Talaan ng mga Kaso

Filter by Subject

Text Search

There are 472 results on the current subject filter

Title	IDs & Reference #s	Background	Primary Holding	Subject Matter
Magallona vs. Ermita (16th August 2011)	AK124720 655 SCRA 476 , 671 Phil. 243 , G.R. No. 187167	The case arose from the need to update the Philippines' maritime baselines to comply with UNCLOS III. RA 9522 was enacted for this purpose, but it was challenged by the petitioners on constitutional grounds. The case reached the Supreme Court, which had to determine whether the new baselines law was consistent with the Philippine Constitution's definition of national territory.		Constitutional Law I
Megan Sugar Corporation vs. Regional Trial Court of Iloilo, Branch 68, Dumangas, Iloilo (1st June 2011)	AK127788 650 SCRA 100 , 665 Phil. 245 , G.R. No. 170352	New Frontier Sugar Corporation (NFSC) defaulted on a loan secured by real estate and chattel mortgages from Equitable PCI Bank (EPCIB). Due to financial difficulties, NFSC entered a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) allowing Central Iloilo Milling Corporation (CIMICO) to operate its sugar mill. Subsequently, EPCIB foreclosed on the mortgaged properties. CIMICO then entered into another MOA with Megan Sugar Corporation (MEGAN), transferring its operational rights and obligations concerning the sugar mill to MEGAN. This transfer occurred amidst ongoing litigation involving NFSC, CIMICO, and EPCIB.	A party that actively participates in court proceedings through counsel, allows its officer to accompany said counsel, receives court orders and pleadings without repudiating the counsel's authority, and seeks affirmative relief from the court, is estopped from later questioning the counsel's authority and the court's jurisdiction over it, especially after receiving unfavorable rulings.	Civil Procedure I
League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) vs. Commission on Elections (12th April 2011)	AK614037 663 Phil. 496 , G.R. No. 176951 , G.R. No. 177499 , G.R. NO. 178056	Congress enacted 16 individual Republic Acts ("Cityhood Laws") converting specific municipalities into cities, incorporating exemption clauses that excused them from the P100 million income requirement established by R.A. No. 9009, which had amended the Local Government Code (LGC). These municipalities had cityhood bills pending before R.A. No. 9009's enactment. The League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP), representing existing cities, challenged these laws as unconstitutional for violating the LGC requirement that cityhood criteria be uniform and stated within the LGC itself, and for violating the equal protection clause. This led to a protracted legal battle involving multiple, conflicting Supreme Court rulings on the laws' validity, culminating in the February 15, 2011 Resolution upholding the laws, which petitioners sought to reconsider in the motion addressed by this present Resolution.	The Court's February 15, 2011 Resolution, upholding the constitutionality of the 16 Cityhood Laws, is affirmed, as the petitioners' procedural arguments regarding finality and jurisdiction, and substantive arguments regarding violations of the Constitution (Art. X, Secs. 6 & 10) and the Equal Protection Clause, are without merit; the prior judgment declaring the laws unconstitutional had not attained finality due to timely filed and entertained motions.	Constitutional Law I Constitutional Law II Philosophy of Law Statutory Construction Equal Protection
Navarro vs. Ermita (12th April 2011)	AK213242 648 SCRA 400 , 663 Phil. 546 , G.R. No. 180050	Dinagat Islands was created as a province in 2006. Petitioners argued it violated LGC criteria for population (250,000) and land area (2,000 km²). After initial nullification by the Court in 2010, the case was reopened due to post-election implications for local officials, leading to the final validation of the province.	The Supreme Court ruled RA 9355 constitutional, exempting provinces composed of islands from the land area requirement under the LGC, and validated Dinagat Islands’ status as a province.	Statutory Construction
Yusay vs. Court of Appeals (6th April 2011)	AK797825 647 SCRA 269 , 662 Phil. 634 , G.R. No. 156684	Spouses Yusay owned land in Mandaluyong City, part of which they rented out. The City Council passed a resolution authorizing the City Mayor to initiate expropriation of the land for low-cost housing. The Yusays, fearing immediate action, filed certiorari and prohibition to annul the resolution.	Certiorari and prohibition do not lie to assail the issuance of a resolution by the Sanggunian Panglungsod authorizing expropriation because a resolution is a legislative act, not a judicial or quasi-judicial one. Furthermore, initiating expropriation requires an ordinance, not a resolution, under the Local Government Code.	Constitutional Law II
General vs. Urro (29th March 2011)	AK549891 646 SCRA 567 , 662 Phil. 132 , G.R. No. 191560	Then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo appointed several individuals to the NAPOLCOM, including General as an acting commissioner. Near the end of her term, she appointed Urro, de Guzman, and Escueta as permanent commissioners. General questioned these appointments, claiming they violated the ban on midnight appointments.	An acting appointee to a public office does not have the legal standing (cause of action) to file a quo warranto petition against a newly appointed individual to that same office. The court did not rule on the constitutionality of the new appointments.	Constitutional Law II
