MANILA LAW COLLEGE
Public Corporations
(SUMMER CLASS 2021)
by: Atty. John Y. Ong
SYLLABUS
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
1. Learn the basic provisions of the Local Government Code of 1991 as well as provisions of
the Constitution relative to the principles of local autonomy; and
2. Know and familiarize doctrinal rulings of the Supreme Court, including the latest
jurisprudence concerning interpretations of the provisions of the Local Government Code of
1991.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS: Students of the course must take the Midterm and Final
Examinations and obtain a passing semestral grade which is based on the aforementioned
examinations and a satisfactory class standing based on attendance, recitations, submission of
assignments and class participation.
I. General Principles
A. Corporation
1. Definition
2. Classification
3. Criterion to determinate Public Corporation
4. Classes of Public Corporations
Cases:
Liban v. Gordon (G.R No. 175352, 18 January 2011, 654 PHIL 680-738)
Boy Scouts of the Phil. v. COA (G.R No. 177131, [June 7, 2011], 666 PHIL 140-224)
Philippine Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals v. Commission on Audit,
et al. (G.R No. 169752, 25 September 2007)
The Province of North Cotabato v. the Gov. of the Republic of the Phils. Peace
Panel (G.R No. 183591, 14 October 2008)
Read: Newspaper articles of Fr. Joaquin Bernas, former Chief Justice Artemio
Panganiban and Atty. Raul Pangalanan on the GPH-MILF Framework
Agreement on the Bangsamoro Proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL)
B. Principles of Local Autonomy
1. Principle of Local Authority (Section 25, Article II and Section 2, Article X of
the 1987 Constitution)
Cases:
Basco v. PAGCOR (G.R. No. 91649, May 14, 1991) Lina v. Pano
(G.R. No. 129093, August 30, 2001) Limbona v. Mangelin (G.R. No.
80391, February 28,1989) Disomangcop v. Datumanong (G.R. No.
149848, 25 November 2004)
Batangas CATV, Inc. v. Court of Appeals (G.R. No. 138810, 29 September 2004)
2. Power of the President over LGUs (Sec. 4, Art. X 1987 Constitution)
Cases:
Judge Dadole v. Commission on Audit (G.R. No. 125350, December 3, 2002)
Pimentel v. Aguirre, et al. (G.R. No. 132988, July 19, 2000), in relation to Secs.
284-294, LGC.
Province of Batangas v. Romulo (G.R. No. 152774, 27 May 2004)
ACORD v. Zamora (G.R. No. 144256, 08 June 2005)
Kida v. Senate of the Philippines (G.R. No. 196271, 18 October 2011; and
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Resolution dated 28 February 2012)
Gov. Villafuerte, Jr. and Prov. of Camsur v. Robredo (G.R. No. 195390, 10
December 2014)
C. Municipal Corporations (a.k.a. Local Government Units [LGUs])
1. Elements
2. Dual Nature and Functions
3. Municipal Corporations/LGUs in the Philippines ( Section 1, Article X,
Constitution)
D. Creation and Alternation of Municipal Corporations /LGUs
Cases:
Sema v. Comelec (G.R. No. 177597, 16 July 2008)
League of Cities of the Philippines v. Comelec (G.R. No. 176951, 18 November
2008; 21, December 2009; 24 August 2010 and 15 February 2011)
Navarro v. Ermita, (G.R. No. 180050, 10 February 2010 and Resolution dated 12
April 2011; Min. Res., G.R. No. 180050, Navarro v. Executive Secretary
Ermita, September 11, 2012)
Miranda v. Aguirre (G.R. No. 133064, 16 September 1999)
Samson v. Aguirre (G.R. No. 133076, 22 September 1999)
Alvarez v. Guingona (G.R. No. 118303, 31 January 1996)
Mariano v. COMELEC (G.R. No. 118577, 07 March 1995)
Cawaling Jr. v. COMELEC ( G.R. No. 146319, October 26, 2001)
Aquino v. Comelec (G.R. No. 189793, 07 April 2010)
Tan v. Comelec (G.R. No. 73155, 11 July 1986)
E. The Local Government Code, as amended
1. Effectivity
2. Rules of Interpretation
II. General Powers and Attributes of LGUs
A. Sources of Powers
B. Governmental Powers
1. Police power aka General Welfare Clause ( Sec. 16, LGC)
Cases:
Dela Cruz v. Paras (G.R. Nos. L-42571-72, 25 July 1983)
Binay v. Domingo (G.R. No. 92389, 11 September 1991)
Tano v. Socrates (G.R. No. 110249, 21 August 1997)
White Light Corp. v. City of Manila (G.R. No. 122846, 20 January 2009)
Social Justice Society v. Atienza, G.R No. 156052. February 13, 2008; see also
Social Justice Society (SJS) Officers v. Lim/Atienza (G.R. No. 187836, 25
November 2014)
2. Taxing Power (cf., Local Taxation: Sec. 5 - 7, Art. X, Constitution; Secs. 128-196,
LGC)
Cases:
Manila International Airport Authority v. Court of Appeals (G.R. No. 155650,
20 July 2006)
Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority v. Marcos (G.R. No. 120082,
11, September 1996)
City Government of Quezon City v. Bayan Telecommunications, Inc. (G.R.
