LkNLS1C 8 IkANCISCC Ik peLlLloner

NAGMAMALASAkI1 NA MGA MANANANGGCL NG MGA MANGGAGAWANG ILIINC INC

I1S CIIICLkS AND MLM8LkS peLlLlonerlnlnLervenLlon
WCkLD WAk II VL1LkANS LLGICNAkILS CI 1nL nILIINLS INC peLlLlonerln
lnLervenLlon
vs
1nL nCUSL CI kLkLSLN1A1IVLS kLkLSLN1LD 8 SLAkLk ICSL G DL VLNLCIA 1nL
SLNA1L kLkLSLN1LD 8 SLNA1L kLSIDLN1 IkANkLIN M DkILCN kLkLSLN1A1IVL
GIL8Lk1C C 1LCDCkC Ik AND kLkLSLN1A1IVL ILLIk WILLIAM 8 IULN1L8LLLA
respondenLs
IAIML N SCkIANC respondenLlnlnLervenLlon
SLNA1Ck AUILINC IMLN1LL respondenLlnlnLervenLlon
CAkIC MCkALLS
1here can be no consLlLuLlonal crlsls arlslng from a confllcL no maLLer how passlonaLe and
seemlngly lrreconcllable lL may appear Lo be over Lhe deLermlnaLlon by Lhe lndependenL
branches of governmenL of Lhe naLure scope and exLenL of Lhelr respecLlve consLlLuLlonal
powers where Lhe ConsLlLuLlon lLself provldes for Lhe means and bases for lLs resoluLlon
Cur naLlons hlsLory ls repleLe wlLh vlvld lllusLraLlons of Lhe ofLen frlcLlonal aL Llmes
LurbulenL dynamlcs of Lhe relaLlonshlp among Lhese coequal branches 1hls CourL ls
confronLed wlLh one such Loday lnvolvlng Lhe leglslaLure and Lhe [udlclary whlch has drawn
legal lumlnarles Lo charL anLlpodal courses and noL a few of our counLrymen Lo venL
cacophonous senLlmenLs Lhereon
1here may lndeed be some leglLlmacy Lo Lhe characLerlzaLlon LhaL Lhe presenL conLroversy
sub[ecL of Lhe lnsLanL peLlLlons wheLher Lhe flllng of Lhe second lmpeachmenL complalnL
agalnsL Chlef !usLlce Pllarlo C uavlde !r wlLh Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves falls wlLhln Lhe
one year bar provlded ln Lhe ConsLlLuLlon and wheLher Lhe resoluLlon Lhereof ls a pollLlcal
quesLlon has resulLed ln a pollLlcal crlsls erhaps even more LruLh Lo Lhe vlew LhaL lL was
broughL upon by a pollLlcal crlsls of consclence
ln any evenL lL ls wlLh Lhe absoluLe cerLalnLy LhaL our ConsLlLuLlon ls sufflclenL Lo address all
Lhe lssues whlch Lhls conLroversy spawns LhaL Lhls CourL unequlvocally pronounces aL Lhe
flrsL lnsLance LhaL Lhe feared resorL Lo exLraconsLlLuLlonal meLhods of resolvlng lL ls nelLher
necessary nor legally permlsslble 8oLh lLs resoluLlon and proLecLlon of Lhe publlc lnLeresL lle
ln adherence Lo noL deparLure from Lhe ConsLlLuLlon
ln passlng over Lhe complex lssues arlslng from Lhe conLroversy Lhls CourL ls ever mlndful of
Lhe essenLlal LruLh LhaL Lhe lnvlolaLe docLrlne of separaLlon of powers among Lhe leglslaLlve
execuLlve or [udlclal branches of governmenL by no means prescrlbes for absoluLe auLonomy
ln Lhe dlscharge by each of LhaL parL of Lhe governmenLal power asslgned Lo lL by Lhe
soverelgn people
AL Lhe same Llme Lhe corollary docLrlne of checks and balances whlch has been carefully
callbraLed by Lhe ConsLlLuLlon Lo Lemper Lhe offlclal acLs of each of Lhese Lhree branches
musL be glven effecL wlLhouL desLroylng Lhelr lndlspensable coequallLy
1aken LogeLher Lhese Lwo fundamenLal docLrlnes of republlcan governmenL lnLended as
Lhey are Lo lnsure LhaL governmenLal power ls wlelded only for Lhe good of Lhe people
mandaLe a relaLlonshlp of lnLerdependence and coordlnaLlon among Lhese branches where
Lhe dellcaLe funcLlons of enacLlng lnLerpreLlng and enforclng laws are harmonlzed Lo achleve
a unlLy of governance gulded only by whaL ls ln Lhe greaLer lnLeresL and wellbelng of Lhe
people verlly solos popoll est soptemo lex
ArLlcle xl of our presenL 1987 ConsLlLuLlon provldes
Ak1ICLL kI
Accountab|||ty of ub||c Cff|cers
SLC1lCn 1 ubllc offlce ls a publlc LrusL ubllc offlcers and employees musL aL all
Llmes be accounLable Lo Lhe people serve Lhem wlLh uLmosL responslblllLy
lnLegrlLy loyalLy and efflclency acL wlLh paLrloLlsm and [usLlce and lead modesL
llves
SLC1lCn 2 1he resldenL Lhe vlceresldenL Lhe Members of Lhe Supreme CourL
Lhe Members of Lhe ConsLlLuLlonal Commlsslons and Lhe Cmbudsman may be
removed from offlce on lmpeachmenL for and convlcLlon of culpable vlolaLlon of
Lhe ConsLlLuLlon Lreason brlbery grafL and corrupLlon oLher hlgh crlmes or
beLrayal of publlc LrusL All oLher publlc offlcers and employees may be removed
from offlce as provlded by law buL noL by lmpeachmenL
SLC1lCn 3 (1) 1he Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves shall have Lhe exc|us|ve power Lo
|n|t|ate all cases of lmpeachmenL
(2) A verlfled complalnL for lmpeachmenL may be flled by any Member of Lhe
Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves or by any clLlzen upon a resoluLlon of endorsemenL by
any Member Lhereof whlch shall be lncluded ln Lhe Crder of 8uslness wlLhln Len
sesslon days and referred Lo Lhe proper CommlLLee wlLhln Lhree sesslon days
LhereafLer 1he CommlLLee afLer hearlng and by a ma[orlLy voLe of all lLs
Members shall submlL lLs reporL Lo Lhe Pouse wlLhln slxLy sesslon days from such
referral LogeLher wlLh Lhe correspondlng resoluLlon 1he resoluLlon shall be
calendared for conslderaLlon by Lhe Pouse wlLhln Len sesslon days from recelpL
Lhereof
(3) A voLe of aL leasL oneLhlrd of all Lhe Members of Lhe Pouse shall be necessary
elLher Lo afflrm a favorable resoluLlon wlLh Lhe ArLlcles of lmpeachmenL of Lhe
CommlLLee or overrlde lLs conLrary resoluLlon 1he voLe of each Member shall be
recorded
(4) ln case Lhe verlfled complalnL or resoluLlon of lmpeachmenL ls flled by aL leasL
oneLhlrd of all Lhe Members of Lhe Pouse Lhe same shall consLlLuLe Lhe ArLlcles of
lmpeachmenL and Lrlal by Lhe SenaLe shall forLhwlLh proceed
(3) No lmpeachmenL proceedlngs sha|| be |n|t|ated agalnsL Lhe same offlclal more
Lhan once wlLhln a perlod of one year
(6) 1he SenaLe shall have Lhe so|e power Lo Lry and declde all cases of
lmpeachmenL When slLLlng for LhaL purpose Lhe SenaLors shall be on oaLh or
afflrmaLlon When Lhe resldenL of Lhe hlllpplnes ls on Lrlal Lhe Chlef !usLlce of
Lhe Supreme CourL shall preslde buL shall noL voLe no person shall be convlcLed
wlLhouL Lhe concurrence of LwoLhlrds of all Lhe Members of Lhe SenaLe
(7) !udgmenL ln cases of lmpeachmenL shall noL exLend furLher Lhan removal from
offlce and dlsquallflcaLlon Lo hold any offlce under Lhe 8epubllc of Lhe hlllpplnes
buL Lhe parLy convlcLed shall neverLheless be llable and sub[ecL Lo prosecuLlon
Lrlal and punlshmenL accordlng Lo law
(8) 1he Congress shall promulgaLe lLs rules on lmpeachmenL to effect|ve|y carry out
the purpose of th|s sect|on (Lmphasls and underscorlng supplled)
lollowlng Lhe abovequoLed SecLlon 8 of ArLlcle xl of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon Lhe 12Lh Congress of
Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves adopLed and approved Lhe 8ules of rocedure ln lmpeachmenL
roceedlngs (Pouse lmpeachmenL 8ules) on november 28 2001 supersedlng Lhe prevlous
Pouse lmpeachmenL 8ules
1
approved by Lhe 11Lh Congress 1he re|evant dlsLlncLlons
beLween Lhese Lwo Congresses Pouse lmpeachmenL 8ules are shown ln Lhe followlng
LabulaLlon
111n CCNGkLSS kULLS 121n CCNGkLSS NLW kULLS
kULL II
INI1IA1ING IMLACnMLN1
Sect|on 2 Mode of lnitiotinq lmpeochment
lmpeachmenL shall be lnlLlaLed only by a
verlfled complalnL for lmpeachmenL flled by
any Member of Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves
or by any clLlzen upon a resoluLlon of
endorsemenL by any Member Lhereof or by a
verlfled complalnL or resoluLlon of
lmpeachmenL flled by aL leasL oneLhlrd (1/3)
of all Lhe Members of Lhe Pouse
kULL V
8Ak AGAINS1 INI1IA1ICN CI
IMLACnMLN1 kCCLLDINGS AGAINS1
1nL SAML CIIICIAL
Sect|on 16 lmpeochment Proceedinqs
ueemed lnitioted ln cases where a
Member of Lhe Pouse flles a verlfled
complalnL of lmpeachmenL or a clLlzen flles
a verlfled complalnL LhaL ls endorsed by a
Member of Lhe Pouse Lhrough a resoluLlon
of endorsemenL agalnsL an lmpeachable
offlcer lmpeachmenL proceedlngs agalnsL
such offlclal are deemed lnlLlaLed on Lhe day
Lhe CommlLLee on !usLlce flnds LhaL Lhe
verlfled complalnL and/or resoluLlon agalnsL
such offlclal as Lhe case may be ls sufflclenL
ln subsLance or on Lhe daLe Lhe Pouse voLes
Lo overLurn or afflrm Lhe flndlng of Lhe sald
CommlLLee LhaL Lhe verlfled complalnL
and/or resoluLlon as Lhe case may be ls noL
sufflclenL ln subsLance
ln cases where a verlfled complalnL or a
resoluLlon of lmpeachmenL ls flled or
endorsed as Lhe case may be by aL leasL
oneLhlrd (1/3) of Lhe Members of Lhe
Pouse |mpeachment proceed|ngs are
deemed |n|t|ated at the t|me of the f|||ng of
such ver|f|ed comp|a|nt or reso|ut|on of
|mpeachment w|th the Secretary Genera|

kULL V
8Ak AGAINS1 IMLACnMLN1
Sect|on 14 cope of 8or no lmpeachmenL
proceedlngs shall be lnlLlaLed agalnsL Lhe
same offlclal more Lhan once wlLhln Lhe
perlod of one (1) year
Sect|on 17 8or 4qoinst lnitiotion Of
lmpeochment Proceedinqs WlLhln a
perlod of one (1) year from Lhe daLe
lmpeachmenL proceedlngs are deemed
lnlLlaLed as provlded ln SecLlon 16 hereof
no lmpeachmenL proceedlngs as such can
be lnlLlaLed agalnsL Lhe same offlclal (lLallcs
ln Lhe orlglnal emphasls and underscorlng
supplled)
Cn !uly 22 2002 Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves adopLed a 8esoluLlon
2
sponsored by
8epresenLaLlve lellx Wllllam u luenLebella whlch dlrecLed Lhe CommlLLee on !usLlce Lo
conducL an lnvesLlgaLlon ln ald of leglslaLlon on Lhe manner of dlsbursemenLs and
expendlLures by Lhe Chlef !usLlce of Lhe Supreme CourL of Lhe !udlclary uevelopmenL lund
(!ul)
3

Cn !une 2 2003 former resldenL !oseph L LsLrada flled an lmpeachmenL complalnL
4
(flrsL
lmpeachmenL complalnL) agalnsL Chlef !usLlce Pllarlo C uavlde !r and seven AssoclaLe
!usLlces
3
of Lhls CourL for culpable vlolaLlon of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon beLrayal of Lhe publlc LrusL
and oLher hlgh crlmes
6
1he complalnL was endorsed by 8epresenLaLlves 8olex 1 Supllco
8onaldo 8 Zamora and uldagen lang ullangalen
7
and was referred Lo Lhe Pouse CommlLLee
on !usLlce on AugusL 3 2003
8
ln accordance wlLh SecLlon 3(2) of ArLlcle xl of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon
whlch reads
SecLlon 3(2) A verlfled complalnL for lmpeachmenL may be flled by any Member of
Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves or by any clLlzen upon a resoluLlon of endorsemenL
by any Member Lhereof whlch shall be lncluded ln Lhe Crder of 8uslness wlLhln Len
sesslon days and referred Lo Lhe proper CommlLLee wlLhln Lhree sesslon days
LhereafLer 1he CommlLLee afLer hearlng and by a ma[orlLy voLe of all lLs
Members shall submlL lLs reporL Lo Lhe Pouse wlLhln slxLy sesslon days from such
referral LogeLher wlLh Lhe correspondlng resoluLlon 1he resoluLlon shall be
calendared for conslderaLlon by Lhe Pouse wlLhln Len sesslon days from recelpL
Lhereof
1he Pouse CommlLLee on !usLlce ruled on CcLober 13 2003 LhaL Lhe flrsL lmpeachmenL
complalnL was sufflclenL ln form
9
buL voLed Lo dlsmlss Lhe same on CcLober 22 2003 for
belng lnsufflclenL ln subsLance
10
1o daLe Lhe CommlLLee 8eporL Lo Lhls effecL has noL yeL
been senL Lo Lhe Pouse ln plenary ln accordance wlLh Lhe sald SecLlon 3(2) of ArLlcle xl of Lhe
ConsLlLuLlon
lour monLhs and Lhree weeks slnce Lhe flllng on !une 2 2003 of Lhe flrsL complalnL or on
CcLober 23 2003 a day afLer Lhe Pouse CommlLLee on !usLlce voLed Lo dlsmlss lL Lhe second
lmpeachmenL complalnL
11
was flled wlLh Lhe SecreLary Ceneral of Lhe Pouse
12
by
8epresenLaLlves CllberLo C 1eodoro !r (llrsL ulsLrlcL 1arlac) and lellx Wllllam 8
luenLebella (1hlrd ulsLrlcL Camarlnes Sur) agalnsL Chlef !usLlce Pllarlo C uavlde !r founded
on Lhe alleged resulLs of Lhe leglslaLlve lnqulry lnlLlaLed by abovemenLloned Pouse
8esoluLlon 1hls second lmpeachmenL complalnL was accompanled by a 8esoluLlon of
LndorsemenL/lmpeachmenL slgned by aL leasL oneLhlrd (1/3) of all Lhe Members of Lhe
Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves
13

