Professional Documents
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SCHOOL OF LAW
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This 5-unit course is a review of all branches of Political Law. Constitutional Law 1 studies the
General Consideration in the Philippine Constitution, the elements of the State and the branches of the
national government while Constitutional Law 2 focuses on the Bill of Rights. The course includes
Citizenship, Laws on Public Officers, Administrative Law, Election Law, Local Governments, National
Economy and Patrimony, and Public International Law.
METHODOLOGY:
The class will be conducted through lectures, recitations, quizzes and examinations..
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
Readings and Assignments. You are expected to be familiar with the assigned readings on a week-
to-week basis and must be prepared to participate actively in class discussions. Supplementary readings and
assignments will be given every now and then to augment the schedule of Topics and Readings and to
ensure a better understanding of a specific topic.
Recitation. You will be called to recite or lead the discussion of a scheduled topic during the term.
You are expected to demonstrate during recitation both knowledge of the assigned readings and ability to
express yourself convincingly.
Mid-term/Final Examinations. You will be given two major examinations in this course. Both will
allow you to display your knowledge and familiarity to think critically and logically.
GRADING SYSTEM:
Your grade in this course will be determined on the basis of class standing (30%) which includes
quizzes and recitations, the preliminary examination (30%), and the final examination (40%).
COURSE OUTLINE:
INTRODUCTION
I. BASIC PRINCIPLES
1, Definition
2. Components
3. The Philippine Archipelago, Article 1
a. Article III, Treaty of Paris, Dec 10, 1898 (Spain ceded the P.I. to the U.S.)
b. US-Spain Treaty, Nov 7, 1900 (Cagayan, Sulu, and Sibutu)
c. US-Great Britain Treaty, Jan 2, 1930 (Turtle and Mangsee Islands)
d. 1935 Constitution (Batanes)
e. 1973 Constitution (territories by historic right or legal title)
f. RA 3046, Jun 17, 1961
g. RA 5446, Sep 8, 1968 (Sabah claim)
h. PD 1596, Jun 11, 1978 (other territories, claim over KIG)
i. PD 1599, Jun 11, 1978 (200 miles EEZ)
j. UNCLOS I, II and III (1994) (Archipelagic principle, right of innocent passage,
right to sea lane passage)
k. RA 9522 (demarcation of maritime zone and continental shelf under UNCLOS
III)
Cases:
- Province of North Cotabato v GRP Peace Panel on Ancestral Domain, 568 SCRA
402 (2008)
- Magalona v Ermita, 655 SCRA 476 (2011)
C. People
1. Definition
D. Government
1. Definition
- Government of the Republic of the Philippines defined, Sec 2 (1) Administrative Code
3. Parens Patriae
Case: Government v Monte de Piedad, 35 Phil 728 (1916)
E. Sovereignty
1. Definition
2. Dual Aspect, Kinds and Characteristics
3. Dominium & Imperium
4. Effects of Change in Sovereignty
5. Effects of military occupation
6. Territorial, personal and extraterritorial jurisdiction
7. Acts of State
III. THE PHILIPPINE CONSTITUTION
A. State Immunity
3. Express Consent
4. Implied Consent
Case:
B. Delegation of powers
1. Rule, Maxim
2. Exceptions
b. By legislative grant
- Delegation to administrative bodies (rule-making power)
Case: 12. NPC Drivers and Mechanical Association v Napocor, 503
SCRA 138 (2006)
- Delegation to local government units (ordinances as subordinate
legislation)
Case: Sema v Comelec, 558 SCRA 700 (2008)
- Police Power: Two Branches: Police Power Proper & General
Welfare Clause
Cases:
- US v Salaveria, 39 Phil 102
- 15. Fernando v St. Scholastica-s College, GR 161107
(2013)
- Eminent Domain: Genuine Necessity of Taking
- Taxation: Expressly granted by law
3. Tests for due delegation of power; Case: Pelaez v Auditor General, 15 SCRA 569 (1965)
a. Completeness Test
b. Sufficient Standard Test
A. Preamble
1. Nature, purpose and aims
B. Principles
1. Independent foreign policy and nuclear free Philippines, Article II, Sections 7-8
a. Foreign military bases, Article XVIII, Sections 4 and 25
3. The family and role of the youth, Article II, Sections 12 and 13, Article XV, Sections 1-4
a. Family as a basic autonomous social institution
- EO 209 – Family Code of the Philippines
- Republic v Albios, 707 SCRA 584 (2013)
- PD 603 – Child and Youth Welfare Code
- RA 7610 - Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and
Discrimination Act
- RA 9262 – Anti Violence Against Women and their Children (2004)
b. Protection of the mother and the unborn
- RA 10354 – Reproductive Health and Responsible Parenthood Act (2012)
Case: Imbong v Ochoa, 721 SCRA 146 (2014)
c. Natural and primary right and duty of parents
4. Communication and information in nation building, Section 24; Article XVI, Sections 1—
11; Article XVIII, Section 23; EO 02 (2016)
5. Rights of indigenous cultural communities, Article II , Section 22; Article VI, Section 5
(2); Article XII, Section 5; Article XIII, Section 6; Article XIV, Section 17;
Article XVI, Sec 12;
- RA 8371 - Indigenous People’s Rights Act (1997)
