Political and Public International Law — 2027 Bar syllabus

Political and Public International Law (15% of the 2027 Bar, Day 1 · Sunday, 5 September 2027 · Morning): the syllabus with review notes for 331 topics.

• 3. State Immunity (See also PD 1445, Sec. 26)
• I. Right to Association
• B. Acquisition of Philippine Citizenship (CA 473, as amended by CA 535; RA 530 and 9139; AM 21-07-22-SC)
• c. Strict Scrutiny Test
• a. Power to Promulgate Rules
• D. Fundamental Powers of the State
• C. Powers of the President
• G. State Responsibility
• 2. Rio Declaration (1992)
• VII. Constitutional Commissions
• J. International Human Rights Law
• 1. United Nations Declarations
• W. Academic Freedom
• E. Declaration of Principles and State Policies
• 2. Ultra Vires Acts
• E. Dual Citizenship and Dual Allegiance
• d. Universality Principle
• f. Closure and Opening of Roads
• 1. Nature and Concept
• 14. Power to Propose Amendments to the Constitution
• e. Passive Personality Principle
• c. Withdrawal
• a. Territoriality Principle
• 7. Immunity of Public Officers
• 3. Power of Legislative Inquiry
• 3. Power of Control and Supervision
• 8. De Facto and De Jure Officers
• 2. Political Question Doctrine
• B. General (Plenary) Legislative Power
• 1. Requisites and Limitations on Franchises
• B. Judicial Review
• X. Administrative Law
• G. Liberty of Abode and Right to Travel
• D. Maritime Zones (UNCLOS; RA 12064)
• 5. Vacancies and Succession of Local Officials
• 2. Maritime Delimitation and Territorial Disputes
• 2. Exclusionary Rule
• 4. Limitations on Expenses; Statement of Contributions and Expenditures; Effect of Non-Filing (RA 7166, Secs. 13–14)
• A. Common Constitutional Provisions
• b. Party-List System (RA 7941; Exclude computation of party-list seat allocation)
• F. General Principles of Treaty Law
• a. Rational Basis Test
• a. International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea
• 2. International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
• 3. Eligibility and Qualification Requirements
• 3. Taxation
• a. Calling Out Powers
• 13. Power Relative to Natural Resources
• 3. Facial Challenges and Overbreadth Doctrine
• 1. Procedural and Substantive Due Process
• 2. Fundamental Principles
• Q. Right Against Excessive Fines, Cruel and Inhuman Punishment
• 10. Power to Concur in Treaties or International Agreements
• B. The State
• E. Freedom of Speech and Expression
• D. Rules on Succession
• a. International Armed Conflict
• 2. Original and Appellate Jurisdiction
• 2. Exclusionary Rule
• 1. Power of Appropriation
• 2. Content-based and Content-neutral Regulations
• 1. Scope
• 5. Pre-proclamation Controversies
• a. Kinds of Administrative Rules and Regulations
• 2. Checks and Balances
• 1. General Executive and Administrative Powers
• 1. Elements
• 1. Registration; Grounds for Cancellation of Registration
• 4. Disabilities and Inhibitions of Public Officers
• 1. Modes of Acquiring Title to Public Office
• 1. Stockholm Declaration (1972)
• 6. State Regulation of Different Types of Media
• 1. Zones of Privacy
• b. Nationality Principle
• 1. Powers
• 3. Petition for Disqualification
• O. Right Against Self-Incrimination
• c. Bypassed Appointments and their Effects
• B. Requisites for Creation, Conversion, Division, Merger, and Abolition (See also RA 11964, Secs. 4(d) and 7(e))
• 9. Termination of Official Relation
• c. General Principles of Law
• b. Material Misrepresentation
• e. Reclassification of Lands
• g. Local Legislation
• 1. Requisites of a Valid Warrant
• V. Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights
• XI. Law on Public Officers
• c. Treaties and International Agreements
• 2. Benevolent Neutrality and Conscientious Objection
• h. Corporate Powers
• 3. Delegation of Powers
• 1. Voter Qualification and Disqualification (See also RA 8189, Secs. 9 and 11)
• 1. Freedom of Navigation
• I. Basic Concepts
• 2. Doctrine of Exhaustion of Administrative Remedies
• 7. Diplomatic Powers
• 1. Premature Campaigning
• 1. Categories of Armed Conflict
• 5. War Powers
• a. Humanity
• 1. The Senate
• b. Intermediate Scrutiny Test
• 2. Modes and Kinds of Appointment
• D. Powers and Administration of Local Government Units (LGU)
• 2. The House of Representatives
• b. Police Power
• D. Campaign
• 3. War Crimes, Genocide, and Crimes Against Humanity
• 3. Personnel Actions
• 1. Requisites
• 1. Scope and Limitations
• d. Common but Differentiated Responsibilities
