STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION

ATTY. SHIELA MAY R. LICUP

S.Y. 2019-2020

A. INTRODUCTION
a. Definition of Statutory Construction
b. Construction vs Interpretation
c. Purpose
d. Apply, Interpret or Construe
e. Power to Construe
f. When necessary to interpret or construe
g. When not necessary
i. Request of Tito G. Gustilo that the 25% grant of the special allowance for
judges be included in the computation of his retirement benefits A.M.
No. RTJ -04-1868, August 13, 2004
ii. DIRECTOR OF LANDS v. COURT OF APPEALS, G.R. No. 102858, July 28,
1997
iii. CYNTHIA S. BOLOS v. DANILO T. BOLOS, G.R. No. 186400, October 20,
2010
iv. PEOPLE v. MARIO MAPA y MAPULONG, L-22301, August 30, 1967
v. PEOPLE v. PATRICIO AMIGO, G.R. No. 116719, January 18, 1996
h. Ambiguity
i. TARLAC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION v. COURT OF APPEALS, L-41012,
September 30, 1976
i. Branches of Government: How they affect interpretation and construction
i. MUNICIPALITY OF SAN JUAN, METRO MANILA v. COURT OF APEALS, ET
AL., G.R. No. 125183, September 29, 1997
ii. LOUIS BIRAOGO v. THE PHILIPPINE TRUTH COMMISSION OF 2010, G.R.
No. 192935, December 7, 2010
iii. MANILA PRINCE HOTEL v. GSIS, MANILA HOTEL CORPORATION, ET AL.,
G.R. No. 122156, February 3, 1997
j. System of checks and balances: Legislative, Executive & Judiciary

B. LAW
a. Definition
b. Elements
c. Classification
i. BERNABE v. ALEJO (GR # 140500, January 21, 2002)
ii. SEBASTIAN v. MORALES (GR # 141116, February 17, 2003)
d. Concept
e. Sources
i. NESTLE PHILIPPINES INC., v. CA (GR # 86738, November 13, 1991)
f. Statutes
g. Parts of Statutes

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 h. Effectivity of Law
i. LORENZO M. TAÑADA ET AL. v. HON. JUAN C. TUVERA ET AL. 146 SCRA 446
(1986) G.R. No. L-63915, December 29, 1986
ii. Philippine International Trading Corp. v. Angeles, G.R. No. 108461, October
21, 1996, 331 PHIL 723-752

C. AIDS IN INTERPRETATION AND CONSTRUCTION

a. INTRINSIC AIDS
i. Title
ii. Preamble
iii. Words, Phrases and Sentences, Context
iv. Punctuation
v. Headings and Marginal Notes
vi. Legislative Definition and Interpretation
1. Office of the Ombudsman v. Masing GR No. 165416, January 22,
2008
2. US v. Hart, et al. 26 Phil.146
3. People v. Hon. Purisima, et al., GR Nos. L-420050-56, November 20,
1978
4. Paras v. Commission on Elections, GR No. 123169, November 4,
1996

b. EXTRINSIC AIDS
i. Contemporaneous Circumstances
ii. Policy
iii. Legislative History of the Statute
iv. Contemporaneous and Practical Construction
v. Executive construction
vi. Legislative construction
vii. Judicial construction
viii. Construction by the Bar and Legal Commentators
1. Bonifacio v. Judge Dizon GR No. 79416, September 5, 1989
2. Simon B. Aldovino, Jr. et al. v. COMELEC, GR No. 184836, December
23, 2009
3. Joker Arroyo, et al. v. Jose De Venecia, et al., GR No. 127255, June
26, 1998

c. PRESUMPTIONS IN AIDS OF CONSTRUCTION

i. Presumption of Validity
1. Carlos Superdrug Corp. v. DSWD, GR No. 166494, June 29, 2007
ii. Presumption of Constitutionality
1. Romualdez v. COMELEC, GR No. 167011, December 11, 2008
iii. Presumption of Good Faith
iv. Presumption against Injustice

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 1. Article 10 of Civil Code
2. Alonzo v. Intermediate Appellate Court, L- 72873, May 28, 1987
v. Presumption against Inconsistency
vi. Presumption against Absurdity
1. Lluz v. Comelec, GR No. 172840, June 7, 2007
vii. Presumption against Ineffectiveness
1. Paras v. Comelec, GR No. 123169, November 4, 1996
viii. Presumption against Irrepealable Laws
1. The City of Davao v. RTC, GR No. 127383, August 18, 2005
ix. Presumption against Implied Repeals
1. Mecano v. Comm. On Audit, GR No. 103982, December 11, 1982
x. Presumption against Violation of Public Policy
1. Avon Cosmetics v. Luna, GR No. 153674, December 20, 2006
xi. Presumption of Knowledge of Existing Laws
xii. Presumption of Acquiescence to judicial construction
xiii. Presumption of Jurisdiction
xiv. Presumption of Acting within the Scope of Authority
xv. Presumption Against Violation of International Law
1. Article 2, Section II, 1987 Constitution

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