STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION COURSE OUTLINE
I. General Provisions on Law and Statutes
Mabanag vs. Lopez Vito, G.R. No. L-1123, March 5,
1947
Casco Phil. Chemical Co. Inc. vs. Gimenez, G.R. No. L-
17931, February 28, 1963
Morales vs. Subido, G.R. No. L-29658, November 29,
1968
Journal Entry Rule
Astorga vs. Villegas, G.R. No. L-23475 April 30, 1974
Void-for-Vagueness Doctrine
Estrada vs. Sandiganbayan, G.R. No. 148560, 19
November 2001
David vs. Arroyo, G.R. No. 171396, 3 May 2006
Sps. Romualdez v. Comelec, G. R. No. 167011, April
30, 2008
When Does a Statute Become Effective?
Civil Code, Article 2; Section 18, EO 292
Tanada vs. Tuvera, G.R. No. L-63915 April 24, 1985
When Does a Regulation Become Effective?
Sections 2-9, Book VII of EO 292
People vs. Que Po Lay, G.R. No. L-6791, March 29,
1954
Tanada vs. Tuvera, G.R. No. L-63915 April 24, 1985
Yaokasin vs. Commissioner of Customs, G.R. No.
84111 December 22, 1989
When Does an Ordinance Take Effect?
Sections 54-59, RA 7160
Bagatsing vs. Ramirez, G.R. No. L-41631 December 17,
1976
Equity of the Statute Rule
Articles 9 and 10, Civil Code
Constitutional Test in the Passage of a Bill
Repeals of Statutes
II. Definition of Statutory Construction
Caltex v. Palomar, G.R. No. L-19650, September 29, 1966
Distinctions Between Statutory Construction and Statutory Interpretation
When statutory construction/ interpretation applicable
Songco v. NLRC, GR L-50999 March 23, 1990
Amores v. HRET, GR 189600, June 29, 2010
RCBC v. IAC, G.R. No. 74851, December 9, 1999
When no construction/interpretation needed
Go Ka Toc Sons v. Rice and Corn Board, G.R. No. L-23607,
May 23, 1967
People v. Mapa, G.R. No. L-22301, August 30, 1967
Luzon Surety v. De Garcia, G.R. No. L-25659, October 31, 1969
Situs of Construction and Interpretation
Legis interpretatio legis vim obtinet
People v. Jabinal, G.R. No. L-30061, February 27, 1974
Pesca v. Pesca, G.R. No. 136921, April 17, 2001
Use of Punctuation and Grammar as aid to construction
US v. Hart, G.R. No. L-8848 November 21, 1913
Intrinsic or internal aids in Statutory Interpretation
Extrinsic or External aids in Statutory Construction
Statutory Construction vis-a-vis Judicial Legislation
Floresca v. Philex Mining, G.R. No. L-30642 April 30, 1985
Republic v. CA and Molina, G.R. No. 108763, February 13, 1997
Interpreting legislative intent
Aisporna v. CA, G.R. No. L-39419 April 12, 1982
Republic v. CA and Molina, G.R. No. 108763, February 13, 1997
Statutory construction vs. judicial legislation
Floresca v. Philex Mining, G.R. No. L-30642 April 30, 1985