1hus arose Lhe lnsLanL peLlLlons agalnsL Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves et ol mosL of whlch
peLlLlons conLend LhaL Lhe flllng of Lhe second lmpeachmenL complalnL ls unconsLlLuLlonal as
lL vlolaLes Lhe provlslon of SecLlon 3 of ArLlcle xl of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon LhaL no lmpeachmenL
proceedlngs shall be lnlLlaLed agalnsL Lhe same offlclal more Lhan once wlLhln a perlod of one
year
ln Gk No 160261 peLlLloner ALLy LrnesLo 8 lranclsco !r alleglng LhaL he has a duLy as a
member of Lhe lnLegraLed 8ar of Lhe hlllpplnes Lo use all avallable legal remedles Lo sLop an
unconsLlLuLlonal lmpeachmenL LhaL Lhe lssues ralsed ln hls peLlLlon for CerLlorarl rohlblLlon
and Mandamus are of LranscendenLal lmporLance and LhaL he hlmself was a vlcLlm of Lhe
caprlclous and arblLrary changes ln Lhe 8ules of rocedure ln lmpeachmenL roceedlngs
lnLroduced by Lhe 12Lh Congress
14
poslLs LhaL hls rlghL Lo brlng an lmpeachmenL complalnL
agalnsL Lhen Cmbudsman Anlano ueslerLo had been vlolaLed due Lo Lhe caprlclous and
arblLrary changes ln Lhe Pouse lmpeachmenL 8ules adopLed and approved on november 28
2001 by Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves and prays LhaL (1) 8ule v SecLlons 16 and 17 and 8ule
lll SecLlons 3 6 7 8 and 9 Lhereof be declared unconsLlLuLlonal (2) Lhls CourL lssue a wrlL of
mandamus dlrecLlng respondenLs Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves et ol Lo comply wlLh ArLlcle lx
SecLlon 3 (2) (3) and (3) of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon Lo reLurn Lhe second lmpeachmenL complalnL
and/or sLrlke lL off Lhe records of Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves and Lo promulgaLe rules
whlch are conslsLenL wlLh Lhe ConsLlLuLlon and (3) Lhls CourL permanenLly en[oln respondenL
Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves from proceedlng wlLh Lhe second lmpeachmenL complalnL
ln Gk No 160262 peLlLloners Sedfrey M Candelarla et ol as clLlzens and Laxpayers
alleglng LhaL Lhe lssues of Lhe case are of LranscendenLal lmporLance pray ln Lhelr peLlLlon
for CerLlorarl/rohlblLlon Lhe lssuance of a wrlL perpeLually prohlblLlng respondenL Pouse
of 8epresenLaLlves from flllng any ArLlcles of lmpeachmenL agalnsL Lhe Chlef !usLlce wlLh Lhe
SenaLe and for Lhe lssuance of a wrlL perpeLually prohlblLlng respondenLs SenaLe and
SenaLe resldenL lranklln urllon from accepLlng any ArLlcles of lmpeachmenL agalnsL Lhe
Chlef !usLlce or ln Lhe evenL LhaL Lhe SenaLe has accepLed Lhe same from proceedlng wlLh
Lhe lmpeachmenL Lrlal
ln Gk No 160263 peLlLloners ArLuro M de CasLro and Soledad Cagampang as clLlzens
Laxpayers lawyers and members of Lhe lnLegraLed 8ar of Lhe hlllpplnes alleglng LhaL Lhelr
peLlLlon for rohlblLlon lnvolves publlc lnLeresL as lL lnvolves Lhe use of publlc funds
necessary Lo conducL Lhe lmpeachmenL Lrlal on Lhe second lmpeachmenL complalnL pray for
Lhe lssuance of a wrlL of prohlblLlon en[olnlng Congress from conducLlng furLher proceedlngs
on sald second lmpeachmenL complalnL
ln Gk No 160277 peLlLloner lranclsco l Chavez alleglng LhaL Lhls CourL has recognlzed LhaL
he has locos stooJl Lo brlng peLlLlons of Lhls naLure ln Lhe cases of cbovez v lcCC
13
and
cbovez v lAAmotl coostol 8oy uevelopmeot cotpototloo
16
prays ln hls peLlLlon for
ln[uncLlon LhaL Lhe second lmpeachmenL complalnL be declared unconsLlLuLlonal
ln Gk No 160292 peLlLloners ALLy Parry L 8oque et ol as Laxpayers and members of Lhe
legal professlon pray ln Lhelr peLlLlon for rohlblLlon for an order prohlblLlng respondenL
Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves from drafLlng adopLlng approvlng and LransmlLLlng Lo Lhe SenaLe
Lhe second lmpeachmenL complalnL and respondenLs ue venecla and nazareno from
LransmlLLlng Lhe ArLlcles of lmpeachmenL Lo Lhe SenaLe
ln Gk No 16029S peLlLloners 8epresenLaLlves Salacnlb l 8aLerlna and uepuLy Speaker 8aul
M Conzalez alleglng LhaL as members of Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves Lhey have a legal
lnLeresL ln ensurlng LhaL only consLlLuLlonal lmpeachmenL proceedlngs are lnlLlaLed pray ln
Lhelr peLlLlon for CerLlorarl/rohlblLlon LhaL Lhe second lmpeachmenL complalnL and any acL
proceedlng Lherefrom be declared null and vold
ln Gk No 160310 peLlLloners Leonllo 8 Alfonso et ol clalmlng LhaL Lhey have a rlghL Lo be
proLecLed agalnsL all forms of senseless spendlng of Laxpayers money and LhaL Lhey have an
obllgaLlon Lo proLecL Lhe Supreme CourL Lhe Chlef !usLlce and Lhe lnLegrlLy of Lhe !udlclary
allege ln Lhelr peLlLlon for CerLlorarl and rohlblLlon LhaL lL ls lnsLlLuLed as a class sulL and
pray LhaL (1) Lhe Pouse 8esoluLlon endorslng Lhe second lmpeachmenL complalnL as well as
all lssuances emanaLlng Lherefrom be declared null and vold and (2) Lhls CourL en[oln Lhe
SenaLe and Lhe SenaLe resldenL from Laklng cognlzance of hearlng Lrylng and decldlng Lhe
second lmpeachmenL complalnL and lssue a wrlL of prohlblLlon commandlng Lhe SenaLe lLs
prosecuLors and agenLs Lo deslsL from conducLlng any proceedlngs or Lo acL on Lhe
lmpeachmenL complalnL
ln Gk No 160318 peLlLloner ubllc lnLeresL CenLer lnc whose members are clLlzens and
Laxpayers and lLs copeLlLloner Crlspln 1 8eyes a clLlzen Laxpayer and a member of Lhe
hlllpplne 8ar boLh allege ln Lhelr peLlLlon whlch does noL sLaLe whaL lLs naLure ls LhaL Lhe
flllng of Lhe second lmpeachmenL complalnL lnvolves paramounL publlc lnLeresL and pray LhaL
SecLlons 16 and 17 of Lhe Pouse lmpeachmenL 8ules and Lhe second lmpeachmenL
complalnL/ArLlcles of lmpeachmenL be declared null and vold
ln Gk No 160342 peLlLloner ALLy lernando 8 erlLo as a clLlzen and a member of Lhe
hlllpplne 8ar AssoclaLlon and of Lhe lnLegraLed 8ar of Lhe hlllpplnes and peLlLloner Lngr
Maxlmo n Menez !r as a Laxpayer pray ln Lhelr peLlLlon for Lhe lssuance of a 1emporary
8esLralnlng Crder and ermanenL ln[uncLlon Lo en[oln Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves from
proceedlng wlLh Lhe second lmpeachmenL complalnL
ln Gk No 160343 peLlLloner lnLegraLed 8ar of Lhe hlllpplnes alleglng LhaL lL ls mandaLed
by Lhe Code of rofesslonal 8esponslblllLy Lo uphold Lhe ConsLlLuLlon prays ln lLs peLlLlon for
CerLlorarl and rohlblLlon LhaL SecLlons 16 and 17 of 8ule v and SecLlons 3 6 7 8 9 of 8ule
lll of Lhe Pouse lmpeachmenL 8ules be declared unconsLlLuLlonal and LhaL Lhe Pouse of
8epresenLaLlves be permanenLly en[olned from proceedlng wlLh Lhe second lmpeachmenL
complalnL
ln Gk No 160360 peLlLlonerLaxpayer ALLy Claro llores prays ln hls peLlLlon for CerLlorarl
and rohlblLlon LhaL Lhe Pouse lmpeachmenL 8ules be declared unconsLlLuLlonal
ln Gk No 16036S peLlLloners u Law Alumnl Cebu loundaLlon lnc eL al ln Lhelr peLlLlon
for rohlblLlon and ln[uncLlon whlch Lhey clalm ls a class sulL flled ln behalf of all clLlzens
clLlng poso v loctotoo
17
whlch was flled ln behalf of succeedlng generaLlons of llllplnos
pray for Lhe lssuance of a wrlL prohlblLlng respondenLs Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves and Lhe
SenaLe from conducLlng furLher proceedlngs on Lhe second lmpeachmenL complalnL and LhaL
Lhls CourL declare as unconsLlLuLlonal Lhe second lmpeachmenL complalnL and Lhe acLs of
respondenL Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves ln lnLerferlng wlLh Lhe flscal maLLers of Lhe !udlclary
ln Gk No 160370 peLlLlonerLaxpayer laLher 8anhlllo Callangan Aqulno alleglng LhaL Lhe
lssues ln hls peLlLlon for rohlblLlon are of naLlonal and LranscendenLal slgnlflcance and LhaL
as an offlclal of Lhe hlllpplne !udlclal Academy he has a dlrecL and subsLanLlal lnLeresL ln Lhe
unhampered operaLlon of Lhe Supreme CourL and lLs offlclals ln dlscharglng Lhelr duLles ln
accordance wlLh Lhe ConsLlLuLlon prays for Lhe lssuance of a wrlL prohlblLlng Lhe Pouse of
8epresenLaLlves from LransmlLLlng Lhe ArLlcles of lmpeachmenL Lo Lhe SenaLe and Lhe SenaLe
from recelvlng Lhe same or glvlng Lhe lmpeachmenL complalnL due course
ln Gk No 160376 peLlLloner nllo A Malanyaon as a Laxpayer alleges ln hls peLlLlon for
rohlblLlon LhaL respondenLs luenLebella and 1eodoro aL Lhe Llme Lhey flled Lhe second
lmpeachmenL complalnL were absoluLely wlLhouL any legal power Lo do so as Lhey acLed
wlLhouL [urlsdlcLlon as far as Lhe ArLlcles of lmpeachmenL assall Lhe alleged abuse of powers
of Lhe Chlef !usLlce Lo dlsburse Lhe (!ul)
ln Gk No 160392 peLlLloners ALLorneys venlclo S llores and PecLor L Pofllena alleglng
LhaL as professors of law Lhey have an abldlng lnLeresL ln Lhe sub[ecL maLLer of Lhelr peLlLlon
for CerLlorarl and rohlblLlon as lL perLalns Lo a consLlLuLlonal lssue whlch Lhey are Lrylng Lo
lnculcaLe ln Lhe mlnds of Lhelr sLudenLs pray LhaL Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves be en[olned
from endorslng and Lhe SenaLe from Lrylng Lhe ArLlcles of lmpeachmenL and LhaL Lhe second
lmpeachmenL complalnL be declared null and vold
ln Gk No 160397 peLlLloner ALLy uloscoro valle[os !r wlLhouL alleglng hls locos stooJl
buL alleglng LhaL Lhe second lmpeachmenL complalnL ls founded on Lhe lssue of wheLher or
noL Lhe !udlclal uevelopmenL lund (!ul) was spenL ln accordance wlLh law and LhaL Lhe
Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves does noL have excluslve [urlsdlcLlon ln Lhe examlnaLlon and audlL
Lhereof prays ln hls peLlLlon 1o ueclare ComplalnL null and vold for Lack of Cause of AcLlon
and !urlsdlcLlon LhaL Lhe second lmpeachmenL complalnL be declared null and vold
ln Gk No 160403 peLlLloner hlllpplne 8ar AssoclaLlon alleglng LhaL Lhe lssues ralsed ln Lhe
flllng of Lhe second lmpeachmenL complalnL lnvolve maLLers of LranscendenLal lmporLance
prays ln lLs peLlLlon for CerLlorarl/rohlblLlon LhaL (1) Lhe second lmpeachmenL complalnL
and all proceedlngs arlslng Lherefrom be declared null and vold (2) respondenL Pouse of
8epresenLaLlves be prohlblLed from LransmlLLlng Lhe ArLlcles of lmpeachmenL Lo Lhe SenaLe
and (3) respondenL SenaLe be prohlblLed from accepLlng Lhe ArLlcles of lmpeachmenL and
from conducLlng any proceedlngs Lhereon
ln Gk No 16040S peLlLloners uemocrlL C 8arcenas et ol as clLlzens and Laxpayers pray ln
Lhelr peLlLlon for CerLlorarl/rohlblLlon LhaL (1) Lhe second lmpeachmenL complalnL as well as
Lhe resoluLlon of endorsemenL and lmpeachmenL by Lhe respondenL Pouse of
8epresenLaLlves be declared null and vold and (2) respondenLs SenaLe and SenaLe resldenL
lranklln urllon be prohlblLed from accepLlng any ArLlcles of lmpeachmenL agalnsL Lhe Chlef
!usLlce or ln Lhe evenL LhaL Lhey have accepLed Lhe same LhaL Lhey be prohlblLed from
proceedlng wlLh Lhe lmpeachmenL Lrlal
eLlLlons bearlng dockeL numbers C8 nos 160261 160262 and 160263 Lhe flrsL Lhree of
Lhe elghLeen whlch were flled before Lhls CourL
18
prayed for Lhe lssuance of a 1emporary
8esLralnlng Crder and/or prellmlnary ln[uncLlon Lo prevenL Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves
from LransmlLLlng Lhe ArLlcles of lmpeachmenL arlslng from Lhe second lmpeachmenL
complalnL Lo Lhe SenaLe eLlLlon bearlng dockeL number C8 no 160261 llkewlse prayed for
Lhe declaraLlon of Lhe november 28 2001 Pouse lmpeachmenL 8ules as null and vold for
belng unconsLlLuLlonal
eLlLlons bearlng dockeL numbers C8 nos 160277 160292 and 160293 whlch were flled on
CcLober 28 2003 soughL slmllar rellef ln addlLlon peLlLlon bearlng dockeL number C8 no
160292 alleged LhaL Pouse 8esoluLlon no 260 (calllng for a leglslaLlve lnqulry lnLo Lhe
admlnlsLraLlon by Lhe Chlef !usLlce of Lhe !ul) lnfrlnges on Lhe consLlLuLlonal docLrlne of
separaLlon of powers and ls a dlrecL vlolaLlon of Lhe consLlLuLlonal prlnclple of flscal
auLonomy of Lhe [udlclary
Cn CcLober 28 2003 durlng Lhe plenary sesslon of Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves a moLlon
was puL forLh LhaL Lhe second lmpeachmenL complalnL be formally LransmlLLed Lo Lhe
SenaLe buL lL was noL carrled because Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves ad[ourned for lack of
quorum
19
and as reflecLed above Lo daLe Lhe ArLlcles of lmpeachmenL have yeL Lo be
forwarded Lo Lhe SenaLe
8efore acLlng on Lhe peLlLlons wlLh prayers for Lemporary resLralnlng order and/or wrlL of
prellmlnary ln[uncLlon whlch were flled on or before CcLober 28 2003 !usLlces uno and
vlLug offered Lo recuse Lhemselves buL Lhe CourL re[ecLed Lhelr offer !usLlce anganlban
lnhlblLed hlmself buL Lhe CourL dlrecLed hlm Lo parLlclpaLe
WlLhouL necessarlly glvlng Lhe peLlLlons due course Lhls CourL ln lLs 8esoluLlon of CcLober
28 2003 resolved Lo (a) consolldaLe Lhe peLlLlons (b) requlre respondenL Pouse of
8epresenLaLlves and Lhe SenaLe as well as Lhe SollclLor Ceneral Lo commenL on Lhe peLlLlons
noL laLer Lhan 430 pm of november 3 2003 (c) seL Lhe peLlLlons for oral argumenLs on
november 3 2003 aL 1000 am and (d) appolnLed dlsLlngulshed legal experLs as omlcl
cotloe
20
ln addlLlon Lhls CourL called on peLlLloners and respondenLs Lo malnLaln Lhe sLaLus
quo en[olnlng all Lhe parLles and oLhers acLlng for and ln Lhelr behalf Lo refraln from
commlLLlng acLs LhaL would render Lhe peLlLlons mooL
Also on CcLober 28 2003 when respondenL Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves Lhrough Speaker !ose
C ue venecla !r and/or lLs corespondenLs by way of speclal appearance submlLLed a
ManlfesLaLlon asserLlng LhaL Lhls CourL has no [urlsdlcLlon Lo hear much less prohlblL or
en[oln Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves whlch ls an lndependenL and coequal branch of
governmenL under Lhe ConsLlLuLlon from Lhe performance of lLs consLlLuLlonally mandaLed
duLy Lo lnlLlaLe lmpeachmenL cases Cn even daLe SenaLor Aqulllno C lmenLel !r ln hls
own behalf flled a MoLlon Lo lnLervene (x AboJoote cootelo)
21
and CommenL praylng LhaL
Lhe consolldaLed peLlLlons be dlsmlssed for lack of [urlsdlcLlon of Lhe CourL over Lhe lssues
affecLlng Lhe lmpeachmenL proceedlngs and LhaL Lhe sole power auLhorlLy and [urlsdlcLlon of
Lhe SenaLe as Lhe lmpeachmenL courL Lo Lry and declde lmpeachmenL cases lncludlng Lhe
one where Lhe Chlef !usLlce ls Lhe respondenL be recognlzed and upheld pursuanL Lo Lhe
provlslons of ArLlcle xl of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon
22

AcLlng on Lhe oLher peLlLlons whlch were subsequenLly flled Lhls CourL resolved Lo (a)
consolldaLe Lhem wlLh Lhe earller consolldaLed peLlLlons (b) requlre respondenLs Lo flle Lhelr
commenL noL laLer Lhan 430 pm of november 3 2003 and (c) lnclude Lhem for oral
argumenLs on november 3 2003
Cn CcLober 29 2003 Lhe SenaLe of Lhe hlllpplnes Lhrough SenaLe resldenL lranklln M
urllon flled a ManlfesLaLlon sLaLlng LhaL lnsofar as lL ls concerned Lhe peLlLlons are plalnly
premaLure and have no basls ln law or ln facL addlng LhaL as of Lhe Llme of Lhe flllng of Lhe
peLlLlons no [usLlclable lssue was presenLed before lL slnce (1) lLs consLlLuLlonal duLy Lo
consLlLuLe lLself as an lmpeachmenL courL commences only upon lLs recelpL of Lhe ArLlcles of
lmpeachmenL whlch lL had noL and (2) Lhe prlnclpal lssues ralsed by Lhe peLlLlons perLaln
excluslvely Lo Lhe proceedlngs ln Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves
Cn CcLober 30 2003 ALLy !alme Sorlano flled a eLlLlon for Leave Lo lnLervene ln C8 nos
160261 160262 160263 160277 160292 and 160293 quesLlonlng Lhe stotos poo
8esoluLlon lssued by Lhls CourL on CcLober 28 2003 on Lhe ground LhaL lL would
unnecessarlly puL Congress and Lhls CourL ln a consLlLuLlonal deadlock and praylng for Lhe
dlsmlssal of all Lhe peLlLlons as Lhe maLLer ln quesLlon ls noL yeL rlpe for [udlclal
deLermlnaLlon
Cn november 3 2003 ALLorneys 8omulo 8 MacallnLal and eLe Culrlno Cuadra flled ln C8
no 160262 a MoLlon for Leave of CourL Lo lnLervene and Lo AdmlL Lhe Pereln lncorporaLed
eLlLlon ln lnLervenLlon
Cn november 4 2003 Noqmomolosoklt oo mqo Mooooooqqol oq mqo Mooqqoqowooq
llllploo loc flled a MoLlon for lnLervenLlon ln C8 no 160261 Cn november 3 2003 World
War ll veLerans Leglonnalres of Lhe hlllpplnes lnc also flled a eLlLlonlnlnLervenLlon wlLh
Leave Lo lnLervene ln C8 nos 160261 160262 160263 160277 160292 160293 and
160310
1he moLlons for lnLervenLlon were granLed and boLh SenaLor lmenLels CommenL and
ALLorneys MacallnLal and Cuadras eLlLlon ln lnLervenLlon were admlLLed
Cn november 36 2003 Lhls CourL heard Lhe vlews of Lhe omlcl cotloe and Lhe argumenLs of
peLlLloners lnLervenors SenaLor lmenLel and ALLorney MakallnLal and SollclLor Ceneral
Alfredo 8enlpayo on Lhe prlnclpal lssues ouLllned ln an Advlsory lssued by Lhls CourL on
november 3 2003 Lo wlL
WheLher Lhe cerLlorarl [urlsdlcLlon of Lhe Supreme CourL may be lnvoked who can
lnvoke lL on whaL lssues and aL whaL Llme and wheLher lL should be exerclsed by
Lhls CourL aL Lhls Llme
ln dlscusslng Lhese lssues Lhe followlng may be Laken up
a) locos stooJl of peLlLloners
b) rlpeness(premaLurlLy mooLness)
c) pollLlcal quesLlon/[usLlclablllLy
d) Pouses excluslve power Lo lnlLlaLe all cases of lmpeachmenL
e) SenaLes sole power Lo Lry and declde all cases of lmpeachmenL
f) consLlLuLlonallLy of Lhe Pouse 8ules on lmpeachmenL vlsovls SecLlon
3(3) of ArLlcle xl of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon and
g) [udlclal resLralnL (lLallcs ln Lhe orlglnal)
ln resolvlng Lhe lnLrlcaLe conflux of prellmlnary and subsLanLlve lssues arlslng from Lhe
lnsLanL peLlLlons as well as Lhe myrlad argumenLs and oplnlons presenLed for and agalnsL Lhe
granL of Lhe rellefs prayed for Lhls CourL has slfLed and deLermlned Lhem Lo be as follows (1)
Lhe Lhreshold and novel lssue of wheLher or noL Lhe power of [udlclal revlew exLends Lo Lhose
arlslng from lmpeachmenL proceedlngs (2) wheLher or noL Lhe essenLlal prerequlslLes for
Lhe exerclse of Lhe power of [udlclal revlew have been fulfllled and (3) Lhe subsLanLlve lssues
yeL remalnlng 1hese maLLers shall now be dlscussed lo setlotlm
dicio/ keview
As reflecLed above peLlLloners plead for Lhls CourL Lo exerclse Lhe power of [udlclal revlew Lo
deLermlne Lhe valldlLy of Lhe second lmpeachmenL complalnL
1hls CourLs power of [udlclal revlew ls conferred on Lhe [udlclal branch of Lhe governmenL ln
SecLlon 1 ArLlcle vlll of our presenL 1987 ConsLlLuLlon
SLC1lCn 1 1he [udlclal power shall be vesLed ln one Supreme CourL and ln such
lower courLs as may be esLabllshed by law
Iud|c|a| power |nc|udes the duty of Lhe courLs of [usLlce Lo seLLle acLual
conLroversles lnvolvlng rlghLs whlch are legally demandable and enforceable and
to determ|ne whether or not there has been a grave abuse of d|scret|on
amount|ng to |ack or excess of [ur|sd|ct|on on the part of any branch or
|nstrumenta||ty of the government (Lmphasls supplled)
Such power of [udlclal revlew was early on exhausLlvely expounded upon by !usLlce !ose
Laurel ln Lhe deflnlLlve 1936 case of Aoqoto v lectotol commlssloo
23
afLer Lhe effecLlvlLy of
Lhe 1933 ConsLlLuLlon whose provlslons unllke Lhe presenL ConsLlLuLlon dld noL conLaln Lhe
presenL provlslon ln ArLlcle vlll SecLlon 1 par 2 on whaL [udlclal power lncludes 1hus
!usLlce Laurel dlscoursed
x x x ln Llmes of soclal dlsquleLude or pollLlcal exclLemenL Lhe greaL landmarks of
Lhe ConsLlLuLlon are apL Lo be forgoLLen or marred lf noL enLlrely obllLeraLed In
cases of conf||ct the [ud|c|a| department |s the on|y const|tut|ona| organ wh|ch
can be ca||ed upon to determ|ne the proper a||ocat|on of powers between the
severa| departments and among the |ntegra| or const|tuent un|ts thereof
As any human producLlon our ConsLlLuLlon ls of course lacklng perfecLlon and
perfecLlblllLy buL as much as lL was wlLhln Lhe power of our people acLlng Lhrough
Lhelr delegaLes Lo so provlde LhaL lnsLrumenL whlch ls Lhe expresslon of Lhelr
soverelgnLy however llmlLed has esLabllshed a republlcan governmenL lnLended Lo
operaLe and funcLlon as a harmonlous whole under a sysLem of checks and
balances and sub[ecL Lo speclflc llmlLaLlons and resLrlcLlons provlded ln Lhe sald
lnsLrumenL 1he Const|tut|on sets forth |n no uncerta|n |anguage the restr|ct|ons
and ||m|tat|ons upon governmenta| powers and agenc|es If these restr|ct|ons and
||m|tat|ons are transcended |t wou|d be |nconce|vab|e |f the Const|tut|on had not
prov|ded for a mechan|sm by wh|ch to d|rect the course of government a|ong
const|tut|ona| channe|s for Lhen Lhe dlsLrlbuLlon of powers would be mere
verblage Lhe blll of rlghLs mere expresslons of senLlmenL and Lhe prlnclples of
good governmenL mere pollLlcal apoLhegms CerLalnly Lhe llmlLaLlons and
resLrlcLlons embodled ln our ConsLlLuLlon are real as Lhey should be ln any llvlng
consLlLuLlon ln Lhe unlLed SLaLes where no express consLlLuLlonal granL ls found ln
Lhelr consLlLuLlon the possess|on of th|s moderat|ng power of the courts noL Lo
speak of lLs hlsLorlcal orlgln and developmenL Lhere has been seL aL resL by popular
acqulescence for a perlod of more Lhan one and a half cenLurles ln our case Lhls
moderaLlng power |s granted |f not express|y by c|ear |mp||cat|on from sect|on 2
of art|c|e VIII of our Const|tut|on
1he ConsLlLuLlon ls a deflnlLlon of Lhe powers of governmenL Who |s to determ|ne
the nature scope and extent of such powers? 1he Const|tut|on |tse|f has prov|ded
for the |nstrumenta||ty of the [ud|c|ary as the rat|ona| way And when the
[ud|c|ary med|ates to a||ocate const|tut|ona| boundar|es |t does noL asserL any
superlorlLy over Lhe oLher deparLmenLs lL does noL ln reallLy nulllfy or lnvalldaLe an
acL of Lhe leglslaLure buL on|y asserts the so|emn and sacred ob||gat|on ass|gned
to |t by the Const|tut|on to determ|ne conf||ct|ng c|a|ms of author|ty under the
Const|tut|on and to estab||sh for the part|es |n an actua| controversy the r|ghts
wh|ch that |nstrument secures and guarantees to them 1h|s |s |n truth a|| that |s
|nvo|ved |n whaL ls Lermed [udlclal supremacy whlch properly |s the power of
[ud|c|a| rev|ew under the Const|tut|on Lven Lhen Lhls power of [udlclal revlew ls
llmlLed Lo acLual cases and conLroversles Lo be exerclsed afLer full opporLunlLy of
argumenL by Lhe parLles and llmlLed furLher Lo Lhe consLlLuLlonal quesLlon ralsed
or Lhe very lls moto presenLed Any aLLempL aL absLracLlon could only lead Lo
dlalecLlcs and barren legal quesLlons and Lo sLerlle concluslons unrelaLed Lo
acLuallLles narrowed as lLs funcLlon ls ln Lhls manner Lhe [udlclary does noL pass
upon quesLlons of wlsdom [usLlce or expedlency of leglslaLlon More Lhan LhaL
courLs accord Lhe presumpLlon of consLlLuLlonallLy Lo leglslaLlve enacLmenLs noL
only because Lhe leglslaLure ls presumed Lo ablde by Lhe ConsLlLuLlon buL also
because Lhe [udlclary ln Lhe deLermlnaLlon of acLual cases and conLroversles musL
reflecL Lhe wlsdom and [usLlce of Lhe people as expressed Lhrough Lhelr
represenLaLlves ln Lhe execuLlve and leglslaLlve deparLmenLs of Lhe governmenL
24

