POLITICAL LAW REVIEW

JUDGE GENER M. GITO, LL.M., D.C.L.

MODULE 2

III. LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT

A. Senate
i. Composition (Sec. 2, Art. VI)
ii. Qualification (Sec. 3, Art. VI)
1. Pundaodaya vs. COMELEC, 600 SCRA 178
2. Limbona vs. COMELEC, 555 SCRA 391
3. Maquiling vs. COMELEC, April 16, 2013
4. Social Justice Society vs. DDB, 570 SCRA 410
5. Arnado vs. COMELEC, G.R, No. 210164, August 18, 2015
iii. Term (Secs. 4, Art. VI)
B. House of Representatives
i. Composition (Sec. 5, Art. VI)
1. District representatives
a. Qualification
a.i. R.A. No. 9225
a.ii. Marcos vs. COMELEC, 248 SCRA 300
a.iii.Coquilla vs. COMELEC, July 31, 2002
b. Apportionment of legislative districts
b.i. Mariano vs. COMELEC, 242 SCRA 211
b.ii. Sema vs. COMELEC, 558 SCRA 700
b.iii.Aldaba vs. COMELEC, 611 SCRA 137
b.iv. Bagabuyo vs. COMELEC, December 8, 2008
b.v. Aquino vs. COMELEC, 617 SCRA 623
2. Party-list Representatives (R.A. No. 7941)
a. Qualification
b. Manner of election
c. Cases:
c.i. Banat vs. COMELEC, 592 SCRA 292
c.ii. Atong Paglaum vs. COMELEC, 694 SCRA
477
c.iii. Abayon vs. COMELEC, 612 SCRA 375
ii. Term of Office (Sec. 7, Art. VI)
iii. Salaries (Sec. 10, Art. VI)
iv. Parliamentary immunities
1. Osmena vs. Pendatun, October 28, 1960
2. Pobre vs. Santiago, 597 SCRA 1
v. Conflict of interest (Sec. 12, Art. VI)
vi. Incompatible and forbidden office (Sec. 13, Art. VI)
vii. Inhibitions and disqualifications (Sec. 14, Art. VI)
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 viii. Officers (Sec. 16, Art. VI)
ix. Quorum (Sec. 16(2), Art. VI)
1. Avelino vs. Cuenco, 83 Phil. 17
2. Abas Kida vs. Senate, 659 SCRA 270
x. Discipline of members (Sec. 16(3), Art. VI)
1. Santiago vs. Sandiganbayan, G.R. No. 128055, April 18,
2001
xi. Journal (Sec. 16(4), Art. VI)
1. Casco Chemicals vs. Gimenez, 7 SCRA 374
2. Astorga vs. Villegas, 56 SCRA 714
xii. Adjournment (Sec. 16(5), Art. VI)
xiii. Electoral Tribunals (Sec. 17, Art. VI)
1. Bondoc vs. Pineda, 201 SCRA 792
2. Reyes vs. COMELEC, June 25, 2013
3. Reyes vs. COMELEC (MR), October 23, 2013
4. Abayon vs. HRET, 612 SCRA 375
xix. Commission on Appointments (Sec. 18, Art. VI)
A. Powers of Congress
i. Definition of legislative power
1. Abas Kida vs. Senate, 659 SCRA 270
2. League of Cities vs. COMELEC, 643 SCRA 150
ii. Procedure for the approval of the bill
iii. Origin of bills (Sec. 24, Art. VI)
1. Tolentino vs. Sec. of Finance, 235 SCRA 630
iv. Prohibited measures
1. Sec. 30, Art. VI
a. Fabian vs. Desierto, G.R. No. 129742, September 16,
1998
b. Carpio-Morales vs. Court of Appeals, G.R. No. 217126,
November 10, 2015
2. Sec. 31, Art. VI
v. Title of bills
1. Lidasan vs. COMELEC, 21 SCRA 496
2. COMELEC vs. Cruz, 605 SCRA 167
vi. Formalities (Sec. 26(2), Art. VI)
1. Tolentino vs. Sec. of Finance, 235 SCRA 630
vii. Approval of the bill (Sec. 27(1), Art. VI)
viii. Veto power
1. ABAKADA vs. Purisima, 562 SCRA 251
2. Bolinao Electronic vs. Valencia, 11 SCRA 486
3. Philconsa vs. Enriquez, August 19, 1994
ix. Legislative inquires (Sec. 21, Art. VI)
1. Garcillano vs. House of Representatives, 575 SCRA 170
2. Neri vs. Senate, 564 SCRA 152
3. Senate vs. Ermita, 488 SCRA 1
4. Sabio vs. Gordon, 504 SCRA 704
5. Bengzon vs. Senate Blue Ribbon, 203 SCRA 767
6. Standard Charter vs. Senate Committee, 541 SCRA 456
7. Balag vs. Senate, G.R. No. 234608, July 3, 2018
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 x. Question hour (Sec. 22, Art. VI)
1. Senate vs. Ermita, 488 SCRA 1
xi. Power of Appropriation (Sec. 29(1), Art. VI)
1. Definition
2. Implied limitations
a. Pascual vs. Secretary of Public Works, 110 Phil. 331
3. Constitutional limitations
a. Sec. 4, Art. VI – origination
b. Sec. 25(6), Art. VI – discretionary fund
c. Sec. 25(4), Art. VI – special appropriation
d. Sec. 25(1), Art. VI – prohibition to increase
e. Sec. 25(2), Art. VI – no rider in appropriation law
e.i. Garcia vs. Mata, 65 SCRA 520
f. Sec. 25(3), Art. VI – same procedure for approval
g. Sec. 25(5), Art. VI – prohibition on transfer of funds
g.i. Demetria vs. Alba, 148 SCRA 208
g.ii. Pichay vs. Office of DESLA, 677 SCRA 408
g.iii.Araullo vs. Executive Secretary, July 1, 2014
g.iv. Araullo vs. Executive Secretary, February 3,
2015
4. Appropriation for sectarian purposes (Sec. 29(2), Art. VI)
a. Aglipay vs. Ruiz, 64 Phil. 201
b. Garces vs. Estenzo, 105 SCRA 510
5. Automatic re-appropriation (Sec. 25(7), Art. VI)
6. Special fund (Sec. 29(3), Art. VI)
xii. Power of concurrence
1. Sec. 19, Art. VI – amnesty
2. Sec. 21, Art. VI – treaty
xiii. War power (Sec. 23(1), Art. VI)

