Article 1-51 Flashcards
Article 2
Laws shall take effect after 15 days following the completion of their publication in the Official Gazette, or in a newspaper of general circulation, unless it is otherwise provided
“Unless otherwise provided”
Refers to the effectivity date as stated in a law. However, said law will only take effect after its publication either in the Official Gazette or in the newspaper. If it states that the law shall take effect immediate upon approval, the law shall take effective immediately upon publication.
Dura lex sed lex
It may be harsh, but it is the law
Article 3
Ignorance of the law excuses no one from compliance therewith
Latin maxim for ignorance of the law
Ignoratio legis non excusat
Essence of Article 3
Before compliance is required, the law must first be promulgated. Laws are to be published because it is a constitutional provision for due process. Said publication is a conclusive presumption that every person in the Philippines is aware of the law. It includes both understanding of the literal meaning of the law, as well as the interpretations from the courts of justice.
Ignorance of the law vs Mistake of fact
Ignorance of the law is equivalent to negligence and incompetence. Mistake of fact eliminates criminal intent as long as there is no negligence. Mistake of fact generally applies to foreign laws which the courts do not necessarily take note from.
Doctrine of Processual Presumption
If a foreign law is not pleaded in Philippine courts, the presumption is that it is the same as local laws. The foreign law must be proved as a fact in order to be recognized by the courts.
Article 4
Laws shall have no retroactive effect, unless the contrary is provided
Prospective Laws
Laws shall be generally prospective in nature. To make laws retroactive would be a grave injustice to individuals who were innocent at the time the law was not yet passed. However, there can be retroactive laws in certain instance:
- When the law itself provide for the retroactivity, in which case it must NOT be an ex post facto law
- Penal laws which would be favorable to the accused, UNLESS the accused is a habitual delinquent
- Curative laws, in that it fixes irregularities in previous laws
- Remedial or procedural laws such as Rules of Court as the amended rules can be applied to pending cases
Article 5
Acts executed against the provisions of mandatory and prohibitory laws shall be void, except when the law itself authorizes for their validity
Essence of Article 5
Mandatory or prohibitory laws must generally be followed as acts in contrary would be void and sanctioned. However, the law may authorize the violation in the following cases:
- When the law makes the act not void (marriage), but voidable (forgery)
- What the law makes the act valid (marriage) but subjects the wrongdoer to criminal responsibility (less than 300 after being a widow)
- When the law makes the act void (annulled marriage), but recognize legal effects (children stay legitimate)
- When the law itself makes acts valid although they would generally be void (gambling, sweepstakes, etc)
Article 6
Rights may be waived, unless the waiver is contrary to law, public order, public policy, morals, or good customs or prejudicial to a third person with a right recognized by law
Essence of Article 6
Generally, rights may be waived except when it is contrary to law, public order, public policy, morals, good customs, AND when prejudicial to a third person with a legal right
Elements of Rights
Active Subject - person entitled (ex. nagpautang)
Passive Subject - person obliged (ex. umutang)
Efficient Cause - fact that gives rise to the legal relation (ex. utang)
Waiver
The intentional or voluntary relinquishment of a known right. The voluntary abandonment or surrender by a capable person. It has to meet the following requisites:
- Capacity to waive
- Clear and unequivocal
- A right must be possessed
- Not contrary to law, public morals, public policy, morals, good customs
- Not prejudicial to a third person with a legal right
Rights that CANNOT be waived
- Right to life
- Alleged rights (ex. inheritance from living parents)
- Renunciations infringing public policy
- Prejudicial to third persons with a legal right
Double Jeopardy
Under the Constitution, a person cannot be charged for the same crime where he/she has been acquitted.
Article 7
Laws are repealed only by subsequents once, and their violation or non-observance shall not be excused by disuse, or custom, or practice to the contrary.
When the courts declare a law to be inconsistent with the law, the former shall be void and the latter shall govern.
Administrative or executive acts, orders and regulations shall be void only when they are not contrary to laws or the Constitution.
