WEEKLY COURSE GUIDE

Constitutional Law 1 (JDCON1-22), 6-10 Pm Wednesday (1JD-1A)

Second semester, SY 2022-2023, New Era University

Midterm Grading Period

Module I: Political Law and the Constitution
Week 1: Nature of Political Law and Constitution, In General
1. Introduction to the Course
a. Components of Political Law as Bar Subject
b. Coverage of Constitutional Law I under Law Curriculum
2. Definition & Nature of Political Law
a. Change in sovereignty
Case: Macariola vs Asuncion, A.M. No. 133-J, May 31, 1982
b. Principle of postliminy
Case: Peralta vs Director of Prisons, GR No. L-49, November 12, 1949
3. Constitution, in General
a. Nature, basic principles
b. Construction and interpretation
i. Self-executing and non-self- executing provisions
c. Amendment and Revision
4. Cases: Manila Prince Hotel vs. GSIS, (1997)
Collector of Customs vs Villaluz (1976)
IBP v Zamora, 2000
JM Tuason Co. Inc. vs Land Tenure Adm.1970
Week 2: The 1987 Philippine Constitution
1. Brief History of the Philippine Constitution
a. 1899 Malolos Constitution
b. 1935 Commonwealth Constitution
c. 1973 Constitution
d. 1986 Freedom Constitution
2. RA No. 6735- Initiative and Referendum Act
3. Cases: Lambino vs COMELEC, GR No. 174153, October 25, 2006
Santiago vs COMELEC, GR No. 127325, Mar 19, 1997
Javellana vs Executive Secretary (1973)
Planas vs. COMELEC (1973)
De Leon vs Esguerra (1987
Republic vs Sandiganbayan (2003)

Module II: The State

Week 3: Concept and elements of state

a. Definition and concept of state
b. Elements of state
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 a. People
i. As citizens
ii. As inhabitants
iii. As electors
b. Territory
i. Terrestrial
ii. Maritime
1. Archipelago doctrine
2. UN Convention on the Law of the Sea
3. RA 9522- amending RAs 3046 & 5446- defining the
baselines of the territorial sea
iii. Aerial

Cases: Prov. of N. Cotabato vs GRP Peace Panel on Ancestral Domain, (2008)

Magallona v Ermita (2011)

Week 4: Elements of state (Continuation) & state immunity

c. Government
1. Constituent and ministrant functions
2. Parens patriae
3. De facto & de jure government
Cases: Philippine Virginia Tobacco Administration vs CIR (1975)
Govt. of the P I vs Monte de Piedad Savings Bank (1916)
Lawyers League for a Better Philippines vs Aquino (1986)
d. Sovereignty
1. Doctrine of jus postliminium
2. Act of state
Cases: Peralta vs Director of Prisons (1949)
People vs Perfecto (1922)
State immunity
a. Rationale
b. Exceptions to non-suability
c. Waiver of immunity
d. Jus imperii & jus gestiones
e. Suability vs liability
f. Money claims against the government
Cases:
German Agency for Technical Cooperation v CA (2009)
China National Machinery & Equipment Corp v Sta. Maria (2012)
The Holy See v Rosario (1994)
UP v Dizon (2012)
Lockheed Detective & Watchman Agency v UP (2012)
Amigable v Cuenca (1972)

Module III: Fundamental Principles and State Policies

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 Week 5: Fundamental principles and state policies
1. As mandated by the Constitution
a. Republicanism
b. Defense of the state
c. Incorporation clause
d. Social justice
e. Separation of church and state
f. Supremacy of civilian authority
g. Local autonomy
h. Other basic principles
i. Cases: Estrada vs Escritor (2006)
People vs Lagman & People vs Sosa (1938)
Pharmaceutical and Health Care Assn. vs Health Secretary (2007)
Agustin v Edu (1979)
Calalang vs Williams (1940)
Aglipay vs Ruiz (1937)
Garcia vs Drilon (2013)
Oposa vs Factoran (1993)
2. Separation of powers
a. Blending of powers
b. Checks and balances
c. Political vs justiciable questions
d. Cases: De Castro vs Committee on Justice, (1986)
Estrada vs Desierto, G.R. No. 146710-15, March 2, 2001
Lawyers Against Monopoly and Poverty vs DBM Secretary, (2012)
Belgica vs Executive Secretary, G.R. No. 208566, November 19, 2013
3. Delegation of powers
a. Permissible delegation
b. Tests of delegation
i. Completeness test
ii. Sufficient standard test
c. Cases: US vs Ang Tang Ho (1922)
Gonzales vs OP (2012)
Garcia-Padilla vs Enrile (1983)
Lansang vs Garcia (1971)
Emergency Powers Cases (Araneta vs Dinglasan,1949, Rodriguez vs
Gella, 1953)
People vs Vera (1937);
Ynot vs Intermediate Appellate Court (1987),
Bureau of Customs Employees Association vs Teves (2011)

