The separation of powers is a fundamental principle in our system of government.

13 This
principle is one of the cornerstones of our constitutional democracy and it cannot be eroded
without endangering our government.14 The 1987 Constitution divides governmental power
into three co-equal branches: the executive, the legislative and the judicial. It delineates the
powers of the three branches: the legislature is generally limited to the enactment of laws, the
executive department to the enforcement of laws and the judiciary to their interpretation and
application to cases and controversies.15 Each branch is independent and supreme within its
own sphere and the encroachment by one branch on another is to be avoided at all costs.

G.R. No. 192935 December 7, 2010

LOUIS "BAROK" C. BIRAOGO, Petitioner,

vs.
THE PHILIPPINE TRUTH COMMISSION OF 2010, Respondent.

x - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -x

G.R. No. 193036

REP. EDCEL C. LAGMAN, REP. RODOLFO B. ALBANO, JR., REP. SIMEON A.

DATUMANONG, and REP. ORLANDO B. FUA, SR., Petitioners,
vs.
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY PAQUITO N. OCHOA, JR. and DEPARTMENT OF
BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT SECRETARY FLORENCIO B. ABAD, Respondents.

And equally settled is the rule that when a judgment is final and executory, it becomes
immutable and unalterable.44 It may no longer be modified in any respect, except to correct
clerical errors or to make nunc pro tunc entries, or when it is a void judgment.45 Outside of
these exceptions, the court which rendered judgment only has the ministerial duty to issue a
writ of execution.46 A decision that has attained finality becomes the law of the case regardless
of any claim that it is erroneous.47 Any amendment or alteration which substantially affects a
final and executory judgment is null and void for lack of jurisdiction, including the entire
proceedings held for that purpose.48 Thus, an order of execution which varies the tenor of the
judgment or exceeds the terms thereof is a nullity.49

G.R. No. 171095 June 22, 2015

MAYOR MARCIAL VARGAS and ENGR. RAYMUNDO DEL ROSARIO, Petitioners,

vs.
FORTUNATO CAJUCOM, Respondent.
It is a hornbook rule that once a judgment has become final and executory, it may no longer be
modified in any respect, even if the modification is meant to correct an erroneous conclusion of
fact or law, and regardless of whether the modification is attempted to be made by the court
rendering it or by the highest court of the land, as what remains to be done is the purely ministerial
enforcement or execution of the judgment.

The doctrine of finality of judgment is grounded on fundamental considerations of public policy

and sound practice that at the risk of occasional errors, the judgment of adjudicating bodies must
become final and executory on some definite date fixed by law. [...], the Supreme Court reiterated
that the doctrine of immutability of final judgment is adhered to by necessity notwithstanding
occasional errors that may result thereby, since litigations must somehow come to an end for
otherwise, it would 'even be more intolerable than the wrong and injustice it is designed to correct.

G.R. No. 192406 January 21, 2015

ONE SHIPPING CORP., and/or ONE SHIPPING KABUSHIKI KAISHA/JAPAN,

Petitioner,
vs.
IMELDA C. PENAFIEL, Respondent.