(lLallcs ln Lhe orlglnal emphasls and underscorlng supplled)
As polnLed ouL by !usLlce Laurel Lhls moderaLlng power Lo deLermlne Lhe proper
allocaLlon of powers of Lhe dlfferenL branches of governmenL and Lo dlrecL Lhe course of
governmenL along consLlLuLlonal channels ls lnherenL ln all courLs
23
as a necessary
consequence of Lhe [udlclal power lLself whlch ls Lhe power of Lhe courL Lo seLLle acLual
conLroversles lnvolvlng rlghLs whlch are legally demandable and enforceable
26

1hus even ln Lhe unlLed SLaLes where Lhe power of [udlclal revlew ls noL expllclLly conferred
upon Lhe courLs by lLs ConsLlLuLlon such power has been seL aL resL by popular
acqulescence for a perlod of more Lhan one and a half cenLurles 1o be sure lL was ln Lhe
1803 leadlng case of Motboty v MoJlsoo
27
LhaL Lhe power of [udlclal revlew was flrsL
arLlculaLed by Chlef !usLlce Marshall Lo wlL
lL ls also noL enLlrely unworLhy of observaLlon LhaL ln declarlng whaL shall be Lhe
supreme law of Lhe land Lhe consLlLuLlon lLself ls flrsL menLloned and noL Lhe laws
of Lhe unlLed SLaLes generally buL Lhose only whlch shall be made ln pursuance of
Lhe consLlLuLlon have LhaL rank
1hus the part|cu|ar phraseo|ogy of the const|tut|on of Lhe unlLed SLaLes conflrms
and sLrengLhens the pr|nc|p|e supposed to be essent|a| to a|| wr|tten
const|tut|ons that a |aw repugnant to the const|tut|on |s vo|d and that corts as
we|| as other departments are bound by that |nstrument
28
(lLallcs ln Lhe orlglnal
emphasls supplled)
ln our own [urlsdlcLlon as early as 1902 decades before lLs express granL ln Lhe 1933
ConsLlLuLlon Lhe power of [udlclal revlew was exerclsed by our courLs Lo lnvalldaLe
consLlLuLlonally lnflrm acLs
29
And as polnLed ouL by noLed pollLlcal law professor and former
Supreme CourL !usLlce vlcenLe v Mendoza
30
Lhe execuLlve and leglslaLlve branches of our
governmenL ln facL effecLlvely acknowledged Lhls power of [udlclal revlew ln ArLlcle 7 of Lhe
Clvll Code Lo wlL
ArLlcle 7 Laws are repealed only by subsequenL ones and Lhelr vlolaLlon or non
observance shall noL be excused by dlsuse or cusLom or pracLlce Lo Lhe conLrary
When the courts dec|are a |aw to be |ncons|stent w|th the Const|tut|on the
former sha|| be vo|d and the |atter sha|| govern
Adm|n|strat|ve or execut|ve acts orders and regu|at|ons sha|| be va||d on|y when
they are not contrary to the |aws or the Const|tut|on (Lmphasls supplled)
As lndlcaLed ln Aoqoto v lectotol commlssloo
31
[udlclal revlew ls lndeed an lnLegral
componenL of Lhe dellcaLe sysLem of checks and balances whlch LogeLher wlLh Lhe corollary
prlnclple of separaLlon of powers forms Lhe bedrock of our republlcan form of governmenL
and lnsures LhaL lLs vasL powers are uLlllzed only for Lhe beneflL of Lhe people for whlch lL
serves
1he separat|on of powers |s a fundamenta| pr|nc|p|e |n our system of
government lL obLalns noL Lhrough express provlslon buL by acLual dlvlslon ln our
ConsLlLuLlon Lach deparLmenL of Lhe governmenL has excluslve cognlzance of
maLLers wlLhln lLs [urlsdlcLlon and ls supreme wlLhln lLs own sphere 8uL lL does noL
follow from Lhe facL LhaL Lhe Lhree powers are Lo be kepL separaLe and dlsLlncL LhaL
Lhe ConsLlLuLlon lnLended Lhem Lo be absoluLely unresLralned and lndependenL of
each oLher 1he Const|tut|on has prov|ded for an e|aborate system of checks and
ba|ances to secure coord|nat|on |n the work|ngs of the var|ous departments of
the government x x x And the [ud|c|ary |n turn w|th the Supreme Court as the
f|na| arb|ter effect|ve|y checks the other departments |n the exerc|se of |ts power
to determ|ne the |aw and hence to dec|are execut|ve and |eg|s|at|ve acts vo|d |f
v|o|at|ve of the Const|tut|on
32
(Lmphasls and underscorlng supplled)
ln Lhe scholarly esLlmaLlon of former Supreme CourL !usLlce llorenLlno lellclano x x x
[udlclal revlew ls essenLlal for Lhe malnLenance and enforcemenL of Lhe separaLlon of powers
and Lhe balanclng of powers among Lhe Lhree greaL deparLmenLs of governmenL Lhrough Lhe
deflnlLlon and malnLenance of Lhe boundarles of auLhorlLy and conLrol beLween Lhem
33
1o
hlm [udlclal revlew ls Lhe chlef lndeed Lhe only medlum of parLlclpaLlon or lnsLrumenL
of lnLervenLlon of Lhe [udlclary ln LhaL balanclng operaLlon
34

1o ensure Lhe poLency of Lhe power of [udlclal revlew Lo curb grave abuse of dlscreLlon by
any branch or |nstrumenta||t|es of government Lhe aforequoLed SecLlon 1 ArLlcle vlll of
Lhe ConsLlLuLlon engraves for Lhe flrsL Llme lnLo lLs hlsLory lnLo block leLLer law Lhe socalled
expanded cettlototl [urlsdlcLlon of Lhls CourL Lhe naLure of and raLlonale for whlch are
mlrrored ln Lhe followlng excerpL from Lhe sponsorshlp speech of lLs proponenL former Chlef
!usLlce ConsLlLuLlonal Commlssloner 8oberLo Concepclon
x x x
1he flrsL secLlon sLarLs wlLh a senLence copled from former ConsLlLuLlons lL says
1he [udlclal power shall be vesLed ln one Supreme CourL and ln such lower courLs
as may be esLabllshed by law
l suppose nobody can quesLlon lL
1he nexL provlslon ls new ln our consLlLuLlonal law l wlll read lL flrsL and explaln
!udlclal power lncludes Lhe duLy of courLs of [usLlce Lo seLLle acLual conLroversles
lnvolvlng rlghLs whlch are legally demandable and enforceable and Lo deLermlne
wheLher or noL Lhere has been a grave abuse of dlscreLlon amounLlng Lo lack or
excess of [urlsdlcLlon on Lhe parL or lnsLrumenLallLy of Lhe governmenL
lellow Members of Lhls Commlsslon th|s |s actua||y a product of our exper|ence
dur|ng mart|a| |aw As a maLLer of facL lL has some anLecedenLs ln Lhe pasL buL the
ro|e of the [ud|c|ary dur|ng the deposed reg|me was marred cons|derab|y by the
c|rcumstance that |n a number of cases aga|nst the government wh|ch then had
no |ega| defense at a|| the so||c|tor genera| set up the defense of po||t|ca|
quest|ons and got away w|th |t As a consequence cerLaln prlnclples concernlng
parLlcularly Lhe wrlL of habeas corpus LhaL ls Lhe auLhorlLy of courLs Lo order Lhe
release of pollLlcal deLalnees and oLher maLLers relaLed Lo Lhe operaLlon and effecL
of marLlal law falled because Lhe governmenL seL up Lhe defense of pollLlcal
quesLlon And Lhe Supreme CourL sald Well slnce lL ls pollLlcal we have no
auLhorlLy Lo pass upon lL 1he Comm|ttee on the Iud|c|ary fee|s that th|s was not
a proper so|ut|on of the quest|ons |nvo|ved It d|d not mere|y request an
encroachment upon the r|ghts of the peop|e but |t |n effect encouraged further
v|o|at|ons thereof dur|ng the mart|a| |aw reg|me x x x
x x x
8r|ef|y stated courts of [ust|ce determ|ne the ||m|ts of power of the agenc|es and
off|ces of the government as we|| as those of |ts off|cers In other words the
[ud|c|ary |s the f|na| arb|ter on the quest|on whether or not a branch of
government or any of |ts off|c|a|s has acted w|thout [ur|sd|ct|on or |n excess of
[ur|sd|ct|on or so capr|c|ous|y as to const|tute an abuse of d|scret|on amount|ng
to excess of [ur|sd|ct|on or |ack of [ur|sd|ct|on 1h|s |s not on|y a [ud|c|a| power but
a duty to pass [udgment on matters of th|s nature
1hls ls Lhe background of paragraph 2 of SecLlon 1 whlch means LhaL the courts
cannot hereafter evade the duty to sett|e matters of th|s nature by c|a|m|ng that
such matters const|tute a po||t|ca| quest|on
33
(lLallcs ln Lhe orlglnal emphasls and
underscorlng supplled)
1o deLermlne Lhe merlLs of Lhe lssues ralsed ln Lhe lnsLanL peLlLlons Lhls CourL musL
necessarlly Lurn Lo Lhe ConsLlLuLlon lLself whlch employs Lhe wellseLLled prlnclples of
consLlLuLlonal consLrucLlon
llrsL vetbo leqls LhaL ls wherever posslble Lhe words used ln Lhe ConsLlLuLlon musL be glven
Lhelr ordlnary meanlng excepL where Lechnlcal Lerms are employed 1hus ln IM 1oosoo
co loc v looJ 1eoote AJmlolsttotloo
36
Lhls CourL speaklng Lhrough Chlef !usLlce Lnrlque
lernando declared
We |ook to the |anguage of the document |tse|f |n our search for |ts mean|ng We
do not of course stop there but that |s where we beg|n It |s to be assumed that
the words |n wh|ch const|tut|ona| prov|s|ons are couched express the ob[ect|ve
sought to be atta|ned 1hey are to be g|ven the|r ord|nary mean|ng except where
techn|ca| terms are emp|oyed |n wh|ch case the s|gn|f|cance thus attached to
them preva||s As Lhe ConsLlLuLlon ls noL prlmarlly a lawyers documenL lL belng
essenLlal for Lhe rule of law Lo obLaln LhaL lL should ever be presenL ln Lhe peoples
consclousness lLs language as much as posslble should be undersLood ln Lhe sense
Lhey have ln common use What |t says accord|ng to the text of the prov|s|on to
be construed compe|s acceptance and negaLes Lhe power of Lhe courLs Lo alLer lL
based on Lhe posLulaLe LhaL Lhe framers and Lhe people mean whaL Lhey say 1hus
Lhese are Lhe cases where Lhe need for consLrucLlon ls reduced Lo a mlnlmum
37

(Lmphasls and underscorlng supplled)
Second where Lhere ls amblgulLy raLlo leqls est oolmo 1he words of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon should
be lnLerpreLed ln accordance wlLh Lhe lnLenL of lLs framers And so dld Lhls CourL apply Lhls
prlnclple ln clvll llbettles uoloo v xecotlve 5ectetoty
38
ln Lhls wlse
A foolproof yardsLlck ln consLlLuLlonal consLrucLlon ls Lhe lnLenLlon underlylng Lhe
provlslon under conslderaLlon 1hus lL has been held LhaL Lhe CourL ln consLrulng a
ConsLlLuLlon should bear ln mlnd Lhe ob[ecL soughL Lo be accompllshed by lLs
adopLlon and Lhe evlls lf any soughL Lo be prevenLed or remedled A doubLful
provlslon wlll be examlned ln Lhe llghL of Lhe hlsLory of Lhe Llmes and Lhe condlLlon
and clrcumsLances under whlch Lhe ConsLlLuLlon was framed 1he ob[ect |s to
ascerta|n the reason wh|ch |nduced the framers of the Const|tut|on to enact the
part|cu|ar prov|s|on and the purpose sought to be accomp||shed thereby |n order
to construe the who|e as to make the words consonant to that reason and
ca|cu|ated to effect that purpose
39
(Lmphasls and underscorlng supplled)
As lL dld ln Nltofoo v commlsslooet oo lotetool keveooe
40
where speaklng Lhrough Madame
!usLlce Amuerflna A MelencloPerrera lL declared
x x x 1he ascerta|nment of that |ntent |s but |n keep|ng w|th the fundamenta|
pr|nc|p|e of const|tut|ona| construct|on that the |ntent of the framers of the
organ|c |aw and of the peop|e adopt|ng |t shou|d be g|ven effect 1he prlmary Lask
ln consLlLuLlonal consLrucLlon ls Lo ascerLaln and LhereafLer assure Lhe reallzaLlon of
Lhe purpose of Lhe framers and of Lhe people ln Lhe adopLlon of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon It
may a|so be safe|y assumed that the peop|e |n rat|fy|ng the Const|tut|on were
gu|ded ma|n|y by the exp|anat|on offered by the framers
41
(Lmphasls and
underscorlng supplled)
llnally ot moqls voleot poom peteot 1he ConsLlLuLlon ls Lo be lnLerpreLed as a whole 1hus
ln cblooqbloo v ue leoo
42
Lhls CourL Lhrough Chlef !usLlce Manuel Moran declared
x x x 1he members of the Const|tut|ona| Convent|on cou|d not have ded|cated a
prov|s|on of our Const|tut|on mere|y for the benef|t of one person w|thout
cons|der|ng that |t cou|d a|so affect others When they adopted subsect|on 2
they perm|tted |f not w|||ed that sa|d prov|s|on shou|d funct|on to the fu|| extent
of |ts substance and |ts terms not by |tse|f a|one but |n con[unct|on w|th a|| other
prov|s|ons of that great document
43
(Lmphasls and underscorlng supplled)
Llkewlse sLlll ln clvll llbettles uoloo v xecotlve 5ectetoty
44
Lhls CourL afflrmed LhaL
It |s a we||estab||shed ru|e |n const|tut|ona| construct|on that no one prov|s|on of
the Const|tut|on |s to be separated from a|| the others to be cons|dered a|one
but that a|| the prov|s|ons bear|ng upon a part|cu|ar sub[ect are to be brought
|nto v|ew and to be so |nterpreted as to effectuate the great purposes of the
|nstrument Sect|ons bear|ng on a part|cu|ar sub[ect shou|d be cons|dered and
|nterpreted together as to effectuate the who|e purpose of the Const|tut|on and
one sect|on |s not to be a||owed to defeat another |f by any reasonab|e
construct|on the two can be made to stand together
ln oLher words Lhe courL musL harmonlze Lhem lf pracLlcable and musL lean ln
favor of a consLrucLlon whlch wlll render every word operaLlve raLher Lhan one
whlch may make Lhe words ldle and nugaLory
43
(Lmphasls supplled)
lf however Lhe plaln meanlng of Lhe word ls noL found Lo be clear resorL Lo oLher alds ls
avallable ln sLlll Lhe same case of clvll llbettles uoloo v xecotlve 5ectetoty Lhls CourL
expounded
Whlle lL ls permlsslble ln Lhls [urlsdlcLlon Lo consulL Lhe debates and proceed|ngs of
Lhe consLlLuLlonal convenLlon ln order Lo arrlve aL Lhe reason and purpose of Lhe
resulLlng ConsLlLuLlon resort thereto may be had on|y when other gu|des fa|| as
sa|d proceed|ngs are power|ess to vary the terms of the Const|tut|on when the
mean|ng |s c|ear uebaLes ln Lhe consLlLuLlonal convenLlon are of value as showlng
Lhe vlews of Lhe lndlvldual members and as lndlcaLlng Lhe reasons for Lhelr voLes
buL Lhey glve us no llghL as Lo Lhe vlews of Lhe large ma[orlLy who dld noL Lalk
much less of Lhe mass of our fellow clLlzens whose voLes aL Lhe polls gave LhaL
lnsLrumenL Lhe force of fundamenLal law We th|nk |t safer to construe the
const|tut|on from what appears upon |ts face 1he proper |nterpretat|on
therefore depends more on how |t was understood by the peop|e adopt|ng |t
than |n the framerss understand|ng thereof
46
(Lmphasls and underscorlng
supplled)
lL ls ln Lhe conLexL of Lhe foregolng backdrop of consLlLuLlonal reflnemenL and [urlsprudenLlal
appllcaLlon of Lhe power of [udlclal revlew LhaL respondenLs Speaker ue venecla et ol and
lnLervenor SenaLor lmenLel ralse Lhe novel argumenL LhaL Lhe ConsLlLuLlon has excluded
lmpeachmenL proceedlngs from Lhe coverage of [udlclal revlew
8rlefly sLaLed lL ls Lhe poslLlon of respondenLs Speaker ue venecla et ol LhaL lmpeachmenL
ls a pollLlcal acLlon whlch cannoL assume a [udlclal characLer Pence any quesLlon lssue or
lncldenL arlslng aL any sLage of Lhe lmpeachmenL proceedlng ls beyond Lhe reach of [udlclal
revlew
47

lor hls parL lnLervenor SenaLor lmenLel conLends LhaL Lhe SenaLes sole power Lo Lry
lmpeachmenL cases
48
(1) enLlrely excludes Lhe appllcaLlon of [udlclal revlew over lL and (2)
necessarlly lncludes Lhe SenaLes power Lo deLermlne consLlLuLlonal quesLlons relaLlve Lo
lmpeachmenL proceedlngs
49

ln furLherlng Lhelr argumenLs on Lhe proposlLlon LhaL lmpeachmenL proceedlngs are ouLslde
Lhe scope of [udlclal revlew respondenLs Speaker ue venecla et ol and lnLervenor SenaLor
lmenLel rely heavlly on Amerlcan auLhorlLles prlnclpally Lhe ma[orlLy oplnlon ln Lhe case of
Nlxoo v uolteJ 5totes
30
1hus Lhey conLend LhaL Lhe exerclse of [udlclal revlew over
lmpeachmenL proceedlngs ls lnapproprlaLe slnce lL runs counLer Lo Lhe framers declslon Lo
allocaLe Lo dlfferenL fora Lhe powers Lo Lry lmpeachmenLs and Lo Lry crlmes lL dlsLurbs Lhe
sysLem of checks and balances under whlch lmpeachmenL ls Lhe only leglslaLlve check on Lhe
[udlclary and lL would creaLe a lack of flnallLy and dlfflculLy ln fashlonlng rellef
31

