Notes on Agpalo (2003) Statutory Construction Atty. J GolangcoCHAPTER ONE: StatutesIN GENERALLaws, generallyA whole body or system of law !le of cond!ct form!lated and made obl"gatory by leg"t"mate power of the state #ncl!des A, $%, &' (pres"dent "n the e( of leg"slat")e power), $res"dent"al "ss!ances (ord"nance power) J!r"spr!dence, ord"nances passed by sangg!n"ans of local go)ernment !n"ts. *tat!tes, generallyAn act of leg"slat!re ($h"l"pp"ne +omm"ss"on, $h"l. Leg"slat!re, ,atasang $ambansa, +ongress) $%-s of .arcos d!r"ng the per"od of mart"al law /013 +onst"t!t"on &' of A2!"no re)ol!t"onary per"od 3reedom +onst"t!t"on $!bl"c 4 affects the p!bl"c at large general 4 appl"es to the whole state and operates thro!gho!t the state al"5e !pon all people or all of a class. *pec"al 4 relates to part"c!lar person or th"ngs of a class or to a part"c!lar comm!n"ty, "nd")"d!al or th"ng. Local Law 4 operat"on "s conf"ned to a spec"f"c place or local"ty (e.g m!n"c"pal ord"nance) $r")ate 4 appl"es only to a spec"f"c person or s!b6ect. $ermanent and temporary stat!tes$ermanent 7 one whose operat"on "s not l"m"ted "n d!rat"on b!t cont"n!es !nt"l repealed. 8emporary 7 d!rat"on "s for a l"m"ted per"od of t"me f"(ed "n the stat!te "tself or whose l"fe ceases !pon the happen"ngof an e)ent. o&.g. stat!te answer"ng to an emergency 'ther classes of stat!tes$rospect")e or retroact")e 4 accdg. to appl"cat"on %eclaratory, c!rat")e, mandatory, d"rectory, s!bstant")e, remed"al, penal 4 accdg. to operat"on Accord"ng to form oAff"rmat")eoNegat")e.anner of referr"ng to stat!tes$!bl"c Acts 4 $h"l +omm"ss"on and $h"l Leg"slat!re /00/7 /039 +ommonwealth Acts 4 /03:7 /0;: ep!bl"c Acts 4 +ongress /0;:7 /012, /0or t"tle Alcantara, ,asbano, ,a!t"sta, Gaspay, #nfante, *ab"o 4 /+ ?01 ENACTMENT OF STATUTESLeg"slat")e power, generally$ower to ma5e, alter and repeal laws @ested "n congress 4 /03 )otes of all "ts members, each ho!se )ot"ng separately. Appropr"at"ons and re)en!e b"lls*ame as proced!re for the enactment of ord"nary b"lls 'nly d"fference "s that they can only or"g"nate from the Lower Bo!se b!t the *enate may propose> conc!r w"th the amendments L"m"tat"ons of passage (as per +onst"t!t"on) Art : *ec. 21 (2) o congress may not "ncrease the appropr"at"on recommended by the $res"dent FFF opart"c!lar appropr"at"on l"m"ted oproced!re for +ongress "s the same to all other department> agenc"es (proced!re for appro)"ng appropr"at"ons )o spec"al appropr"at"ons 4 nat"onal treas!rer> re)en!e proposalAlcantara, ,asbano, ,a!t"sta, Gaspay, #nfante, *ab"o 4 /+ ?01 o no transfer of appropr"at"ons ((( a!thor"ty to a!gmento d"scret"onary f!nds 4 for p!bl"c p!rposes o general appropr"at"ons b"lls 4 when re7enacted$res"dent my )eto any part"c!lar "tem>s "n an appropr"at"on re)en!e, or tar"ff b"ll. A!thent"cat"on of b"lls,efore passed to the $res"dent #nd"spensable ,y s"gn"ng of *pea5er and *enate $res"dent Gn"mpeachab"l"ty of leg"slat")e 6o!rnalsJo!rnal of proceed"ngs +oncl!s")e w"th respect to other matters that are