Sheryl C.

Velasco
2012-0459

Metahumas Legal Brief

Facts:

In the past ten (10) years, there has been an apparent exponential increase in the number of
metahumans around the world. In the Philippines, a recent survey revealed that there at least 1,500
metahumans in the country alone. Some of these metahumans voluntarily assist various law
enforcement in the prevention nd fighting of crime especially those involving other metahumans. Some
metahumans also volunteer as first responders in events of catastrophe or calamity while others prefer
to work alone. Most of them, however, are protective of their identity. Veen those who voluntarily assist
law enforement also sometime keep their real ientities secret and prefer to remain anonymous. In doing
so, it became customary that they hide their identities in costume.

Sometime in January 2019, a group of metahuman teenagers started a YouTube Channel

showing their exploits as an up and coming superhero team. After discovering the location of a well-
known meta-human criminal, the group decided to engage the criminal and brought their camera crew
with them. The battle that ensued was quick, violent and destructive. It has even affected nearby
elementary school and there has been damage to property. Worse, hundreds were injured and twenty-
three children died.

The incident prompted the state to regulate the activity of metahumans by passing a law
entitled “The Superhuman Registration Act (SRA)” requirng all metahumans to register their personal
information withthe government. The state shall also mainatin a database of records of all these
metahumans. In addition, all metahumans may only perform activities that require them to use their
special skills that directly affect third persons, upon approval by a governing board. They are also
prohibited from assisting law enforcement or act as first responders unless they are duly deputized by
the corresponding law enforcement of government agency.

The law is currently being challenged for being unconstitutional.

Issue: Whether or not “The Superhuman Registration Act (SRA) is unconstitutional.

Held: The action of the state in regulating the activities and creating database of the personalities of
the metahumans is in its exercise of its police power. Police power is the power vested in the legislature
by the Constitution to make, ordain, establish all manner of wholesome and reasonable laws for the
good and welfare of the State and its people.

Police power