IV. EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT

A. Where executive power belongs (Sec. 1, Art. VII)

B. Qualification (Sec. 2, Art. VII)
C. Election and Proclamation (Sec. 4, Art. VII)
i. Macalintal vs. PET, 635 SCRA 783
ii. Pimentel vs. Joint Canvassing Committee, June 22, 2004
D. Term of Office (Sec. 4, Art. VII)
E. Vice-President (Secs. 4, 4(2), 9, Art. VII)
F. Presidential Succession (Secs. 7, 8, & 12, Art. VII)
G. Oath of Office (Sec. 5, Art. VII)
H. Perquisites and Inhibitions
i. Sec. 6, Art. VII
ii. Sec. 13, Art. VII
1. Civil Liberties Union vs. ES, 194 SCRA 317
2. Funa vs. Ermita, 612 SCRA 308
I. Executive Privilege
i. Neri vs. Senate, 564 SCRA 152
ii. Senate vs. Ermita, 488 SCRA 1
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J. Presidential Immunity
i. Estrada vs. Desierto, 356 SCRA 108
ii. Rubrico vs. Arroyo, 613 SCRA 233
K. Powers of the President
i. Executive power
1. Marcos vs. Manglapus, 177 SCRA 668
2. Philippine Coconut Federation vs. Republic, 612 SCRA 255
ii. Appointing power (Sec. 16, Art. VII)
1. Pimentel vs. Ermita, 472 SCRA 587
2. Sarmiento vs. Mison, 156 SCRA 549
3. Guevara vs. Inocentes, 18 SCRA 379
4. Matibag vs. Benipayo, 429 Phil. 554
5. Abas Kida vs. Senate, 677 SCRA 200
ii.a. Removal power
1. Gonzales vs. OP, 679 SCRA 614
iii. Control power (Sec. 17, Art. VII)
1. Drilon vs. Lim, 235 SCRA 135
2. Araneta vs. Gatmaitan, 101 Phil. 328
3. Pichay vs. Office of DESLA, 677 SCRA 408
4. Trade and Investment Development vs. Manalang-
Demigillo, 692 SCRA 359
iv. “Take care” clause
1. Biraogo vs. Phil. Truth Commission, 637 SCRA 78
2. Pichay vs. Office of DESLA, 677 SCRA 408
v. Military power (Sec. 18, Art. VI)
1. “Calling out” power
a. IBP vs. Zamora, 338 SCRA 81
b. David vs. Arroyo, 489 SCRA 161
c. Lagman vs. Medialdea, G.R. No. 231658, July 4,
2017
d. Padilla vs. Congress of the Philippines, G.R. No.
231671, July 25, 2017
e. Lagman vs. Pimentel, G.R. No. 235935, February 6,
2018
2. Habeas corpus (Sec. 15, Art. III)
3. Martial law
a. Lagman vs. Medialdea, G.R. No. 231658, July 4, 2017
b. Padilla vs. Congress of the Philippines, G.R. No.
231671, July 25, 2017
c. Lagman vs. Pimentel, G.R. No. 235935, February 6, 2018