8espondenLs llkewlse polnL Lo dellberaLlons on Lhe uS ConsLlLuLlon Lo show Lhe lnLenL Lo
lsolaLe [udlclal power of revlew ln cases of lmpeachmenL
8espondenLs and lnLervenors rellance upon Amerlcan [urlsprudence Lhe Amerlcan
ConsLlLuLlon and Amerlcan auLhorlLles cannot be credlLed Lo supporL Lhe proposlLlon LhaL Lhe
SenaLes sole power Lo Lry and declde lmpeachmenL cases as provlded for under ArL xl
Sec 3(6) of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon ls a LexLually demonsLrable consLlLuLlonal commlLmenL of all
lssues perLalnlng Lo lmpeachmenL Lo Lhe leglslaLure Lo Lhe LoLal excluslon of Lhe power of
[udlclal revlew Lo check and resLraln any grave abuse of Lhe lmpeachmenL process nor can lL
reasonably supporL Lhe lnLerpreLaLlon LhaL lL necessarlly confers upon Lhe SenaLe Lhe
lnherenLly [udlclal power Lo deLermlne consLlLuLlonal quesLlons lncldenL Lo lmpeachmenL
proceedlngs
Sald Amerlcan [urlsprudence and auLhorlLles much less Lhe Amerlcan ConsLlLuLlon are of
dublous appllcaLlon for Lhese are no longer conLrolllng wlLhln our [urlsdlcLlon and have only
llmlLed persuaslve merlL lnsofar as hlllpplne consLlLuLlonal law ls concerned As held ln Lhe
case of Cotclo vs cMlc
32
ln resolvlng consLlLuLlonal dlspuLes Lhls CourL should noL
be begulled by forelgn [urlsprudence some of whlch are hardly appllcable because Lhey have
been dlcLaLed by dlfferenL consLlLuLlonal seLLlngs and needs
33
lndeed alLhough Lhe
hlllpplne ConsLlLuLlon can Lrace lLs orlglns Lo LhaL of Lhe unlLed SLaLes Lhelr paLhs of
developmenL have long slnce dlverged ln Lhe colorful words of laLher 8ernas we have cuL
Lhe umblllcal cord
1he ma[or dlfference beLween Lhe [udlclal power of Lhe hlllpplne Supreme CourL and LhaL of
Lhe uS Supreme CourL ls LhaL whlle Lhe power of [udlclal revlew ls only lmplleJly granLed Lo
Lhe uS Supreme CourL and ls dlscreLlonary ln naLure LhaL granLed Lo Lhe hlllpplne Supreme
CourL and lower courLs os exptessly ptovlJeJ fot lo tbe coostltotloo ls noL [usL a power buL
also a duty and lL was g|ven an expanded def|n|t|on Lo lnclude Lhe power Lo correcL any
grave abuse of dlscreLlon on Lhe parL of any governmenL branch or lnsLrumenLallLy
1here are also glarlng dlsLlncLlons beLween Lhe uS ConsLlLuLlon and Lhe hlllpplne
ConsLlLuLlon wlLh respecL Lo Lhe power of Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves over lmpeachmenL
proceedlngs Whlle Lhe uS ConsLlLuLlon besLows sole power of lmpeachmenL Lo Lhe Pouse
of 8epresenLaLlves wlLhouL llmlLaLlon
34
our ConsLlLuLlon Lhough vesLlng ln Lhe Pouse of
8epresenLaLlves Lhe excluslve power Lo lnlLlaLe lmpeachmenL cases
33
provldes for several
llmlLaLlons Lo Lhe exerclse of such power as embodled ln SecLlon 3(2) (3) (4) and (3) ArLlcle
xl Lhereof 1hese llmlLaLlons lnclude Lhe manner of flllng requlred voLe Lo lmpeach and Lhe
one year bar on Lhe lmpeachmenL of one and Lhe same offlclal
8espondenLs are also of Lhe vlew LhaL [udlclal revlew of lmpeachmenLs undermlnes Lhelr
flnallLy and may also lead Lo confllcLs beLween Congress and Lhe [udlclary 1hus Lhey call
upon Lhls CourL Lo exerclse [udlclal sLaLesmanshlp on Lhe prlnclple LhaL whenever posslble
Lhe CourL should defer Lo Lhe [udgmenL of Lhe people expressed leglslaLlvely recognlzlng full
well Lhe perlls of [udlclal wlllfulness and prlde
36

8uL dld noL Lhe people also express Lhelr wlll when Lhey lnsLlLuLed Lhe abovemenLloned
safeguards ln Lhe ConsLlLuLlon? 1hls shows LhaL Lhe ConsLlLuLlon dld noL lnLend Lo leave Lhe
maLLer of lmpeachmenL Lo Lhe sole dlscreLlon of Congress lnsLead lL provlded for cerLaln
welldeflned llmlLs or ln Lhe language of 8oket v cott
37
[udlclally dlscoverable sLandards
for deLermlnlng Lhe valldlLy of Lhe exerclse of such dlscreLlon Lhrough Lhe power of [udlclal
revlew
1he cases of komolo v olqoez
38
and AlejooJtloo v Ooezoo
39
clLed by respondenLs ln
supporL of Lhe argumenL LhaL Lhe lmpeachmenL power ls beyond Lhe scope of [udlclal revlew
are noL ln polnL 1hese cases concern Lhe denlal of peLlLlons for wrlLs of mandamus Lo
compel Lhe leglslaLure Lo perform nonmlnlsLerlal acLs and do noL concern Lhe exerclse of
Lhe power of [udlclal revlew
1here ls lndeed a pleLhora of cases ln whlch Lhls CourL exerclsed Lhe power of [udlclal revlew
over congresslonal acLlon 1hus ln 5ootloqo v Coloqooo It
60
Lhls CourL ruled LhaL lL ls well
wlLhln Lhe power and [urlsdlcLlon of Lhe CourL Lo lnqulre wheLher Lhe SenaLe or lLs offlclals
commlLLed a vlolaLlon of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon or grave abuse of dlscreLlon ln Lhe exerclse of Lhelr
funcLlons and prerogaLlves ln 1oooJo v Aoqoto
61
ln seeklng Lo nulllfy an acL of Lhe
hlllpplne SenaLe on Lhe ground LhaL lL conLravened Lhe ConsLlLuLlon lL held LhaL Lhe peLlLlon
ralses a [usLlclable conLroversy and LhaL when an acLlon of Lhe leglslaLlve branch ls serlously
alleged Lo have lnfrlnged Lhe ConsLlLuLlon lL becomes noL only Lhe rlghL buL ln facL Lhe duLy
of Lhe [udlclary Lo seLLle Lhe dlspuLe ln 8ooJoc v lloeJo
62
Lhls CourL declared null and vold a
resoluLlon of Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves wlLhdrawlng Lhe nomlnaLlon and resclndlng Lhe
elecLlon of a congressman as a member of Lhe Pouse LlecLoral 1rlbunal for belng vlolaLlve of
SecLlon 17 ArLlcle vl of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon ln coseteoq v Mltto
63
lL held LhaL Lhe resoluLlon of
wheLher Lhe Pouse represenLaLlon ln Lhe Commlsslon on AppolnLmenLs was based on
proporLlonal represenLaLlon of Lhe pollLlcal parLles as provlded ln SecLlon 18 ArLlcle vl of Lhe
ConsLlLuLlon ls sub[ecL Lo [udlclal revlew ln uozo v 5loqsoo
64
lL held LhaL Lhe acL of Lhe
Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves ln removlng Lhe peLlLloner from Lhe Commlsslon on AppolnLmenLs
ls sub[ecL Lo [udlclal revlew ln 1oooJo v coeoco
63
lL held LhaL alLhough under Lhe
ConsLlLuLlon Lhe leglslaLlve power ls vesLed excluslvely ln Congress Lhls does noL deLracL
from Lhe power of Lhe courLs Lo pass upon Lhe consLlLuLlonallLy of acLs of Congress ln
Aoqoto v lectotol commlssloo
66
lL ruled LhaL conflrmaLlon by Lhe naLlonal Assembly of Lhe
elecLlon of any member lrrespecLlve of wheLher hls elecLlon ls conLesLed ls noL essenLlal
before such memberelecL may dlscharge Lhe duLles and en[oy Lhe prlvlleges of a member of
Lhe naLlonal Assembly
llnally Lhere exlsLs no consLlLuLlonal basls for Lhe conLenLlon LhaL Lhe exerclse of [udlclal
revlew over lmpeachmenL proceedlngs would upseL Lhe sysLem of checks and balances
verlly Lhe ConsLlLuLlon ls Lo be lnLerpreLed as a whole and one secLlon ls noL Lo be allowed
Lo defeaL anoLher
67
8oLh are lnLegral componenLs of Lhe callbraLed sysLem of lndependence
and lnLerdependence LhaL lnsures LhaL no branch of governmenL acL beyond Lhe powers
asslgned Lo lL by Lhe ConsLlLuLlon
ssentio/ keqisites for dicio/ keview
As clearly sLaLed ln Aoqoto v lectotol commlssloo Lhe courLs power of [udlclal revlew llke
almosL all powers conferred by Lhe ConsLlLuLlon ls sub[ecL Lo several llmlLaLlons namely (1)
an acLual case or conLroversy calllng for Lhe exerclse of [udlclal power (2) Lhe person
challenglng Lhe acL musL have sLandlng Lo challenge he musL have a personal and
subsLanLlal lnLeresL ln Lhe case such LhaL he has susLalned or wlll susLaln dlrecL ln[ury as a
resulL of lLs enforcemenL (3) Lhe quesLlon of consLlLuLlonallLy musL be ralsed aL Lhe earllesL
posslble opporLunlLy and (4) Lhe lssue of consLlLuLlonallLy musL be Lhe very lls moto of Lhe
case
x x x Lven Lhen Lhls power of [udlclal revlew ls llmlLed Lo acLual cases and
conLroversles Lo be exerclsed afLer full opporLunlLy of argumenL by Lhe parLles and
llmlLed furLher Lo Lhe consLlLuLlonal quesLlon ralsed or Lhe very lls moto presenLed
Any aLLempL aL absLracLlon could only lead Lo dlalecLlcs and barren legal quesLlons
and Lo sLerlle concluslons unrelaLed Lo acLuallLles narrowed as lLs funcLlon ls ln Lhls
manner Lhe [udlclary does noL pass upon quesLlons of wlsdom [usLlce or
expedlency of leglslaLlon More Lhan LhaL courLs accord Lhe presumpLlon of
consLlLuLlonallLy Lo leglslaLlve enacLmenLs noL only because Lhe leglslaLure ls
presumed Lo ablde by Lhe ConsLlLuLlon buL also because Lhe [udlclary ln Lhe
deLermlnaLlon of acLual cases and conLroversles musL reflecL Lhe wlsdom and
[usLlce of Lhe people as expressed Lhrough Lhelr represenLaLlves ln Lhe execuLlve
and leglslaLlve deparLmenLs of Lhe governmenL
68
(lLallcs ln Lhe orlglnal)
tondinq
locos stooJl or legal sLandlng or has been deflned as a personal and subsLanLlal lnLeresL ln
Lhe case such LhaL Lhe parLy has susLalned or wlll susLaln dlrecL ln[ury as a resulL of Lhe
governmenLal acL LhaL ls belng challenged 1he glsL of Lhe quesLlon of sLandlng ls wheLher a
parLy alleges such personal sLake ln Lhe ouLcome of Lhe conLroversy as Lo assure LhaL
concreLe adverseness whlch sharpens Lhe presenLaLlon of lssues upon whlch Lhe courL
depends for lllumlnaLlon of dlfflculL consLlLuLlonal quesLlons
69

lotetveoot Sorlano ln praylng for Lhe dlsmlssal of Lhe peLlLlons conLends LhaL peLlLloners do
noL have sLandlng slnce only Lhe Chlef !usLlce has susLalned and wlll susLaln dlrecL personal
ln[ury Amlcos cotloe former !usLlce MlnlsLer and SollclLor Ceneral LsLellLo Mendoza slmllarly
conLends
upon Lhe oLher hand Lhe SollclLor Ceneral asserLs LhaL peLlLloners have sLandlng slnce Lhls
CourL had ln Lhe pasL accorded sLandlng Lo Laxpayers voLers concerned clLlzens leglslaLors
ln cases lnvolvlng paramounL publlc lnLeresL
70
and LranscendenLal lmporLance
71
and LhaL
procedural maLLers are subordlnaLe Lo Lhe need Lo deLermlne wheLher or noL Lhe oLher
branches of Lhe governmenL have kepL Lhemselves wlLhln Lhe llmlLs of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon and
Lhe laws and LhaL Lhey have noL abused Lhe dlscreLlon glven Lo Lhem
72
Amlcos cotloe uean
8aul angalangan of Lhe u College of Law ls of Lhe same oplnlon clLlng LranscendenLal
lmporLance and Lhe wellenLrenched rule excepLlon LhaL when Lhe real parLy ln lnLeresL ls
unable Lo vlndlcaLe hls rlghLs by seeklng Lhe same remedles as ln Lhe case of Lhe Chlef
!usLlce who for eLhlcal reasons cannoL hlmself lnvoke Lhe [urlsdlcLlon of Lhls CourL Lhe
courLs wlll granL peLlLloners sLandlng
1here ls however a dlfference beLween Lhe rule on realparLylnlnLeresL and Lhe rule on
sLandlng for Lhe former ls a concepL of clvll procedure
73
whlle Lhe laLLer has consLlLuLlonal
underplnnlngs
74
ln vlew of Lhe argumenLs seL forLh regardlng sLandlng lL behooves Lhe CourL
Lo relLeraLe Lhe rullng ln kllosboyoo loc v Mototo
73
Lo clarlfy whaL ls meanL by locus sLandl
and Lo dlsLlngulsh lL from real parLylnlnLeresL
1he dlfference beLween Lhe rule on sLandlng and real parLy ln lnLeresL has been
noLed by auLhorlLles Lhus lL ls lmporLanL Lo noLe LhaL sLandlng because of lLs
consLlLuLlonal and publlc pollcy underplnnlngs ls very dlfferenL from quesLlons
relaLlng Lo wheLher a parLlcular plalnLlff ls Lhe real parLy ln lnLeresL or has capaclLy
Lo sue AlLhough all Lhree requlremenLs are dlrecLed Lowards ensurlng LhaL only
cerLaln parLles can malnLaln an acLlon sLandlng resLrlcLlons requlre a parLlal
conslderaLlon of Lhe merlLs as well as broader pollcy concerns relaLlng Lo Lhe
proper role of Lhe [udlclary ln cerLaln areas
SLandlng ls a speclal concern ln consLlLuLlonal law because ln some cases sulLs are
broughL noL by parLles who have been personally ln[ured by Lhe operaLlon of a law
or by offlclal acLlon Laken buL by concerned clLlzens Laxpayers or voLers who
acLually sue ln Lhe publlc lnLeresL Pence Lhe quesLlon ln sLandlng ls wheLher such
parLles have alleged such a personal sLake ln Lhe ouLcome of Lhe conLroversy as Lo
assure LhaL concreLe adverseness whlch sharpens Lhe presenLaLlon of lssues upon
whlch Lhe courL so largely depends for lllumlnaLlon of dlfflculL consLlLuLlonal
quesLlons
x x x
Cn Lhe oLher hand Lhe quesLlon as Lo real parLy ln lnLeresL ls wheLher he ls Lhe
parLy who would be beneflLed or ln[ured by Lhe [udgmenL or Lhe parLy enLlLled Lo
Lhe avalls of Lhe sulL
76
(ClLaLlons omlLLed)
Whlle rlghLs personal Lo Lhe Chlef !usLlce may have been ln[ured by Lhe alleged
unconsLlLuLlonal acLs of Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves none of Lhe peLlLloners before us
asserLs a vlolaLlon of Lhe personal rlghLs of Lhe Chlef !usLlce Cn Lhe conLrary Lhey lnvarlably
lnvoke Lhe vlndlcaLlon of Lhelr own rlghLs as Laxpayers members of Congress clLlzens
lndlvldually or ln a class sulL and members of Lhe bar and of Lhe legal professlon whlch
were supposedly vlolaLed by Lhe alleged unconsLlLuLlonal acLs of Lhe Pouse of
8epresenLaLlves
ln a long llne of cases however concerned clLlzens Laxpayers and leglslaLors when speclflc
requlremenLs have been meL have been glven sLandlng by Lhls CourL
When sulng as a cltlzeo Lhe lnLeresL of Lhe peLlLloner assalllng Lhe consLlLuLlonallLy of a
sLaLuLe musL be dlrecL and personal Pe musL be able Lo show noL only LhaL Lhe law or any
governmenL acL ls lnvalld buL also LhaL he susLalned or ls ln lmmlnenL danger of susLalnlng
some dlrecL ln[ury as a resulL of lLs enforcemenL and noL merely LhaL he suffers Lhereby ln
some lndeflnlLe way lL musL appear LhaL Lhe person complalnlng has been or ls abouL Lo be
denled some rlghL or prlvllege Lo whlch he ls lawfully enLlLled or LhaL he ls abouL Lo be
sub[ecLed Lo some burdens or penalLles by reason of Lhe sLaLuLe or acL complalned of
77
ln
flne when Lhe proceedlng lnvolves Lhe asserLlon of a publlc rlghL
78
Lhe mere facL LhaL he ls a
clLlzen saLlsfles Lhe requlremenL of personal lnLeresL
ln Lhe case of a toxpoyet he ls allowed Lo sue where Lhere ls a clalm LhaL publlc funds are
lllegally dlsbursed or LhaL publlc money ls belng deflecLed Lo any lmproper purpose or LhaL
Lhere ls a wasLage of publlc funds Lhrough Lhe enforcemenL of an lnvalld or unconsLlLuLlonal
law
79
8efore he can lnvoke Lhe power of [udlclal revlew however he musL speclflcally prove
LhaL he has sufflclenL lnLeresL ln prevenLlng Lhe lllegal expendlLure of money ralsed by
LaxaLlon and LhaL he would susLaln a dlrecL ln[ury as a resulL of Lhe enforcemenL of Lhe
quesLloned sLaLuLe or conLracL lL ls noL sufflclenL LhaL he has merely a general lnLeresL
common Lo all members of Lhe publlc
80