Module IV Citizenship

Week 6
1. Definition
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 2. Citizens of the Philippines
3. Acquisition/ Loss/ Re-acquisition- RA 9225- Citizenship Retention and Re-
Acquisition Act
4. Repatriation/Expatriation
5. Naturalization
a. Legislative
b. Judicial- CA 473 as amended (Naturalization Law)
c. Administrative- RA 9139- Acquisition of Philippine Citizenship by
Administrative Naturalization
d. Derivative
6. Dual Citizenship/ Dual allegiance
7. Rule on Foundling- RA 11767- Foundling Recognition and Protection Act
Cases:
Bengzon v HOR Electoral Tribunal (2001)
Poe-Llamanzares v COMELEC (2016)
Mercado v Manzano (1999)
Maquiling v COMELEC (2013)

Module V: The Legislative Department

Week 7: Membership and Official Business

1. District Representatives and Party-list Representatives
a. Election, Qualifications, Term of Office
b. RA 7941- Party-List System Act- allocation of seats
2. Congress Special Bodies
3. Congress Regular Business
4. Cases:
Social Justice Society vs Dangerous Drugs Board (2008);
Atong Paglaum Inc vs COMELEC (2013);
Ang LADLAD LGBT Party vs COMELEC (2010);
BANAT vs COMELEC (2009);

Week 8: Powers of Congress and Privileges of Members

5. Powers of Congress
a. Legislative
b. Non-legislative
6. Privileges and prohibitions
7. Cases: Datu Michael Abas Kida vs Senate ((2011)
ABAKADA Guro Party List vs Purisima (2008)
Angeles University Foundation vs City of Angeles (2012)
Lung Center of the Philippines vs Quezon City (2004)
Tolentino vs Secretary of Finance (1995)
Senate vs Ermita (2006)

Week 9 Midterm Examination

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Final Grading Period

Module VI: The Executive Department

Week 10 The President

i. Election, Term of Office, Qualifications
ii. Succession
iii. Perquisites and inhibitions
iv. Executive Privilege
v. Presidential immunity
vi. Cases: Macalintal vs Presidential Electoral Tribunal (2010);
Civil Liberties Union vs Executive Secretary (1991);
Betoy vs Board of Directors- National Power Corp. (2011);
AKBAYAN vs Aquino (2008);
Neri vs Senate Committee on Accountability of Public Officers (2008);
Senate vs Ermita (2006);
Estrada vs Desierto (2001);
Week 11 Powers of the President
1. Appointing and removal
2. Control
3. “Take-care” clause
4. Military power
5. Command of armed forces
6. Habeas corpus
7. Martial law
8. Pardoning power
9. Diplomatic power
10. Cases: Lagman v Medialdea (2017);
Rodriguez v Macapagal-Arroyo, 2011
Pichay vs ODESLA Investigative and Adjudication Division (2012);
General vs Urro (2011);
Pimentel vs Ermita (2005);
Matibag vs Benipayo (2002);
Velicaria-Garafil v OP (2015)

Module VII: The Judicial Department

Week 12: Judicial Power and the Supreme Court

1. Definition of judicial power
2. Supreme Court and lower courts
3. Jurisdiction of courts
4. Qualifications of Justices/Judges
5. Judicial and Bar Council
6. Powers of the Supreme Court
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 7. Cases: IBP vs Zamora (2000)
Tanada vs Angara (1997)
Bengzon vs Drilon (2006)
De Castro vs JBC (2010)

Week 13 Judicial Inquiry

1. Requisites for judicial inquiry
a. Actual case
b. Proper party
c. Earliest Opportunity
d. Necessity of deciding constitutional question
2. Effects of declaration of unconstitutionality of statute
a. Orthodox view
b. Modern view
3. Cases: PACU vs Secretary of Education (1955);
Garcillano vs House of Representatives (2008)
Javier vs COMELEC (1986)
Funa vs Chairman of COA (2012)
Stronghold Insurance Company, Inc vs Cuenca (2013)
Laurel vs Garcia (1990)
Demetria vs Alba (1987)
League of Cities of the Philippines vs COMELEC (2010)
Hacienda Luisita, Inc vs Presidential Agrarian Reform Council (2011)
Nicolas vs Romulo (2009)
CSC vs Andal (2009)
Borromeo vs CA (2009)