No. 162015, 06 March 2006)
Drilon v. Lim (G.R. No. 112497, 04 August 1994)
Batangas City v. Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. (G.R. No. 187631, 08 July
2015)
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3. Eminent Domain (Sec. 19, LGC; Sec. 9, Article III, Constitution; Rule 97, Rules of
Court)
Cases:
City Gov. of Quezon City v. Ericta (G.R. No. L-34915, 24 June
1983) City of Cebu v. Spouses Apolonio (G.R. No. 142971, 07 May
2002) Republic v. Court of Appeals (G.R. No. 146587, 02 July 2002)
4. Reclassification of Lands
Case: Department of Agrarian Reform v. Saranggani Agricultural Co., Inc. (G. R.
No.165547, 24 January 2007)
5. Closure and Opening of Roads (Sec. 21, LGC)
Cases:
Sangalang v. Intermediate Appellate Court (G.R. No. 71169, 25 August
1989) MMDA v. Bel Air Village Assoc. Inc. (G.R. No. 135962, 27 March
2000) Lucena Grand Central Terminal, Inc. v. JAC Liner, Inc. (G.R. No.
148339, 23 February 2005)
6. Legislative Power
(a) Requisites for valid ordinance
Cases: City of Manila v. Laguio, Jr. (G.R. No. 118127, 12 April 2005)
Social Justice Society v. Atienza (G.R. No. 156052, 13 Feb.2008)
(b) Local initiative and referendum
7. Authority over Police Units
Section 6, Article XVI of the 1987 Constitution
C. Corporate Powers
1. To have continuous succession in its corporate name
2. To sue and be sued
3. To have and use a corporate seal
4. To acquire and convey real or personal property
5. To enter into contracts
(a) Requisites
(b) Ultra vires contracts
III. Municipal Liability
A. Section 24, RA No. 7160
B. Liability for violation of law, contract, tort
C. Doctrine of implied municipal liability
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B. Elective Local Officials
1. Qualifications /Disqualifications
Jalosjos v. Comelec (G.R. No. 193237/193536, 09 October 2012)
Jalosjos v. Comelec (G.R. No. 205033, 18 June 2013)
Aratea v. Comelec (G.R. No. 195229, 09 October 2012) Japzon v.
Comelec (G.R. No. 180088, 19 January 2009) Sobejana-Condon
v. Comelec (G.R. No. 198742, 10 August 2012) Corodora v.