Alauya vs. Limbona (22nd March 2011)	AK081419 646 SCRA 1 , 661 Phil. 380 , A.M. No. SCC-98-4	The case arose from complaints lodged with the Office of the Court Administrator (OCA) against Judge Casan Ali Limbona of the 10th Shari'a Circuit Court, Tamparan, Lanao del Sur. The complaints alleged chronic absenteeism and, more significantly, that the judge had filed a certificate of candidacy as a party-list nominee for the Development Foundation of the Philippines (DFP) in the May 11, 1998 elections while remaining an active member of the judiciary and continuing to receive his judicial salary.	A sitting judge who files a certificate of candidacy for an elective office violates the constitutional prohibition against partisan political activity by civil servants, commits gross misconduct and dishonesty by continuing to perform judicial functions and receive salary thereafter, and is consequently deemed unfit to remain in the judiciary, warranting dismissal from service effective from the date of filing the CoC.	Constitutional Law I
Air Transportation Office vs. Ramos (23rd February 2011)	AK801657 644 SCRA 36 , 659 Phil. 104 , G.R. No. 159402	The Ramos spouses discovered that part of their land was being used by the ATO for the Loakan Airport. They agreed to sell the land to the ATO, but the ATO failed to pay. The Ramos spouses filed a lawsuit, and the lower courts ruled in their favor. The ATO appealed, invoking state immunity.	The ATO, as an agency engaged in proprietary functions, is not immune from suit and must compensate the Ramos spouses for the land used for the Loakan Airport.	Philosophy of Law
Gutierrez vs. The House of Representatives Committee on Justice, Hontiveros-Baraquel, et al. (15th February 2011)	AK949647 643 SCRA 198 , 660 Phil. 271 , G.R. No. 193459	Gutierrez faced two impeachment complaints filed 11 days apart in 2010. The House referred both to its Committee on Justice. Gutierrez argued this violated the constitutional prohibition against multiple proceedings within one year.	Impeachment proceedings are “initiated” when a complaint is filed and referred to the House Committee on Justice, triggering the constitutional one-year bar against subsequent proceedings.	Statutory Construction
Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority vs. Heirs of Estanislao Miñoza (2nd February 2011)	AK335523 641 SCRA 520 , 656 Phil. 537 , G.R. No. 186045	The dispute originated from the sale of two lots (Lots 986 and 991-A) owned by the late Estanislao Miñoza to the National Airports Corporation (NAC), MCIAA's predecessor, in the late 1940s/early 1950s for the Lahug Airport expansion project, which allegedly included an assurance that the original owners' heirs could repurchase the lots if they were no longer needed for that purpose. The airport expansion did not proceed, leading the purported heirs (represented by Leila Hermosisima) to seek reconveyance based on the alleged buy-back option over forty years later.	Intervention under Rule 19 requires a legal interest that is actual, substantial, material, direct, and immediate in the matter being litigated; it is not proper when it seeks to inject an independent controversy, would unduly delay or prejudice the adjudication of the original parties' rights, or change the nature of the action, especially when the intervenor's rights can be fully protected in a separate proceeding.	Civil Procedure I Intervention
Bayan Muna vs. Romulo (1st February 2011)	AK939314 641 SCRA 244 , 656 Phil. 246 , G.R. No. 159618	The case stems from the Philippines' signing of the Rome Statute establishing the ICC on December 28, 2000, followed by the execution of a bilateral Non-Surrender Agreement with the US on May 13, 2003 through an Exchange of Notes.	The Supreme Court upheld the validity of the RP-US Non-Surrender Agreement as a proper executive agreement that does not require Senate concurrence.	Philosophy of Law
Heirs of Domingo Valientes v. Hon. Reinerio (Abraham) B. Ramas, et al. (15th December 2010)	AK555963 653 Phil. 111 , G.R. No. 157852	The dispute originated from a parcel of land initially owned by Domingo Valientes under an Original Certificate of Title (OCT). In 1939, Valientes mortgaged the land to the spouses Belen. Later, the Belens allegedly used a forged "VENTA DEFINITIVA" to obtain a Transfer Certificate of Title (TCT No. T-5,427) in their names in 1969. Valientes' heirs attempted but failed to retrieve the property in the 1950s and filed an adverse claim in 1970. Upon the Belens' death, their heirs sold the property to respondent Vilma Minor, who currently possesses it. This led to conflicting legal actions initiated by both Minor (to cancel the adverse claim) and the Valientes heirs (to cancel the TCT and recover the property).	An action for reconveyance based on an implied or constructive trust, arising from property acquired through fraud (such as a forged deed leading to the issuance of a Torrens title), prescribes in ten (10) years from the date of the issuance of the certificate of title, if the plaintiff is not in possession of the property.	Civil Procedure I Motion
