This case has been cited 2 times or more.
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2009-12-21 |
VELASCO JR., J. |
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| The argument is specious and glosses over the reality that the cityhood bills--which were already being deliberated upon even perhaps before the conception of RA 9009--were again being considered during the 13th Congress after being tossed around in the two previous Congresses. And specific reference to the cityhood bills was also made during the deliberations on RA 9009. At the end of the day, it is really immaterial if Congress is not a continuing legislative body. What is important is that the debates, deliberations, and proceedings of Congress and the steps taken in the enactment of the law, in this case the cityhood laws in relation to RA 9009 or vice versa, were part of its legislative history and may be consulted, if appropriate, as aids in the interpretation of the law.[48] And of course the earlier cited Drilon-Pimentel exchange on whether or not the 16 municipalities in question would be covered by RA 9009 is another vital link to the historical chain of the cityhood bills. This and other proceedings on the bills are spread in the Congressional journals, which cannot be conveniently reduced to pure rhetoric without meaning whatsoever, on the simplistic and non-sequitur pretext that Congress is not a continuing body and that unfinished business in either chamber is deemed terminated at the end of the term of Congress. | |||||
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2005-07-29 |
AZCUNA, J. |
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| The Court is not persuaded. Indeed, it is well-established that opinions expressed in the debates and proceedings of the Legislature, steps taken in the enactment of a law, or the history of the passage of the law through the Legislature, may be resorted to as aids in the interpretation of a statute with a doubtful meaning.[18] Petitioners' posture, however, overlooks the fact that the 1995 Committee Report they are referring to came into being well after the enactment of Republic Act No. 7227 in 1993. Hence, as pointed out by respondent Executive Secretary Torres, the aforementioned report cannot be said to form part of Republic Act No. 7227's legislative history. | |||||