AL all evenLs courLs are vesLed wlLh dlscreLlon as Lo wheLher or noL a Laxpayers sulL should
be enLerLalned
81
1hls CourL opLs Lo granL sLandlng Lo mosL of Lhe peLlLloners glven Lhelr
allegaLlon LhaL any lmpendlng LransmlLLal Lo Lhe SenaLe of Lhe ArLlcles of lmpeachmenL and
Lhe ensulng Lrlal of Lhe Chlef !usLlce wlll necessarlly lnvolve Lhe expendlLure of publlc funds
As for a leqlslotot he ls allowed Lo sue Lo quesLlon Lhe valldlLy of any offlclal acLlon whlch he
clalms lnfrlnges hls prerogaLlves as a leglslaLor
82
lndeed a member of Lhe Pouse of
8epresenLaLlves has sLandlng Lo malnLaln lnvlolaLe Lhe prerogaLlves powers and prlvlleges
vesLed by Lhe ConsLlLuLlon ln hls offlce
83

Whlle an assoclaLlon has legal personallLy Lo represenL lLs members
84
especlally when lL ls
composed of subsLanLlal Laxpayers and Lhe ouLcome wlll affecL Lhelr vlLal lnLeresLs
83
Lhe
mere lnvocaLlon by Lhe loteqtoteJ 8ot of tbe lblllpploes ot ooy membet of tbe leqol
ptofessloo of Lhe duLy Lo preserve Lhe rule of law and noLhlng more alLhough undoubLedly
Lrue does noL sufflce Lo cloLhe lL wlLh sLandlng lLs lnLeresL ls Loo general lL ls shared by
oLher groups and Lhe whole clLlzenry Powever a readlng of Lhe peLlLlons shows LhaL lL has
advanced consLlLuLlonal lssues whlch deserve Lhe aLLenLlon of Lhls CourL ln vlew of Lhelr
serlousness novelLy and welghL as precedenLs
86
lL Lherefore behooves Lhls CourL Lo relax
Lhe rules on sLandlng and Lo resolve Lhe lssues presenLed by lL
ln Lhe same veln when deallng wlLh closs solts flled ln behalf of all clLlzens persons
lnLervenlng musL be sufflclenLly numerous Lo fully proLecL Lhe lnLeresLs of all concerned
87
Lo
enable Lhe courL Lo deal properly wlLh all lnLeresLs lnvolved ln Lhe sulL
88
for a [udgmenL ln a
class sulL wheLher favorable or unfavorable Lo Lhe class ls under Lhe tes joJlcoto prlnclple
blndlng on all members of Lhe class wheLher or noL Lhey were before Lhe courL
89
Where lL
clearly appears LhaL noL all lnLeresLs can be sufflclenLly represenLed as shown by Lhe
dlvergenL lssues ralsed ln Lhe numerous peLlLlons before Lhls CourL C8 no 160363 as a
class sulL oughL Lo fall Slnce peLlLloners addlLlonally allege sLandlng as clLlzens and Laxpayers
however Lhelr peLlLlon wlll sLand
1he lblllpploe 8ot Assoclotloo ln C8 no 160403 lnvokes Lhe sole ground of LranscendenLal
lmporLance whlle ALLy uloscoro u valle[os ln C8 no 160397 ls mum on hls sLandlng
1here belng no docLrlnal deflnlLlon of LranscendenLal lmporLance Lhe followlng lnsLrucLlve
deLermlnanLs formulaLed by former Supreme CourL !usLlce llorenLlno lellclano are
lnsLrucLlve (1) Lhe characLer of Lhe funds or oLher asseLs lnvolved ln Lhe case (2) Lhe
presence of a clear case of dlsregard of a consLlLuLlonal or sLaLuLory prohlblLlon by Lhe publlc
respondenL agency or lnsLrumenLallLy of Lhe governmenL and (3) Lhe lack of any oLher parLy
wlLh a more dlrecL and speclflc lnLeresL ln ralslng Lhe quesLlons belng ralsed
90
Applylng Lhese
deLermlnanLs Lhls CourL ls saLlsfled LhaL Lhe lssues ralsed hereln are lndeed of
LranscendenLal lmporLance
ln noL a few cases Lhls CourL has ln facL adopLed a llberal aLLlLude on Lhe locos stooJl of a
peLlLloner where Lhe peLlLloner ls able Lo crafL an lssue of LranscendenLal slgnlflcance Lo Lhe
people as when Lhe lssues ralsed are of paramounL lmporLance Lo Lhe publlc
91
Such
llberallLy does noL however mean LhaL Lhe requlremenL LhaL a parLy should have an lnLeresL
ln Lhe maLLer ls LoLally ellmlnaLed A parLy musL aL Lhe very leasL sLlll plead Lhe exlsLence of
such lnLeresL lL noL belng one of whlch courLs can Lake [udlclal noLlce ln peLlLloner valle[os
case he falled Lo allege any lnLeresL ln Lhe case Pe does noL Lhus have sLandlng
WlLh respecL Lo Lhe moLlons for lnLervenLlon 8ule 19 SecLlon 2 of Lhe 8ules of CourL
requlres an lnLervenor Lo possess a legal lnLeresL ln Lhe maLLer ln llLlgaLlon or ln Lhe success
of elLher of Lhe parLles or an lnLeresL agalnsL boLh or ls so slLuaLed as Lo be adversely
affecLed by a dlsLrlbuLlon or oLher dlsposlLlon of properLy ln Lhe cusLody of Lhe courL or of an
offlcer Lhereof Whlle lnLervenLlon ls noL a maLLer of rlghL lL may be permlLLed by Lhe courLs
when Lhe appllcanL shows facLs whlch saLlsfy Lhe requlremenLs of Lhe law auLhorlzlng
lnLervenLlon
92

ln lnLervenors ALLorneys 8omulo MacallnLal and eLe Culrlno Cuadras case Lhey seek Lo [oln
peLlLloners Candelarla et ol ln C8 no 160262 Slnce save for one addlLlonal lssue Lhey
ralse Lhe same lssues and Lhe same sLandlng and no ob[ecLlon on Lhe parL of peLlLloners
Candelarla eL al has been lnLerposed Lhls CourL as earller sLaLed granLed Lhe MoLlon for
Leave of CourL Lo lnLervene and eLlLlonlnlnLervenLlon
nagmamalasaklL na mga Manananggol ng mga Manggagawang lllplno lnc et ol soughL Lo
[oln peLlLloner lranclsco ln C8 no 160261 lnvoklng Lhelr rlghL as clLlzens Lo lnLervene
alleglng LhaL Lhey wlll suffer lf Lhls lnsldlous scheme of Lhe mlnorlLy members of Lhe Pouse
of 8epresenLaLlves ls successful Lhls CourL found Lhe requlslLes for lnLervenLlon had been
complled wlLh
Alleglng LhaL Lhe lssues ralsed ln Lhe peLlLlons ln C8 nos 160261 160262 160263 160277
160292 160293 and 160310 were of LranscendenLal lmporLance World War ll veLerans
Leglonnalres of Lhe hlllpplnes lnc flled a eLlLlonlnlnLervenLlon wlLh Leave Lo lnLervene
Lo ralse Lhe addlLlonal lssue of wheLher or noL Lhe second lmpeachmenL complalnL agalnsL
Lhe Chlef !usLlce ls valld and based on any of Lhe grounds prescrlbed by Lhe ConsLlLuLlon
llndlng LhaL nagmamalasaklL na mga Manananggol ng mga Manggagawang lllplno lnc et
ol and World War ll veLerans Leglonnalres of Lhe hlllpplnes lnc possess a legal lnLeresL ln
Lhe maLLer ln llLlgaLlon Lhe respecLlve moLlons Lo lnLervene were hereby granLed
SenaLor Aqulllno lmenLel on Lhe oLher hand soughL Lo lnLervene for Lhe llmlLed purpose of
maklng of record and argulng a polnL of vlew LhaL dlffers wlLh SenaLe resldenL urllons Pe
alleges LhaL submlLLlng Lo Lhls CourLs [urlsdlcLlon as Lhe SenaLe resldenL does wlll
undermlne Lhe lndependence of Lhe SenaLe whlch wlll slL as an lmpeachmenL courL once Lhe
ArLlcles of lmpeachmenL are LransmlLLed Lo lL from Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves Clearly
SenaLor lmenLel possesses a legal lnLeresL ln Lhe maLLer ln llLlgaLlon he belng a member of
Congress agalnsL whlch Lhe hereln peLlLlons are dlrecLed lor Lhls reason and Lo fully
venLllaLe all subsLanLlal lssues relaLlng Lo Lhe maLLer aL hand hls MoLlon Lo lnLervene was
granLed and he was as earller sLaLed allowed Lo argue
LasLly as Lo !alme n Sorlanos moLlon Lo lnLervene Lhe same musL be denled for whlle he
asserLs an lnLeresL as a Laxpayer he falled Lo meeL Lhe sLandlng requlremenL for brlnglng
Laxpayers sulLs as seL forLh ln uomloo v comelec
93
Lo wlt
x x x Whlle concededly Lhe elecLlons Lo be held lnvolve Lhe expendlLure of publlc
moneys nowhere ln Lhelr eLlLlon do sald peLlLloners allege LhaL Lhelr Lax money ls
belng exLracLed and spenL ln vlolaLlon of speclflc consLlLuLlonal proLecLlon agalnsL
abuses of leglslaLlve power or LhaL Lhere ls a mlsappllcaLlon of such funds by
respondenL CCMLLLC or LhaL publlc money ls belng deflecLed Lo any lmproper
purpose nelLher do peLlLloners seek Lo resLraln respondenL from wasLlng publlc
funds Lhrough Lhe enforcemenL of an lnvalld or unconsLlLuLlonal law
94
(ClLaLlons
omlLLed)
ln praylng for Lhe dlsmlssal of Lhe peLlLlons Sorlano falled even Lo allege LhaL Lhe acL of
peLlLloners wlll resulL ln lllegal dlsbursemenL of publlc funds or ln publlc money belng
deflecLed Lo any lmproper purpose AddlLlonally hls mere lnLeresL as a member of Lhe 8ar
does noL sufflce Lo cloLhe hlm wlLh sLandlng
kipeness ond Premotrity
ln 1oo v Mocopoqol
93
Lhls CourL Lhrough Chlef !usLlce lernando held LhaL for a case Lo be
consldered rlpe for ad[udlcaLlon lL ls a prerequlslLe LhaL someLhlng had by Lhen been
accompllshed or performed by elLher branch before a courL may come lnLo Lhe plcLure
96

