ATENEO DE MANILA UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF LAW
CONSTITUTIONAL LAW I – SYLLABUS
(Candelaria)
[SY 2019-2020]

Basic References:

Joaquin G. Bernas, S.J., The 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines: A
Commentary, 2009 Edition.
Joaquin G. Bernas, S.J., The Intent of the 1986 Constitution Writers, 1995.

ARTICLE I. The National Territory

Validity of R.A. 9255 (New Baselines Law of 2009)

**Magallona v. Exec. Sec. Ermita, GR No. 187167, August 16, 2011 (Valid law)
**PCA Case No. 2013-19, In the Matter of the South China Sea Arbitration, 12 July 2016

ARTICLE II. Declaration of Principles and State Policies

Preliminary issue: Legal Value of Article II

*Kilosbayan v. Morato – 246 SCRA 540 [1995] and MR-250 SCRA 130 [1995]
*Tondo Medical v. CA – 527 SCRA 746 [2007] (Not self-executory)
** BCDA v. COA – 580 SCRA 295 [2009] (Not source of rights)
Espina v. Zamora, Jr. – 631 SCRA 17 [2010] (Not self-executory) (in relation to A2, Sec.
19)
**Ocampo v. Rear Admiral Enriquez, GR No. 225973, November 8, 2016 (Not self-
executory) (in relation to A2, Secs. 2, 11, 13, 23, 26, 27 & 28 ; A3, Sec. 1, A7, Sec. 17,
A11, Sec. 1, A14, Sec. 3 (2) & A18, Sec. 26)

Sec. 1. Philippines as a Democratic and Republican State

People
Territory
Government

Functions of Government:
Constituent v. Ministrant
Bacani v. NACOCO – 100 PHIL. 468 [1956] (Government; functions;
incorporated)

Incorporated
Bacani v. NACOCO – 100 PHIL. 468 [1956] (Government; functions;
incorporated)

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 Unincorporated
**ACCFA v. CUGCO – 30 SCRA 649 [1969] (Government; functions;
unincorporated) (read with Bacani v. NACOCO)
PVTA v. CIR – 65 SCRA 416 [1975] (Government; functions; unincorporated)
Republic v. Judge of CFI of Rizal – 99 SCRA 660 [1980] (Government;
functions; unincorporated)

Examples of government exercising its functions through corporations or

instrumentalities
Government-owned or controlled corporations
*VFP v. Reyes – 483 SCRA 526 [2006] (Government; sovereign function)
*Ramiscal v. Sandiganbayan – 499 SCRA 375 [2006] (Government; GOCC;
AFP-RSBS)
Alzaga v. Sandiganbayan – 505 SCRA 848 [2006] (Government; GOCC;
AFP-RSBS)
**Javier v. Sandiganbayan – 599 SCRA 324 [2009] (Private sector
representative to National Book Development Board; governmental)

Instrumentalities
**MIAA v. CA – 495 SCRA 591 [2006] (Government instrumentality vested
with corporate powers; not GOCC)
*Boy Scouts of the Philippines v. COA – 651 SCRA 146 [2011] (Public
corporation)
**Funa v. MECO and COA, GR No. 193462, February 4, 2014 (MECO not
GOCC); sui generis

Quasi-public corporations
**Phil Society v. COA – 534 SCRA 112 [2007] (Quasi-public corporation;
private but with public character; charter test not applicable)

State universities
**Serana v. Sandiganbayan – 542 SCRA 224 [2008] (U.P. Board of Regents
student nominee; governmental)

De Jure and De Facto Government:

**Co Kim Cham v. Valdez Tan Keh – 75 PHIL. 113 [1945] (Government; de facto)
**Letter of Associate Justice Puno – 210 SCRA 588 [1992] (Government; revolution)
**Republic v. Sandiganbayan, GR No. 104768, July 21, 2003 (Rights during
interregnum)

Sovereignty
*People v. Gozo – 53 SCRA 476 [1973] (Auto-limitation)