Ivler vs. Hon. Judge Modesto-San Pedro, et al. (17th November 2010)	AK093224 649 Phil. 478 , G.R. No. 172716	The case arose from a vehicular collision in August 2004 involving petitioner Jason Ivler and the vehicle of respondent Evangeline Ponce and her husband, Nestor C. Ponce. This incident led to injuries to Evangeline Ponce, the death of Nestor C. Ponce, and damage to the Ponces' vehicle.	A prior conviction for a quasi-offense under Article 365 of the Revised Penal Code, such as Reckless Imprudence Resulting in Slight Physical Injuries, bars a subsequent prosecution for another quasi-offense, like Reckless Imprudence Resulting in Homicide and Damage to Property, if both arise from the same act of reckless imprudence, because reckless imprudence is a single offense and prosecuting its multiple consequences separately violates the constitutional right against double jeopardy.	Criminal Law II Reckless Imprudence
Espina vs. Zamora (21st September 2010)	AK922354 631 SCRA 17 , 645 Phil. 269 , G.R. No. 143855	Prior to R.A. 8762, Republic Act No. 1180 (Retail Trade Nationalization Act) enacted in 1954 absolutely prohibited foreign nationals and corporations from engaging in the retail trade business in the Philippines. R.A. 8762, signed into law in 2000, expressly repealed R.A. 1180 and liberalized the retail trade sector by allowing foreign investment under specific capitalization thresholds and categories, prompting constitutional challenges based on economic nationalism principles enshrined in the 1987 Constitution.	Republic Act No. 8762 (Retail Trade Liberalization Act of 2000) is constitutional; the constitutional provisions on developing a self-reliant and independent national economy effectively controlled by Filipinos (Art. II, Sec. 19) and related state policies are not self-executing commands imposing a Filipino monopoly, but rather guiding principles, and Congress has the discretion under the Constitution (Art. XII, Sec. 10) to determine when and how to regulate or allow foreign investments in the national interest, including in the retail trade sector.	Constitutional Law II Due Process
Pormento vs. Estrada (31st August 2010)	AK528121 629 SCRA 530 , 643 Phil. 735 , G.R. No. 191988	The case centered on the interpretation of the constitutional provision prohibiting presidential reelection, specifically as it applied to former President Joseph Estrada's attempt to run for president again in 2010, having previously served as president from 1998.	The Supreme Court dismissed the petition due to mootness, as there was no longer an actual case or controversy to resolve after Estrada lost the 2010 presidential election.	Constitutional Law I
Lokin, Jr. vs. Commission on Elections (22nd June 2010)	AK434539 621 SCRA 385 , 635 Phil. 372 , G.R. Nos. 179431-32 , G.R. No. 180443	CIBAC submitted its list of nominees for the 2007 elections, which included Lokin as the second nominee. Subsequently, CIBAC's president filed an amended list replacing Lokin and others with new nominees. COMELEC relied on Section 13 of Resolution No. 7804 to approve this substitution. Lokin challenged the substitution and sought to be proclaimed as CIBAC's second nominee.	The Supreme Court ruled that Section 13 of COMELEC Resolution No. 7804 was invalid to the extent it allowed a party to unilaterally change or substitute its nominees after submission of the list to the COMELEC. The statutory grounds for substitution under R.A. No. 7941 are exclusive.	Statutory Construction
Commissioner of Internal Revenue vs. Kudos Metal Corporation (5th May 2010)	AK209769 620 SCRA 232 , 634 Phil. 314 , G.R. No. 178087	The BIR issued deficiency tax assessments against Kudos Metal Corporation for 1998 on September 26, 2003, after conducting an audit prompted by suspected tax fraud. The corporation contested these assessments, arguing they were issued beyond the three-year prescriptive period under the Tax Code.	The government’s right to assess taxes prescribed because the waivers executed to extend the three-year assessment period were invalid due to procedural defects.	Statutory Construction
Fuentes vs. Roca (21st April 2010)	AK735315 633 Phil. 9 , G.R. No. 178902	Sabina Tarroza sold a 358-square meter lot to her son, Tarciano T. Roca, in 1982. Tarciano did not immediately transfer the title to his name. In 1988, Tarciano, who was estranged from his wife Rosario Gabriel Roca, offered to sell this lot to petitioners Manuel and Leticia Fuentes. The property was conjugal, acquired during Tarciano and Rosario's marriage in 1950.	A sale of conjugal property made after the effectivity of the Family Code, without the written consent of the other spouse, is void, and the action to declare its inexistence does not prescribe; the heirs of the non-consenting spouse can bring such action.	Obligations and Contracts
Ang Ladlad LGBT Party vs. COMELEC (8th April 2010)	AK675246 618 SCRA 32 , 632 Phil. 32 , G.R. No. 190582	The case arose from the COMELEC's refusal to accredit Ang Ladlad, an organization representing the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community, as a party-list organization eligible to participate in the Philippine legislative elections under Republic Act No. 7941 (Party-List System Act).	The COMELEC cannot disqualify a party-list applicant based on religious or moral grounds lacking a clear secular justification, as doing so violates the non-establishment clause, the equal protection clause, and the rights to freedom of expression and association; moral disapproval alone is not a legitimate state interest sufficient to justify infringing upon these fundamental rights.	Constitutional Law II Philosophy of Law Equal Protection
