Friday, February 10, 2012

Presumptions

Inspired by events from yesterday.

Presumptions under the Rules on Evidence is a very interesting thing. The Supreme Court defined "Presumption" as an inference of the existence or non-existence of a fact which courts are permitted to draw from proof of other facts (In the Matter of the Intestate Estates of Delgado and Rustia, G.R. No. 175733, January 27, 2006). This is not yet evidence but still, if you have presumptions established by law in your favor, then, this will help you a a lot in establishing your case.

We need to distinguish this from presumptions made by anyone in the course of his/her relations with others, particularly with someone very close to him/her. For example, a spouse who all of a sudden became very cold or very sweet. The easy presumption is that the spouse is guilty of something, more particularly of cheating. The presumption is that the sudden change in behavior is caused by something fishy (no pun intended). In today's parlance, this is just "Tamang hinala" loosely translated as "doubt tripping."

Presumptions under the law are not like that. I describe them as "Hinalang tama" loosely translated as "suspicions that are more or less correct." Under the Rules on Evidence, there are conclusive presumptions and there are disputable presumptions.

The first conclusive presumption is provided in Sec. 2, Rule 131 of the Rules of Court: “The following are instances of conclusive presumptions: (a) Whenever a party has, by his own declaration, or omission, intentionally or deliberately led another to believe a particular thing is true, and to act upon such belief, he cannot, in any litigation arising out of such declaration, act or omission, be permitted to falsify it." 

Let us go back  to examples involving spouses. The law (Art. 41 of the Family Code of the Philippines) gives an instance when  spouse can validly remarry based on the presumption that his/her spouse is presumed dead already. 

In sum, presumptions are helpful but also dangerous. You just need to know how to presume and more importantly, how to act on your presumptions. :)  

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Administrative Law Course Outline (Revised 2012)

I.             GENERAL PRINCIPLES

§      Definitions
a.    Administrative Law
b.    Government of the Republic of the Philippines (see Administrative Code of 1987, Section 2)
c.     National Government (see Administrative Code of 1987, Section 2)
d.    Local Government (see Administrative Code of 1987, Section 2)
e.    Agency of the Government (see Administrative Code of 1987, Section 2)
f.     Department (see Administrative Code of 1987, Section 2)
g.    Bureau (see Administrative Code of 1987, Section 2)
h.    Office (see Administrative Code of 1987, Section 2)
i.      Instrumentality (see Administrative Code of 1987, Section 2)
j.      Regulatory agency (see Administrative Code of 1987, Section 2)
k.    Chartered institution (see Administrative Code of 1987, Section 2)
l.      Government-owned or controlled corporation (see Administrative Code of 1987, Section 2)
§      Kinds of Administrative Law
§      Scope of Administrative Law
§      Sources of Administrative Law
Cases:
1.    Mecano v. COA, 216 SCRA 500
2.    Leveriza v. IAC 157 SCRA 282
3.    Luzon Development Bank v. Association of Luzon Dev. Bank Employees, 64 SCAD 918 or 249 SCRA 162
4.    Iron and Steel Authority v. Court of Appeals, 65 SCAD 261 or 249 SCRA 538
5.    Ignacia Balicas v. Fact-Finding & Intelligence Bureau (FFIB), Office of the Ombudsman, G.R. No. 145972, March 23, 2004
6.    Malaga v. Panachos, Jr., 213 SCRA 516
7.    Preclaro v. Sandiganbayan, 247 SCRA 454


II.             ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCIES

§      Creation, Establishment and Abolition of Administrative Agencies

2003 Bar Exams: Validity of abolition of long-standing Bureau under DILG by the President.
Cases:
1.         Crisostomo v. Court of Appeals, 258 SCRA 134
2.         Viola v. Alunan, III,  277 SCRA 409 (1997)
3.         Biraogo v. The Philippine Truth Commission of 2010, G.R. No. 192935, Dec. 7, 2010
4.         Kapisanan ng mga Kawani ng Energy Regulatory Board v. Commissioner Fe Barin, G.R. No. 150974, June 29, 2007
5.         Commission on Human Rights Employees Association v. Commission on Human Rights, G.R. No. 155336, November 25, 2004
§      Reorganization of Administrative Agencies
a.    Definition of Reorganization
b.    President’s power to reorganize; basis
c.     Power of other agencies to reorganize; limitations

Cases:

1.    Anak Mindanao Party-List Group v. The Executive Secretary, G.R. No. 166052, August 29, 2007
2.    Bagaoisan v. National Tobacco Administration, G.R. No. 152845, August 5, 2003
3.    National Land Titles and Deeds Registration Administration v. Civil Service Commission, 221 SCRA 145
4.    Sinon v. Civil Service Commission, 215 SCRA 410
5.    Domingo v. DBP, 207 SCRA 766
6.    Eugenio v. Civil Service Commission, 60 SCAD 262 or 242 SCRA 196 (1995)

