MISAMIS UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF LAW
Academic Year 2025-2026
STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION
(Course Syllabus & Cases)
Atty. Sophia April C. Sanes
I. CONSTRUCTION AND INTERPRETATION OF THE LAWS
a. Definition
i. Caltex v. Palomar, G.R. No. L-19650, 29 September 1966
b. Construction and Interpretation
c. Characteristics of Construction
d. Purpose of Construction
i. Nitafan v. CIR, G.R. No. 78780, 23 July 1987
ii. People v. Concepcion, 44 Phil. 126 (29 November 1922)
e. Limits on the power of construction
i. Tanada v. Yulo, G.R. No. 43575, 31 May 1935
ii. Floresca v. Philex, G.R. No. L-30642, April 30, 1985
iii. National Federation of Labor (NFL) vs. Eisma, GR# L-61236,
1/31/84
iv. Daoang vs. Municipal Judge of San Nicolas, GR# L-34568,
3/28/88
v. Commission on Internal Revenue vs Lim Pan Investment Corp &
CTA, 7/31/70
vi. Floresca vs. Philex Mining, GR# L-30642, 4/30/85
II. RELEVANT CONCEPTS AND PRINCIPLES TO CONSTRUCTION
AND INTERPRETATION OF THE LAWS
a. Separation of Powers
b. Checks and balances
c. Hierarchy of Laws
d. Stare decisis
i. Gatchalian vs. Office of the Ombudsman – G.R. No. 229288,
Aug. 1, 2018
ii. In Re Appointments dated March 30, 1998 of Hon. Mateo A.
Valenzuela and Hon. Placido B. Vallarta, A.M. No. 98-5-01-SC,
Nov. 9, 1998
iii. De Castro vs. JBC, G.R. No. 191149, March 17, 2010
iv. PCA vs. Enriquez, G.R. No. 113105, Aug. 19, 1994
v. Belgica vs. Executive Sec. Paquito Ochoa, Jr., G.R. No. 208566,
Nov. 19, 2013
III. SUBJECT MATTER OF CONSTRUCTION
a. Definition and elements of Law
b. Classification of Law
c. Subjects of Construction and Interpretation
i. Constitution
1. Tawang Multi-Purpose Cooperative vs. La Trinidad Water
District, G.R. No. 166471, March 22, 2011
ii. Statutes
1. BANAT Partylist vs. COMELEC, G.R. No. 177508, Aug. 7,
2009
iii. Executive issuances
1. David vs. Arroyo, GR# 171396, 5/3/06
2. Ople vs Torres, GR# 127686, 7/23/98
iv. Ordinances
1. Hon. Fernando vs. St. Scholastica College, G.R. No.
161107, March 12, 2013
2. City of Manila, et.al. vs. Hon. Laguio, Jr., G.R No. 118127,
April 12, 2005
d. Enactment of Statute
i. Process of Enacting a statute
ii. Parts of a Statute
1. Title
2. Preamble
3. Enacting clause
4. Body
5. Repealing clause
6. Separability clause
a. Antonio v. Miranda, G.R. No. 135869, 22 September
1999
b. Tatad v. DOE, G.R. No. 124360, 03 December 1986
7. Effectivity clause
a. Tañada v. Tuvera, G.R. No. 63915, 24 April 1985
b. Tañada v. Tuvera, G.R. No. L-63915, 29 December
1986
e. Validity of Statutes
i. Judicial Power
1. Drilon vs. Lim, 235 SCRA 135 (1994)
2. Francisco Jr. vs. House of Representatives, GR# 160261,
11/10/03
3. Republic vs. CA, 227 SCTA 509 (1993)
ii. Constitutionality of Statute
1. Doctrine of Constitutional Supremacy
a. Manila Prince Hotel vs. GSIS, GR# 122156, 2/3/97
2. Effects of Unconstitutionality
IV. LEGISLATIVE INTENT
a. Concept
b. Rules in determining Legislative Intent
i. Power Gen. Employee Association vs. NPC, 835 SCRA 645
ii. Federal Express Corp. vs. Airfreight 2100, 809 SCRA 382
c. Aids to construction
i. Intrinsic Aid
1. PP vs Purisima, 86 SCRA 542 (1978)