Reyes-Mesugas vs. Reyes (22nd March 2010)	AK071678 616 SCRA 345 , 630 Phil. 334 , G.R. No. 174835	Petitioner Anita Reyes-Mesugas and respondent Alejandro A. Reyes are siblings and heirs of Lourdes Aquino Reyes, who died intestate leaving several properties, including a lot covered by TCT No. 24475. Respondent initiated proceedings for the settlement of Lourdes' estate, which eventually led to a compromise agreement partitioning the estate among the heirs.	A notice of lis pendens annotated in connection with an estate settlement proceeding should be cancelled when the proceeding has terminated by virtue of a judicially approved compromise agreement, and the basis for its continued annotation is an alleged extraneous agreement that falls outside the limited jurisdiction of the probate court.	Civil Procedure I
Intestate Estate of Manolita Gonzales Vda. De Carungcong vs. People, et al. (11th February 2010)	AK055613 612 SCRA 272 , 626 Phil. 177 , G.R. No. 181409	Mediatrix Carungcong, administratrix of her mother Manolita’s estate, accused her brother-in-law William Sato of estafa for fraudulently inducing Manolita (blind and elderly) to sign a falsified Special Power of Attorney (SPA) to sell her properties. Lower courts dismissed the case based on Article 332’s exemption for relatives by affinity.	The Court reversed lower court rulings, holding that while affinity survives death, William Sato was not exempt from criminal liability for the complex crime of estafa through falsification.	Statutory Construction
Soriano vs. People (1st February 2010)	AK193031 625 Phil. 33 , G.R. No. 162336	The Office of Special Investigation (OSI) of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) transmitted a letter with five affidavits to the Department of Justice (DOJ), alleging that Hilario P. Soriano, then president of the Rural Bank of San Miguel (Bulacan), Inc. (RBSM), orchestrated a fraudulent P8 million loan. The loan appeared in the name of spouses Enrico and Amalia Carlos, who denied applying for or receiving it. It was alleged that Soriano ordered, facilitated, and received the loan proceeds without board authorization or proper reporting, using an unsuspecting depositor's name.	A bank officer violates the DOSRI law (Section 83 of RA 337) when he acquires bank funds for his personal benefit, even if such acquisition was facilitated by a fraudulent loan application using a third party's name; such fraudulent acquisition does not negate the "indirect borrowing" and can concurrently constitute the crime of estafa through falsification of commercial documents, as the officer holds the funds in a fiduciary capacity and misappropriates them.	Criminal Law II Estafa
Sps. Tongson vs. Emergency Pawnshop Bula, Inc., et al. (15th January 2010)	AK781820 624 Phil. 146 , G.R. No. 167874	The dispute arose from an agreement for the sale of a 364-square meter parcel of land in Davao City by the Spouses Tongson to Danilo R. Napala for P3,000,000. The transaction involved the execution of a Deed of Absolute Sale indicating a lower consideration, a partial cash payment, and a postdated check for the substantial balance, which was subsequently dishonored.	Fraud committed during the consummation stage of a contract of sale, such as the issuance of a worthless check for payment, does not constitute causal fraud (dolo causante) that vitiates consent and annuls the contract; rather, it is incidental fraud (dolo incidente) and a substantial breach of the buyer's obligation to pay, which entitles the seller to rescind the contract under Article 1191 of the Civil Code.	Obligations and Contracts
Office of the Solicitor General vs. Ayala Land (18th September 2009)	AK679178 600 SCRA 617 , 616 Phil. 587 , G.R. No. 177056	The case arose from a Senate investigation into the legality of shopping malls charging parking fees. The Senate Committees concluded that charging parking fees was contrary to the National Building Code and recommended the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) to enjoin the practice. Subsequently, the OSG filed a petition seeking to prohibit mall operators from collecting parking fees, arguing that the National Building Code impliedly mandates free parking.	Shopping mall operators cannot be legally compelled to provide free parking spaces to their patrons and the general public under the National Building Code and its Implementing Rules and Regulations.	Constitutional Law II
Pobre vs. Defensor-Santiago (25th August 2009)	AK600796 597 SCRA 1 , A.C. No. 7399	The case arose following Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago's privilege speech on the Senate floor where she expressed extreme frustration and used insulting language directed at the Supreme Court and its members, particularly then Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban, after the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) effectively excluded non-incumbent justices, like herself, from nomination for the position of Chief Justice.	Statements made by a Senator during a Senate speech, even if offensive and violative of a lawyer's ethical duties towards the courts, are covered by parliamentary immunity under Article VI, Section 11 of the Constitution and cannot be the basis for disciplinary action by the Court, although such immunity is intended for the benefit of the legislative institution and the people, not for personal attacks.	Constitutional Law I
Jacinto vs. People (13th July 2009)	AK482641 610 Phil. 100 , G.R. No. 162540	The case originated from an employer-employee relationship where the petitioner, a collector for Mega Foam International Inc., was entrusted with receiving payments from customers. The dispute arose when a check payment collected by the petitioner was not remitted to the company but was instead deposited into an account linked to her family and was subsequently dishonored, leading to accusations of theft with grave abuse of confidence.	The taking of a worthless check, even with intent to gain and grave abuse of confidence, constitutes an impossible crime under Article 4, paragraph 2, in relation to Article 59 of the Revised Penal Code, because the inherent lack of value in the check at the time of taking makes the consummation of theft factually impossible.	Criminal Law II Impossible Crime