Cnly Lhen may Lhe courLs pass on Lhe valldlLy of whaL was done lf and when Lhe laLLer ls
challenged ln an approprlaLe legal proceedlng
1he lnsLanL peLlLlons ralse ln Lhe maln Lhe lssue of Lhe valldlLy of Lhe flllng of Lhe second
lmpeachmenL complalnL agalnsL Lhe Chlef !usLlce ln accordance wlLh Lhe Pouse
lmpeachmenL 8ules adopLed by Lhe 12Lh Congress Lhe consLlLuLlonallLy of whlch ls
quesLloned 1he quesLloned acLs havlng been carrled ouL le Lhe second lmpeachmenL
complalnL had been flled wlLh Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves and Lhe 2001 8ules have already
been already promulgaLed and enforced Lhe prerequlslLe LhaL Lhe alleged unconsLlLuLlonal
acL should be accompllshed and performed before sulL as 1oo v Mocopoqol holds has been
complled wlLh
8elaLed Lo Lhe lssue of rlpeness ls Lhe quesLlon of wheLher Lhe lnsLanL peLlLlons are
premaLure Amlcos cotloe former SenaLe resldenL !ovlLo 8 Salonga oplnes LhaL Lhere may
be no urgenL need for Lhls CourL Lo render a declslon aL Lhls Llme lL belng Lhe flnal arblLer on
quesLlons of consLlLuLlonallLy anyway Pe Lhus recommends LhaL all remedles ln Lhe Pouse
and SenaLe should flrsL be exhausLed
1aklng a slmllar sLand ls uean 8aul angalangan of Lhe u College of Law who suggesLs Lo
Lhls CourL Lo Lake [udlclal noLlce of ongolng aLLempLs Lo encourage slgnaLorles Lo Lhe second
lmpeachmenL complalnL Lo wlLhdraw Lhelr slgnaLures and oplnes LhaL Lhe Pouse
lmpeachmenL 8ules provlde for an opporLunlLy for members Lo ralse consLlLuLlonal quesLlons
Lhemselves when Lhe ArLlcles of lmpeachmenL are presenLed on a moLlon Lo LransmlL Lo Lhe
same Lo Lhe SenaLe 1he dean malnLalns LhaL even assumlng LhaL Lhe ArLlcles are LransmlLLed
Lo Lhe SenaLe Lhe Chlef !usLlce can ralse Lhe lssue of Lhelr consLlLuLlonal lnflrmlLy by way of a
moLlon Lo dlsmlss
1he deans poslLlon does noL persuade llrsL Lhe wlLhdrawal by Lhe 8epresenLaLlves of Lhelr
slgnaLures would noL by lLself cure Lhe Pouse lmpeachmenL 8ules of Lhelr consLlLuLlonal
lnflrmlLy nelLher would such a wlLhdrawal by lLself obllLeraLe Lhe quesLloned second
lmpeachmenL complalnL slnce lL would only place lL under Lhe amblL of SecLlons 3(2) and (3)
of ArLlcle xl of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon
97
and Lherefore peLlLloners would conLlnue Lo suffer Lhelr
ln[urles
Second and mosL lmporLanLly Lhe fuLlllLy of seeklng remedles from elLher or boLh Pouses of
Congress before comlng Lo Lhls CourL ls shown by Lhe facL LhaL as prevlously dlscussed
nelLher Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves nor Lhe SenaLe ls cloLhed wlLh Lhe power Lo rule wlLh
deflnlLlveness on Lhe lssue of consLlLuLlonallLy wheLher concernlng lmpeachmenL
proceedlngs or oLherwlse as sald power ls excluslvely vesLed ln Lhe [udlclary by Lhe earller
quoLed SecLlon l ArLlcle vlll of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon 8emedy cannoL be soughL from a body
whlch ls berefL of power Lo granL lL
sticiobi/ity
ln Lhe leadlng case of 1oooJo v coeoco
98
Chlef !usLlce 8oberLo Concepclon deflned Lhe Lerm
pollLlcal quesLlon vlz
1he Lerm pollLlcal quesLlon connoLes ln legal parlance whaL lL means ln
ordlnary parlance namely a quesLlon of pollcy ln oLher words ln Lhe language of
Corpus !urls Secundum lL refers Lo Lhose quesLlons whlch under Lhe ConsLlLuLlon
are Lo be JeclJeJ by tbe people ln Lhelr soverelgn capaclLy or ln regard Lo whlch
foll Jlsctetloooty ootbotlty has been delegaLed Lo Lhe LeglslaLure or execuLlve
branch of Lhe CovernmenL lL ls concerned wlLh lssues dependenL upon Lhe
wlsJom noL legallLy of a parLlcular measure
99
(lLallcs ln Lhe orlglnal)
rlor Lo Lhe 1973 ConsLlLuLlon wlLhouL conslsLency and seemlngly wlLhouL any rhyme or
reason Lhls CourL vaclllaLed on lLs sLance of Laklng cognlzance of cases whlch lnvolved
pollLlcal quesLlons ln some cases Lhls CourL hld behlnd Lhe cover of Lhe pollLlcal quesLlon
docLrlne and refused Lo exerclse lLs power of [udlclal revlew
100
ln oLher cases however
desplLe Lhe seemlng pollLlcal naLure of Lhe Lhereln lssues lnvolved Lhls CourL assumed
[urlsdlcLlon whenever lL found consLlLuLlonally lmposed llmlLs on powers or funcLlons
conferred upon pollLlcal bodles
101
Lven ln Lhe landmark 1988 case of Iovellooo v xecotlve
5ectetoty
102
whlch ralsed Lhe lssue of wheLher Lhe 1973 ConsLlLuLlon was raLlfled hence ln
force Lhls CourL shunLed Lhe pollLlcal quesLlon docLrlne and Look cognlzance Lhereof
8aLlflcaLlon by Lhe people of a ConsLlLuLlon ls a pollLlcal quesLlon lL belng a quesLlon declded
by Lhe people ln Lhelr soverelgn capaclLy
1he frequency wlLh whlch Lhls CourL lnvoked Lhe pollLlcal quesLlon docLrlne Lo refuse Lo Lake
[urlsdlcLlon over cerLaln cases durlng Lhe Marcos reglme moLlvaLed Chlef !usLlce Concepclon
when he became a ConsLlLuLlonal Commlssloner Lo clarlfy Lhls CourLs power of [udlclal
revlew and lLs appllcaLlon on lssues lnvolvlng pollLlcal quesLlons vlz
M8 CCnCLClCn 1hank you Mr resldlng Cfflcer
l wlll speak on Lhe [udlclary racLlcally everybody has made l suppose Lhe usual commenL
LhaL Lhe [udlclary ls Lhe weakesL among Lhe Lhree ma[or branches of Lhe servlce Slnce Lhe
leglslaLure holds Lhe purse and Lhe execuLlve Lhe sword Lhe [udlclary has noLhlng wlLh whlch
Lo enforce lLs declslons or commands excepL Lhe power of reason and appeal Lo consclence
whlch afLer all reflecLs Lhe wlll of Cod and ls Lhe mosL powerful of all oLher powers wlLhouL
excepLlon x x x And so wlLh Lhe bodys lndulgence l wlll proceed Lo read Lhe provlslons
drafLed by Lhe CommlLLee on Lhe !udlclary
1he flrsL secLlon sLarLs wlLh a senLence copled from former ConsLlLuLlons lL says
1he [udlclal power shall be vesLed ln one Supreme CourL and ln such lower courLs
as may be esLabllshed by law
l suppose nobody can quesLlon lL
1he nexL provlslon ls new ln our consLlLuLlonal law l wlll read lL flrsL and explaln
!udlclal power lncludes Lhe duLy of courLs of [usLlce Lo seLLle acLual conLroversles
lnvolvlng rlghLs whlch are legally demandable and enforceable and Lo deLermlne
wheLher or noL Lhere has been a grave abuse of dlscreLlon amounLlng Lo lack or
excess of [urlsdlcLlon on Lhe parL or lnsLrumenLallLy of Lhe governmenL
lellow Members of Lhls Commlsslon Lhls ls acLually a producL of our experlence
durlng marLlal law As a maLLer of facL lL has some anLecedenLs ln Lhe pasL buL Lhe
ro|e of the [ud|c|ary dur|ng the deposed reg|me was marred cons|derab|y by the
c|rcumstance that |n a number of cases aga|nst the government wh|ch then had
no |ega| defense at a|| the so||c|tor genera| set up the defense of po||t|ca|
quest|ons and got away w|th |t As a consequence certa|n pr|nc|p|es concern|ng
part|cu|ar|y the wr|t of hobeos corps that |s the author|ty of courts to order the
re|ease of po||t|ca| deta|nees and other matters re|ated to the operat|on and
effect of mart|a| |aw fa||ed because the government set up the defense of
po||t|ca| quest|on And Lhe Supreme CourL sald Well slnce lL ls pollLlcal we have
no auLhorlLy Lo pass upon lL 1he Comm|ttee on the Iud|c|ary fee|s that th|s was
not a proper so|ut|on of the quest|ons |nvo|ved It d|d not mere|y request an
encroachment upon the r|ghts of the peop|e but |t |n effect encouraged further
v|o|at|ons thereof dur|ng the mart|a| |aw reg|me l am sure Lhe members of Lhe
8ar are famlllar wlLh Lhls slLuaLlon 8uL for Lhe beneflL of Lhe Members of Lhe
Commlsslon who are noL lawyers allow me Lo explaln l wlll sLarL wlLh a declslon of
Lhe Supreme CourL ln 1973 on Lhe case of Iovellooo vs tbe 5ectetoty of Iostlce lf l
am noL mlsLaken MarLlal law was announced on SepLember 22 alLhough Lhe
proclamaLlon was daLed SepLember 21 1he obvlous reason for Lhe delay ln lLs
publlcaLlon was LhaL Lhe admlnlsLraLlon had apprehended and deLalned promlnenL
newsmen on SepLember 21 So LhaL when marLlal law was announced on
SepLember 22 Lhe medla hardly publlshed anyLhlng abouL lL ln facL Lhe medla
could noL publlsh any sLory noL only because our maln wrlLers were already
lncarceraLed buL also because Lhose who succeeded Lhem ln Lhelr [obs were under
morLal LhreaL of belng Lhe ob[ecL of wraLh of Lhe rullng parLy 1he 1971
ConsLlLuLlonal ConvenLlon had begun on !une 1 1971 and by SepLember 21 or 22
had noL flnlshed Lhe ConsLlLuLlon lL had barely agreed ln Lhe fundamenLals of Lhe
ConsLlLuLlon l forgoL Lo say LhaL upon Lhe proclamaLlon of marLlal law some
delegaLes Lo LhaL 1971 ConsLlLuLlonal ConvenLlon dozens of Lhem were plcked up
Cne of Lhem was our very own colleague Commlssloner Calderon So Lhe
unflnlshed drafL of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon was Laken over by represenLaLlves of
Malacanang ln 17 days Lhey flnlshed whaL Lhe delegaLes Lo Lhe 1971
ConsLlLuLlonal ConvenLlon had been unable Lo accompllsh for abouL 14 monLhs
1he drafL of Lhe 1973 ConsLlLuLlon was presenLed Lo Lhe resldenL around
uecember 1 1972 whereupon Lhe resldenL lssued a decree calllng a pleblsclLe
whlch suspended Lhe operaLlon of some provlslons ln Lhe marLlal law decree whlch
prohlblLed dlscusslons much less publlc dlscusslons of cerLaln maLLers of publlc
concern 1he purpose was presumably Lo allow a free dlscusslon on Lhe drafL of Lhe
ConsLlLuLlon on whlch a pleblsclLe was Lo be held someLlme ln !anuary 1973 lf l
may use a word famous by our colleague Commlssloner Cple durlng Lhe
lnLerregnum however Lhe drafL of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon was analyzed and crlLlclzed
wlLh such a Lelllng effecL LhaL Malacanang felL Lhe danger of lLs approval So Lhe
resldenL suspended lndeflnlLely Lhe holdlng of Lhe pleblsclLe and announced LhaL
he would consulL Lhe people ln a referendum Lo be held from !anuary 10 Lo !anuary
13 8uL Lhe quesLlons Lo be submlLLed ln Lhe referendum were noL announced unLll
Lhe eve of lLs scheduled beglnnlng under Lhe supposed supervlslon noL of Lhe
Commlsslon on LlecLlons buL of whaL was Lhen deslgnaLed as clLlzens assemblles
or barangays 1hus Lhe barangays came lnLo exlsLence 1he quesLlons Lo be
propounded were released wlLh proposed answers LhereLo suggesLlng LhaL lL was
unnecessary Lo hold a pleblsclLe because Lhe answers glven ln Lhe referendum
should be regarded as Lhe voLes casL ln Lhe pleblsclLe 1hereupon a moLlon was
flled wlLh Lhe Supreme CourL praylng LhaL Lhe holdlng of Lhe referendum be
suspended When Lhe moLlon was belng heard before Lhe Supreme CourL Lhe
MlnlsLer of !usLlce dellvered Lo Lhe CourL a proclamaLlon of Lhe resldenL declarlng
LhaL Lhe new ConsLlLuLlon was already ln force because Lhe overwhelmlng ma[orlLy
of Lhe voLes casL ln Lhe referendum favored Lhe ConsLlLuLlon lmmedlaLely afLer Lhe
deparLure of Lhe MlnlsLer of !usLlce l proceeded Lo Lhe sesslon room where Lhe
case was belng heard l Lhen lnformed Lhe CourL and Lhe parLles Lhe presldenLlal
proclamaLlon declarlng LhaL Lhe 1973 ConsLlLuLlon had been raLlfled by Lhe people
and ls now ln force
A number of oLher cases were flled Lo declare Lhe presldenLlal proclamaLlon null
and vold 1he maln defense puL up by Lhe governmenL was LhaL Lhe lssue was a
pollLlcal quesLlon and LhaL Lhe courL had no [urlsdlcLlon Lo enLerLaln Lhe case
x x x
1he governmenL sald LhaL ln a referendum held from !anuary 10 Lo !anuary 13 Lhe
vasL ma[orlLy raLlfled Lhe drafL of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon noLe LhaL all members of Lhe
Supreme CourL were resldenLs of Manlla buL none of Lhem had been noLlfled of
any referendum ln Lhelr respecLlve places of resldence much less dld Lhey
parLlclpaLe ln Lhe alleged referendum none of Lhem saw any referendum
proceedlng
ln Lhe hlllpplnes even local gosslps spread llke wlld flre So a ma[orlLy of Lhe
members of Lhe CourL felL LhaL Lhere had been no referendum
Second a referendum cannoL subsLlLuLe for a pleblsclLe 1here |s a b|g d|fference
between a referendum and a p|eb|sc|te 8ut another group of [ust|ces uphe|d the
defense that the |ssue was a po||t|ca| quest|on Whereupon they d|sm|ssed the
case 1h|s |s not the on|y ma[or case |n wh|ch the p|ea of po||t|ca| quest|on was
set up 1here have been a number of other cases |n the past
x x x 1he defense of the po||t|ca| quest|on was re[ected because the |ssue was
c|ear|y [ust|c|ab|e
x x x
x x x When your CommlLLee on Lhe !udlclary began Lo perform lLs funcLlons lL faced
Lhe followlng quesLlons WhaL ls [udlclal power? WhaL ls a pollLlcal quesLlon?
1he Supreme CourL llke all oLher courLs has one maln funcLlon Lo seLLle acLual
conLroversles lnvolvlng confllcLs of rlghLs whlch are demandable and enforceable
1here are rlghLs whlch are guaranLeed by law buL cannoL be enforced by a [udlclary
parLy ln a declded case a husband complalned LhaL hls wlfe was unwllllng Lo
perform her duLles as a wlfe 1he CourL sald We can Lell your wlfe whaL her duLles
as such are and LhaL she ls bound Lo comply wlLh Lhem buL we cannoL force her
physlcally Lo dlscharge her maln marlLal duLy Lo her husband 1here are some rlghLs
guaranLeed by law buL Lhey are so personal LhaL Lo enforce Lhem by acLual
compulslon would be hlghly derogaLory Lo human dlgnlLy
1hls ls why Lhe flrsL parL of Lhe second paragraph of SecLlon l provldes LhaL
!udlclal power lncludes Lhe duLy of courLs Lo seLLle acLual conLroversles lnvolvlng
rlghLs whlch are legally demandable or enforceable
1he courLs Lherefore cannoL enLerLaln much less declde hypoLheLlcal quesLlons
In a pres|dent|a| system of government the Supreme Court has a|so another
|mportant funct|on 1he powers of government are genera||y cons|dered d|v|ded
|nto three branches the Leg|s|at|ve the Lxecut|ve and the Iud|c|ary Lach one |s
supreme w|th|n |ts own sphere and |ndependent of the others 8ecause of that
supremacy power to determ|ne whether a g|ven |aw |s va||d or not |s vested |n
courts of [ust|ce
8r|ef|y stated courts of [ust|ce determ|ne the ||m|ts of power of the agenc|es and
off|ces of the government as we|| as those of |ts off|cers In other words the
[ud|c|ary |s the f|na| arb|ter on the quest|on whether or not a branch of
government or any of |ts off|c|a|s has acted w|thout [ur|sd|ct|on or |n excess of
[ur|sd|ct|on or so capr|c|ous|y as to const|tute an abuse of d|scret|on amount|ng
to excess of [ur|sd|ct|on or |ack of [ur|sd|ct|on 1h|s |s not on|y a [ud|c|a| power but
a duty to pass [udgment on matters of th|s nature
1h|s |s the background of paragraph 2 of Sect|on 1 wh|ch means that the courts
cannot hereafter evade the duty to sett|e matters of th|s nature by c|a|m|ng that
such matters const|tute a po||t|ca| quest|on
l have made Lhese exLended remarks Lo Lhe end LhaL Lhe Commlssloners may have
an lnlLlal food for LhoughL on Lhe sub[ecL of Lhe [udlclary
103
(lLallcs ln Lhe orlglnal
emphasls supplled)
uurlng Lhe dellberaLlons of Lhe ConsLlLuLlonal Commlsslon Chlef !usLlce Concepclon furLher
clarlfled Lhe concepL of [udlclal power Lhus
Mk NCLLLDC 1he Gent|eman used the term [ud|c|a| power but [ud|c|a| power
|s not vested |n the Supreme Court a|one but a|so |n other |ower courts as may be
created by |aw
Mk CCNCLCICN es
Mk NCLLLDC And so |s th|s on|y an examp|e?
Mk CCNCLCICN No I know th|s |s not 1he Gent|eman seems to |dent|fy
po||t|ca| quest|ons w|th [ur|sd|ct|ona| quest|ons 8ut there |s a d|fference
Mk NCLLLDC 8ecause of the express|on [ud|c|a| power?
Mk CCNCLCICN No Iud|c|a| power as I sa|d refers to ord|nary cases but
where there |s a quest|on as to whether the government had author|ty or had
abused |ts author|ty to the extent of |ack|ng [ur|sd|ct|on or excess of [ur|sd|ct|on
that |s not a po||t|ca| quest|on 1herefore the court has the duty to dec|de
x x x
l8 8L8nAS ulLlmaLely Lherefore lL wlll always have Lo be declded by Lhe
Supreme CourL accordlng Lo Lhe new numerlcal need for voLes
Cn anoLher polnL |s |t the |ntent|on of Sect|on 1 to do away w|th the po||t|ca|
quest|on doctr|ne?
Mk CCNCLCICN No
Ik 8LkNAS It |s not
Mk CCNCLCICN No because whenever there |s an abuse of d|scret|on
amount|ng to a |ack of [ur|sd|ct|on
Ik 8LkNAS So I am sat|sf|ed w|th the answer that |t |s not |ntended to do away
w|th the po||t|ca| quest|on doctr|ne
Mk CCNCLCICN No certa|n|y not
When th|s prov|s|on was or|g|na||y drafted |t sought to def|ne what |s [ud|c|a|
power 8ut the Gent|eman w||| not|ce |t says [ud|c|a| power |nc|udes and the
reason be|ng that the def|n|t|on that we m|ght make may not cover a|| poss|b|e
areas
Ik 8LkNAS So th|s |s not an attempt to so|ve the prob|ems ar|s|ng from the
po||t|ca| quest|on doctr|ne
Mk CCNCLCICN It def|n|te|y does not e||m|nate the fact that tru|y po||t|ca|
quest|ons are beyond the pa|e of [ud|c|a| power
104
(Lmphasls supplled)
lrom Lhe foregolng record of Lhe proceedlngs of Lhe 1986 ConsLlLuLlonal Commlsslon lL ls
clear LhaL [udlclal power ls noL only a power lL ls also a duLy a duty whlch cannoL be
abdlcaLed by Lhe mere specLer of Lhls creaLure called Lhe pollLlcal quesLlon docLrlne Chlef
!usLlce Concepclon hasLened Lo clarlfy however LhaL SecLlon 1 ArLlcle vlll was noL lnLended
Lo do away wlLh Lruly pollLlcal quesLlons lrom Lhls clarlflcaLlon lL ls gaLhered LhaL Lhere are
Lwo specles of pollLlcal quesLlons (1) Lruly pollLlcal quesLlons and (2) Lhose whlch are noL
Lruly pollLlcal quesLlons
1ruly pollLlcal quesLlons are Lhus beyond [udlclal revlew Lhe reason for respecL of Lhe
docLrlne of separaLlon of powers Lo be malnLalned Cn Lhe oLher hand by vlrLue of SecLlon 1
ArLlcle vlll of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon courLs can revlew quesLlons whlch are noL Lruly pollLlcal ln
naLure
As polnLed ouL by amlcus curlae former dean aclflco Agabln of Lhe u College of Law Lhls
CourL has ln facL ln a number of cases Laken [urlsdlcLlon over quesLlons whlch are noL Lruly
pollLlcal followlng Lhe effecLlvlLy of Lhe presenL ConsLlLuLlon
ln Motcos v Mooqlopos
103
Lhls CourL speaklng Lhrough Madame !usLlce lrene CorLes held
1he presenL ConsLlLuLlon llmlLs resorL Lo Lhe pollLlcal quesLlon docLrlne and
broadens Lhe scope of [udlclal lnqulry lnLo areas whlch Lhe CourL under prevlous
consLlLuLlons would have normally lefL Lo Lhe pollLlcal deparLmenLs Lo declde
106
x
x x
ln 8eoqzoo v 5eoote 8loe klbboo commlttee
107
Lhrough !usLlce 1eodoro adllla Lhls CourL
declared
1he allocaLlon of consLlLuLlonal boundarles ls a Lask LhaL Lhls CourL musL perform
under Lhe ConsLlLuLlon Moreover as held ln a recenL case (t)he po||t|ca|
quest|on doctr|ne ne|ther |nterposes an obstac|e to [ud|c|a| determ|nat|on of the
r|va| c|a|ms 1he [ur|sd|ct|on to de||m|t const|tut|ona| boundar|es has been g|ven
to th|s Court It cannot abd|cate that ob||gat|on mandated by the 1987
Const|tut|on a|though sa|d prov|s|on by no means does away w|th the
app||cab|||ty of the pr|nc|p|e |n appropr|ate cases
108
(Lmphasls and underscorlng
supplled)
And ln uozo v 5loqsoo
109
speaklng Lhrough !usLlce lsaganl Cruz Lhls CourL ruled
ln Lhe case now before us Lhe [urlsdlcLlonal ob[ecLlon becomes even less Lenable
and declslve 1he reason ls LhaL even lf we were Lo assume LhaL Lhe lssue
presenLed before us was pollLlcal ln naLure we would sLlll noL be precluded from
resolvlng lL under Lhe expanded [urlsdlcLlon conferred upon us LhaL now covers ln
proper cases even Lhe pollLlcal quesLlon
110
x x x (Lmphasls and underscorlng
supplled)
SecLlon 1 ArLlcle vlll of Lhe CourL does noL deflne whaL are [usLlclable pollLlcal quesLlons and
non[usLlclable pollLlcal quesLlons however ldenLlflcaLlon of Lhese Lwo specles of pollLlcal
quesLlons may be problemaLlc 1here has been no clear sLandard 1he Amerlcan case of
8oket v cott
111
aLLempLs Lo provlde some
x x x romlnenL on Lhe surface of any case held Lo lnvolve a pollLlcal quesLlon ls
found a LexLually demonsLrable consLlLuLlonal commlLmenL of Lhe lssue Lo a
coordlnaLe pollLlcal deparLmenL or a lack of [udlclally dlscoverable and manageable
sLandards for resolvlng lL or Lhe lmposslblllLy of decldlng wlLhouL an lnlLlal pollcy
deLermlnaLlon of a klnd clearly for non[udlclal dlscreLlon or Lhe lmposslblllLy of a
courLs underLaklng lndependenL resoluLlon wlLhouL expresslng lack of Lhe respecL
due coordlnaLe branches of governmenL or an unusual need for quesLlonlng
adherence Lo a pollLlcal declslon already made or Lhe poLenLlallLy of
embarrassmenL from mulLlfarlous pronouncemenLs by varlous deparLmenLs on one
quesLlon
112
(underscorlng supplled)
Cf Lhese sLandards Lhe more rellable have been Lhe flrsL Lhree (1) a LexLually demonsLrable
consLlLuLlonal commlLmenL of Lhe lssue Lo a coordlnaLe pollLlcal deparLmenL (2) Lhe lack of
[udlclally dlscoverable and manageable sLandards for resolvlng lL and (3) Lhe lmposslblllLy of
decldlng wlLhouL an lnlLlal pollcy deLermlnaLlon of a klnd clearly for non[udlclal dlscreLlon
1hese sLandards are noL separaLe and dlsLlncL concepLs buL are lnLerrelaLed Lo each ln LhaL
Lhe presence of one sLrengLhens Lhe concluslon LhaL Lhe oLhers are also presenL
1he problem ln applylng Lhe foregolng sLandards ls LhaL Lhe Amerlcan concepL of [udlclal
revlew ls radlcally dlfferenL from our currenL concepL for SecLlon 1 ArLlcle vlll of Lhe
ConsLlLuLlon provldes our courLs wlLh far less dlscreLlon ln deLermlnlng wheLher Lhey should
pass upon a consLlLuLlonal lssue
ln our [urlsdlcLlon Lhe deLermlnaLlon of a Lruly pollLlcal quesLlon from a non[usLlclable
pollLlcal quesLlon lles ln Lhe answer Lo Lhe quesLlon of wheLher Lhere are consLlLuLlonally
lmposed llmlLs on powers or funcLlons conferred upon pollLlcal bodles lf Lhere are Lhen our
courLs are duLybound Lo examlne wheLher Lhe branch or lnsLrumenLallLy of Lhe governmenL
properly acLed wlLhln such llmlLs 1hls CourL shall Lhus now apply Lhls sLandard Lo Lhe presenL
conLroversy
1hese peLlLlons ralse flve subsLanLlal lssues
l WheLher Lhe offenses alleged ln Lhe Second lmpeachmenL complalnL consLlLuLe
valld lmpeachable offenses under Lhe ConsLlLuLlon
ll WheLher Lhe second lmpeachmenL complalnL was flled ln accordance wlLh
SecLlon 3(4) ArLlcle xl of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon
lll WheLher Lhe leglslaLlve lnqulry by Lhe Pouse CommlLLee on !usLlce lnLo Lhe
!udlclal uevelopmenL lund ls an unconsLlLuLlonal lnfrlngemenL of Lhe
consLlLuLlonally mandaLed flscal auLonomy of Lhe [udlclary
lv WheLher SecLlons 13 and 16 of 8ule v of Lhe 8ules on lmpeachmenL adopLed by
Lhe 12Lh Congress are unconsLlLuLlonal for vlolaLlng Lhe provlslons of SecLlon 3
ArLlcle xl of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon
v WheLher Lhe second lmpeachmenL complalnL ls barred under SecLlon 3(3) of
ArLlcle xl of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon
1he flrsL lssue goes lnLo Lhe merlLs of Lhe second lmpeachmenL complalnL over
whlch Lhls CourL has no [urlsdlcLlon More lmporLanLly any dlscusslon of Lhls lssue
would requlre Lhls CourL Lo make a deLermlnaLlon of whaL consLlLuLes an
lmpeachable offense Such a deLermlnaLlon ls a purely pollLlcal quesLlon whlch Lhe
ConsLlLuLlon has lefL Lo Lhe sound dlscreLlon of Lhe leglslaLlon Such an lnLenL ls
clear from Lhe dellberaLlons of Lhe ConsLlLuLlonal Commlsslon
113

