DUE  PROCESS  OF  LAW   -­‐   Incudes   all   things   (real,   personal,   tangible,  

intangible)  that  are  within  the  commerce  of  man.  

Art.  3,  Sec  1,  1987  Constitution:  
-­‐   One   cannot   have   a   vested   right   to   a   public  
“No  person  shall  be  deprived  of  life,  liberty,  or   office   as   this   is   not   regarded   as   property;   mere  
property  without  due  process  of  law,  nor  shall  any   privileges   (such   as   licenses)   are   not   property  
person  be  denied  the  equal  protection  of  the  laws.”   rights  and  are  revocable  at  will.  
 
 
Two  Aspects  of  Due  Process  
Due  Process  of  Law  –  “the  law  of  the  land”  
-­‐.a  guaranty  against  any  arbitrariness  on  the  part   A.  Substantive  Due  Process  –  a  limitation  on  the  
of  the  government   legislative  branch  of  the  government  
 
Person  –  all  persons  are  protected,  natural  (both   -­‐  the  test  lies  on  whether  or  not  the  law  is  a  
citizen   and   the   alien)   and   artificial   (e.g.   proper  exercise  of  legislative  power.  
corporations   and   partnerships,   but   only   insofar   -­‐   requires   the   intrinsic   validity   of   the   law   in  
as   their   property   is   concerned;   reason:   as   interfering   with   the   rights   of   the   person   to   his  
creatures   of   law,   their   life   &   liberty   of   the   life,  liberty,  or  property    
artificial   are   derived   from   and   therefore   subject  
to  legislative  control)   -­‐  intrinsically  valid  if  there  is  a:    

Deprivation   -­‐   as   applied   to   due   process,   (1)   valid   governmental   objective   (lawful  
connotes   “denial   of   the   right   to   life,   liberty   or   subject)  
property”  
(2)  objective  is  pursued  in  a  lawful  manner  
 
(lawful   means)   –   the   means   employed  
-­‐   Deprivation   per   se   is   not   necessarily  
must   be   reasonably   related   to   the  
unconstitutional;   what   is   prohibited   is  
accomplishment   of   the   purpose   and   not  
deprivation   of   life,   liberty   or   property   without  
unduly  oppressive  
due  process  of  law.  
 
Life  –  connotes  “integrity  of  the  physical  person”  
B.  Procedural  Due  Process  –  a  limitation  on  the  
hence  it  is  not  permissible  for  the  government  to  
judicial   and   quasi-­‐judicial   bodies   of   the  
deprive   the   individual   of   any   part   of   his   body,  
government  
even  if  it  be  as  punishment  for  crime  
-­‐  Before  the  State  can  deprive  a  person  of  his  life,  
-­‐  The  right  to  life  means  not  only  the  protection  
liberty,  or  property,  it  must  be  in  accordance  with  
of  the  right  to  be  alive  or  to  the  security  of  one’s  
the  procedures  prescribed  by  law  (requires  notice  
limb  against  physical  harm  but  also  the  right  to  a  
and  hearing)  
good   life…a   life   of   dignity…and   a   decent  
standard  of  living.    
1)   Judicial  Due  Process  
Liberty  –  includes  the  right  to  exist  and  the  right  
to   be   free   from   arbitrary   personal   restraint   or   Requirements:   (Note:   These   apply   only   to   non-­‐
servitude.   criminal/civil  cases)  (IJHJ)  

Property   –   anything   that   can   come   under   the   1.   Impartial   and   competent   court   vested   with  
right  of  ownership  and  be  the  subject  of  contract   judicial  power  to  hear  and  determine  the  matter  
before  it.  
§   A   court   affected   with   bias   and   prejudice    
cannot   be   expected   to   render   a   fair   and   2.  Jurisdiction  must  be  lawfully  acquired  over  the  
impartial  decision   person   of   the   defendant   and   over   the   property  
  which  is  the  subject  matter  of  the  proceeding.  
§   Every  litigant  is  entitled  to  the  “cold  neutrality  
 
of  an  impartial  judge”  
3.   The   defendant   must   be   given   an   opportunity  
 