Matthews vs. Taylor (22nd June 2009)	AK576607 590 SCRA 394 , 608 Phil. 193 , G.R. No. 164584	Benjamin Taylor, a British citizen, and Joselyn Taylor, a Filipina, were married. Joselyn purchased a property in Boracay using funds allegedly provided by Benjamin and developed it into a resort. Later, without Benjamin's express consent, Joselyn leased the property to Philip Matthews. Benjamin filed a case to nullify the lease agreement arguing it was void without his consent as the property was community property and his funds were used for its acquisition.	The Agreement of Lease between Joselyn Taylor and Philip Matthews is valid because Benjamin Taylor, the alien husband, has no legal right to nullify the lease on property exclusively owned by his Filipino wife. Aliens are constitutionally prohibited from owning land in the Philippines, thus Benjamin's claim of ownership or need for consent is without legal basis.	Property and Land Law
In Re: Petition for Adoption of Michelle P. Lim, et al. (21st May 2009)	AK982276 588 SCRA 98 , 606 Phil. 82 , G.R. Nos. 168992-93	Monina and her late husband Primo Lim raised three abandoned children (including Michelle and Michael) as their own, simulating their births. After Primo’s death, Monina remarried an American citizen, Angel Olario. She later sought to legitimize the children’s status through adoption under RA 8552’s amnesty provision for simulated births.	Married individuals must adopt jointly under RA 8552; exceptions do not apply here, so the petitions were correctly dismissed.	Statutory Construction
Soriano vs. Laguardia (29th April 2009)	AK448960 587 SCRA 79 , 605 Phil. 43 , G.R. No. 164785	Eliseo Soriano, host of "Ang Dating Daan," made offensive remarks about Michael Sandoval and the Iglesia ni Cristo on his television program. This led to complaints filed with the MTRCB, which subsequently issued a preventive suspension and later a three-month suspension on Soriano. Soriano challenged these actions in the Supreme Court, arguing that they violated his right to freedom of expression.		Constitutional Law I
Deutsche Gesellschaft Für Technische Zusammenarbeit vs. Court of Appeals (16th April 2009)	AK268315 585 SCRA 150 , 603 Phil. 150 , G.R. No. 152318	The case revolves around the employment dispute between GTZ and its former employees who worked on the SHINE project. After their dismissal, the employees filed a complaint for illegal dismissal. GTZ claimed immunity from suit as an implementing agency of the German government. The Labor Arbiter ruled in favor of the employees, and GTZ sought to challenge this decision through various legal channels, ultimately reaching the Supreme Court.		Constitutional Law I
Manubay, et al. vs. Sec. Garilao (16th April 2009)	AK319606 603 Phil. 135 , G.R. No. 140717	The case revolves around a 124-hectare parcel of land in Barrio Cadlan, Pili, Camarines Sur, owned by the petitioners. In 1994, this property was placed under the coverage of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) by the Municipal Agrarian Reform Officer (MARO). Subsequently, the petitioners applied for the conversion of this land from agricultural to residential/commercial use, which was denied by the DAR, leading to this legal dispute.	An application for land conversion can be validly denied if the subject property has already been placed under the coverage of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) prior to the application, and a party aggrieved by a DAR Secretary's decision must first exhaust available administrative remedies, such as an appeal to the Office of the President as provided by DAR rules, before resorting to a petition for certiorari in court, unless grave abuse of discretion is clearly shown and no other plain, speedy, and adequate remedy exists.	Constitutional Law I
Geologistic, Inc. vs. Gateway Electronics Corporation (25th March 2009)	AK146267 582 SCRA 434 , G.R. Nos. 174256-57	Geologistics, Inc. sought to recover unpaid fees from Gateway Electronics Corporation for freight forwarding services, amounting to ₱4,769,954.32 plus interest and damages. The RTC ruled in favor of Geologistics, and the petitioner moved for execution pending appeal. Gateway Electronics and its surety, First Lepanto-Taisho Insurance Corp., filed separate petitions to annul the execution orders, which the Court of Appeals granted.	The Supreme Court ruled that the RTC lacked sufficient justification for ordering execution pending appeal, considering the unresolved issues of liability and the absence of compelling "good reasons."	Statutory Construction
Ruby Shelter Builders and Realty Development Corporation vs. Formaran III (10th February 2009)	AK620041 578 SCRA 283 , 598 Phil. 105 , G.R. No. 175914	Petitioner Ruby Shelter Builders and Realty Development Corporation obtained a loan of P95,700,620.00 from respondents Romeo Y. Tan and Roberto L. Obiedo, secured by real estate mortgages over five parcels of land. Upon petitioner's inability to pay, a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was executed, granting an extension and providing for the execution of Deeds of Absolute Sale by way of dacion en pago for the mortgaged properties if the debt remained unpaid by December 31, 2005. The MOA also included redemption prices for the properties.	An action, although ostensibly for the annulment of deeds of sale, is considered a real action if its ultimate objective is the recovery of title to or possession of real property, and the docket fees must be computed based on the fair market value of the property as stated in Section 7(a) of Rule 141 of the Rules of Court, as amended.	Civil Procedure I