• 1. Requisites of Valid Waiver
• 1. Peaceful Settlement of International Disputes
• 2. Public Trust Doctrine
• 3. Acts of Organs of International Organizations
• A. Who are Filipino Citizens
• D. Appointments to the Judiciary
• K. Right to Free Access to Courts and Adequate Legal Assistance
• b. Contracting or Guaranteeing Foreign Loans
• c. Administrative Res Judicata
• c. Criminal Jurisdiction
• b. International Custom
• E. Local Elective and Appointive Officials
• 3. En Banc and Division Cases
• B. Civil Service Commission (CSC), Commission on Elections (COMELEC), and Commission on Audit (COA)
• A. Chambers of Congress; Composition; Qualifications; Term
• 4. Operative Fact Doctrine
• c. Polluter Pays Principle
• b. Teachings of the Most Highly Qualified Publicists
• 5. The Sandiganbayan (PD 1606, as amended)
• 3. Investigative, Factfinding, Licensing, and Rate-fixing Powers
• B. Other International Instruments
• XII. Election Law (BP 881, as amended, and COMELEC Resolutions [CR])
• a. Judicial Decisions
• 4. Protected and Unprotected Speech
• b. Presidential Veto and Congressional Override
• 3. International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights
• VI. Judicial Department
• 1. Primary Sources
• 1. Qualifications and Disqualification of Candidates
• 4. Emergency Powers
• a. In General
• d. Taxation
• 1. Universal Declaration of Human Rights
• 5. Commander-in-Chief Powers
• 1. Forms of Accountability
• 4. Settlement of Boundary Disputes
• b. Administrative Jurisdiction
• 11. Residual Powers (EO 292, Book III, Title I, Ch. 7, Sec. 20)
• c. Suspension of Privilege of Writ of Habeas Corpus
• b. Requisites for Validity
• B. Public Office
• a. Filing and its Effects
• d. Scope of Midnight Appointments
• C. Judicial Independence and Fiscal Autonomy (See RA 12233)
• D. Privacy of Communications and Correspondence
• 7. Power to Call Special Election for President/Vice President
• 3. Exceptions to Mootness
• 4. Quorum and Voting Majorities
• 6. Election Protest
• A. Suffrage
• f. No-Harm Principle
• 12. Power of Impeachment
• b. Forms of Executive Clemency
• a. Grounds
• N. Rights to Speedy Trial and Speedy Disposition of Cases
• 5. Powers and Duties of Public Officers
• 2. Subsidiary Sources
• 1. Qualifications of Members
• 2. Security Council Resolutions
• 3. Legislative Privileges, Inhibitions, and Disqualifications
• 3. Permanent Court of Arbitration
• d. Judicial Review
• A. Scope of National Territory
• c. Dismissal, Preventive Suspension, Reinstatement
• b. Annex VII Arbitration
• 3. Lawful and Prohibited Election Propaganda (RA 9006, as amended by RA 11207)
• D. Accountability of Public Officers (RA 6713)
• b. Administrative Appeal and Review
• 2. Qualifications, Nomination, and Substitution of Party-List Nominees and Representatives
• a. International Conventions
• 1. Quasi-legislative or Rulemaking Power
• c. Protective Principle
• b. Precautionary Principle
• i. Wars of National Liberation
• D. Judicial Review of Administrative Action
• 3. Impeachment
• b. Non-International Armed Conflict
• C. Exploration, Development, and Use of Natural Resources
• D. Relationship Between International and Domestic Law
• 1. Separation of Powers
• XIII. Local Governments (RA 7160, as amended by RA 9009 and 11683)
• 2. Powers, Functions, and Jurisdiction
• 3. Tests to Determine Validity of Governmental Regulation
• C. Other Powers
• 2. Self-executing and Non-self-executing Provisions
• E. Public Utilities (See also RA 11659)
• A. Regalian Doctrine
• T. Ex Post Facto Laws and Bills of Attainder
• 2. Prohibited Contributions
• a. General Welfare Clause
• 6. Pardoning Power
• b. Administrative Supervision over Lower Courts
• d. Duties of the COMELEC
• C. Powers of Administrative Agencies
• 4. Failure of Election; Call for Special Election
• F. Freedom of Religion
• c. Eminent Domain
• A. General Principles
• 2. Voter Registration, Deactivation, and Reactivation
• 4. International Criminal Court
• b. Ad Interim Appointments
• a. Form and Manner of Passage of Bills
• 1. Non-establishment and Free Exercise Clauses
• e. Intergenerational Equity
• 2. Standards of Judicial Review
• 2. Sovereignty
• 1. Limitations
• 3. Amendments and Revisions (See also RA 6735)
• 7. Quo Warranto
• 1. Bases
• A. Qualifications, Election, and Term of the President and the Vice President
• a. Administrative Due Process
• F. Nationality and Citizenship Requirements
• 3. Void-for-Vagueness Doctrine
• a. Functions
