandiganbayan
e. Ombudsman
i. Special Prosecutor
f. Cases:
i.
Gonzales vs OP, GR No. 196231, Sept 4, 2012
ii.
Marcoletta vs Borra, AC No. 7732, Mar 30, 2009
iii.
Francisco vs HOR, GR No. 160261, Nov 10, 2003
iv.Gutierrez vs HOR, GR No. 193459, Mar 8, 2011
v.People vs Sandiganbayan, GR No. 169004, Sept 15, 2010
vi.San Miguel Corp vs Sandiganbayan, GR Nos. 104637-38, Sept 14, 2000
vii.Uy vs Sandiganbayan, GR No. 105965-70, Mar 20, 2001
viii.Office of the Ombudsman vs Masing, GR No. 165416, Jan 22, 2008
ix.Office of the Ombudsman vs de Sahagun, GR No. 167982, Aug 13, 2008
x.Republic vs Desierto, G.R. No. 136506. August 23, 2001
xi. In Re- Request for Copy of 2008 Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) and Personal
Data Sheets or Curriculum Vitae of the Justices of the Supreme Court and Officers and Employees of
the Judiciary, A.M. No. 09-8-6-SC, June 13, 2012

Prepared by:

ATTY. ELIZABETH S. ZOSA

Professor