COVERAGE

COVERAGEPOLITICAL AND INTERNATIONAL LAW

2015 BAR EXAMINATIONS

I. The Philippine Constitution

A. Constitution: definition, nature and conceptsB. PartsC. Amendments and revisionsD. Self-executing and non-self-executing provisionsE. General provisionsII. General Considerations

A. National territory1. Archipelagic doctrineB. State immunityC. General principles and state policiesD. Separation of powersE. Checks and balancesF. Delegation of powersG. Forms of governmentIII. Legislative Department

A. Who may exercise legislative power1. Congress2. Regional/Local legislative power3. Peoples initiative on statutesa) Initiative and referendum4. The President under a martial law rule or in a revolutionary governmentB. Houses of Congress1. Senate2. House of Representativesa) District representatives and questions of apportionmentb) Party-list systemC. Legislative privileges, inhibitions and disqualificationsD. Quorum and voting majoritiesE. Discipline of membersF. Electoral tribunals and the Commission on Appointments1. Nature2. PowersG. Powers of Congress1. Legislativea) Legislative inquiries and the oversight functionsb) Bicameral conference committeec) Limitations on legislative power(i) Limitations on revenue, appropriations and tariff measures(ii) Presidential veto and Congressional override2. Non-legislativea) Informing functionb) Power of impeachmentc) Other non-legislative powersIV. Executive Department

A. Privileges, inhibitions and disqualifications1. Presidential immunity2. Presidential privilegeB. Powers1. Executive and administrative powers in general2. Power of appointmenta) In generalb) Commission on Appointments confirmationc) Midnight appointmentsd) Power of removal3. Power of control and supervisiona) Doctrine of qualified political agencyb) Executive departments and officesc) Local government units4. Military powers5. Pardoning powera) Nature and limitationsb) Forms of executive clemency6. Diplomatic power7. Powers relative to appropriation measures8. Delegated powers9. Veto powers10. Residual powers11. Executive privilegeC. Rules of SuccessionV. Judicial Department

A. Concepts1. Judicial power2. Judicial reviewa) Operative fact doctrineb) Moot questionsc) Political question doctrineB. Safeguards of Judicial independenceC. Judicial restraintD. Appointments to the JudiciaryE. Supreme Court1. En banc and division cases2. Procedural rule-making3. Administrative supervision over lower courts4. Original and appellate jurisdictionF. Judicial privilegeVI. Constitutional Commissions

A. Constitutional safeguards to ensure independence of commissionsB. Powers and functions of each commissionC. Prohibited offices and interestsD. Jurisdiction of each constitutional commissionE. Review of final orders, resolutions and decisions1. Rendered in the exercise of quasi-judicial functions2. Rendered in the exercise of administrative functionsVII. Bill of Rights

