Lecture Notes on Rules of Construction and Legal Statutes

Introduction

• Presented by Attorney Angel
• Focus on rules of specific statutes

Types of Law

• Substantive Law: Defines rights and duties
• Procedural (Remedial) Law: Provides methods to enforce rights (a.k.a. Adjective Law)

Rules of Court

• Part of Procedural Law
• Rule of Construction: Liberally construed to promote just, speedy, and inexpensive resolution of cases
  • Supreme Court may excuse technical compliance to promote justice
• Case Example: OCA vs. Garo
  • Rules on appeal periods must prevent delays and support justice
• Personal Experience: Attorney Angel example with Judge Medina
  • Judge allowed leniency in pre-trial scheduling for justice

Civil Procedure

• Under new rules, courts are strict with time extensions
  • One 30-day extension allowed
• Filing Times: Specific deadlines for replies, counterclaims, etc.

Adoption Statutes

• Important for establishing paternity and affiliation
• Rule: Liberally construed in favor of the adoptee
• Case Example: Adoption of Stephanie Estoriga Garcia
  • Supreme Court allowed unique surname use for child's best interest

Local Statutes

• Confined to territorial limits within local government units (LGUs)
• Legal Basis: Article 10, Section 2 and Article 2, Section 25 of the 1987 Constitution
• Section 5 of RA 7160: Local Government Code
  • Powers of LGUs liberally interpreted
  • Tax exemptions construed against claimants
• Case Example: San Juan vs. Civil Service Commission
  • Budget officers must be recommended by local executives

Constitutional Construction

• Perspective 1: Constitution vs. other laws
  • Presumption of constitutionality for statutes
• Perspective 2: Within the constitutional provisions
  • Interpretation principles: Plain Meaning, Spirit of the Law, Constitution as a whole
• Case Example: Civil Liberties Union vs. Executive Secretary
  • Provisions must harmonize, interpreted as a whole

Self-Executing Provisions

• Presumed self-executing unless stated otherwise
• Case Examples:
  • Oposa vs. Factoran: Implied self-execution of constitutional provisions
  • Manila Prince Hotel vs. GSIS: Explicitly self-executing unless contrary intention

Conclusion

• Sources: "Statutory Construction Concepts and Cases" by Bernie June Pilares, "Statutory Construction" by Attorney Hollander Suarez
• Key takeaways: Importance of liberal construction for justice, adherence to procedural rules,
• Reminder: Glorify God with a grateful heart

Note: These notes condense key points from the lecture on specific statutes and constitutional construction, aimed at guiding legal practitioners and students in understanding legal framework and judicial decisions.