Kinds of Repeal of Laws
Express Repeal - expressly stated in the provisions of a new law
Implied Repeal - there are inconsistencies between the old and new law in that 1) both laws cover the same subject and 2) the new law is repugnant to the old law
Effects of Repeal in Repealing Laws
Express - all previous laws shall not be revived
Implied - the 1st law which was repealed MAY be revived if the 2nd law has been repealed by a 3rd law UNLESS the language of the 3rd law says otherwise
Article 8
Judicial decisions applying or interpreting the laws or the Constitution shall form part of the legal system of the Philippines
Essence of Article 8
The Judiciary is mandated to interpret and apply the laws in accordance with the Constitution, thus, judicial decisions also form part of the Philippine legal system. However, they are not to be considered as laws since this would be a judicial legislation which is a violation of the principle of separation of powers.
Obiter Dictum/Dicta
Opinions unnecessary to the determination of a case. They are not binding, and cannot have the force of judicial precedents.
Article 9
No judge or court shall decline to render judgement by reason of the silence, obscurity or insufficiency of laws.
Duty of a Judge under Article 9
The courts or judges must give a decision, whether her knows what law to apply or not within 90 days. Failure to render a decision within 90 days will subject judge to an administrative sanction. In deciding, he may apply anny rule as long as it is in harmony with general interests, morals, order, and public policy. Other areas to take into consideration:
- Customs not contrary to law, public order, and public policy
- Foreign and local decisions on similar cases
- Opinions of highly qualified writers and professors
- Rules of statutory construction
- Principles in analogous cases
Article 10
In case of doubt in the interpretation or application of laws, it is presumed that the lawmaking body intended right and justice to prevail
Rules in Statutory Construction in relation to Article 10
- When the statute is clear, apply
- When there are 2 interpretations, one which achieved legislative purpose is to be considered
- In interpreting, one may consider the preamble, history of the law, deliberations, etc.
Article 11
Customs which are contrary to law, public order or public policy shall not be countenanced.
Requisites for Courts to consider customs
- Customs to be proved as a fact
- Must not be contrary to law
- Plurality of acts
- Must be uniformly performed
- General practice by social group
- Judicial intention to make a rule of social conduct
- Sufficient lapse of time
Article 12
A custom must be proved as a fact, according to the rules of evidence
Article 13
When the law speaks of years, months, days and nights, it shall be understood that years are of 365 days; months, of 30 days; days, of 24 hours; and nights, from sunset to sunrise.
If months are designated by their name, they shall be computed by the number of days which they respectively have.
In computing a period, the first day shall be excluded, and the last day included.
Section 15, Rule 13 of the Rules of Court
Completeness of service
Years and months
Years - 12 months
Month - Next calendar month, and so on
Article 14
Penal laws and those of public security and safety shall be obligatory upon all who live or sojourn the Philippine territory, subject to the principles of public international law, and to treaty stipulations
Theory of territoriality and generality
Exceptions under the RPC:
- Public International Law
- Treaty stipulations
- Laws of Preferential Application
Article 15
Laws relating to family rights and duties, or to the status, condition and legal capacity of persons are binding upon citizens of the Philippines, even though living abroad
Principle of Nationality
The applicability of Article 15 in so far as family rights and duties, status, condition, and legal capacity are concerned is to Filipinos only including those living abroad. Foreigners, on the other hand, are governed by their own national laws.
Article 16
Real property as well as personal property is subject to the law of the country where it is situated.
However, intestate and testamentary successions, both with respect to the order of succession and to the amount of successional rights and to the intrinsic validity of testamentary provisions, shall be regulated by the national law of the person whose succession is under consideration, whatever may be the nature of the property and regardless of the country wherein said property may be found.
Lex Rei Sitae
Property, whether real (immovable) or personal (movable), is governed by the law of the place where it is situated. Thus, shares of stocks by foreigners can still be taxed if the property is situated in the Philippines. However, lex rei sitae is not to be applied in cases of intestate and testamentary successions.