2. PP vs Echavez, 95 SCRA 663 (1980)
3. Paras vs Comelec, GR# 2369, 11/4/86
ii. Extrinsic Aid
1. Estrada vs Desierto, et at, GR# 146710-15, 3/2/01
2. Victorias Milling vs. Social Security Commission, GR# L-
16704, 3/1762
3. Roman Catholic Archbishop of Manila vs. SSC, GR# L-
15045, 1/20/61
4. PAFLU vs. Bureau of Labor Relations, GR# L-43760,
8/21/76
5. Chartered Bank Employees Association vs. Ople, GR# L-
44717, 8/28/85
6. Philippine Apparel Workers’ Union vs. NLRC, GR# L-
50320, 7/31/81
iii. Presumptions
1. NHA vs. Reyes, 125 SCRA 245
2. Paat vs. CA, 265 SCRA 167
d. Language of Statutes
i. Literal Interpretations
1. Verba Legis
a. Republic vs Lacap, GR# 158253, 3/2/07
2. Dura Lex, Sed Lex
a. Pascual vs Pascual-Bautista et al, GR#
84240,3/25/92
b. People vs. Mapa, 20 SCRA 1164
c. People vs. Santayana, GR# L-22291, 11/15/76
ii. Departure from Literal Interpretations
1. King vs Hernaez, 114 PHIL 730 (1962)
2. PP vs Yu Hai, 99 PHIL 725 (1956)
3. PP vs Purisima, 86 SCRA 542 (1978), GR# 42050,
11/20/78
4. Paras vs. Comelec, 264 SCRA 49
5. Santiago vs Comelec, 270 SCRA 106 (1997)
6. Solid Homes vs Tan, 465 SCRA 137 (2005)
7. PP vs Lacson, GR# 149453, 10//03
8. Godines vs CA, 226 SCRA 338 (1993)
9. Comendador vs DE Villa, 200 SCRA 80 (1991)
10. Amatan vs Aujero, 248 SCRA 511 (1995)
11. Ursua vs CA, 256 SCRA 147 (1996)
12. Salvacion vs Central, 278.27 (1997)
iii. Implications
1. COA vs Province of Cebu, GR# 141386, 11/29/01
iv. Interpretation of Words and Phrases
1. Malanyaon vs Lising, 106 SCTA 237 (1981)
2. Rumarate vs Hernandez, 489 SCRA 317 (2006)
3. CSC vs De la Cruz, GR# 158737, 8/31/04
4. Capati vs. Ocampo, GR# L-28742, 4/30/82
5. Alfon vs. Republic, GR# L-51201, 5/29/80
6. NHC vs. Juco, 134 SCRA 172
7. Caltex Phil. vs. Palomar, 18 SCRA 247
8. Carandang vs Santiago, 97 SCRA 94 (1955)
9. Mutuc vs. Comelec, GR# L-32717, 11/26/70
10. Benguet State Univ vs COA, GR# 169637, 6/8/07
11. People vs. Estenzo, GR# L-35376, 9/11/80
12. Nazario Catuiza vs PP & CA, GR# 20455, 3/31/65
13. People vs. Manantan, GR# L-14129, 7/31/62
14. Lopez vs. CTA, GR # L-9274, 2/1/57
15. Pangilinan cs Alvendia, GR# 10690, 6/28/57
16. PP vs Tamani, GR# 22160, 1/21/74
17. Matabuena vs. Cervantes, GR# L-28771, 3/31/71
v. Provisions, Exceptions and Saving Clauses
vi. General Principles in the Construction of Statutes
1. Aisporna vs CA, GR# 39419, 4/12/82
2. Uytengsu vs Republic, 95 PHIL 890 (1954)
3. Manila Lodge No. 761 vs CA, GR# 41001, 9/30/70, 73
SCRA 162
4. Manila Railroad Co. vs.Collector of Customs, GR# 30264,
3/12/29
5. Almeda vs. Florentino, 15 SCRA 514
6. Sanciangco vs. Rono, GR# L-68709, 7/19/85
7. King vs Hernaez, 114 PHIL 730
8. Amanoy vs PP, GR# 76258, 5/23/88
9. Laxamana vs. Baltazar, GR# L-5955, 9/19/52
10. Butuan Sawmill vs. City of Butuan, GR# L-21516,
4/29/66
11. Arayata vs. Joya, 51 PHIL 654
12. City of Manila vs. Teotico, 2 SCRA 267
13. David vs. Comelec, 271 SCRA 90
vii. Construction of Specific Statutes
1. Strict or Liberal Construction
a. Board of Administrators of the PVA vs. Bautista,
GR# L-37867, 2/22/82
2. Construction of different statues
a. Ient et.al. vs. Tullett Prebon (Philippines), Inc., G.R.