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Sec. 2. International Law and Philippine Municipal Law

Adoption of International Law and the doctrine of incorporation

As applied to:
Treaties and Agreements
*Kuroda v. Jalandoni – 83 PHIL. 171 (International humanitarian law and
generally accepted principles of international law)
Vinuya v. Executive Secretary Romulo, GR 162230, April 28, 2010 and (MR)
August 12, 2014 (Treaty of Peace)
**Tañada v. Angara – 272 SCRA 18 [1997] (GATT-WTO)
**Bayan v. Zamora, GR No. 138570, October 10, 2000 (VFA)
**Saguisag v. Exec. Secretary, GR No. 212426, January 12, 2016 and MR, July
26, 2016 affirming 1st judgment. (EDCA)
*Bayan v. Romulo, GR No. 159618, Feb. 1, 2011 (RP-US Non-Surrender
Agreement)
*Deutsche Bank v. CIR, GR No. 188550, August 28, 2013 (Tax treaty)
*CBK Power v. CIR, 746 SCRA 93

International law in relation to municipal law

*Lim v. Exec. Secretary, GR No. 151445, April 11, 2002 (Balikatan Exercises)
Shangri-La v. Developers, GR No. 159938, March 31, 2006 (Intellectual
property rights)
Philip Morris, Inc. v. Fortune Tobacco Corporation, GR No. 158589, June 27,
2006 (Intellectual property rights)
Ecole de Cuisine v. Renaud Cointreau, GR No. 185830, June 5, 2013
(Intellectual property rights)

Recognition of foreign judgments; general principles of law

**Mijares v. Ranada, GR No. 139325, April 12, 2005 (Alien Torts Act)

Soft law
**Pharmaceutical v. DOH, GR No. 173034, October 9, 2007 (World Health
Assemble guidelines not a treaty)
**Knights of Rizal v. DMCI, GR No. 213948, April 25, 2017 (Venice Charter as
mere guidelines)
Adherence to peace, freedom, amity

Sec. 3. Civilian Supremacy

*IBP v. Zamora, GR No. 141284, August 15, 2000 (Deployment of marines)

Role of the Armed Forces

Sec. 4. Duty of Government to the People

Sec. 5. Maintenance of Peace and Order

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 Kilosbayan v. Morato – 246 SCRA 540 [1995] and MR – 250 SCRA 130 [1995]
(Mere guidelines)

Sec. 6. Separation of Church and State

Sec. 7. Independent Foreign Policy

Lim v. Exec. Secretary, GR No. 151445, April 11, 2002 (supra. Sec. 2) (President
and foreign relations)
Saguisag v. Exec. Secretary, GR No. 212426, January 12, 2016 and MR, July 26,
2016 affirming the 1st judgment (supra. Sec. 2)

Sec. 8. Freedom from Nuclear Weapons

Bayan v. Zamora, GR No. 138570, October 10, 2000 (supra. Sec. 2)

Sec. 9. Social Order

Sec. 10. Social Justice

Sec. 11. Personal Dignity and Human Rights

Sec. 12. Family Life; Mother; Unborn

Family
Unborn
*Roe v. Wade – 410 US 113 [1973] (Right to life v. abortion policy)
**Imbong v. Ochoa, GR No. 204819, April 8, 2014 (RH law)

Rights and Duty of Parents / Aid from Government

Meyer v. Nebraska – 262 US 390 [1922] (Language)
Pierce v. Society of Sisters – 262 US 510 [1925] (Public schooling)
*Wisconsin v. Yoder – 40 LW 4476 [1972] (Compulsory education; note that this
pertains to a statute; read with the policy on compulsory elementary education
A14, Sec. 2 (2) )
Ginsberg v. New York – 390 US 629 [1968] (Parens patriae)
Orceo v. COMELEC – GR No. 190779, 26 March 2010 (Rights are not absolute
and can be restricted by government)