III. Basic Principles Used in Statutory Construction
Casus omissus pro omisso habendus est
Mun. of Nueva Era v. Mun. of Marcos, G.R. No. 169435
February 27, 2008
People v. Manantan, G.R. No. L-14129, August 30, 1962
Constitutional Avoidance
PACU v. Secretary of Education, G.R. No. L-5279, October
31, 1955
Expressium facit cessare tacitum
Canet v. Decena, G.R. No. 155344. January 20, 2004
Malinias v. Comelec, G.R. No. 146943 October 4, 2002
Last Antecedent Rule
PLDT Co. v. The Public Service Commission, G.R. No. L-
26762 August 29, 1975
Legislative intent must be ascertained from a consideration of the
statute as a whole
Alpha Investigation and Security Agency v. NLRC, G.R.
No. 111722 May 27, 1997
Serana v. Sandigabayan, G.R. No. 162059, January 22, 2008
Mens Legislatoris or Mischief Rule
Vda. De Macabenta v. Davao Stevedore Terminal Co., G.R. No.
L-27489. April 30, 1970
Pari Materia Rule
City of Naga v. Agna, G.R. No. L-36049 May 31, 1976
Tan Co v. Civil Register of Manila, G.R. No. 138496.
February 23, 2004
Plain Meaning Rule
Republic v. Lacap, G.R. No. 158253, March 2, 2007
Rural Bank of San Miguel v. Monetary Board, G.R. No.
150886, February 16, 2007
Ratio Legis or Golden Rule
Hidalgo v. Hidalgo, G.R. No. L-25326 May 29, 1970
Rule Against Surplasage
Rule of Lenity
People v. Temporada, G.R. No. 173473, December 17,
2008, Corona, J., Sep. Op.
Spirit of the Law vs. Letter of the Law
People v. Salas, G.R. No. L-66469 July 29, 1986
Alonzo v. IAC, G.R. No. 72873 May 28, 1987
Stare Decisis
Tala Realty Services Corp. v. Banco Filipino Savings and
Mortgage Bank, G.R. No. 132051, June 25, 2001
J.R.A. Phils. Inc. v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue, G.R.
No. 177127, October 11, 2010
Verba Legis
Pagcor v. Philippine Gaming Jurisdiction Inc., G.R. No.
177333, April 24, 2009
Bolos v. Bolos, G.R. No. 186400, October 20, 2010
IV. Latin Maxims Applied to Statutory Construction
Absolute Sentencia Expositore Non Indiget (An absolute
sentence needs no explanation)
Barcellano v. Baas, G.R. No. 165287 September 14, 2011
Casus Omissus Rule
People vs. Manantan, G.R. No. 14129, July 31, 1962
Cessante ratione legis, cessat ipsa lex (The reason for a law ceasing,
the law itself ceases)
People v. Almuete, G.R. No. L-26551 February 27, 1976
Dura lex sed lex (The law may be harsh but it is the law)
Obiasca v. Basallote, G.R. No. 176707 February 17, 2010
Ejusdem generis (Of the same kind)
Liwag v. Happy Glen Loop Homeowners Association, G.R.
No. 189755 July 4, 2012
 Expressio unius est exclusio alterius (The expression of one thing is
the exclusion of another)
Malinias v. Comelec, G.R. No. 146943. October 4, 2002

Generalia specialibus non derogant (General things do not derogate

from special things)
Tomawis v. Balindong, G.R. No. 182434 March 5, 2010

Leges posteriores priores contrarias abrogant (Subsequent laws

repeal those before enacted to the contrary)
Manila Trading & Supply Co. v. Philippine Labor Union,
G.R. No. L-47796, April 22, 1941

Lex de futuro, judex de praeterito (The law provides for the future,
the judge for the past)
PDIC v. Stockholders of Intercity Savings and Loan Bank,
G.R. No. 181556, December 14, 2009

Lex Prospicit, Non Respicit (The law looks forward, not backward)
Valeroso v. CA, G.R. No. 164815 September 3, 2009

Noscitur a sociis (Known from its associates)

Chavez v. JBC, G.R. No. 202242 July 17, 2012

Optima statuti interpretatrix est ipsum statutum (The best interpreter

of a statute is the statute itself)
Serana v. Sandiganbayan, G.R. No. 162059 January 22,
2008

Ratio legis est anima (The reason of the law is the soul of the law.)
League of Cities v. Comelec, G.R. No. 176951 December
21, 2009

Reddendo singula singulis (Referring each to each)

City of Manila v. Laguio, Jr., G.R. No. 118127 April 12,
2005

Ubi lex non distinguit nec nos distinguire debemus (When the law
does not distinguish, we must not distinguish.)
Amores v. HRET, G.R. No. 189600, June 29, 2010