Comelec (G.R. No. 176947, 19 February 2008)
2. Manner and Date of Election
Kida v. Senate of the Philippines (supra)
3. Term of Office
Abundo v. Commission on Elections (G.R. No. 201716, 08 January 2013)
Borja v. Comelec (G.R. No. 133495, 03 September 1998)
Aldovino v. Comelec (G.R. No. 184836, 23 December 2009)
Adormeo v. Comelec (G.R No. 147927, 04 February 2002)
Socrates v. Comelec (G.R. No. 154512, 12 November 2002)
Latasa v. Comelec (G.R. No. 154829, 10 December 2003)
Ong v. Alegre (G.R. No. 163295, 23 January 2006)
Mendoza v. Comelec (G.R. No. 149736, 17 December 2002)
Rivera III v. Comelec (G.R. No. 167591, 09 May 2007) Dizon
v. Comelec (G.R. No. 182088, 30 January 2009) Bolos, Jr.
v. Comelec (G. R. No. 184082, 17 March 2009) Comelec v.
Cruz (G.R. No. 186616, 20 November 2009)
4. Rules on Succession
Talaga v. Comelec (G.R. No.196804, 09 October 2012)
Gamboa v. Aguirre (G.R. No. 134213, 20 July 1999)
5. Recall
6. Resignation
7. Discipline
(a) Grounds
(b) Jurisdiction
(c) Preventive suspension
(d) Removal
(e) Administrative appeal
Disciplinary Actions
A. Elective Local Officials (Secs. 60-68)
Cases: Ganzon v. Court of Appeals (200 SCRA 271)
Joson v. Torres (290 SCRA 279)
Salalima v. Guingona (257 SCRA 55)
Berces v. Executive Secretary (241 SCRA 539)
Malinao v. Reyes (256 SCRA 616)
Sanggunian Baranggay of Don Mariano Marcos v. Martinez (G.R. No.
170626, March 03, 2008)
Lingating v. COMELEC (G.R. No. 153478, November 13, 2002)
B. Secs. 13, 21 and 24, R.A. 6770
Cases: Hagad v. Gozo-Dadole ( G.R. No. 108072, December 12, 1995)
Office of the Ombudsman v. Rodriguez (G.R. No. 172700, July 23, 2010)
C. Sec. 13, R.A. 3019
Case: Talaga, Jr. v. Sandiganbayan (G.R. No. 169888, November 11, 2008)
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D. Secs. 51 and 52, Subtitle A, Title I, Book V of Executive Order No. 292 or the
Administrative Code of 1987
(f) Doctrine of condonation
Aguinaldo v. Santos (G.R. No. 94115,21 August 1992)
Salumbines, Jr. v. Office of the Ombudsman (G.R. No. 180917, 23 April 2010)
Ombudsman Carpio- Morales v. CA and Binay (G.R. Nos. 217126-27, 10 November
2015)
C. Appointive Local Officials
1. Responsibility for Human Resources and Development
2. Discipline (Secs. 84 – 88,LGC)
Cases:
De Rama v. CA (G.R. No. 131136, February 28, 2001)
Plaza v. CA (G.R. No. 138464, January 18, 2008)
Atienza v. Villarosa (G.R. No. 161081, 10 May 2005) People
v. Sandiganbayan (G.R. No. 164185, 23 July 2008) Sales v.
Carreon (G.R. No. 160791, 13 February 2007) Quirog v.
Aumentado (G.R. No. 163443, 11 November 2008)
Montuerto v. Ty (G.R. No. 177736, 06 October 2008)
V. Intergovernmental Relations
A. With the National Government and its agencies (read Sec. 11, Art. X, Constitution)
Cases:
MMDA v. Viron Transportation Co., Inc. (G.R. No. 170656, 15 August 2007)
MMDA v. Garin (G.R. No. 130230, April 15, 2005)
Province of Rizal v. Executive Secretary (G.R. No. 129546, 13 December 2005)
B. With other LGUs
VI. Local Initiatives and Referendum
A. Local Initiative
1. Definition
2. Procedure
3. Limitations
B. Local Referendum
1. Definition
References:
1. The 1987 Philippine Constitution – A Comprehensive Reviewer, Fr. Joaquin G. Bernas, S.J.
2.Outline Reviewer in Political Law, Justice Antonio B. Nachura
3. The Local Government Code of 1991 Annotated, Rufus B. Rodriguez
4. Public Corporations, Justice Ruperto G. Martin
NOTE: Additional reading materials, like Supreme Court cases, shall be announced
during classes.
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