Text of the provision
Art. 7. Laws are repealed only by subsequent ones, and their violation or non-observance shall not be excused by disuse, or custom or practice to the contrary.
When the courts declared a law to be inconsistent with the Constitution, the former shall be void and the latter shall govern.
Administrative or executive acts, orders and regulations shall be valid only when they are not contrary to the laws or the Constitution.
(5a)
Civil Code of the Philippines, Republic Act No. 386, approved June 18, 1949, effective August 30, 1950. Reproduced in full; verified verbatim against the LawPhil and ChanRobles official-text renderings. (LawPhil renders "declared" for "declare"; the two sources are otherwise word-identical and the provision is in force.)
What this article means
This article states the hierarchy of legal norms. A statute can only be repealed by another statute — never by mere disuse, custom, or practice; a law long ignored is still binding until Congress repeals it. Above statutes stands the Constitution: a law found inconsistent with the Constitution is void, and the Constitution governs. Below statutes stand administrative and executive issuances, which are valid only when they conform to the laws and the Constitution.
Related provisions
- Article 8 — judicial decisions form part of the legal system.
- Article 5 — acts against the law are void.
Cases interpreting this article
- Authorities on this article will be added here as each is verified against primary sources.