§      Reasons/purposes for creating administrative agencies
§      Common types of administrative agencies

III.           POWER OF ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCIES

§      General Principles
Cases:

1.    Makati Stock Exchange, Inc. v. Securities and Exchange Commission, 16 SCRA 623 (1965)
2.    Kilusang Bayan, etc. v. Dominguez, 205 SCRA 92 (1992)
3.    Senator Robert S. Jaworksi v. PAGCOR, G.R. No. 144463, January 14, 2004
4.    Radio Communications of the Phils., v. National Telecommunications Commission, 215 SCRA 455 (1992)
5.    Matienzo v. Abellera, 162 SCRA 11 (1988)
6.    Cooperative Development Authority v. Dolefil Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Cooperative, Inc., 382 SCRA 552 (2002)
7.    Laguna Lake Development Authority v. Court of Appeals, 49 SCAD 649 or 231 SCRA 292 (1994)

§      Quasi-Legislative Power (Rule-Making)

a.    Legislative power
b.    Doctrine of Separation of Powers
c.     Non-delegation of legislative power

d.    Exceptions to the doctrine of non-delegation of legislative power

Cases:

1.    US v. Barrias, 11 Phil. 327 (1908)
2.    People v. Vera, 65 Phil 327 (1937)
3.    Eastern Shipping Lines, Inc. v. POEA, 166 SCRA 533 (1988)
4.    Rabor v. CSC, 61 SCAD 569 or 244 SCRA 614 (1995)
5.    Re: Entitlement to Hazard Pay of SC Medical and Dental Clinic Personnel, A.M. No. 03-9-02-SC, Nov. 27, 2008

e.    Kinds of Administrative Rules and Regulations

o   Supplementary or detailed legislation
o   Interpretative legislation
o   Contingent legislation

Cases:

1.    ABAKADA Guro Party List v. Purisima, G.R. No. 166715, August 14, 2008
2.    Gutierrez v. DBM, G.R. No. 153266, March 18, 2010 (and other allied cases)
3.    BPI Leasing v. Court of Appeals, G.R. No. 127624, Nov. 18, 2003
4.    Board of Trustees v. Velasco, G.R. No. 170436, February 2, 2011
f.     Requisites for Validity of Administrative Rules and Regulations

Cases:

1.    Dagan v. Philippine Racing Commission, G.R. No. 175220, February 12, 2009
2.    Smart Communications Inc., v. NTC, G.R. No. 151908, August 12, 2003
3.    Conte v. Commission on Audit, 76 SCAD 16 or 264 SCRA 19 (1996)
g.    Penal Rules and Regulations


2002 Bar Exams: Validity of rules and regulations issued by a Department Secretary providing penalties.
Cases:

1.    People v. Santos, 63 Phil. 300 (1936)
2.    People v. Que Po Lya, 94 Phil. (1954)
3.    People v. Maceren, 79 SCRA 450 (1977)

h.    Force and effect of administrative rules and regulations

Cases:

1.    Peralta v. Civil Service Commission, 212 SCRA 425 (1992)
2.    Javellana v. DILG, 212 SCRA 475 (1992)

i.      Requirements of notice and hearing or publication


Case:

1.  Commissioner of Internal Revenue v. Court of Appeals, 261 SCRA 236 (1996)
2.  Commissioner of Customs v. Hypermix Feeds Corp., G.R. No. 179579, Feb. 1, 2012


2000 Bar Exam: Requirement of notice and hearing of proposed administrative rules. 

j.      Construction of administrative rules and regulations

Case:

1.    Victorias Milling Co v. Social Security Commission, 4 SCRA 627
2.    National Food Authority v. MASADA Security Agency, G.R. No. 163448, March 8, 2005
3.    SGMC Realty Corporation v. Office of the President, G.R. No. 126999, August 30, 2000

k.    Prospective or retroactive operation of rules and regulation
Case:

1.  Commissioner of Internal Revenue v. Azucena T. Reyes, G.R. No. 159694, January 27, 2006
2.  Rosario Dadulo v. Honorable Court of Appeals, Office of the Ombudsman, et al, G.R. No. 175451, Sept. 28, 2007

l.      Amendment or repeal of administrative rules and regulations
Case:

1.    Republic of the Philippines v. Express Telecommunications Company, Inc., G.R. No. 147096, January 15, 2002

m.  Administrative rule and interpretation distinguished

o.  Kinds of executive interpretations of the law

Case:

1.  San Miguel Corp. v. Inciong, 103 SCRA 139 (1981)

p. Weight accorded to contemporaneous construction

Case:

1.  Asturias Sugar Central Inc. v. Commissioner of Customs, 29 SCRA  617 (1967)

r. When contemporaneous construction disregarded

s. Erroneous construction creates no right; exception
§      Quasi-Judicial Power (Adjudicatory)
a.    Definition

Cases:

1.  Carino v. Commission on Human Rights, 204 SCRA 483 (1991)
2.  Megaworld Globus Asia, Inc. v. DSM Construction and Development Corp., GR No. 153310, March 2, 2004
3.  NAPOCOR v. Hon. Rose Marie Alonzo-Leasto, GR No. 148318, Nov. 22,2004
b.    Distinguished from quasi-legislative functions

Cases:

1.    Lupangco v. Court of Appeals, 160 SCRA 848 (1988)

c.     Jurisdiction

Cases:

1.     Chin v. Land Bank of the Philippines, 201 SCRA 190 (1991)
2.     Azarcon v. Sandiganbayan, 268 SCRA 747 (1997) 

d.    Administrative Due Process
Administrative Procedure (1987 Administrative Code, Book VII)

a. Definition of "contested case"
b. Institution of proceedings
c. Forum shopping
d. Acquisition of jurisdiction of quasi-judicial agency
e. Default in administrative case
f.  Hearing
g.  Subpoena
h.  Contempt power
i.  Evidence


Generally

Case:

1.    Santiago v. Alikpala, 25 SCRA 356 (1968)
2.    NDC v. Collector of Customs, 9 SCRA 429 (1963)


f.     Cardinal Primary Requirements of Due Process

Case:

1.     Fabella v. CA, 89 SCAD 264 or 282 SCRA 256 (1997)
2.     Lupo v. Adminstrative Action Board, 190 SCRA 69 (1990)
3.     Madenilla v. CSC, 194 SCRA 278 (1991)

g.    Administrative Appeal and Review

Administrative procedure

·       Generally

Case:

1.     Kanlaon Construction Enterprises Co., Inc. v. NLRC. 87 SCAD 196 or 279 SCRA 337 (1997)

·       Rules subject to Supreme Court modification

Case:

1.     First Lepanto Ceramics, Inc. v. Court of Appeals, 231 SCRA 30 (1994)

·       Technical rules not applicable

Cases:

1.     Manuel v. Villena, 37 SCRA 747 (1971)
h.    Administrative Res Judicata
·       Definition
·       Exceptions
Cases:

1.      Exec. Judge Henry Basilla v. Judge Amado L. Becamon, Clerk of Court Lolita delos Reyes and Junior Process Server Eddie delos Reyes, MCTC, Placer-Esperanza-Cawayan, Masbate, G.R. No. A.M. No. MTJ-02-1404, December 14, 2004
2.     National Housing Authority v. Segunda Almeida, Court of Appeals and RTC of San Pedro, Laguna Br. 31, G.R. No. 162784, June 22, 2007
3.     Judge Felimon Abelita III, v. P/Supt. German Doria and SPO3 Cesar Ramirez, G.R. No. 170672, August 14, 2009

§      Fact-Finding, Investigative, Licensing, and Rate-Fixing
Cases:
1.    Securities and Exchange Commission v. Interport Resources Corp., et al, G.R. No. 135808, October 6, 2008
2.    Vigan Electric Light Co., Inc. v. Public Service Commission, 10 SCRA 46 (1964)
3.    Securities and Exchange Commission v. GMA Network, December 23, 2008


IV.  JUDICIAL RECOURSE AND REVIEW
§      Doctrine of Primary Administrative Jurisdiction
Definition
Cases:
1.    Emerson B. Bagonghasa v. Johanna L. Romualdez, G.R. No. 179844, March 23, 2011
2.    Nestle Philippines, Inc. v. Uniwide Sales Inc., G.R. No. 174674, October 20, 2010
3.    GSIS v. COA, G.R. No. 138381, November 10, 2004
4.    Gregorio Vigilar v. Arnulfo D. Aquino, G.R. No. 180388, January 18, 2011
5.     Geraldine Gaw Guy v. The Board of Commissioners of the Bureau of Immigration, G.R. No. 167824, July 2, 2010
§      Doctrine of Exhaustion of Administrative Remedies
a.  Definition
b.  Exceptions
Cases:
1.    New SunValley Homeowners Association v. Sanguniang Barangay ng Sun Valley, G.R. NO. 156686, July 27, 2011
2.    Arlin Obiasca v. Jeane Basallote, G.R. No. 176707, February 17, 2010
3.    Republic v. Carlito Lacap, G.R. No. 158253, March 2, 2007
4.    Khristine Rea Regino v. Pangasinan Colleges of Science and Technology, et al, G.R. No. 156109, November 18, 2004
§      Doctrine of Finality of Administrative Action