Successional Rights under Article 16 (Law of the Domicile)
Succession shall be governed by the national law of the deceased
- Order of succession (sino ang heirs)
- Amount of successional rights (ilang percent ang mana)
- Intrinsic validity of the provisions of the will (nationality ng namatay)
- Capacity to succeed (legal heir or not)
Article 17
The forms and solemnities of contracts, will, and other public instruments shall be governed by the laws of the country in which they are executed.
When the acts referred to are executed before the diplomatic or consular officials of the Republic of the Philippines in a foreign country, the solemnities established by the Philippine laws shall be observed in their execution.
Prohibitive laws concerning person, their acts or property, and those which have for their object public order, public policy and good customs shall not be rendered ineffective by laws of judgements promulgated, or by determinations of conventions agreed upon in foreign country.
Lex Loci Celebrationis
Extrinsic validity of forms and solemnities. These shall be governed by the laws of the country in which they are executed.
Rule of Extraterritoriality
Even if the act be done abroad, if it is executed before Philippine diplomatic and consular officials, the laws of the Philippines shall govern. In that, said offices are considered as extensions of Philippine territory.
Article 18
In matters which are governed by the Code of Commerce and special laws, their deficiency shall be supplied by the provisions of this Code
Essence of Article 18
It described the suppletory nature of the Civil Code in that in case of conflict, general and special laws prevail over the Civil Code.
The Civil Code is only superior when dealing with 1) common carriers and 2) insolvency
Article 19
Every person must, in the exercise of his right and in the performance of his duties, act with justice, give everyone his due, and observe honesty and good faith
Essence of Article 19
It is the mother provision of Chapter 2 on Human Relations which highlights the principle of ABUSE OF RIGHTS
Why was Article 19 formulated?
To present basic principles for the rightful relationship between people and the maintenance of order. It serves as a guide for human conduct.
Elements of Abuse of Right
- Legal right
- Bad faith
- Intent of Prejudice or Injury to another
Doctrine of Violenti Non Fit Injuria
Refers to self-inflicted injuries or exposing oneself to danger
Doctrine of Damnum Absque Injuria
When damages result from a person’s exercise of a right. There is no case to speak of in the first place.
Article 20
Every person who, contrary to law, willfully or neglectfully causes damage to another, shall indemnify the latter for the same.
Essence of Article 20
The article punishes illegal acts whether done willfully or neglectfully. There is negligence when there is:
- A duty
- Breach of duty
- Cause of action
- Injury
*Not all damage is produced by injury, especially if one does not possess the right. Thus, no damages can be recovered.
Article 21
Any person who willfully causes loss or injury to another in a manner that is contrary to morals, good customs, or public policy shall compensate the latter for the damage
Acts Contra Bonus Mores
- There is a legal act
- Contrary to good morals, good customs, or public policy
- Intent to injure
What is the difference between Article 20 and 21
Article 20 refers to acts done willfully or negligently which are contrary to law
Article 21 refers to acts done WILLFULLY which are contrary to morals, good customs, or public policy
Can there be an action for breach to marry?
The breach of promise to marry is GENERALLY not an actionable wrong, However, a person may recover 1) ACTUAL (with receipts) damages if there had been an extensive preparation for the wedding, 2) MORAL (mental damage) damages if there had been seduction or abuse of confidence, 3) promise for marriage in return for sexual intercourse without any intention of keeping the promise
Article 22
Every person who through an act of performance by another, or any other means, acquires or comes into possession of something at the expense of the latter without just or legal ground, shall return the same to him
Essence of Article 22
Principle of Unjust Enrichment wherein no person just be unjustly enriched at the expense of another. It is a duty to return what was acquire unjustly or illegally.
Requisites of an Accion in Rem Verso
- Defendant had been enriched
- Casual relations between the two
- Unjustifiable enrichment
- No other way to recover
- Cannot exceed loss or enrichment, whichever is LESS
- There is no mistake