Rufloe vs. Burgos (30th January 2009)	AK442785 577 SCRA 264 , 597 Phil. 261 , G.R. No. 143573	The case stems from a property originally owned by the Rufloe spouses. A Deed of Sale was forged, purportedly signed by the Rufloes, transferring the property to Elvira Delos Reyes. Delos Reyes then sold the property to the Burgos siblings, who later sold it to their aunt, Leonarda Burgos. The Rufloes filed a case to nullify these transactions, claiming forgery and asserting their continued ownership.	The respondents, including the Burgos siblings and Leonarda Burgos, were not innocent purchasers for value. Consequently, they did not acquire a valid title to the property despite relying on Transfer Certificates of Title derived from a forged Deed of Sale. The original title of the Rufloe spouses was reinstated.	Property and Land Law
White Light Corporation vs City of Manila (20th January 2009)	AK433804 576 SCRA 416 , 596 Phil. 444 , G.R. No. 122846	The City of Manila enacted an ordinance seeking to regulate public morals by prohibiting short-time rates in establishments often associated with illicit activities. Several businesses challenged the ordinance, arguing it infringed upon their rights and the rights of their customers. The case highlights the tension between government's power to regulate for public welfare and individual rights to liberty and privacy.	Manila City Ordinance No. 7774, which prohibits short-time admission and wash-up rates in hotels and motels, is unconstitutional as it violates the due process clause of the Constitution.	Constitutional Law II Police Power
Laurel vs. Judge Abrogar (13th January 2009)	AK193690 596 Phil. 45 , G.R. No. 155076	The case arose from allegations that the petitioner, Luis Marcos P. Laurel, along with others, engaged in International Simple Resale (ISR). ISR is a method of routing and completing international long distance calls using a telecommunication company's lines, cables, antennae, and/or air wave frequency, connecting directly to local or domestic exchange facilities, thereby bypassing the official international gateway of the telecommunication company and depriving it of revenue.	The business of providing telecommunication and the telephone service itself are personal properties capable of appropriation and can be the subject of theft under Article 308 of the Revised Penal Code; the act of International Simple Resale (ISR), which involves unauthorized routing of international calls using a telecommunication company's facilities, constitutes unlawful taking (subtraction) of such business and service.	Criminal Law II
Garcillano vs. House of Representatives Committees on Public Information, Public Order and Safety, National Defense and Security, Information and Communications Technology, and Suffrage and Electoral Reforms (23rd December 2008)	AK565763 575 SCRA 170 , 595 Phil. 775 , G.R. No. 170338	The controversy arose from the release of wiretapped recordings allegedly involving then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and a Commission on Elections official discussing electoral manipulation. These tapes became a subject of public and legislative scrutiny, with both Houses of Congress initiating separate inquiries.	The Supreme Court dismissed the first petition (G.R. No. 170338) for being moot and academic but granted the second petition (G.R. No. 179275), prohibiting the Senate from conducting its legislative inquiry due to a lack of duly published procedural rules as required by the Constitution.	Constitutional Law II
Province of North Cotabato vs. Government of the Republic of the Philippines Peace Panel on Ancestral Domain (GRP) (14th October 2008)	AK025291 568 SCRA 402 , 589 Phil. 387 , G.R. No. 183591 , G.R. No. 183752 , G.R. No. 183893 , G.R. No. 183951 , G.R. No. 183962	The MOA-AD was a proposed agreement aimed at resolving the armed conflict in Mindanao by expanding the autonomous region and granting significant powers to the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity (BJE). However, concerns arose regarding the lack of transparency and potential constitutional violations.	The Supreme Court declared the MOA-AD unconstitutional due to violations of the right to information, lack of public consultation, and provisions that exceeded the government's authority and contradicted the Constitution and existing laws.	Constitutional Law I Constitutional Law II Philosophy of Law
Securities and Exchange Commission vs. Interport Resources Corporation (6th October 2008)	AK516001 567 SCRA 354 , 588 Phil. 651 , G.R. No. 135808	In 1994, IRC entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with Ganda Holdings Berhad (GHB) to acquire 100% of Ganda Energy Holdings, Inc. (GEHI). IRC also planned to acquire 67% of Philippine Racing Club, Inc. (PRCI). The SEC alleged that IRC failed to disclose these negotiations promptly and that some directors traded IRC shares using insider information. The SEC initiated an investigation, but the Court of Appeals issued an injunction, halting the SEC's actions.	The Supreme Court held that the SEC has the authority to investigate violations of the Revised Securities Act, and the absence of implementing rules does not render the provisions of the Act ineffective. The Court also ruled that the SEC's investigation interrupted the prescription period for filing charges.	Philosophy of Law
