Legal Lens

In DILG Legal Opinion No. 86, s. 2025, the Department emphasized the long-standing rule that 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐝 𝐨𝐫 𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥. Approved ordinances enacted by the sanggunian are presumed valid, binding, and entitled to obedience until nullified by judicial authority.

The Supreme Court in Hagedorn, et al. v. COA (G.R. No. 260458, June 4, 2024) made this clear:

“Until after the judiciary, in an appropriate case, declare its invalidity, an ordinance is entitled to obedience and respect.”

Read the full text of the case at https://tinyurl.com/HagedornvsCOA

Read the full text of DILG L.O. No. 86, s. 2025 at https://tinyurl.com/LO86s2025