Political Law and Public International Law Case Digests – #AweSAMbar2026
About Course
Let’s be real for a second: We all know the golden rule of the Bar Exams. Know the Chairperson.
For 2026, that’s Justice Samuel H. Gaerlan. His pen will set the tone, the direction, and the “vibe” of the exams. If you want to pass, you don’t just need to know the law; you need to know how he applies it.
That’s exactly what this course is. It’s not just another pile of readings—it’s a curated deep-dive designed to save you time and keep you sane.
Comprehensive Coverage: Bridging the Gap
In the world of the Supreme Court, Consti cases are rare gems, and Justice Gaerlan’s penned cases in this specific field are focused and select. To ensure you aren’t studying in a vacuum, we’ve taken a two-pronged approach:
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The Gaerlan Ponencias: We feature every relevant Political and International Law case penned by the Chairperson.
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The Doctrinal Essentials: Because Constitutional Law and Public International Law require a solid foundation, we have supplemented the Chairperson’s cases with digests of landmark doctrinal cases.
This ensures that even in areas where the Chairperson has yet to pen a major ruling, you are still covered by the fundamental principles required by the syllabus. You get the “Chairperson’s Voice” where it exists, and “Bar-Essential Doctrines” where it counts.
Syllabus-Based Arrangement
We know how you study. You don’t just read random cases; you follow the Bar Syllabus. So, we built this material to match your workflow. The cases are strictly arranged and categorized according to the 2026 Bar Syllabus.
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Starting with The Philippine Constitution? The relevant cases are right there.
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Moving to The Legislative Department? We’ve grouped rulings on law-making and inquiries in that section.
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Tackling Public International Law? You won’t have to hunt; they are waiting at the end, exactly where they belong.
The “Spliced” Method vs. Generic Online Digests
You’ve seen it before: a generic online digest tries to cram a 60-page decision into one page. If that decision talks about Local Government in the first half and Administrative Due Process in the second, reading it all at once is just noise. It breaks your flow.
How we fixed it: If a single case covers three different syllabus topics, we wrote three different digests for it. * Studying the Executive Department? You get the version focusing only on the President’s powers.
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Studying the Bill of Rights? You get the version of that same case focused only on the rights of the accused.
We Did the Heavy Lifting
This wasn’t a copy-paste job. We spent months on this. We went through the ponencias with a fine-tooth comb—double-checking facts, aligning issues with the syllabus, and ensuring rulings are airtight. We did the grunt work so you don’t have to guess if a digest is accurate.
What’s Inside?
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Political Law: From Police Power and Equal Protection to the nitty-gritty of LGU autonomy.
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Public International Law: Coverage of treaties, international agreements, and the incorporation clause.
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The “Gaerlan Voice”: We highlight the specific language and keywords the Justice tends to use—because sounding like the Chairperson is half the battle.
This is high-yield material. It’s accurate, organized by topic, and built for the 2026 Bar candidate who values discipline and efficiency.