Module VIII: The Constitutional Commissions

Week 14: Common Provisions and Civil Service Commission

1. Common Provisions
a. Terms of Office, Qualifications, Salaries
b. Rules of procedure
c. Cases: Brillantes vs Yorac (1990)
Funa vs Chairman of COA (2012);
2. Civil Service Commission
a. Scope of the Civil service
b. Appointment to the civil service
c. Rights of civil servants
d. Prohibitions of civil servants
e. Discipline of employees
f. Omnibus Rules of the Civil Service Commission
g. Cases: Republic vs City of Paranaque (2012)
MIAA vs City of Pasay (2009)
PAGCOR vs Angara (2005)
Quinto vs COMELEC (2010)
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 SSS Employees Association vs CA (1989)
PCSO Board of Directors vs Lapid (2011)

Week 15 Commission on Elections and Commission on Audit

1. Commission on Elections
a. Powers and functions
i. Enforcement of election laws
ii. Decision of election contests
iii. Decision of administrative questions
iv. Deputization of law-enforcement agencies
v. Registration of political parties
b. Conduct of elections
c. Cases: Seneres vs COMELEC (2009)
Maquiling vs COMELEC (2013)
Telecommunications and Broadcast Attorneys of the Phil vs
COMELEC (1998)
Philippine Press Institute v COMELEC, 1995
Bedol vs COMELEC (2009)
Penera vs COMELEC (2009)
2. Commission on Audit
a. Powers and functions
i. Audit
ii. Adjudication
iii. Rule-making
iv. Accounting
v. Custodial
vi. Investigatory
b. Money claims against the government
i. Original jurisdiction
ii. Court-adjudicated
c. Cases: Veloso vs COA (2011
Versoza vs Carague (2011)
Yap v COA (2010)
UP vs Dizon (2012)
Gonzales vs Provincil Auditor of Iloilo (1964)
Dela Llana vs Chairman of COA (2012)

Module IX Accountability of Public Officers and Other Constitutional Offices

Week 16 Concept of Accountability and Constitutional and Statutory Safeguards

1. Impeachment
a. Impeachable officers
b. Grounds and procedure
c. Cases: Gonzales vs OP (2012)
Marcoletta vs Borra (2009)
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 Francisco vs HOR (2003)
Gutierrez vs HOR (2011)
Republic vs Desierto (2001)
In Re- request for Copy of 2008 SALN of Justices of the Supreme
Court, etc. (AM 09-8-6-SC, 2012)
2. Sandiganbayan
a. Jurisdiction
b. PD 1606 as amended by RA 7975 & RA 8249
c. Cases: The Heirs of Jolly R. Bugarin vs Republic (2012)
Cojuangco vs Republic (2012)
City Government of Tuguegarao vs Ting (2011)
3. Office of the Ombudsman
a. Criminal and administrative jurisdiction
b. Investigative and prosecutorial powers
c. Administrative disciplinary authority
d. RA 6770- Ombudsman Act of 1989
e. Cases: Gonzales vs OP 2012)
Office of the Ombudsman vs Masing (2008)
Uy vs Sandiganbayan (2001)
Angeles vs Desierto (2006)
4. Office of the Special Prosecutor
Cases: Zaldivar vs Gonzales (1988)
Inting vs Tanodbayan (1980
5. Special Laws to Ensure Accountability of Public Officers
a. RA 3019- Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act
b. RA 6714- Code of Conduct and Ethical standards for Government
Officials and Employees
c. RA 1379- Forfeiture of Unlawfully-Acquired Property
d. RA 11032- Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service
Delivery Act
6. Other Constitutional Offices

Week 17 Introduction to Local Governments & Course Review

1. General Principles, Elements, Characteristics
2. Functions of LGUs- Governmental. Proprietary
3. Categories of LGUs- provinces, cities, municipalities, barangays, autonomous
regions
4. Local Autonomy and decentralization

Week 18
Final examination

Atty. ELIZABETH S. ZOSA

Professor
January 24, 2023
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