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1. General Principles

Definition of Statutory Construction

1. Caltex v. Palomar (GR L-19650, 29 September 1966)

When does Statutory Construction come in?

1. National Federation of Labor (NFL) v. Eisma (GR L-61236, 31 January 1984)

2. Paat v. CA (GR 111107, 10 January 1997)

3. People v. Mapa (GR L-22301, 30 August 1967)

4. Daoang v. Municipal Judge of San Nicolas (GR L-34568, 28 March 1988)

5. Paras v. Comelec (GR 123169, 4 November 1996)

2. Statutory Construcion vs. Judicial Legislation

Statutory Construction, whose job is it?

1. Floresca v. Philex Mining (GR L-30642, 30 April 1985)

2. Republic v. CA and Molina (GR 108763, 13 February 1997)

How must Legislative Intent be ascertained

1. Aisporna v. CA (GR L-39419, 12 April 1982)

2. China Bank v. Ortega (GR L-34964, 31 January 1973)

3. Board of Administrators of the PVA v. Bautista (GR L-37867, 22 February 1982)

3. Literal Construction

Case

1. Salvatierra v. CA (GR 107797, 26 August 1996)

2. Kapisanan ng mga Manggagawa v. Manila Railroad Company (GR L-25316, 28 February 1979)

When not favored

1. Abellana v. Marave (GR L-27760)

2. Paras vs. Comelec, 264 SCRA 49, supra

4. Executive Construction

Basic rule on Executive Construction

1. PAFLU v. Bureau of Labor Relations (GR L-43760, 21 August 1976)

When Executive Construction is not given weight

1. Philippine Apparel Workers Union v. NLRC (GR L-50320, 31 July 1981)

2. IBAA Employees Union v. Inciong (GR L52415, 23 October 1984)

3. Chartered Bank Employees Association v. Ople (GR L-44717, 28 August 1985)

What is the difference between a rule and an opinion

1. Victorias Milling v. Social Security Commission (GR L-16704, 17 March 1962)

5. Subjects of Construction

The Constitution

How should the constitution be construed

21. Sarmiento v. Mison (GR 79974, 17 December 1987)

22. Perfecto v. Meer (GR L-2348, 27 February 1950)

23. Endencia v. David (GR L-6355-56, 31 August 1953)

24. Nitafan v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue (GR L-78780, 23 July 1987)

May the preamble be referred to in the construction of Constitutional Provisions?

21. Aglipay v. Ruiz (GR 45459, 13 March 1937)

Are the provisions of the Constitution self-executing?

21. Manila Prince Hotel v. GSIS (GR 122156, 3 February 1997)

Statute

Requirements for the publication of laws

27. Tanada v. Tuvera (GR L-63915, 24 April 1985)

28. Tanada v. Tuvera (GR L-63915, 29 December 1986)

Ordinances

Rule on Construction of ordinances vis-a-vis Statute

29. Primicias v. Urdaneta (GR L-26702, 18 October 1979)

2. Interpretation of specific types of statutes

Tax Laws

How are tax refunds construed?

La Carlota Sugar Central v. Jimenez (GR L-12436, 31 May 1961)

Who has the burden of proof intax cases?

CIR v. CA (GR 115349, 18 April 1997)

Mactan Cebu (MCIAA) v. Marcos (GR 120082, 11 September 1996)

Tax Sales construed

Serfino v. CA (GR L-40858, 15 September 1987)

Labor Laws

Rule on the construction of labor laws

Manahan v. ECC (GR L-44899, 22 April 1981)

Villavert v. ECC (GR L-48605, 14 December 1981)

Del Rosario & Sons v. NLRC (GR L-64204, 31 May 1985)

Insurance

Rule in the interpretation of insurance provisions

Ty v. First National Surety (GR L-16138, 29 April 1961)

De la Cruz v. Capital Insurance (GR L-21574, 30 June 1966)

Ambiguous provision interpreted against insurers Qua Chee Gan v. Law Union and Rock Insurance (GR L-4611, 17 December 1955)

Corporate Law

Rule on the interpretation of Corporate Law provisions?