Course Content
I. BASIC CONCEPTS
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A. Nature, Concept, and Interpretation of a Constitution
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B. Amendment and Revision
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C. Declaration of Principles and State Policies
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D. Sovereignty
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E. State Immunity
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F. Separation of Powers
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G. Checks and Balances
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H. Delegation of Powers
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I. Fundamental Powers of the State
II. NATIONAL TERRITORY
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A. Scope (Terrestrial, Fluvial, and Aerial Domains)
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B. Archipelagic Doctrine
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C. Maritime Zones
III. CITIZENSHIP
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A. Who are Filipino Citizens
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B. Modes of Acquiring Citizenship
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C. Natural-born and Naturalized Citizens
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D. Loss and Re-acquisition of Philippine Citizenship
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E. Dual Citizenship and Dual Allegiance
IV. LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT
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A. Legislative Power
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B. Chambers of Congress; Composition; Qualifications
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C. Declaration of the Existence of a State of War
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D. Legislative Privileges, Inhibitions, and Disqualifications
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E. Quorum and Voting Majorities
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F. Discipline of Members
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G. Lawmaking Process
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H. Commission on Appointments
V. EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT
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A. Qualifications, Election, and Term of the President and Vice-President
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B. Privileges, Inhibitions, and Disqualifications
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C. Powers of the President
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D. Rules of Succession
VI. JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT
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A. Concept of Judicial Power
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B. Judicial Review
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C. Judicial Independence and Fiscal Autonomy
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D. Appointments to the Judiciary
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E. The Supreme Court
VII. CONSTITUTIONAL COMMISSIONS
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A. Constitutional Safeguards to Ensure Independence
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B. Common Provisions
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C. Powers, Functions, and Jurisdiction
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D. Composition and Qualifications of Members
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E. Prohibited Offices and Interests
VIII. CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS
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A. Due Process
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B. Equal Protection
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C. Arrests, Searches, and Seizures
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D. Privacy of Communications and Correspondence
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E. Freedom of Speech and Expression
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F. Freedom of Religion
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G. Liberty of Abode and Right to Travel
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H. Right to Information
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I. Right to Association
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J. Non-impairment of Contracts
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K. Free Access to Courts and Adequate Legal Assistance
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L. Custodial Investigation
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M. Rights of the Accused
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N. Right to Speedy Trial and Speedy Disposition of Cases
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O. Right Against Self-incrimination
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P. Right Against Double Jeopardy
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Q. Right Against Involuntary Servitude
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R. Right Against Excessive Fines, and Cruel and Inhuman Punishments
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S. Non-imprisonment for Debts
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T. Ex Post Facto Laws and Bills of Attainder
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U. Writs of Habeas Corpus, Kalikasan, Habeas Data, and Amparo
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V. Social Justice and Human Rights
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W. Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights
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X. Academic Freedom
IX. NATIONAL ECONOMY AND PATRIMONY
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A. Regalian Doctrine
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B. Public Trust Doctrine
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C. Nationality and Citizenship Requirement Provisions
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D. Exploration, Development, and Utilization of Natural Resources
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E. Acquisition, Ownership, and Transfer of Public and Private Lands
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F. Ancestral Domain
X. ADMINISTRATIVE LAW
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A. General Principles
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B. Administrative Agencies
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C. Powers of Administrative Agencies
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D. Judicial Recourse and Review
XI. LAW ON PUBLIC OFFICERS
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A. General Principles
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B. Modes of Acquiring Title to Public Office
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C. Modes and Kinds of Appointment
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D. Eligibility and Qualification Requirements
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E. Disabilities and Inhibitions of Public Officers
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F. Powers and Duties of Public Officers
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G. Rights of Public Officers
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H. Immunity of Public Officers
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I. De Facto and De Jure Officers
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J. Termination of Official Relation
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K. The Civil Service
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L. Accountability of Public Officers
XII. ELECTION LAW
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A. Suffrage
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B. Candidacy
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C. Campaign
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D. Remedies and Jurisdiction
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E. Electoral Tribunals
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F. Prosecution of Election Offenses (Exclude: Penal Provisions)
XIII. LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
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A. Principles of Local Autonomy
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B. Requisites for Creation, Conversion, Division, Merger, or Dissolution
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C. Autonomous Regions and their Relation to the National Government
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D. Local Government Units
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E. Local Elective and Appointive Officials
XIV. PUBLIC INTERNATIONAL LAW
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A. Sources of International Law
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B. Sources of International Legal Obligation
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C. Subjects of International Law
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D. Relationship Between International and Domestic Law
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E. Jurisdiction of States
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F. General Principles of Treaty Law
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G. Doctrine of State Responsibility
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H. Treatment of Aliens
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I. International Human Rights Law
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J. International Humanitarian Law
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K. Dispute Resolution
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L. Law of the Sea
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M. International Environmental Law