• N. International Dispute Resolution
• 2. International Court of Justice
• B. Equal Protection
• 6. Rights of Public Officers
• 4. Question Hour
• 3. Inclusion and Exclusion Proceedings
• 5. Voting of Persons Deprived of Liberty (CR 9371)
• R. Non-imprisonment for Debt
• 1. Petition to Deny Due Course or Cancel Certificate of Candidacy
• A. Sources of International Law
• 1. Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (RA 11054, Arts. I–V)
• a. Confirmation by Commission on Appointments
• 2. Appointments to the Civil Service
• F. Electoral Tribunals
• B. Archipelagic Doctrine and Baselines (U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea [UNCLOS], Arts. 46–50; RA 9522)
• D. Acquisition, Ownership, and Transfer of Public and Private Lands
• a. Legislative Districts and Apportionment
• 2. Eminent Domain (See also RA 10752, as amended by RA 12289)
• G. Power to Prosecute Election Offenses (BP 881, Sec. 265, as amended by RA 9369; Exclude penal provisions)
• 2. Quasi-judicial or Adjudicatory Power
• 4. The Ombudsman and the Special Prosecutor (RA 6770)
• 3. Dispute Settlement under UNCLOS
• M. Rights of the Accused
• C. The Civil Service
• 7. Term Limits (See also RA 12232)
• C. Right Against Unreasonable Searches and Seizures
• c. Rights of the Data Subject
• A. Principles of Local Autonomy
• C. Natural-born and Naturalized Citizens
• a. Personal vs. Sensitive Personal Information
• 2. Power of Taxation
• S. Right Against Double Jeopardy
• 5. Tests to Determine Validity of Governmental Regulation
• 2. Power of Appointment
• 8. Recall
• I. Extradition (AM 22-03-29-SC)
• B. Ancestral Domain and Ancestral Lands (RA 8371, Ch. I–III)
• 4. Nuisance Candidates
• a. Principle 21
• 3. Substitution of Candidates
• 2. Exceptions
• 8. Power to Determine President’s Inability to Discharge Duties
• E. The Supreme Court
• H. Treatment of Aliens
• 2. Petition to Deny Due Course or Cancel Certificate of Nomination of Party-List Nominees (CR 9366, Rule 5)
• a. Executive Departments and Offices
• 11. Power to Confirm Certain Presidential Appointments
• A. Due Process
• 1. Police Power
• L. Rights of Persons Under Custodial Investigation (See RA 7438)
• IV. Legislative Department
• A. Concept of Judicial Power
• 5. Discipline of Members
• 2. Watchlist, Hold Departure Orders, and Precautionary Hold Departure Orders (See also AM 18-07-05-SC)
• 3. Doctrine of Finality of Administrative Action
• 1. Doctrine of Incorporation and Transformation
• 4. Local and Overseas Absentee Voting (RA 7166, Sec. 12; RA 9189, as amended by RA 10590; RA 10380)
• 8. Powers Relative to Appropriation Measures
• a. Act of State Doctrine
• 3. Liability of LGUs
• d. Military Necessity
• H. Right to Information (See also EO 2, s. 2016; RA 6713, Sec. 5(e))
• E. Jurisdiction of States
• 9. Power to Revoke or Extend Suspension of Privilege of Writ of Habeas Corpus or Declaration of Martial Law
• b. Processing of Personal Information
• b. Jurisdiction
• 2. Judicial and Bar Council
• e. Appointments by an Acting President
• D. Direct Legislation – Initiative and Referendum (RA 6735)
• a. Scope and Limitations
• C. Subjects of International Law
• 2. Warrantless Arrests and Searches
• b. Doctrine of Qualified Political Agency
• c. International Organizations and their Officers
• a. Sustainable Development
• c. Proportionality
• C. Political Parties and the Party-List System of Representation (RA 7941 in relation to CR 9366 and 10878)
• D. Loss and Reacquisition of Philippine Citizenship (RA 9225)
• 1. Prior Restraint and Subsequent Punishment
• B. Administrative Agencies
• III. Citizenship
• 3. Exclusionary Rule
• 1. Requisites for Valid Classification
• b. Declaration of Martial Law
• f. Disciplinary Power (Suspension and Removal)
• 1. Doctrine of Primary Jurisdiction
• B. Privileges, Inhibitions, and Disqualifications
• 6. Power to Act as Board of Canvassers in Presidential Election
• c. Local Government Units
• A. General Principles
• b. Distinction
• J. Non-impairment of Contracts
• 1. Composition, Qualifications, and Term of Members
• 2. Certificates of Candidacy
• 6. Recall (See also RA 9244)
• b. Diplomatic and Consular Law
• 10. Delegated Powers
• P. Right Against Involuntary Servitude
• 2. Judicial and Administrative Due Process
• U. Social Justice and Human Rights
• K. International Humanitarian Law
• 1. Composition, Powers, and Functions
• C. Archipelagic Sea Lanes (UNCLOS, Arts. 53–54; RA 12065)
• 9. Veto Powers