Sec. 13. Vital Role of Youth

Boy Scouts of the Philippines v. COA, GR No. 177131, 07 June 2011 (Public
purpose of BSP) (supra. Sec. 1)

Sec. 14. Role of Women and Equality of Men and Women

**Garcia v. Drilon, GR No. 173267, June 25, 2013 (VAWC; discrimination)

Sec. 15. Right to Health

Imbong v. Ochoa, GR No. 204819, April 8, 2014 (RH law) (supra. Sec. 12)

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Sec. 16. Right to a Balanced and Healthful Ecology
**Oposa v. Factoran – 224 SCRA 792 [1993] (Inter-generational justice and
responsibility)
LLDA v. CA – 231 SCRA 292 [1994] and 251 SCRA 42 [1995] (Water
pollution)
MMDA v. Concerned Resident, GR No. 171947, December 18, 2008 (Continuing
mandamus)
**Arigo v. Swift – GR No. 206510, September 16, 2014 (Damage to reef)
**Resident Marine Mammals v. Secretary Reyes, GR No. 180771, April 21, 2015.
(Standing)
*Paje v. Casiño – 749 SCRA 39 [2015] (Writ of kalikasan)
*West Tower v. PIC – 798 SCRA 292 (Precautionary principle not applied)
**International Service v. Greenpeace, GR No. 209271, December 8, 2015 and MR,
July 26, 2016 reversing 1st judgment. (GMO)
*LNL Archipelago v. Agham Party List, GR No. 2091651, April 12, 2016 (Writ of
kalikasan not applied)

Sec. 17. Education, Science and Technology, Arts, Culture and Sports
Sec. 18. Labor Protection
Philippine National Bank v. Dan Padao, GR No. 180849, November 2011
(Economic significance of workforce)

Sec. 19. Self-Reliant and Independent National Economy

*Garcia v. BOI – 191 SCRA 288 [1990] (Independent policy)
Tañada v. Angara – 272 SCRA 18 [1997] (supra, preliminary issue, Sec. 2) (Not
isolationist policy)

Sec. 20. Role of Private Sector

Sec. 21. Promotion of Comprehensive Rural and Agrarian Policy

Wilson P. Gamboa v. Finance Secretary Margarito B. Teves, et al., GR No.
176579, 28 June 2011

Sec. 22. Promotion of Rights of Indigenous Cultural Communities

Sec. 23. Community-based Private Organizations

Sec. 24. Vital Role of Communications

Sec. 25. Local Autonomy

Rodolfo G. Navarro, et al. v. Exec. Secretary Eduardo Ermita, et al.,
GR No. 180050, 12 April 2011 (Liberal construction)
Belgica v. Ochoa, GR No. 208566, 19 November 2013 (PDAF) (supra. Sec. 25)

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Sec. 26. Equal Access to Political Opportunities and Political Dynasties
**Pamatong v. COMELEC – 427 SCRA 96 [2004] (Mere privilege, not a right)
Rodolfo G. Navarro, et al. v. Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, et al. (supra.
Sec. 25)
Belgica v. Ochoa, GR No. 208566, 19 November 2013 (PDAF)

Sec. 27. Honesty and Integrity in Public Service

Dimapilis- Baldoz v. COA, GR No. 199114, July 16, 2013

Sec. 28. Full Public Disclosure

Neri v. Senate, GR No. 180643, March 25, 2008 (Executive privilege)
Wilson P. Gamboa v. Finance Secretary Margarito B. Teves, et al. (supra. Sec.
21)
**Briccio "Ricky" A. Pollo v. Chairperson Karina Constantino-David, et al., GR
181881, October 18, 2011 (Requirement of privacy rights)
**Philippine Savings Bank and Pascual M. Garcia, III v. Senate Impeachment
Court, GR No. 200238, February 9, 2012 (Secrecy of foreign currency deposit)
**In Re: Production of Court Records, February 14, 2012 (Rule laid down for
disclosure of court records)