A. Fundamental powers of the state (police power, eminent domain, taxation)1. Concept, application and limits2. Requisites for valid exercise3. Similarities and differences4. DelegationB. Private acts and the Bill of RightsC. Due process the rights to life, liberty and property1. Relativity of due process2. Procedural and substantive due process3. Constitutional and statutory due process4. Hierarchy of rights5. Judicial standards of review6. Void-for-vagueness doctrineD. Equal protection1. Concept2. Requisites for valid classification3. Standards of judicial reviewa) Rational Basis Testb) Strict Scrutiny Testc) Intermediate Scrutiny TestE. Searches and seizures1. Concept2. Warrant requirementa) Requisites3. Warrantless searches4. Warrantless arrests5. Administrative arrests6. Drug, alcohol and blood testsF. Privacy of communications and correspondence1. Private and public communications2. Intrusion, when allowed3. Writ of habeas dataG. Freedom of expression1. Concept and scopea) Prior restraint (censorship)b) Subsequent punishment2. Content-based and content-neutral regulationsa) Testsb) Applications3. Facial challenges and the overbreadth doctrine4. Tests5. State regulation of different types of mass media6. Commercial speech7. Private vs. government speech8. Hecklers vetoH. Freedom of religion1. Non-establishment clausea) Concept and basisb) Acts permitted and not permitted by the clausec) Test2. Free exercise clause3. Testsa) Clear and Present Danger Testb) Compelling State Interest Testc) Conscientious Objector TestI. Liberty of abode and freedom of movement1. Limitations2. Right to travela) Watch-list and hold departure orders3. Return to ones countryJ. Right to information1. Limitations2. Publication of laws and regulations3. Access to court records4. Right to information relative to:a) Government contract negotiationsb) Diplomatic negotiationsK. Right of associationL. Eminent domain1. Concept2. Expansive concept of publicuse3. Just compensationa) Determinationb) Effect of delay4. Abandonment of intended use and right of repurchase5. Miscellaneous applicationM. Contract clause1. Contemporary application of the contract clauseN. Legal assistance and free access to courtsO. Rights of suspects1. Availability2. Requisites3. WaiverP. Rights of the accused1. Criminal due process2. Bail3. Presumption of innocence4. Right to be heard5. Assistance of counsel6. Right to be informed7. Right to speedy, impartial and public trial 8. Right of confrontation9. Compulsory process10. Trials in absentiaQ. Writ of habeas corpusR. Writs of amparo, habeas data, and kalikasanS. Self-incrimination clause1. Scope and coveragea) Foreign laws2. Application3. Immunity statutesT. Involuntary servitude and political prisonersU. Excessive fines and cruel and inhuman punishmentsV. Non-imprisonment for debtsW. Double jeopardy1. Requisites2. Motions for reconsideration and appeals3. Dismissal with consent of accusedX. Ex post facto laws and bills of attainderVIII. Citizenship

A. Who are Filipino citizensB. Modes of acquiring citizenshipC. Naturalization and denaturalizationD. Dual citizenship and dual allegianceE. Lossandre-acquisitionofPhilippinecitizenshipF. Natural-born citizens and public officeIX. Law on Public Officers

A. General principlesB. Modes of acquiring title to public officeC. Modes and kinds of appointmentD. Eligibility and qualification requirementsE. Disabilities and inhibitions of public officers F. Powers and duties of public officersG. Rights of public officersH. Liabilities of public officers1. Preventive suspension and back salaries2. Illegal dismissal, reinstatement and back salariesI. Immunity of public officersJ. De facto officersK. Termination of official relationL. The Civil Service1. Scope2. Appointments to the civil service3. Personnel actionsM. Accountability of public officers1. Impeachment2. Ombudsman (Sections 5 to 14, Article XI of the 1987 Constitution, in relation to R.A. No. 6770, or otherwise known as The Ombudsman Act of 1989.)a) Functionsb) Judicial review in administrative proceedingsc) Judicial review in penal proceedings3. Sandiganbayan4. Ill-gotten wealthN. Term limitsX. Administrative Law

A. General principlesB. Administrative agencies1. Definition2. Manner of creation3. KindsC. Powers of administrative agencies1. Quasi-legislative (rule-making) powera) Kinds of administrative rules and regulationsb) Requisites for validity2. Quasi-judicial (adjudicatory) powera) Administrative due processb) Administrative appeal and reviewc) Administrative res judicata3. Fact-finding, investigative, licensing and rate-fixing powersD. Judicial recourse and review1. Doctrine of primary administrative jurisdiction2. Doctrine of exhaustion of administrative remedies3. Doctrine of finality of administrative actionXI. Election Law

A. SuffrageB. Qualification and disqualification of votersC. Registration of votersD. Inclusion and exclusion proceedingsE. Political parties1. Jurisdiction of the COMELEC over political parties2. RegistrationF. Candidacy1. Qualifications of candidates2. Filing of certificates of candidacya) Effect of filingb) Substitution of candidatesc) Ministerial duty of COMELEC to receive certificated) Nuisance candidatese) Petition to deny or cancel certificates of candidacyf) Effect of disqualificationg) Withdrawal of candidatesG. Campaign1. Premature campaigning2. Prohibited contributions3. Lawful and prohibited election propaganda4. Limitations on expenses5. Statement of contributions and expensesH. Board of Election Inspectors and Board of Canvassers1. Composition2. PowersI. Remedies and jurisdiction in election law1. Petition not to give due course to or cancel a certificate of candidacy2. Petition for disqualification3. Petition to declare failure of elections4. Pre-proclamation controversy5. Election protest6. Quo warrantoJ. Prosecution of election offensesXII. Local Governments