7. Autonomy of local governments, Article II, Section 25; Article X; RA 7160 (LGC)
a. Kinds of Autonomy: Administrative Autonomy v Political Autonomy
Case: Limbona v Conte Mangelin, 170 SCRA 786
b. Devolution, Section 17, RA 7160, Local Government Code of 1991
c. Deconcentration of powers, Section 528, RA 7160
VI. CITIZENSHIP, Article IV
A. Definition, nature
B. Scope
1. Election
- Batas Pambansa 881, Omnibus Election Code (1985)
2. Plebiscite, Article X, Sections 10, 11, 18
3. Initiative, Article XVII, Section 2;
- RA 6735, Initiative and Referendum Act
- RA 7160, Local Government Code of 1991, Sections 120-126
- Limitations on local initiative, Section 124
- Limitations upon the Sanggunian , Section 125
4. Referendum, Article VI, Section, 32; RA 7160 Sections127
5. Recall, Article X, Section 3; RA 7160, Section 69-75
- Prohibition from resignation, Section 73
- Limitations on Recall, Section 74
C. Qualifications and disqualifications of voters, Article V, Section 1
- RA 8189 – Voter’s Registration Act (1996)
D. Secrecy and sanctity of the ballot, Article V, Section 2
- RA 9369 – Election Automation Law
E. System of Absentee voting, Article V, Section 2;
- RA 9189 – Overseas Absentee Voting Act (2003)
- RA 7166 – (Synchronized Elections), Section 12 – Absentee Voting for AFP, PNP and
government employees assigned to places where they are not registered
voters
THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT
1. Congress
2. Regional / local legislative power
3. People’s Initiative on Statutes
a. Initiative and Referendum
4. The President under a martial law rule or in a revolutionary government
3. Election:
1. Legislative
a. Legislative Inquiry and Oversight Functions, Article VI , Sections 21 & 22
Cases:
- Makalintal v Comelec, GR 157013, Jul 10, 2003
- Abakada group Party List v Purisima, GR 166715, Aug 14, 2008
b. Bicameral Conference Committee
c. Limitations on legislative power
- Limitation on Revenue, Appropriations and Tariff Measures
- Presidential Veto and Congressional Override
- Prohibition against passage of irrepealable laws
d. Passage of laws
- Requirement as to bills
- As to titles of bills, Article VI, Section 26 (1)
Case: Imbong v Ochoa, 721 SCRA 146 (2014)
- How does a bill become a law?
- Effectivity of laws, NCC, Article 2
2. Non-legislative
A. The President
Cases:
- Kulayan v Tan, 675 SCRA 482 (2012)
- Ampatuan v Puno, 651 SCRA 228 (2011)
- Fortun v Macapagal-Arroyo 668 SCRA 504 (2012)
- Lagman v Medialdea, GR 231658, Jul 4, 2017
5. Pardoning powers, Section 19, Article IX-C, Section 5
a, Nature and limitations
Cases:
- Monsanto v Factoran, Jr., 170 SCRA 190 (1989)
- Risos-Vidal v Comelec, 747 SCRA 210 (2015)
b. Forms of executive clemency
6. Diplomatic power (Treaty making), Article XII, Section 21
Cases:
- Saguisag v Ochoa, Jr. GR 212426 and 212444, Jan 12, 2016
- Bayan v Executive Secretary, GR 138570, Oct 10, 2000
- Treaty vs Executive Agreement
7. Powers relative to revenue, appropriation and tariff measures; Limitations Article Vi,
Sections 24 & 25
Case: Araullo v Aquino III, 728 SCRA 1 (2014) and 749 SCRA 284 (2015)
8. Borrowing power, Article VII, Section 20
9. Budgetary power, Article VII, Section, 22
10. Informing power, Article VII, Section 23
11. Delegated powers
a. Emergency power, Article VI, Section 23 (2)
b. Tariff power, Article VI, Section 28 (2)
12. Veto powers, Article VI, Section 27
13. Residual powers
14. Executive privilege
Case: Neri v Senate Committee on Accountability of Public Officers and
Investigations, 549 SCRA 77 (2008) and 564 SCRA 152 (2008)
C. Rules of Succession
1. President, Article VII
a. Before assumption of office
b. Upon assumption of office
c. temporary incapacity
2. Vice President, Article VII, Sections 3, 7-9
A. Judicial Power
1. Adjudicatory power
a. Involving rights legally demandable, Article VIII, Section 5 (1)
b. Affecting ambassadors, public ministers and consuls
c. PET = SC
2. Judicial Review
a. Acts of Judicial Department: lower courts, Article VIII , Section 5 (2)
b. Acts of Executive Department
c. Acts of Legislative Department
d. Requisites for Judicial Review of a constitutional issue
1. Actual case or controversy;
- justiciable question)
- not moot and academic; exceptions
- ripe for judicial action
K. Judicial Privilege
Case: Re: Petition for recognition of the exemption of the GSIS from payment of legal fees,
612 SCRA 193 (2010)
B. Economic Agencies
1. BSP, Article XII, Sections 20, 21
2. NEDA, Article XII, Sections 9, 10
C. National Commissions
1. Commission on Human Rights (CHR), Article XIII, Sections 17-19
2. National Language Commission (Komisyon ng Wikang Pambansa), Article XIV, Section 9
3. National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM), Article XVI, Section 6
- RA 6975 – Establishing PNP under DILG
4. National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP), Article XII, Section 5; Article XIV,
Section 17, Article XVI, Section 12
- RA 8371 – Indigenous Peoples Rights Act
D. Anti-Graft Bodies
1. Sandiganbayan, Article XI, Section 4
- PD 1606, Section 4 – Jurisdiction of Sandiganbayan
2. Ombudsman, PD 1630 (1979); RA 6770 (1989)
Case: Caoibes v Ombudsman, GR 132177, Jul 19, 2001