Abakada Guro Party List vs. Purisima (14th August 2008)	AK884230 562 SCRA 251 , 584 Phil. 246 , G.R. No. 166715	RA 9335 was enacted to improve the revenue collection performance of the BIR and BOC by creating a rewards and incentives fund and a Revenue Performance Evaluation Board. The law provides rewards for exceeding revenue targets and sanctions for failing to meet them. Petitioners, representing the Abakada Guro Party List, filed a petition challenging the constitutionality of the law, arguing that it violated several constitutional principles.	The Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of RA 9335, except for Section 12, which created the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee. The Court ruled that the oversight committee violated the separation of powers doctrine.	Statutory Construction
In the Matter of the Allegations Contained in the Columns of Mr. Amado P. Macasaet Published in Malaya Dated September 18, 19, 20 and 21, 2007 (8th August 2008)	AK206148 583 Phil. 391 , A.M. No. 07-09-13-SC	Amado Macasaet, a columnist for the newspaper Malaya, published a series of articles in September 2007 alleging that a Supreme Court Justice had received bribes in connection with a case involving a Filipino-Chinese businessman. The articles were based on information from confidential sources and claimed that five boxes containing ₱10 million were delivered to the Court. The Court initiated contempt proceedings against Macasaet for publishing unverified allegations that damaged the Court's reputation.	The Supreme Court held that Amado Macasaet was guilty of indirect contempt for publishing false and baseless allegations of bribery within the Court, which tended to degrade the administration of justice.	Philosophy of Law
Figueroa vs. People (14th July 2008)	AK461685 558 SCRA 63 , 580 Phil. 58 , G.R. No. 147406	The case arose from a criminal information for reckless imprudence resulting in homicide filed against the petitioner, Venancio Figueroa y Cervantes. The core issue that reached the Supreme Court revolved around whether the petitioner was barred by estoppel by laches from questioning the jurisdiction of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) which tried and convicted him, given that he only raised the jurisdictional challenge for the first time during his appeal to the Court of Appeals.	A litigant is not estopped by laches from assailing the jurisdiction of a trial court over the subject matter for the first time on appeal if the challenge is made without unreasonable delay and the factual circumstances do not mirror the exceptional scenario of _Tijam v. Sibonghanoy_, where the jurisdictional challenge was raised only after almost 15 years. The general rule that a court's lack of jurisdiction may be raised at any stage of the proceedings, even on appeal, prevails, as jurisdiction is conferred by law and cannot be vested by consent or waiver of the parties.	Civil Procedure I
Gobenciong vs. Court of Appeals (31st March 2008)	AK728096 550 SCRA 502 , 573 Phil. 613 , G.R. No. 159883	Dr. Pedro Gobenciong, an administrative officer at a regional hospital, was administratively charged for falsification of public documents and misconduct related to the allegedly anomalous purchase of a hemoanalyzer, leading to preventive suspension and subsequent disciplinary action by the Ombudsman.	The Supreme Court held that the Ombudsman's preventive suspension orders are immediately executory, the Ombudsman's disciplinary authority is not merely recommendatory but includes ensuring compliance, and RA 6770 does not constitute an unconstitutional delegation of authority or violate the equal protection clause.	Constitutional Law II Due Process
Chavez vs. Gonzales, et al. (15th February 2008)	AK123614 569 Phil. 155 , G.R. No. 168338	The case arose from the political controversy surrounding the "Hello Garci" tapes, which allegedly contained a wiretapped phone conversation between then-President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and a high-ranking COMELEC official, purportedly discussing the rigging of the 2004 national election results. Following the public emergence of these tapes, the Secretary of Justice and the NTC issued warnings to the media against their dissemination, citing potential violations of the Anti-Wiretapping Act and program standards for broadcast media.	Governmental warnings or press statements made by officials in their official capacity that threaten sanctions for the publication or broadcast of specific content, without satisfying the clear and present danger test, constitute an unconstitutional prior restraint on freedom of speech and of the press.	Constitutional Law II Freedom of Expression
Heirs of Marcelino Doronio vs. Heirs of Fortunato Doronio (27th December 2007)	AK570269 541 SCRA 479 , 565 Phil. 766 , G.R. No. 169454	Spouses Simeon Doronio and Cornelia Gante owned a parcel of land covered by Original Certificate of Title No. 352. They had children, including Marcelino and Fortunato Doronio. Simeon and Cornelia executed a private deed of donation propter nuptias in favor of Marcelino and his wife Veronica Pico. The description in the deed of donation differed slightly from OCT No. 352 regarding adjacent property owners. Petitioners, heirs of Marcelino, registered the deed through a petition case without naming respondents, heirs of Fortunato, leading to a new TCT in their predecessor's name, covering the entire property. Respondents contested this, claiming only half was intended for donation and the donation was invalid.	The private deed of donation propter nuptias of real property executed in 1919 under the Old Civil Code is void for not being in a public instrument; therefore, it conveyed no title.	Property and Land Law