No. 189158, January 11, 2017
b. Bangayan vs. People of the Philippines, G.R. No.
235610, September 16, 2020
c. CIR vs. CA (GR 115349, 18 April 1997)
d. Mactan Cebu (MCIAA) vs. Marcos (GR 120082, 11
September 1996)
e. Del Rosario & Sons vs. NLRC (GR L-64204, 31 May
1985)
f. De la Cruz vs. Capital Insurance (GR L-21574, 30
June 1966)
g. Home Insurance vs. Eastern Shipping Lines (GR L-
34382, 20 July 1983)
h. NPC v. City of Cabanatuan, G.R. No. 149110, 09
April 2003
i. Office of the Court Administrator v. Garong, A.M.
No. P-99-1311, 15 August 2001
viii. Construction of Conflicting Statutes/Conflicting Provisions
1. Special Law v. General Law
a. Gordon v. Veridiano II, G.R. No. L-55230, 08
November 1988
b. Lopez Jr. v. Civil Service Commission, G.R. No.
87119, 16 April 1991
2. Substantive Law v. Procedural Law
a. Philippine National Bank v. Asuncion, G.R. No. L-
46095, 23 November 1977
3. Earlier v. Later Law
a. Philippine National Bank v. Cruz, G.R. No. 80593,
18 December 1989 (latter statute prevails)
b. People v. Palma, G.R. No. L-44112, 31 March 1977,
(general law cannot impliedly repeal a special law);
however, see contra Bagatsing v. Ramirez, G.R. No.
L-41631, 17 December 1976
c. City of Manila v. Teotico, et. al., G.R. No. L-23052;
29 January 1g68 (general provision in a special law
vs. special provision in a general law)
4. Proviso v. Body
a. Arenas v. City of San Carlos, G.R. No. L-34024, 05
April 1978
ix. Construction of Amendment, Revision & Codifications, Repeal
1. Tac-an vs. CA, 137 SCRA 803
2. Villegas vs. Subido, GR# L-31711, 9/30/87
3. Dreamwork construction v. Janiola, G.R. No. 184861, 30
June 2009
e. Effect and Operation of Laws
i. Universal Corn Products, Inc, et.al. v. Rice and Corn Board, G.R.
No. L-21013, 17 August 1967
ii. Senarillos v. Hermosisima, G.R. No. L-10662, 14 December
1956 3. People v. Lucero, G.R. No. L-10845, 28 April 1958;
People v. Macarandang, G.R. No. L-12088, 23 December 1959;
People v. Jabinal, G.R. No. L-30061, 27 February 1974
f. Interpretation of Contracts
i. Read Arts. 1370 to 1379 of the Civil Code (Rules on
Interpretation of Contracts); Rule 130, Secs. 10 to 19 of the
Rules of Court
ii. Lambert v. Fox, G.R. No. 7991, 29 January 1914
iii. Manila Banking Corp. v. Teodoro, G.R. No. 53955, 13 January
1989
iv. Abad v. Goldloop, G.R. No. 168108, 13 April 2007
v. NIA v. Gamit, G.R. No. 85869, 6 November 1992
V. CONSTITUTIONAL CONSTRUCTION AND INTERPRETATION
a. Constitution, defined
b. Purpose
c. Rules on Construction
i. Francisco, GR# 160261, 11/10/03
ii. Sarmiento vs. Mison, GR# 79974, 12/17/87
iii. Perfecto vs. Meer, GR# L-2348, 2/27/50
iv. Endencia vs. David, GR# L-6355-56, 8/31/53
v. Nitafan vs. Commissioner of Internal Revenue, GR# L-78780,
7/23/87
vi. Aglipay vs. Ruiz, GR# 45459, 3/13/37
vii. Manila Prince Hotel vs. GSIS, GR# 122156, 2/3/97
Sources and References:
1. Statutory Construction
- Author: Atty. Ruben E. Agpalo
2. Statutory Construction Author
- Author: Judge Noli C. Diaz
