THE NATIONAL ECONOMY

U.S vs. TORIBIO, 15 Phil. 85 (1910)

FACTS:
 Sometime in the 1900s, Toribio applied for a license to have his carabao be slaughtered.
His request was denied because his carabao is found not to be unfit for work. He
nevertheless slaughtered his carabao without the necessary license. He was eventually
sued and was sentenced by the trial court.
 His counsel in one way or the other argued that the law mandating that one should
acquire a permit to slaughter his carabao is not a valid exercise of police power.

ISSUE: Whether or not the said law is valid.

HELD:
 The SC ruled against Toribio.
 The SC explained that it “is not a taking of the property for public use, within the meaning
of the constitution, but is a just and legitimate exercise of the power of the legislature to
regulate and restrain such particular use of the property as would be inconsistent with or
injurious to the rights of the publics.
 All property is acquired and held under the tacit condition that it shall not be so used as
to injure the equal rights of others or greatly impair the public rights and interests of the
community.”