to  be  heard  (Hearing).  
-­‐   As   described   in   Javier   v.   COMELEC,   “the  
judge   must   not   only   be   impartial   but   must   §   Notice   to   a   party   is   essential   to   enable   it  
also   appear   to   be   impartial   as   an   added   to   adduce   its   own   evidence   and   to   meet  
assurance   to   the   parties   that   his   decision   and  refute  the  evidence  submitted  by  the  
will  be  just.  They  must  trust  the  judge  and   other  party.  
must   believe   in   his   sense   of   fairness   xxx   §   Every   litigant   is   entitled   to   his   day   in  
Without   such   confidence,   there   would   be   court,  be  notified  of  every  incident  of  the  
no   point   in   invoking   his   action   for   the   proceeding   and   to   be   present   in   every  
justice  they  expect.”   stage  thereof.  
  §   A   decision   rendered   without   a   hearing   is  
§   On  disqualification  of  judges  (Rule  137,  Sec.  1,   null  and  void.  
Rules  of  Court):  
Note:  Due  process  does  not  always  require  trial-­‐
Rule:   Without   the   written   consent   of   all   the   type   proceedings.   “To   be   heard”   does   not   only  
parties,  no  judge  or  judicial  officer  shall  sit  in  any   mean   verbal   arguments   in   court.   One   may   be  
case  in  which:   heard  also  through  pleadings.  Where  opportunity  
to   be   heard,   either   through   oral   arguments   or  
o   He   or   his   wife   or   child   is   pecuniarily  
pleadings,   is   accorded,   there   is   no   denial   of  
interested   as   heir,   legatee,   creditor,   or  
procedural  due  process.  
otherwise  
o   Is   related   to   either   party   within   the   6th   However,   there   are   instances   where   notice   &  
degree   of   consanguinity   or   affinity   or   to   hearing   may   be   omitted   without   violating   due  
counsel  within  the  4th  degree   process:  
o   Has   been   executor,   administrator,  
guardian,  trustee  or  counsel   o   Cancellation   of   passport   of   a   person   sought  
o   Has  presided  in  any  inferior  court  when  his   for  the  commission  of  a  crime  
ruling  or  decision  is  the  subject  of  review   o   Preventive  suspension  of  a  civil  servant  facing  
administrative  charges  
However,   if   all   the   parties   in   interest   consent,   o   Distraint  of  properties  for  tax  delinquency  
then   such   judge   or   judicial   officer   may   sit   in   the   o   Issuance   of   temporary   restraining   orders,  
cases  specified  above.       writs   of   preliminary   attachments   or   writs   of  
possession  
Further,  a  judge  may,  in  the  exercise  of  his  sound  
o   Abatement  of  nuisances  per  se  
discretion,   disqualify   himself   from   sitting   in   a  
 
case,   for   just   or   valid   reasons   other   than   those  
v   Rule  on  Nuisances  
mentioned  above.  
ü   Nuisance  per  se  (objectionable  under  any  
§   Competent   court   –   one   vested   with   &  all  circumstances  because  it  presents  an  
jurisdiction  over  a  case  as  conferred  upon  it  by   immediate   danger   to   the   welfare   of   the  
law   community)    
 =  may  be  abated  summarily  (without  the   for   resolution   on   the   basis   of   affidavits   and  
necessity  of  judicial  authorization)   pleadings.  
ü   Nuisance   per   accidens   (objectionable    
only   under   some   but   not   all  
Requisites:  
circumstances,   there   being   situations  
when   it   is   legitimate   &   acceptable)   =   1.   Right   to   a   hearing   (including   right   to   present  
abated   only   upon   judicial   authorization   one’s  case  &  submit  evidence  in  support  thereof)  
(EXCEPTION:  If  legislature  has  authorized  
its   summary   abatement,   provided   the   2.   The   tribunal   must   consider   the   evidence  
nuisance   per   accidens   is   of   trifling   value   presented.  
only)  
3.  The  decision  must  have  something  to  support  
 
itself.  
o   Statutory   presumptions   -­‐   provided   there   is   a  
rational   or   natural   connection   between   the   4.  Evidence  must  be  substantial.  
fact  proved  and  the  fact  ultimately  presumed  
5.   The   decision   must   be   rendered   on   the  
from  such  fact.  
evidence   presented   at   the   hearing,   or   at   least  
  contained   in   the   record   and   disclosed   to   the  
parties  affected.  
Appeal  –  Right  to  appeal  is  not  essential  to  right  
to  hearing   6.  The  tribunal  or  body  or  any  of  its  judges  must  
act   on   its   or   his   own   independent   consideration  
Gen.   Rule:   Appeal   may   be   allowed   or   denied   by  
of   the   law   and   facts   of   the   controversy   (and   not  
the  legislature  in  its  discretion  
simply   accept   the   views   of   a   subordinate   in  
Exception:   If   guaranteed   by   the   Constitution   arriving  at  a  decision)  
(such  as  those  cases  specified  in  Art.  8,  Sec.  5(2)).  
7.  The  decision  is  rendered  in  such  a  manner  that  
A   denial   of   such   remedy   is   a   denial   of   due  
the   parties   to   the   proceeding   can   know   of   the  
process.  
various   issues   involved,   and   the   reason   for   the  
NOTE:   As   long   as   the   litigant   is   given   his   day   in   decision  rendered.  
court,   the   requirements   of   due   process   are  
 
deemed   satisfied   and   he   cannot   demand   as   a  
matter   of   right   another   day   in   the   appellate    
court.    
EQUAL  PROTECTION  
 