re2!"red by the +onst"t!t"on %"sp!table w"th respect to all other matters ,y reason of p!bl"c pol"cy, a!thent"c"ty of laws sho!ld rest !pon p!bl"c memor"als of the most permanent character *ho!ld be p!bl"c &nrolled b"ll,"lls passed by congress a!thent"cated by the *pea5er and the *enate $res"dent and appro)ed by the $res"dent #mport"ng absol!te )er"ty and "s b"nd"ng on the co!rts o #t carr"es on "ts face a solemn ass!rance that "t was passed by the assembly by the leg"slat")e and e(ec!t")e departments. +o!rts cannot go beh"nd the enrolled act to d"sco)er what really happened o #f only for respect to the leg"slat")e and e(ec!t")e departments 8h!s, "f there has been any m"sta5e "n the pr"nt"ng of the b"ll before "t was cert"f"ed by the off"cer of the assembly and appro)ed by the +h"ef &(ec!t")e, the remedy "s by amendment by enact"ng a c!rat")e leg"slat"on not by 6!d"c"al decree. &nrolled b"ll and leg"slat")e 6o!rnals 7 +oncl!s")e !pon theco!rts #f there "s d"screpancy between enrolled b"ll and 6o!rnal, enrolled b"ll pre)a"ls. H"thdrawal of a!thent"cat"on, effect of*pea5er and *enate $res"dent may w"thdraw "f there "s d"screpancy between the te(t of the b"ll as del"berated and the enrolled b"ll. &ffectE o o o2Notes on Agpalo (2003) Statutory Construction Atty. J GolangcoPARTS OF STATUTES8"tle of stat!te.andatory law 7 &)ery b"ll passed by +ongress shall embrace only one s!b6ect wh"ch shall be e(pressed "n the t"tle thereof (Art :, *ec 2: (/) /0 log7roll"ng leg"slat"on o 8o pre)ent s!rpr"se or fra!d !pon the leg"slat!re8o fa"rly appr"se the people, thro!gh p!bl"cat"on of the s!b6ects of the leg"slat"on o Gsed as a g!"de "n ascerta"n"ng leg"slat")e "ntent when the lang!age of the act does not clearly e(press "ts p!rposeI may clar"fy do!bt or amb"g!"ty.Bow re2!"rement constr!edL"berally constr!ed #f there "s do!bt, "t sho!ld be resol)ed aga"nst the do!bt and "n fa)or of the const"t!t"onal"ty of the stat!te Hhen there "s compl"ance w"th re2!"rement+omprehens")e eno!gh 7 #ncl!de general ob6ect #f all parts of the law are related, and are germane to the s!b6ect matter e(pressed "n the t"tle 8"tle "s )al"d where "t "nd"cates "n broad b!t clear terms, thenat!re, scope and conse2!ences of the law and "ts operat"ons 8"tle sho!ld not be a catalog!e or "nde( of the b"ll $r"nc"ples apply to t"tles of amendatory acts. &no!gh "f "t states Dan act to amend a spec"f"c stat!te Need not state the prec"se nat!re of the amendatory act. G* Leg"slators ha)e t"tles end"ng w"th the words Dand for other p!rposes( G* "s not s!b6ect to theAlcantara, ,asbano, ,a!t"sta, Gaspay, #nfante, *ab"o 4 /+ ?01 same +onst"t!t"onal restr"ct"on as that embod"ed "n the $h"l"pp"ne +onst"t!t"on)Hhen re2!"rement not appl"cableApply only to b"lls wh"ch may thereafter be enacted "nto law %oes not apply to laws "n force and e("st"ng at the t"me the /039+onst"t!t"on too5 effect. No appl"cat"on to m!n"c"pal or c"ty ord"nances. &ffect of "ns!ff"c"ency of t"tle*tat!te "s n!ll and )o"d Hhere, the s!b6ect matter of a stat!te "s not s!ff"c"ently e(pressed "n "ts t"tle, only so m!ch of the s!b6ect matter as "s note(pressed there"n "s )o"d, lea)"ng the rest "n force, !nless the "n)al"d pro)"s"ons are "nseparable from the others, "n wh"ch casethe n!ll"ty the former )"t"ates the latter &nact"ng cla!seHr"tten "mmed"ately after the t"tle *tates the a!thor"ty by wh"ch the act "s enacted J/ 7 $h"l+omm"ss"on4D ,y a!thor"ty of the $res"dentoftheG*,be"tenactedby theG* $h"l"pp"ne +omm"ss"on J2 7 $h"l"pp"ne Leg"slat!re7 D by a!thor"ty of the G*, be "tenacted by the $h"l"pp"ne Leg"slat!re J3 7 Hhen J2 became b"cameralE D,e "t enacted by the *enate and Bo!se of epresentat")es of the $h"l"pp"nes "n leg"slat!re assembled and by a!thor"ty of the same J; 7 +ommonwealth7 D,e "t enacted by the Nat"onal Assembly of the $h"l"pp"nes J9 4 when J; became b"cameralE Dbe "t enacted by the *enate and Bo!se of epresentat")es "n congress assembled4 same /0;:7/012>/0c conta"ns a s"ngle propos"t"on. $arts o o o o o oo o o*eparab"l"ty cla!se"t states that "f any pro)"s"on of the act "s declared "n)al"d, the rema"nder shall not be affected thereby. #t "s not controll"ng and the co!rts may "n)al"date the wholestat!te where what "s left, after the )o"d part, "s not complete and wor5able $res!mpt"on 4 stat!te "s effect")e as a whole "ts effectE to create "n the place of s!ch pres!mpt"on the oppos"te of separab"l"ty. PRESIDENTIAL ISSUANCES, RULES AND ORDINANCES$res"dent"al "ss!ancesare those wh"ch the pres"dent "ss!es "n the e(erc"se of ord"nance power. ".e. &', A' (adm"n"strat")e orders), proclamat"ons, .' (memorand!m orders), .+ (memorand!m c"rc!lars), and general or spec"al orders. Ba)e force and effect of laws. &' acts of the $res"dent pro)"d"ng for r!les of a general or permanent character "n the "mplementat"on or e(ec!t"on of const"t!t"onal> stat!tory powers. do not ha)e the force and effect of laws enacted by congress d"fferent from &' "ss!ed by the $res"dent "n the e( of her leg"slat")e power d!r"ng the re)ol!t"on $res"dent"al decree !nder the freedom const"t!t"on A' acts of the $res"dent wh"ch relate to part"c!lar aspects of go)ernmental operat"ons "n p!rs!ance of h"s d!t"es as adm"n"strat")e head $roclamat"ons acts of the $res"dent f"("ng a date or declar"ng a stat!te or cond"t"on of p!bl"c moment or "nterest, !pon the e("stence of wh"ch the operat"on of a spec"f"c law or reg!lat"on "s made to depend .' acts of the $res"dent on matters of adm"n"strat")e deta"ls or of s!bord"nate or temporary "nterest wh"ch only concern a part"c!lar off"cer or off"ce of go)ernment .+ acts of the pres"dent on matters relat"ng to "nternal adm"n"strat"on wh"ch the $res"dent des"res to br"ng to the attent"on of all or some of the departments, agenc"es, b!rea!s, or off"ces of the go)ernment, for "nformat"on of compl"ance General or *pec"f"c 'rder Acts and commands of the $res"dent "n h"s capac"ty as +ommander7"n7+h"ef of the A3$ *!preme +o!rt c"rc!larsI r!les and reg!lat"ons*ee Art terms $!rpose of ob6ect of constr!ct"on8he p!rpose "s to ascerta"n and g")e effect to the "ntent of thelaw. 