AlLhough SecLlon 2 of ArLlcle xl of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon enumeraLes slx grounds for lmpeachmenL
Lwo of Lhese namely oLher hlgh crlmes and beLrayal of publlc LrusL elude a preclse
deflnlLlon ln facL an examlnaLlon of Lhe records of Lhe 1986 ConsLlLuLlonal Commlsslon
shows LhaL Lhe framers could flnd no beLLer way Lo approxlmaLe Lhe boundarles of beLrayal
of publlc LrusL and oLher hlgh crlmes Lhan by alludlng Lo boLh poslLlve and negaLlve examples
of boLh wlLhouL arrlvlng aL Lhelr clear cuL deflnlLlon or even a sLandard Lherefor
114
Clearly
Lhe lssue calls upon Lhls courL Lo declde a non[usLlclable pollLlcal quesLlon whlch ls beyond
Lhe scope of lLs [udlclal power under SecLlon 1 ArLlcle vlll
is Moto
lL ls a wellseLLled maxlm of ad[udlcaLlon LhaL an lssue assalllng Lhe consLlLuLlonallLy of a
governmenLal acL should be avolded whenever posslble 1hus ln Lhe case of 5otto v
commlssloo oo lectloos
113
Lhls CourL held
x x x lL ls a wellesLabllshed rule LhaL a courL should noL pass upon a consLlLuLlonal
quesLlon and declde a law Lo be unconsLlLuLlonal or lnvalld unless such quesLlon ls
ralsed by Lhe parLles and LhaL when lL ls ralsed |f the record a|so presents some
other ground upon wh|ch the court may rest |ts [udgment that course w||| be
adopted and the const|tut|ona| quest|on w||| be |eft for cons|derat|on unt|| a case
ar|ses |n wh|ch a dec|s|on upon such quest|on w||| be unavo|dab|e
116
Lmphasls
and underscorlng supplled
1he same prlnclple was applled ln loz lotms v 5ectetoty of Aqtotloo kefotm
117
where Lhls
CourL lnvalldaLed SecLlons 13 and 32 of 8epubllc AcL no 6637 for belng conflscaLory and
vlolaLlve of due process Lo wlL
lL has been esLabllshed LhaL th|s Court w||| assume [ur|sd|ct|on over a
const|tut|ona| quest|on on|y |f |t |s shown that the essent|a| requ|s|tes of a [ud|c|a|
|nqu|ry |nto such a quest|on are f|rst sat|sf|ed 1hus Lhere musL be an acLual case
or conLroversy lnvolvlng a confllcL of legal rlghLs suscepLlble of [udlclal
deLermlnaLlon Lhe consLlLuLlonal quesLlon musL have been opporLunely ralsed by
Lhe proper parLy and the reso|ut|on of the quest|on |s unavo|dab|y necessary to
the dec|s|on of the case |tse|f
118
Lmphasls supplled
SucclncLly puL courLs wlll noL Louch Lhe lssue of consLlLuLlonallLy unless lL ls Lruly unavoldable
and ls Lhe very lls moto or ctox of Lhe conLroversy
As noLed earller Lhe lnsLanL consolldaLed peLlLlons whlle all seeklng Lhe lnvalldlLy of Lhe
second lmpeachmenL complalnL collecLlvely ralse several consLlLuLlonal lssues upon whlch
Lhe ouLcome of Lhls conLroversy could posslbly be made Lo resL ln deLermlnlng wheLher one
some or all of Lhe remalnlng subsLanLlal lssues should be passed upon Lhls CourL ls gulded by
Lhe relaLed cannon of ad[udlcaLlon LhaL Lhe courL should noL form a rule of consLlLuLlonal
law broader Lhan ls requlred by Lhe preclse facLs Lo whlch lL ls applled
119

ln C8 no 160310 peLlLloners Leonllo 8 Alfonso et ol argue LhaL among oLher reasons Lhe
second lmpeachmenL complalnL ls lnvalld slnce lL dlrecLly resulLed from a 8esoluLlon
120

calllng for a leglslaLlve lnqulry lnLo Lhe !ul whlch 8esoluLlon and leglslaLlve lnqulry
peLlLloners clalm Lo llkewlse be unconsLlLuLlonal for belng (a) a vlolaLlon of Lhe rules and
[urlsprudence on lnvesLlgaLlons ln ald of leglslaLlon (b) an open breach of Lhe docLrlne of
separaLlon of powers (c) a vlolaLlon of Lhe consLlLuLlonally mandaLed flscal auLonomy of Lhe
[udlclary and (d) an assaulL on Lhe lndependence of Lhe [udlclary
121

WlLhouL golng lnLo Lhe merlLs of peLlLloners Alfonso et ols clalms lL ls Lhe sLudled oplnlon
of Lhls CourL LhaL Lhe lssue of Lhe consLlLuLlonallLy of Lhe sald 8esoluLlon and resulLlng
leglslaLlve lnqulry ls Loo far removed from Lhe lssue of Lhe valldlLy of Lhe second
lmpeachmenL complalnL Moreover Lhe resoluLlon of sald lssue would ln Lhe CourLs
oplnlon requlre lL Lo form a rule of consLlLuLlonal law Louchlng on Lhe separaLe and dlsLlncL
maLLer of leglslaLlve lnqulrles ln general whlch would Lhus be broader Lhan ls requlred by Lhe
facLs of Lhese consolldaLed cases 1hls oplnlon ls furLher sLrengLhened by Lhe facL LhaL sald
peLlLloners have ralsed oLher grounds ln supporL of Lhelr peLlLlon whlch would noL be
adversely affecLed by Lhe CourLs rullng
o possoot Lhls CourL noLes LhaL a sLandard for Lhe conducL of leglslaLlve lnqulrles has
already been enunclaLed by Lhls CourL ln 8eoqzoo It v 5eoote 8loe klbboo commttee
122
vlz
1he 1987 ConsLlLuLlon expressly recognlzes Lhe power of boLh houses of Congress
Lo conducL lnqulrles ln ald of leglslaLlon 1hus SecLlon 21 ArLlcle vl Lhereof
provldes
1he SenaLe or Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves or any of lLs respecLlve commlLLees
may conducL lnqulrles ln ald of leglslaLlon ln accordance wlLh lLs duly publlshed
rules of procedure 1he rlghLs of persons appearlng ln or affecLed by such lnqulrles
shall be respecLed
1he power of boLh houses of Congress Lo conducL lnqulrles ln ald of leglslaLlon ls
noL Lherefore absoluLe or unllmlLed lLs exerclse ls clrcumscrlbed by Lhe afore
quoLed provlslon of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon 1hus as provlded Lhereln Lhe lnvesLlgaLlon
musL be ln ald of leglslaLlon ln accordance wlLh lLs duly publlshed rules of
procedure and LhaL Lhe rlghLs of persons appearlng ln or affecLed by such
lnqulrles shall be respecLed lL follows Lhen LhaL Lhe rlghL rlghLs of persons under
Lhe 8lll of 8lghLs musL be respecLed lncludlng Lhe rlghL Lo due process and Lhe rlghL
noL be compelled Lo LesLlfy agalnsL ones self
123

ln C8 no 160262 lnLervenors 8omulo 8 MacallnLal and eLe Culrlno Cuadra whlle [olnlng
Lhe orlglnal peLlLlon of peLlLloners Candelarla et ol lnLroduce Lhe new argumenL LhaL slnce
Lhe second lmpeachmenL complalnL was verlfled and flled only by 8epresenLaLlves CllberLo
1eodoro !r and lellx Wllllam luenLebella Lhe same does noL fall under Lhe provlslons of
SecLlon 3 (4) ArLlcle xl of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon whlch reads
SecLlon 3(4) ln case Lhe verlfled complalnL or resoluLlon of lmpeachmenL ls flled by
aL leasL oneLhlrd of all Lhe Members of Lhe Pouse Lhe same shall consLlLuLe Lhe
ArLlcles of lmpeachmenL and Lrlal by Lhe SenaLe shall forLhwlLh proceed
1hey asserL LhaL whlle aL leasL 81 members of Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves slgned a
8esoluLlon of LndorsemenL/lmpeachmenL Lhe same dld noL saLlsfy Lhe requlslLes for Lhe
appllcaLlon of Lhe aforemenLloned secLlon ln LhaL Lhe verlfled complalnL or resoluLlon of
lmpeachmenL was noL flled by aL leasL oneLhlrd of all Lhe Members of Lhe Pouse WlLh
Lhe excepLlon of 8epresenLaLlves 1eodoro and luenLebella Lhe slgnaLorles Lo sald 8esoluLlon
are alleged Lo have verlfled Lhe same merely as a 8esoluLlon of LndorsemenL lnLervenors
polnL Lo Lhe verlflcaLlon of Lhe 8esoluLlon of LndorsemenL whlch sLaLes LhaL
We are Lhe proponenLs/sponsors of Lhe 8esoluLlon of LndorsemenL of Lhe
abovemenLloned ComplalnL of 8epresenLaLlves CllberLo 1eodoro and lellx Wllllam
8 luenLebella x x x
124

lnLervenors MacallnLal and Cuadra furLher clalm LhaL whaL Lhe ConsLlLuLlon requlres ln order
for sald second lmpeachmenL complalnL Lo auLomaLlcally become Lhe ArLlcles of
lmpeachmenL and for Lrlal ln Lhe SenaLe Lo begln forLhwlLh ls LhaL Lhe verlfled complalnL
be flled noL merely endorsed by aL leasL oneLhlrd of Lhe Members of Lhe Pouse of
8epresenLaLlves noL havlng complled wlLh Lhls requlremenL Lhey concede LhaL Lhe second
lmpeachmenL complalnL should have been calendared and referred Lo Lhe Pouse CommlLLee
on !usLlce under SecLlon 3(2) ArLlcle xl of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon vlz
SecLlon 3(2) A verlfled complalnL for lmpeachmenL may be flled by any Member of
Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves or by any clLlzen upon a resoluLlon of endorsemenL
by any Member Lhereof whlch shall be lncluded ln Lhe Crder of 8uslness wlLhln Len
sesslon days and referred Lo Lhe proper CommlLLee wlLhln Lhree sesslon days
LhereafLer 1he CommlLLee afLer hearlng and by a ma[orlLy voLe of all lLs
Members shall submlL lLs reporL Lo Lhe Pouse wlLhln slxLy sesslon days from such
referral LogeLher wlLh Lhe correspondlng resoluLlon 1he resoluLlon shall be
calendared for conslderaLlon by Lhe Pouse wlLhln Len sesslon days from recelpL
Lhereof
lnLervenors foregolng poslLlon ls echoed by !usLlce Maambong who oplned LhaL for SecLlon 3
(4) ArLlcle xl of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon Lo apply Lhere should be 76 or more represenLaLlves who
slgned and verlfled Lhe second lmpeachmenL complalnL as complalnanLs slgned and verlfled
Lhe slgnaLorles Lo a resoluLlon of lmpeachmenL !usLlce Maambong llkewlse asserLed LhaL Lhe
8esoluLlon of LndorsemenL/lmpeachmenL slgned by aL leasL oneLhlrd of Lhe members of Lhe
Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves as endorsers ls noL Lhe resoluLlon of lmpeachmenL conLemplaLed
by Lhe ConsLlLuLlon such resoluLlon of endorsemenL belng necessary only from aL leasL one
Member whenever a clLlzen flles a verlfled lmpeachmenL complalnL
Whlle Lhe foregolng lssue as argued by lnLervenors MacallnLal and Cuadra does lndeed llmlL
Lhe scope of Lhe consLlLuLlonal lssues Lo Lhe provlslons on lmpeachmenL more compelllng
conslderaLlons mlllLaLe agalnsL lLs adopLlon as Lhe lls moto or ctox of Lhe presenL conLroversy
Chlef among Lhls ls Lhe facL LhaL only ALLorneys MacallnLal and Cuadra lnLervenors ln C8
no 160262 have ralsed Lhls lssue as a ground for lnvalldaLlng Lhe second lmpeachmenL
complalnL 1hus Lo adopL Lhls addlLlonal ground as Lhe basls for decldlng Lhe lnsLanL
consolldaLed peLlLlons would noL only render for naughL Lhe efforLs of Lhe orlglnal peLlLloners
ln C8 no 160262 buL Lhe efforLs presenLed by Lhe oLher peLlLloners as well
Agaln Lhe declslon Lo dlscard Lhe resoluLlon of Lhls lssue as unnecessary for Lhe
deLermlnaLlon of Lhe lnsLanL cases ls made easler by Lhe facL LhaL sald lnLervenors MacallnLal
and Cuadra have [olned ln Lhe peLlLlon of Candelarla et ol adopLlng Lhe laLLers argumenLs
and lssues as Lhelr own ConsequenLly Lhey are noL unduly pre[udlced by Lhls CourLs
declslon
ln sum Lhls CourL holds LhaL Lhe Lwo remalnlng lssues lnexLrlcably llnked as Lhey are
consLlLuLe Lhe very lls moLa of Lhe lnsLanL conLroversy (1) wheLher SecLlons 13 and 16 of
8ule v of Lhe Pouse lmpeachmenL 8ules adopLed by Lhe 12Lh Congress are unconsLlLuLlonal
for vlolaLlng Lhe provlslons of SecLlon 3 ArLlcle xl of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon and (2) wheLher as a
resulL Lhereof Lhe second lmpeachmenL complalnL ls barred under SecLlon 3(3) of ArLlcle xl
of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon
dicio/ kestroint
SenaLor lmenLel urges Lhls CourL Lo exerclse [udlclal resLralnL on Lhe ground LhaL Lhe SenaLe
slLLlng as an lmpeachmenL courL has Lhe sole power Lo Lry and declde all cases of
lmpeachmenL Agaln Lhls CourL relLeraLes LhaL Lhe power of [udlclal revlew lncludes Lhe
power of revlew over [usLlclable lssues ln lmpeachmenL proceedlngs
Cn Lhe oLher hand respondenLs Speaker ue venecla eL al argue LhaL Lhere ls a moral
compulslon for Lhe CourL Lo noL assume [urlsdlcLlon over Lhe lmpeachmenL because all Lhe
Members Lhereof are sub[ecL Lo lmpeachmenL
123
8uL Lhls argumenL ls very much llke saylng
Lhe LeglslaLure has a moral compulslon noL Lo pass laws wlLh penalLy clauses because
Members of Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves are sub[ecL Lo Lhem
1he exerclse of [udlclal resLralnL over [usLlclable lssues ls noL an opLlon before Lhls CourL
Ad[udlcaLlon may noL be decllned because Lhls CourL ls noL legally dlsquallfled nor can
[urlsdlcLlon be renounced as Lhere ls no oLher Lrlbunal Lo whlch Lhe conLroversy may be
referred
126
CLherwlse Lhls CourL would be shlrklng from lLs duLy vesLed under ArL vlll Sec
1(2) of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon More Lhan belng cloLhed wlLh auLhorlLy Lhus Lhls CourL ls duLy
bound Lo Lake cognlzance of Lhe lnsLanL peLlLlons
127
ln Lhe augusL words of omlcos cotloe
laLher 8ernas [urlsdlcLlon ls noL [usL a power lL ls a solemn duLy whlch may noL be
renounced 1o renounce lL even lf lL ls vexaLlous would be a derellcLlon of duLy
Lven ln cases where lL ls an lnLeresLed parLy Lhe CourL under our sysLem of governmenL
cannoL lnhlblL lLself and musL rule upon Lhe challenge because no oLher offlce has Lhe
auLhorlLy Lo do so
128
Cn Lhe occaslon LhaL Lhls CourL had been an lnLeresLed parLy Lo Lhe
conLroversy before lL lL has acLed upon Lhe maLLer noL wlLh offlclousness buL ln Lhe
dlscharge of an unavoldable duLy and as always wlLh deLachmenL and falrness
129
AfLer all
by hls appolnLmenL Lo Lhe offlce Lhe publlc has lald on a member of Lhe [udlclary Lhelr
confldence LhaL he ls menLally and morally flL Lo pass upon Lhe merlLs of Lhelr varled
conLenLlons lor Lhls reason Lhey expecL hlm Lo be fearless ln hls pursulL Lo render [usLlce
Lo be unafrald Lo dlsplease any person lnLeresL or power and Lo be equlpped wlLh a moral
flber sLrong enough Lo reslsL Lhe LempLaLlons lurklng ln hls offlce
130