Garcia vs. Social Security Commission Legal and Collection (17th December 2007)	AK000744 540 SCRA 456 , 565 Phil. 193 , G.R. No. 170735	Impact Corporation, a manufacturer of aluminum tube containers, experienced financial difficulties in 1978, leading to labor unrest and eventual cessation of operations. Despite collecting SSS contributions from its employees, the company failed to remit them. The SSS pursued legal actions to recover the unremitted contributions.	The Supreme Court upheld that as the only surviving director of the now-dissolved Impact Corporation, Immaculada L. Garcia was liable for unpaid Social Security System (SSS) contributions and penalties imposed under the Social Security Law.	Statutory Construction
Manotok Realty, Inc. vs. CLT Realty Development Corporation (14th December 2007)	AK258876 540 SCRA 304 , 565 Phil. 59 , G.R. No. 123346 , G.R. No. 134385	The dispute centers on ownership claims over portions of the vast Maysilo Estate, all purportedly originating from OCT No. 994. Conflicting claims arose between Manotok Realty and Manotok Estate Corporation versus CLT Realty Development Corporation in one case, and Araneta Institute of Agriculture, Inc. versus the Heirs of Jose B. Dimson in the other. These cases reached the Supreme Court after conflicting decisions in the lower courts and the Court of Appeals concerning the validity of the parties' titles. Prior Supreme Court decisions in MWSS v. Court of Appeals and Gonzaga v. Court of Appeals had previously addressed claims emanating from OCT No. 994, but inconsistencies and new factual evidence necessitated a re-examination.	The Supreme Court remanded the consolidated cases to a Special Division of the Court of Appeals to conduct further proceedings and factually determine which of the contending parties' titles, if any, are validly derived from the genuine Original Certificate of Title No. 994 registered on May 3, 1917, and to resolve other factual issues crucial to determining rightful land ownership. Titles purportedly derived from a non-existent OCT No. 994 dated April 19, 1917 are declared void.	Property and Land Law
Heirs of Marcelina Arzadon-Crisologo vs. Rañon (5th September 2007)	AK869857 532 SCRA 391 , 559 Phil. 169 , G.R. No. 171068	Agrifina Rañon filed a complaint against spouses Montemayor to quiet title over a residential lot, claiming ownership based on long and continuous possession since 1962. The Heirs of Arzadon-Crisologo intervened, asserting their rights as successors-in-interest of the original owners and claiming that Rañon's possession was not in good faith and did not ripen into ownership. The spouses Montemayor were later dropped as parties as they had repurchased the property from the Arzadons. The Municipal Circuit Trial Court (MCTC) initially ruled in favor of the Arzadon heirs, but the Regional Trial Court (RTC) reversed this decision, favoring the Rañons through acquisitive prescription. The Court of Appeals affirmed the RTC’s decision.	The respondents, Heirs of Agrifina Rañon, validly acquired ownership of the subject property through extraordinary acquisitive prescription because they demonstrated continuous, peaceful, public, notorious, uninterrupted, and adverse possession in the concept of an owner for over thirty years.	Property and Land Law
Commissioner of Internal Revenue vs. Primetown Property Group, Inc (28th August 2007)	AK667689 531 SCRA 436 , 558 Phil. 182 , G.R. No. 162155	Primetown Property Group, a real estate company, suffered losses in 1997 due to the Asian Financial Crisis and sought a refund for overpaid quarterly income taxes. The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) delayed acting on the claim, leading to a judicial dispute.	The two-year prescriptive period under Section 229 of the National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC) must be computed as 24 calendar months under the Administrative Code, not 730 days under the Civil Code.	Statutory Construction
Cemco Holdings, Inc. vs. National Life Insurance Company of the Philippines, Inc. (7th August 2007)	AK555743 529 SCRA 355 , 556 Phil. 198 , G.R. NO. 171815	Cemco Holdings acquired shares in Union Cement Holdings Corporation (UCHC), a non-listed company holding 60.51% of Union Cement Corporation (UCC), a publicly listed firm. This indirect acquisition increased Cemco’s beneficial ownership in UCC from 17.03% to 53%. National Life Insurance, a minority UCC shareholder, demanded Cemco comply with the Mandatory Tender Offer Rule. After Cemco refused, National Life filed a complaint with the SEC.	The Supreme Court affirmed that the Mandatory Tender Offer Rule under the Securities Regulation Code applies to indirect acquisitions of shares in a publicly listed company, protecting minority shareholders. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) had jurisdiction to order Cemco Holdings to conduct a tender offer after it acquired indirect control of Union Cement Corporation (UCC) through purchasing shares in its holding company.	Statutory Construction