“xxx   nor   shall   any   person   be   denied   the   equal  
4.   Judgment   must   be   rendered   upon   lawful  
protection  of  the  laws.”  
hearing.  
>   Art.   8,   Sec.   14,   1987:   “No   decision   shall   be   Doctrine  of  Separate  but  Equal  Rights  (Plessy  v.  
rendered  by  any  court  without  expressing  therein   Ferguson)   –   racial   segregation   between   white  
clearly   and   distinctly   the   facts   and   the   law   on   and  black  persons:  so  long  as  the  rights  are  equal,  
which  it  is  based.”   it   does   not   violate   the   equal   protection   clause  
even  if  they  be  enjoyed  separately  
 
2.)   Administrative   Due   Process   –   notice   &   -­‐  such  doctrine  was  abandoned  in  Brown  v.  Board  
hearing   are   not   indispensible   in   administrative   of   Education   in   Topeka   with   the   new   ruling   that  
investigations;   hence,   cases   may   be   submitted   the   compulsory   separation   of   the   two   races   in  
public  schools  was  unconstitutional  
Equal   Protection   –   equality   before   the   law;   all   substantial   distinctions   which   make   for  
persons   or   things   similarly   situated   shall   be   real   and   reasonable   differences  
treated   alike,   both   as   to   rights   conferred   and   (distinctions   between   citizens   and   aliens,  
responsibilities  impose.   minors  and  adults)  
§   the   Congress   provides   for   a   valid  
§   similar   subjects   should   not   be   treated  
classification  
differently,   so   as   to   give   undue   favor   to  
some   and   unjustly   discriminate   against   2.  It  must  be  GERMANE  to  the  PURPOSES  OF  
others   THE  LAW  (Relevance)  
§   the   equal   protection   clause   is   directed  
Example:   Physical   strength   -­‐>   difference   in  
principally   against   undue   favor   and  
physical   stamina   between   men   &   women   would  
individual  or  class  privilege  
justify   the   prohibition   of   the   latter   from  
§   substantive   equality   is   not   enough;   it   is  
employment   in   heavy   or   strenuous   work   but   on  
required   that   the   law   be   enforced   and  
the   basis   of   this   same   classification   the   law  
applied  equally  because  even  if  the  law  be  
cannot   provide   for   a   lower   passing   average   for  
fair   and   impartial   on   its   face,   it   will   still  
women   in   the   bar   exams   because   physical  
violate   equal   protection   if   it   is  
strength  is  not  the  test  for  admission  to  the  legal  
administered   in   a   manner   that   would  
profession.  
unjustly   benefit   some   and   prejudice  
others   3.   It   must   NOT   be   LIMITED   TO   EXISTING  
§   DP  clause  attacks  arbitrariness  in  general;   CONDITIONS  only  (Duration)  
while   EP   clause   attacks   unwarranted  
partiality  or  prejudice.   -­‐  The  classification  must  be  enforced  not  only  for  
the  present  but  as  long  as  the  problem  sought  to  
Persons   Protected:   available   to   all   persons,   be   corrected   continues   to   exist;   it   should   be   in  
natural   &   artificial/juridical   (entitled   only   insofar   terms  applicable  to  future  conditions  as  well.  
as  their  property  is  concerned)  
4.  It  must  APPLY  EQUALLY  TO  ALL  MEMBERS  
Classification  –  the  grouping  of  persons  or  things   OF  THE  CLASS  (Applicability  to  All)  
similar   to   each   other   in   certain   particulars   and  
different  from  all  others  in  these  same  particulars   -­‐   Members   of   the   same   class   should   be   treated  
similarly   both   as   to   rights   conferred   and  
§   The   EP   clause   does   not   require   the   obligations  imposed,  otherwise  the  classification  
universal   application   of   the   laws   that   it   will  be  invalid.  
operates  on  all  people  without  distinction;  
it   is   not   required   that   the   law   provide   for    
equality   among   all   persons   if   they   not  
similarly   situated,   what   the   Constitution  
requires  is  equality  among  equals.  

-­‐   For   the   classification   to   be   reasonable,   it   must  

conform  to  the  following  requirements:  

1.   It   must   be   based   upon   SUBSTANTIAL  

DISTINCTIONS  

§   not   based   on   superficial   differences   (like  

eye   shape,   hair   length,   texture   of  
complexion)   but   must   be   based   upon