Aerial view of the Bayugan City rotunda and plaza at dusk.
Road to cityhood
How the Municipality of Bayugan became the City of Bayugan under Republic Act No. 9405, through a series of Supreme Court decisions from 2006 to 2011.
- July 24, 2006Cityhood law approved
Congress approved R.A. 9405, an act converting the Municipality of Bayugan into a component city to be known as the City of Bayugan.
- November 18, 2008Law declared unconstitutional
The Supreme Court of the Philippines declared the law unconstitutional. The court ruled that Bayugan, along with the other fifteen (15) cities covered by the law did not meet the requirements for cityhood.
- December 22, 2009Supreme Court reverses ruling
Acting favorable on the appeal of the sixteen affected cities, the Supreme Court reversed its earlier ruling. It held that the passage of the amendatory law regarding the criteria for cityhood as set by Congress specifically exempting a particular political subdivision therefrom was constitutional. Congress, in enacting the exempting law, effectively decreased the already codified indicators. As such, the cityhood status of Bayugan and the rest of the fifteen local government units was restored.
- August 24, 2010Earlier decision reinstated
In a 16-page resolution, voting 7-6 with two justices abstaining, the Supreme Court reinstated its November 18, 2008 decision striking down the constitutionality of Republic Act 9405 and declaring RA 9405 as unconstitutional.
- February 17, 2011Constitutionality upheld with finality
The Supreme Court once again upheld for the 3rd time and final time the constitutionality of RA 9405, thereby finalizing the cityhood of Bayugan and the other fifteen LGUs affected by the law.
- July 3, 2011Entry of judgment issued
The Supreme Court ordered its Clerk of Court to issue an entry of judgment on the cityhood case, sealing with finality the constitutionality of the law.