A. Public corporations1. Concepta) Distinguished from government-owned or controlled corporations2. Classificationsa) Quasi-corporationsb) Municipal corporationsB. Municipal corporations1. Elements2. Nature and functions3. Requisites for creation, conversion, division, merger or dissolutionC. Principles of local autonomyD. Powers of local government units (LGUs)1. Police power (general welfare clause)2. Eminent domain3. Taxing power4. Closure and opening of roads5. Legislative powera) Requisites for valid ordinanceb) Local initiative and referendum6. Corporate powersa) To sue and be suedb) To acquire and sell propertyc) To enter into contracts(i) Requisites(ii) Ultra vires contracts7. Liability of LGUs8. Settlement of boundary disputes9. Succession of elective officials10. Discipline of local officialsa) Elective officials(i) Grounds(ii) Jurisdiction(iii) Preventive suspension(iv) Removal(v) Administrative appeal(vi) Doctrine of condonationb) Appointive officials11. Recall12. Term limitsXIII. National Economy and Patrimony

A. Regalian doctrineB. Nationalist and citizenship requirement provisionsC. Exploration, development and utilization of natural resourcesD. Franchises, authority and certificates for public utilitiesE. Acquisition, ownership and transfer of public and private landsF. Practice of professionsG. Organization and regulation of corporations, private and publicH. Monopolies, restraint of trade and unfair competitionXIV. Social Justice and Human Rights

A. Concept of social justiceB. Commission on Human RightsXV. Education, Science, Technology, Arts, Culture and Sports

A. Academic freedomXVI. Public International Law

A. Concepts1. Obligations erga omnes2. Jus cogens3. Concept of ex aequo et bonoB. International and national lawC. SourcesD. Subjects1. States2. International organizations3. IndividualsE. Diplomatic and consular lawF. TreatiesG. Nationality and statelessness1. Vienna Convention on the Law of TreatiesH. State responsibility1. Doctrine of state responsibilityI. Jurisdiction of States1. Territoriality principle2. Nationality principle and statelessness3. Protective principle4. Universality principle5. Passive personality principle6. Conflicts of jurisdictionJ. Treatment of aliens1. Extraditiona) Fundamental principlesb) Procedurec) Distinguished from deportationK. International Human Rights Law1. Universal Declaration of Human Rights2. International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights3. International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural RightsL. International Humanitarian Law and neutrality1. Categories of armed conflictsa) International armed conflictsb) Internal or non-international armed conflictc) War of national liberation2. Core international obligations of states in International Humanitarian Law3. Principlesof International Humanitarian Lawa) Treatment of civiliansb) Prisoners of war4. Law on neutralityM. Law of the sea1. Baselines2. Archipelagic statesa) Straight archipelagic baselinesb) Archipelagic watersc) Archipelagic sea lanes passage3. Internal waters4. Territorial sea5. Exclusive economic zone6. Continental shelfa) Extended continental shelf7. International Tribunal for the Law of the SeaN. Madrid Protocol and the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial PropertyO. International environmental law1. Principle 21 of the Stockholm DeclarationP. International economic lawIMPORTANT NOTES:

1. This listing of covered topics is not intended and should not be used by the law schools as a course outline. This was drawn up for the limited purpose of ensuring that Bar candidates are guided on the coverage of the 2015 Bar Examinations.

2. All Supreme Court decisions pertinent to a given Bar subject and its listed topics, and promulgated up to March 31, 2015 are examinable materials within the coverage of the 2015 Bar Examinations.