8he ob6ect of all 6!d"c"al "nterpretat"on of a stat!te "s to determ"ne leg"slat")e "ntent, e"ther e(pressly or "mpl"edly, by the lang!age !sedI to determ"ne the mean"ng and w"ll of the law ma5"ng body and d"sco)er "ts tr!e "nterpretat"ons of law. Leg"slat")e "ntent, generallyL "s the essence of the law #ntent "s the sp"r"t wh"ch g")es l"fe to leg"slat")e enactment. #tm!st be enforced when ascerta"ned, altho!gh "t may not be cons"stent w"th the str"ct letter of the stat!te. #t has been held,howe)er, that that the ascerta"nment of leg"slat")e "ntent depend more on a determ"nat"on of the p!rpose and ob6ect of the law. #ntent"ssomet"mese2!atedw"ththeword Dsp"r"t. Alcantara, ,asbano, ,a!t"sta, Gaspay, #nfante, *ab"o 4 /+ ?01 "solated e(press"ons o +ons"der e)ery part "n !nderstand"ng the mean"ng of "tspart to prod!ce a harmon"o!s whole o .ean"ng of the law "s borne "n m"nd and not to be e(tracted from a s"ngle word o .ost "mportantE &)ery part of the stat!te m!st be "nterpreted w"th reference to the conte(t Aboiti' S*ipping Corp v. City of Ceb%%escr"bed that "f the words or phrases of stat!te be ta5en "nd")"d!ally "t m"ght con)ey a mean"ng d"fferent form the one "ntended by the a!thor. #nterpret"ng words or phrases separately may l"m"t the e(tent of the appl"cat"on of the pro)"s"on ,aanan v. /ntermediate Appe##ate Co%rt+ase of w"re tapp"ng 8here "s a pro)"s"on wh"ch states that D "t shall be !nlawf!l for any person, not be"ng a!thor"Ced by all the part"es to any pr")ate comm!n"cat"on or spo5en word to tapany w"re or cable or by !s"ng any other de)"ce or arrangement, to secretly o)erhear, "ntercept, or record s!ch comm!n"cat"on or spo5en word by !s"ng s!ch de)"ce commonly 5nown as d"ctagraphL#ss!eE whether the phrase de)"ce or arrangement "ncl!des party l"ne and e(tens"on *tatconE "t sho!ld not be constr!ed "n "solat"on. ather "t sho!ld be "nterpreted "n relat"on to the other words (tap, to o)erhear) th!s party l"ne or Alcantara, ,asbano, ,a!t"sta, Gaspay, #nfante, *ab"o 4 /+ ?01 telephone e(tens"on "s not "ncl!ded beca!se the words "n the pro)"s"on l"m"t "t to those that ha)e a phys"cal "nterr!pt"on thro!gh a w"retap or the del"berate "nstallat"on of de)"ce to o)erhear. (emember the ma("m nosc"t!s a soc""s beca!se "n here they appl"ed an assoc"at"on w"th other words "n constr!"ng the "ntent"on or l"m"tat"on of the stat!te)+ationa# Tobacco Administration v. COA#ss!eE whether ed!cat"onal ass"stance g")en to "nd")"d!als pr"or to the enactment of A :19< sho!ld be cont"n!ed to be rece")edR BeldE Mes. $roper "nterpretat"on of sect"on/2 A :19< depends on the comb"nat"on of f"rst and second paragraph 3"rst sentence states that Ds!ch other add"t"onal compensat"on not otherw"se spec"f"ed as may be determ"ned by the %,. shall be deemed "ncl!ded "n the standard"Ced salary rates here"n prescr"bed.8he second sentence states Ds!ch other add"t"onalcompensat"on, whether "n cash or "n 5"nd, be"ng rece")ed by "nc!mbents only as of J!ly /, /0