4. Limitations on the military powers

vi. Pardoning power (Sec. 19, Art. VII)
1. Forms of executive clemency
2. Limitations
3. Kinds of pardon
4. Effects of pardon
5. Amnesty
vii. Barrowing power (Sec. 20, Art. VII)

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 viii. Diplomatic power (Sec. 21, Art. VII)
1. Pimentel vs. ES, 462 SCRA 62
2. AKBAYAN vs. Aquino, 558 SCRA 468
ix. Budgetary power (Sec. 22, Art. VII)
x. Informing power (Sec. 23, Art. VII)

V. JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT

A. Independence of Judiciary
i. Sec. 4(1), Art. VIII
ii. Sec. 2, Art. IX
iii. Sec. 2, Art. VIII
iv. Sec. 30, Art. VI
v. Sec. 9, Art. VIII
vi. Sec. 6, Art. VIII
vii. Sec. 11, Art. VIII
B. Judicial Power
C. Jurisdiction (Sec. 2, Art. VIII)
i. De Castro vs. JBC, 615 SCRA 666
D. Appointment (Sec. 9, Art. VIII)
i. Qualification (Sec. 7(1), (2), Art. VIII)
ii. JBC (Sec. 18, Art. VIII)
1. Chavez vs. JBC, 676 SCRA 579
2. Macalintal vs. PET, 635 SCRA 783
E. Fiscal autonomy (Sec. 3, Art. VIII)
i. Bengzon vs. Drilon, 208 SCRA 133
ii. Re: COA Opinion, A.M. No. 11-7-10-SC, July 31, 2012
F. Composition of Supreme Court
i. En banc cases (Sec. 4(2), Art. VIII)
ii. Division cases (Sec. 4(3), Art. VIII)
G. Power of judicial review
i. Requisites
a. Actual case or controversy
1. Pimentel vs. Aguirre, July 19, 2000
2. Garcillano vs. House of Representatives, 575 SCRA
170
3. Sana vs. CESB, November 15, 2011
4. Javier vs. Comelec, 144 SCRA 194
5. David vs. Arroyo, May 3, 2006
6. Pimentel vs. Ermita, October 13, 2005
7. Antolin vs. Domondon, July 5, 2010
8. Imbong vs. Ochoa, April 8, 2014
b. Proper party
1. People vs. Vera, July 26, 1960
2. Cuyegkeng vs. Cruz, 65 Phil. 56
3. Topacio vs. Ong, December 18, 2008
4. Paguia vs. OP, June 25, 2010
5. White Light Corp. vs. City of Manila, January 20,
2009
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 c. Earliest opportunity
d. Lis mota
1. Zandueta vs. De la Costa, 66 Phil. 115
2. General vs. Urro, March 29, 2011
3. Demetria vs. Alba, 148 SCRA 208
ii. Effect of declaration of unconstitutionality
1. Doctrine of operative fact
a. Chavez vs. JBC, 676 SCRA 579
2. Partial unconstitutionality
iii. Powers of Supreme Court
1. Original jurisdiction (Sec. 5(1), Art. VIII)
2. Appellate jurisdiction (Sec. 5(2), Art. VIII)
a. British American Tobacco vs. Camacho, August 20,
2008
3. Temporary assignment of judges (Sec. 5(3), Art. VIII)
4. Change of venue (Sec. 5(4), Art. VIII)
5. Rule-making power (Sec. 5(5), Art. VIII)
a. People vs. Echegaray, 301 SCRA 96
b. In Re Cunanan, 94 Phil. 534
c. Estipona vs. Lobrigo, G.R. No. 226679, April 15.
2017
d. Carpio-Morales vs CA, G.R. No. 217126, Novembeer
10, 2015
6. Appointment of court personnel (Sec. 5(6), Art. VIII)
7. Administrative supervision of courts (Sec. 6, Art. VIII)
a. Maceda vs. Vasquez, 221 SCRA 464
b. Ampong vs. CSC, August 26, 2008
iv. Tenure of judges (Sec. 11, Art. VIII)
a. In Re Gonzales, 160 SCRA 771
v. Consultation of the Court (Sec. 13, Art. VIII)
vi. Decisions of the court (Sec. 14, Art. VIII)
vii. Salaries of judges (Sec. 10, Art. VIII)
viii. Periods of decision (Sec. 15, Art. VIII)

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