Home Insurance v. Eastern Shipping Lines (GR L-34382, 20 July 1983)

Naturalization Laws

Rule on the construction of Naturalization Laws

Co v. Republic (GR L-12150, 26 May 1960)

Lee Cho (@ Sem Lee) v. Republic (GR L-12408, 28 December 1959)

Agrarian Reform Laws

Rule on the construction of Agrarian Reform Laws

Guerrero v. CA (GR L-44570, 30 May 1986)

Rules of Court

Rule on the construction of the provisions of the Rules of Court

Bello v. CA (GR L-38161, 29 March 1974)

Expropriation Laws

45. City of Manila v. Chinese Community of Manila (GR 14355, 31 October 1919)

Election Laws

45. Villanueva v. Comelec (GR L-54718, 4 December 1985)

Wills

Rule on the interpretation of wills

47. In RE Tampoy (GR L-14322, 25 February 1960)

2. Particular Latin Rules

Mens legislatoris

48. Matabuena v. Cervantes (GR L-28771, 31 March 1971)

Dura Lex Sed Lex

48. People vs. Mapa, 20 SCRA 1164, supra

49. People v. Santayana (GR L-22291, 15 November 1976)

Expressio Unius est exclusio alterius

48. People v. Estenzo (GR L-35376, 11 September 1980)

Ejusdem generis

When do we apply this rule?

52. Mutuc v. Comelec (GR L-32717, 26 November 1970)

Casus Omissus

Casus omissus pro omisso habendus est (restrictive rule)

People v. Manantan (GR L-14129, 31 July 1962)

Permissive rule

Lopez v. CTA (GR L-9274, 1 February 1957)

Noscitur a sociis

55. Sanciangco v. Rono (GR L-68709, 19 July 1985)

56. Caltex Phil. vs. Palomar, 18 SCRA 247, supra2. Construction of words and phrases

May and Shall

55. Capati v. Ocampo (GR L-28742, 30 April 1982)

Of and May

55. GMCR vs. Bell Telecommunications, 271 SCRA 790 [1]

Principally and Exclusively

55. Alfon v. Republic (GR L-51201, 29 May 1980)

Previously

55. Rura v. Lopena (GR L-69810-14, 19 June 1985)

Every

55. NHA vs. Juco, 134 SCRA 172 [2]

Surplusages

55. Demafiles vs. Comelec, GR L-28396, 29 December 1987 [3]

Punctuations

55. Arabay vs. CFI of Zamboanga del Norte, 66 SCRA 617 [4]

Other examples

55. People vs. Mejia, 275 SCRA 127 [5]

3. Special over general

What is the rule regarding conflicting provisions of the same statute?

55. Manila Railroad Co. v.Collector of Customs (GR 30264, 12 March 1929)

56. Almeda vs. Florentino, 15 SCRA 514 [6]

What is the rule regarding conflicting provisions of different statutes?

55. Laxamana v. Baltazar (GR L-5955, 19 September 1952)

56. Butuan Sawmill v. City of Butuan (GR L-21516, 29 April 1966)

57. Arayata vs. Joya, 51 PHIL 654 [7]

What is the rule in case of conflict between a special provision of a general law and a general provision of a special law?

55. City of Manila vs. Teotico, 2 SCRA 267 [8]

56. David vs. Comelec, 271 SCRA 90 [9]

4. External Aids

Origin of the State

71. US vs. De Guzman [10]

Legislative debates

71. Roman Catholic Archbishop of Manila v. SSC (GR L-15045, 20 January 1961)

Contemporaneous acts of the legislature

71. David vs. Comelec, 271 SCRA 90, supra2. Presumptions

In favor of validity of legislative acts

74. NHA vs. Reyes, 125 SCRA 245 [11]

In favor of beneficial operation of statutes

74. Paat vs. CA, 265 SCRA 167, supra2. Repeals

Rule on retroactivity of repeals

74. Tac-an vs. CA, 137 SCRA 803 [12]

Implied Repeals

74. Villegas v. Subido (GR L-31711, 30 September 1987)