1he duLy Lo exerclse Lhe power of ad[udlcaLlon regardless of lnLeresL had already been
seLLled ln Lhe case of Abbos v 5eoote lectotol 1tlboool
131
ln LhaL case Lhe peLlLloners flled
wlLh Lhe respondenL SenaLe LlecLoral 1rlbunal a MoLlon for ulsquallflcaLlon or lnhlblLlon of
Lhe SenaLorsMembers Lhereof from Lhe hearlng and resoluLlon of SL1 Case no 00287 on
Lhe ground LhaL all of Lhem were lnLeresLed parLles Lo sald case as respondenLs Lhereln 1hls
would have reduced Lhe 1rlbunals membershlp Lo only lLs Lhree !usLlcesMembers whose
dlsquallflcaLlon was noL soughL leavlng Lhem Lo declde Lhe maLLer 1hls CourL held
Where as here a slLuaLlon ls creaLed whlch precludes Lhe subsLlLuLlon of any
SenaLor slLLlng ln Lhe 1rlbunal by any of hls oLher colleagues ln Lhe SenaLe wlLhouL
lnvlLlng Lhe same ob[ecLlons Lo Lhe subsLlLuLes compeLence Lhe proposed mass
dlsquallflcaLlon lf sancLloned and ordered would leave Lhe 1rlbunal no alLernaLlve
buL Lo abandon a duLy LhaL no oLher courL or body can perform buL whlch lL
cannoL lawfully dlscharge lf shorn of Lhe parLlclpaLlon of lLs enLlre membershlp of
SenaLors
1o our mlnd Lhls ls Lhe overrldlng conslderaLlon LhaL Lhe 1rlbunal be noL
prevenLed from dlscharglng a duLy whlch lL alone has Lhe power Lo perform Lhe
performance of whlch ls ln Lhe hlghesL publlc lnLeresL as evldenced by lLs belng
expressly lmposed by no less Lhan Lhe fundamenLal law
lL ls apLly noLed ln Lhe flrsL of Lhe quesLloned 8esoluLlons LhaL Lhe framers of Lhe
ConsLlLuLlon could noL have been unaware of Lhe posslblllLy of an elecLlon conLesL
LhaL would lnvolve all SenaLorselecL slx of whom would lnevlLably have Lo slL ln
[udgmenL Lhereon lndeed such posslblllLy mlghL surface agaln ln Lhe wake of Lhe
1992 elecLlons when once more buL for Lhe lasL Llme all 24 seaLs ln Lhe SenaLe wlll
be aL sLake ?eL Lhe ConsLlLuLlon provldes no scheme or mode for seLLllng such
unusual slLuaLlons or for Lhe subsLlLuLlon of SenaLors deslgnaLed Lo Lhe 1rlbunal
whose dlsquallflcaLlon may be soughL LlLlganLs ln such slLuaLlons musL slmply place
Lhelr LrusL and hopes of vlndlcaLlon ln Lhe falrness and sense of [usLlce of Lhe
Members of Lhe 1rlbunal !usLlces and SenaLors slngly and collecLlvely
LeL us noL be mlsundersLood as saylng LhaL no SenaLorMember of Lhe SenaLe
LlecLoral 1rlbunal may lnhlblL or dlsquallfy hlmself from slLLlng ln [udgmenL on any
case before sald 1rlbunal Lvery Membet of Lhe 1rlbunal may as hls consclence
dlcLaLes refraln from parLlclpaLlng ln Lhe resoluLlon of a case where he slncerely
feels LhaL hls personal lnLeresLs or blases would sLand ln Lhe way of an ob[ecLlve
and lmparLlal [udgmenL WhaL we are merely saylng ls LhaL ln Lhe llghL of Lhe
ConsLlLuLlon Lhe SenaLe LlecLoral 1rlbunal cannoL legally funcLlon as such absenL
lLs enLlre membershlp of SenaLors and LhaL no amendmenL of lLs 8ules can confer
on Lhe Lhree !usLlcesMembers alone Lhe power of valld ad[udlcaLlon of a
senaLorlal elecLlon conLesL
More recenLly ln Lhe case of sttoJo v uesletto
132
lL was held LhaL
Moreover Lo dlsquallfy any of Lhe members of Lhe CourL parLlcularly a ma[orlLy of
Lhem ls noLhlng shorL of pto tooto deprlvlng Lhe CourL lLself of lLs [urlsdlcLlon as
esLabllshed by Lhe fundamenLal law ulsquallflcaLlon of a [udge ls a deprlvaLlon of
hls [udlclal power And lf LhaL [udge ls Lhe one deslgnaLed by Lhe ConsLlLuLlon Lo
exerclse Lhe [urlsdlcLlon of hls courL as ls Lhe case wlLh Lhe !usLlces of Lhls CourL
Lhe deprlvaLlon of hls or Lhelr [udlclal power ls equlvalenL Lo Lhe deprlvaLlon of Lhe
[udlclal power of Lhe courL lLself lL affecLs Lhe very hearL of [udlclal lndependence
1he proposed mass dlsquallflcaLlon lf sancLloned and ordered would leave Lhe
CourL no alLernaLlve buL Lo abandon a duLy whlch lL cannoL lawfully dlscharge lf
shorn of Lhe parLlclpaLlon of lLs enLlre membershlp of !usLlces
133
(lLallcs ln Lhe
orlglnal)
8esldes Lhere are speclflc safeguards already lald down by Lhe CourL when lL exerclses lLs
power of [udlclal revlew
ln uemettlo v Albo
134
Lhls CourL Lhrough !usLlce Marcelo lernan clLed Lhe seven plllars of
llmlLaLlons of Lhe power of [udlclal revlew enunclaLed by uS Supreme CourL !usLlce 8randels
ln AsbwooJet v 1vA
133
as follows
1 1he CourL wlll noL pass upon Lhe consLlLuLlonallLy of leglslaLlon ln a frlendly non
adversary proceedlng decllnlng because Lo declde such quesLlons ls leglLlmaLe
only ln Lhe lasL resorL and as a necesslLy ln Lhe deLermlnaLlon of real earnesL and
vlLal conLroversy beLween lndlvlduals lL never was Lhe LhoughL LhaL by means of a
frlendly sulL a parLy beaLen ln Lhe leglslaLure could Lransfer Lo Lhe courLs an lnqulry
as Lo Lhe consLlLuLlonallLy of Lhe leglslaLlve acL
2 1he CourL wlll noL anLlclpaLe a quesLlon of consLlLuLlonal law ln advance of Lhe
necesslLy of decldlng lL lL ls noL Lhe hablL of Lhe CourL Lo declde quesLlons of a
consLlLuLlonal naLure unless absoluLely necessary Lo a declslon of Lhe case
3 1he CourL wlll noL formulaLe a rule of consLlLuLlonal law broader Lhan ls requlred
by Lhe preclse facLs Lo whlch lL ls Lo be applled
4 1he CourL wlll noL pass upon a consLlLuLlonal quesLlon alLhough properly
presenLed by Lhe record lf Lhere ls also presenL some oLher ground upon whlch Lhe
case may be dlsposed of 1hls rule has found mosL varled appllcaLlon 1hus lf a case
can be declded on elLher of Lwo grounds one lnvolvlng a consLlLuLlonal quesLlon
Lhe oLher a quesLlon of sLaLuLory consLrucLlon or general law Lhe CourL wlll declde
only Lhe laLLer Appeals from Lhe hlghesL courL of a sLaLe challenglng lLs declslon of
a quesLlon under Lhe lederal ConsLlLuLlon are frequenLly dlsmlssed because Lhe
[udgmenL can be susLalned on an lndependenL sLaLe ground
3 1he CourL wlll noL pass upon Lhe valldlLy of a sLaLuLe upon complalnL of one who
falls Lo show LhaL he ls ln[ured by lLs operaLlon Among Lhe many appllcaLlons of
Lhls rule none ls more sLrlklng Lhan Lhe denlal of Lhe rlghL of challenge Lo one who
lacks a personal or properLy rlghL 1hus Lhe challenge by a publlc offlclal lnLeresLed
only ln Lhe performance of hls offlclal duLy wlll noL be enLerLalned ln loltcbllJ v
noqbes Lhe CourL afflrmed Lhe dlsmlssal of a sulL broughL by a clLlzen who soughL
Lo have Lhe nlneLeenLh AmendmenL declared unconsLlLuLlonal ln Mossocbosetts v
Melloo Lhe challenge of Lhe federal MaLernlLy AcL was noL enLerLalned alLhough
made by Lhe CommonwealLh on behalf of all lLs clLlzens
6 1he CourL wlll noL pass upon Lhe consLlLuLlonallLy of a sLaLuLe aL Lhe lnsLance of
one who has avalled hlmself of lLs beneflLs
7 When Lhe valldlLy of an acL of Lhe Congress ls drawn ln quesLlon and even lf a
serlous doubL of consLlLuLlonallLy ls ralsed lL ls a cardlnal prlnclple LhaL Lhls CourL
wlll flrsL ascerLaln wheLher a consLrucLlon of Lhe sLaLuLe ls falrly posslble by whlch
Lhe quesLlon may be avolded (clLaLlons omlLLed)
1he foregolng plllars of llmlLaLlon of [udlclal revlew summarlzed ln AsbwooJet v 1vA from
dlfferenL declslons of Lhe unlLed SLaLes Supreme CourL can be encapsulaLed lnLo Lhe
followlng caLegorles
1 LhaL Lhere be absoluLe necesslLy of decldlng a case
2 LhaL rules of consLlLuLlonal law shall be formulaLed only as requlred by Lhe facLs
of Lhe case
3 LhaL [udgmenL may noL be susLalned on some oLher ground
4 LhaL Lhere be acLual ln[ury susLalned by Lhe parLy by reason of Lhe operaLlon of
Lhe sLaLuLe
3 LhaL Lhe parLles are noL ln estoppel
6 LhaL Lhe CourL upholds Lhe presumpLlon of consLlLuLlonallLy
As sLaLed prevlously parallel guldellnes have been adopLed by Lhls CourL ln Lhe exerclse of
[udlclal revlew
1 acLual case or conLroversy calllng for Lhe exerclse of [udlclal power
2 Lhe person challenglng Lhe acL musL have sLandlng Lo challenge he musL have
a personal and subsLanLlal lnLeresL ln Lhe case such LhaL he has susLalned or wlll
susLaln dlrecL ln[ury as a resulL of lLs enforcemenL
3 Lhe quesLlon of consLlLuLlonallLy musL be ralsed aL Lhe earllesL posslble
opporLunlLy
4 Lhe lssue of consLlLuLlonallLy musL be Lhe very lls moto of Lhe case
136

8espondenLs Speaker de venecla et ol ralse anoLher argumenL for [udlclal resLralnL Lhe
posslblllLy LhaL [udlclal revlew of lmpeachmenLs mlghL also lead Lo embarrasslng confllcLs
beLween Lhe Congress and Lhe !udlclary 1hey sLress Lhe need Lo avold Lhe appearance of
lmproprleLy or confllcLs of lnLeresL ln [udlclal hearlngs and Lhe scenarlo LhaL lL would be
confuslng and humlllaLlng and rlsk serlous pollLlcal lnsLablllLy aL home and abroad lf Lhe
[udlclary counLermanded Lhe voLe of Congress Lo remove an lmpeachable offlclal
137

lnLervenor Sorlano echoes Lhls argumenL by alleglng LhaL fallure of Lhls CourL Lo enforce lLs
8esoluLlon agalnsL Congress would resulL ln Lhe dlmlnuLlon of lLs [udlclal auLhorlLy and erode
publlc confldence and falLh ln Lhe [udlclary
Such an argumenL however ls speclous Lo say Lhe leasL As correcLly sLaLed by Lhe SollclLor
Ceneral Lhe posslblllLy of Lhe occurrence of a consLlLuLlonal crlsls ls noL a reason for Lhls
CourL Lo refraln from upholdlng Lhe ConsLlLuLlon ln all lmpeachmenL cases !usLlces cannoL
abandon Lhelr consLlLuLlonal duLles [usL because Lhelr acLlon may sLarL lf noL preclplLaLe a
crlsls
!usLlce lellclano warned agalnsL Lhe dangers when Lhls CourL refuses Lo acL
x x x lrequenLly Lhe flghL over a conLroverslal leglslaLlve or execuLlve acL ls noL
regarded as seLLled unLll Lhe Supreme CourL has passed upon Lhe consLlLuLlonallLy
of Lhe acL lnvolved Lhe [udgmenL has noL only [urldlcal effecLs buL also pollLlcal
consequences 1hose pollLlcal consequences may follow even where Lhe CourL falls
Lo granL Lhe peLlLloners prayer Lo nulllfy an acL for lack of Lhe necessary number of
voLes lrequenLly fallure Lo acL expllclLly one way or Lhe oLher lLself consLlLuLes a
declslon for Lhe respondenL and valldaLlon or aL leasL quaslvalldaLlon follows
138

1hus ln Iovellooo v xecotlve 5ectetoty
139
where Lhls CourL was spllL and ln Lhe end Lhere
were noL enough voLes elLher Lo granL Lhe peLlLlons or Lo susLaln respondenLs clalms
140

Lhe preexlsLlng consLlLuLlonal order was dlsrupLed whlch paved Lhe way for Lhe
esLabllshmenL of Lhe marLlal law reglme
Such an argumenL by respondenLs and lnLervenor also presumes LhaL Lhe coordlnaLe
branches of Lhe governmenL would behave ln a lawless manner and noL do Lhelr duLy under
Lhe law Lo uphold Lhe ConsLlLuLlon and obey Lhe laws of Lhe land ?eL Lhere ls no reason Lo
belleve LhaL any of Lhe branches of governmenL wlll behave ln a preclplLaLe manner and rlsk
soclal upheaval vlolence chaos and anarchy by encouraglng dlsrespecL for Lhe fundamenLal
law of Lhe land
SubsLlLuLlng Lhe word publlc offlcers for [udges Lhls CourL ls well gulded by Lhe docLrlne ln
leople v veoetocloo Lo wlt
141

Cbedlence Lo Lhe rule of law forms Lhe bedrock of our sysLem of [usLlce lf publlc
offlcers under Lhe gulse of rellglous or pollLlcal bellefs were allowed Lo roam
unresLrlcLed beyond boundarles wlLhln whlch Lhey are requlred by law Lo exerclse
Lhe duLles of Lhelr offlce Lhen law becomes meanlngless A governmenL of laws
noL of men excludes Lhe exerclse of broad dlscreLlonary powers by Lhose acLlng
under lLs auLhorlLy under Lhls sysLem publlc offlcers are gulded by Lhe 8ule of
Law and oughL Lo proLecL and enforce lL wlLhouL fear or favor reslsL
encroachmenLs by governmenLs pollLlcal parLles or even Lhe lnLerference of Lhelr
own personal bellefs
142

onstittiono/ity of the k/es of Procedre
for lmpeochment Proceedinqs
odopted by the 12th onqress
8espondenL Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves Lhrough Speaker ue venecla argues LhaL SecLlons 16
and 17 of 8ule v of Lhe Pouse lmpeachmenL 8ules do noL vlolaLe SecLlon 3 (3) of ArLlcle xl of
our presenL ConsLlLuLlon conLendlng LhaL Lhe Lerm lnlLlaLe does noL mean Lo flle LhaL
SecLlon 3 (1) ls clear ln LhaL lL ls Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves as a collecLlve body whlch has
Lhe excluslve power Lo lnlLlaLe all cases of lmpeachmenL LhaL lnlLlaLe could noL posslbly
mean Lo flle because flllng can as SecLlon 3 (2) ArLlcle xl of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon provldes only
be accompllshed ln 3 ways Lo wlL (1) by a verlfled complalnL for lmpeachmenL by any
member of Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves or (2) by any clLlzen upon a resoluLlon of
endorsemenL by any member or (3) by aL leasL 1/3 of all Lhe members of Lhe Pouse
8espondenL Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves concludes LhaL Lhe one year bar prohlblLlng Lhe
lnlLlaLlon of lmpeachmenL proceedlngs agalnsL Lhe same offlclals could noL have been
vlolaLed as Lhe lmpeachmenL complalnL agalnsL Chlef !usLlce uavlde and seven AssoclaLe
!usLlces had noL been lnlLlaLed as Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves acLlng as Lhe collecLlve body
has yeL Lo acL on lL
1he resoluLlon of Lhls lssue Lhus hlnges on Lhe lnLerpreLaLlon of Lhe Lerm lnlLlaLe 8esorL Lo
sLaLuLory consLrucLlon ls Lherefore ln order
1haL Lhe sponsor of Lhe provlslon of SecLlon 3(3) of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon Commlssloner llorenz
8egalado who evenLually became an AssoclaLe !usLlce of Lhls CourL agreed on Lhe meanlng
of lnlLlaLe as Lo flle as proffered and explalned by ConsLlLuLlonal Commlssloner
Maambong durlng Lhe ConsLlLuLlonal Commlsslon proceedlngs whlch he (Commlssloner
8egalado) as omlcos cotloe afflrmed durlng Lhe oral argumenLs on Lhe lnsLanL peLlLlons held
on november 3 2003 aL whlch he added LhaL Lhe acL of lnlLlaLlng lncluded Lhe acL of Laklng
lnlLlal acLlon on Lhe complalnL dlsslpaLes any doubL LhaL lndeed Lhe word lnlLlaLe as lL
Lwlce appears ln ArLlcle xl (3) and (3) of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon means Lo flle Lhe complalnL and Lake
lnlLlal acLlon on lL
lnlLlaLe of course ls undersLood by ordlnary men Lo mean as dlcLlonarles do Lo begln Lo
commence or seL golng As WebsLers 1hlrd new lnLernaLlonal ulcLlonary of Lhe Lngllsh
Language conclsely puLs lL lL means Lo perform or faclllLaLe Lhe flrsL acLlon whlch [lbes
wlLh !usLlce 8egalados poslLlon and LhaL of laLher 8ernas who elucldaLed durlng Lhe oral
argumenLs of Lhe lnsLanL peLlLlons on november 3 2003 ln Lhls wlse
8rlefly Lhen an lmpeachmenL proceedlng ls noL a slngle acL lL ls a comlexus of acLs
conslsLlng of a beglnnlng a mlddle and an end 1he end ls Lhe LransmlLLal of Lhe
arLlcles of lmpeachmenL Lo Lhe SenaLe 1he mlddle conslsLs of Lhose dellberaLlve
momenLs leadlng Lo Lhe formulaLlon of Lhe arLlcles of lmpeachmenL 1he beglnnlng
or Lhe lnlLlaLlon ls Lhe flllng of Lhe complalnL and lLs referral Lo Lhe CommlLLee on
!usLlce
llnally lL should be noLed LhaL Lhe Pouse 8ule relled upon by 8epresenLaLlves
Co[uangco and luenLebella says LhaL lmpeachmenL ls deemed |n|t|ated when Lhe
!usLlce CommlLLee voLes ln favor of lmpeachmenL or when Lhe Pouse reverses a
conLrary voLe of Lhe CommlLLee noLe LhaL Lhe 8ule does noL say lmpeachmenL
proceedlngs are lnlLlaLed buL raLher are deemed lnlLlaLed 1he language ls
recognlLlon LhaL lnlLlaLlon happened earller buL by legal flcLlon Lhere ls an aLLempL
Lo posLpone lL Lo a Llme afLer acLual lnlLlaLlon (Lmphasls and underscorlng
supplled)
As sLaLed earller one of Lhe means of lnLerpreLlng Lhe ConsLlLuLlon ls looklng lnLo Lhe lnLenL
of Lhe law lorLunaLely Lhe lnLenL of Lhe framers of Lhe 1987 ConsLlLuLlon can be prled from
lLs records
M8 MAAM8CnC WlLh reference Lo SecLlon 3 regardlng Lhe procedure and Lhe
subsLanLlve provlslons on lmpeachmenL l undersLand Lhere have been many
proposals and l Lhlnk Lhese would need some Llme for CommlLLee acLlon
Powever l would [usL llke Lo lndlcaLe LhaL l submlLLed Lo Lhe CommlLLee a
resoluLlon on lmpeachmenL proceedlngs coples of whlch have been furnlshed Lhe
Members of Lhls body 1hls ls borne ouL of my experlence as a member of Lhe
CommlLLee on !usLlce Puman 8lghLs and Cood CovernmenL whlch Look charge of
Lhe lasL lmpeachmenL resoluLlon flled before Lhe llrsL 8aLasang ambansa Ior the
|nformat|on of the Comm|ttee the reso|ut|on covers severa| steps |n the
|mpeachment proceed|ngs start|ng w|th |n|t|at|on act|on of the Speaker
comm|ttee act|on ca|endar|ng of report vot|ng on the report transm|tta| referra|
to the Senate tr|a| and [udgment by the Senate
x x x
M8 MAAM8CnC Mr resldlng Cfflcer l am noL movlng for a reconslderaLlon of
Lhe approval of Lhe amendmenL submlLLed by Commlssloner 8egalado buL l wlll
[usL make of record my Lhlnklng LhaL we do noL really lnlLlaLe Lhe flllng of Lhe
ArLlcles of lmpeachmenL on Lhe floor 1he procedure as I have po|nted out ear||er
was that the |n|t|at|on starts w|th the f|||ng of the comp|a|nt And what |s actua||y
done on the f|oor |s that the comm|ttee reso|ut|on conta|n|ng the Art|c|es of
Impeachment |s the one approved by the body
As Lhe phraseology now runs whlch may be correcLed by Lhe CommlLLee on SLyle
lL appears LhaL Lhe lnlLlaLlon sLarLs on Lhe floor lf we only have Llme l could clLe
examples ln Lhe case of Lhe lmpeachmenL proceedlngs of resldenL 8lchard nlxon
whereln Lhe CommlLLee on Lhe !udlclary submlLLed Lhe recommendaLlon Lhe
resoluLlon and Lhe ArLlcles of lmpeachmenL Lo Lhe body and lL was Lhe body who
approved Lhe resoluLlon It |s not the body wh|ch |n|t|ates |t It on|y approves or
d|sapproves the reso|ut|on So on LhaL score probably Lhe CommlLLee on SLyle
could help ln rearranglng Lhese words because we have Lo be very Lechnlcal abouL
Lhls l have been brlnglng wlLh me 1be koles of tbe noose of kepteseototlves of Lhe
uS Congress 1he SenaLe 8ules are wlLh me 1he proceedlngs on Lhe case of
8lchard nlxon are wlLh me l have submlLLed my proposal buL Lhe CommlLLee has
already declded neverLheless l [usL wanL Lo lndlcaLe Lhls on record
x x x
M8 MAAM8CnC l would [usL llke Lo move for a reconslderaLlon of Lhe approval of
SecLlon 3 (3) My reconslderaLlon wlll noL aL all affecL Lhe subsLance buL lL ls only ln
keeplng wlLh Lhe exacL formulaLlon of Lhe 8ules of Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves of
Lhe unlLed SLaLes regardlng lmpeachmenL
l am proposlng Madam resldenL wlLhouL dolng damage Lo any of Lhls provlslon
LhaL on page 2 SecLlon 3 (3) from llnes 17 Lo 18 we de|ete the words wh|ch read
to |n|t|ate |mpeachment proceed|ngs and Lhe comma () and lnserL on llne 19
afLer Lhe word resoluLlon Lhe phrase Wl1P 1PL A81lCLLS and Lhen caplLallze Lhe
leLLer l ln lmpeachmenL and replace Lhe word by wlLh Cl so LhaL Lhe whole
secLlon wlll now read A voLe of aL leasL oneLhlrd of all Lhe Members of Lhe Pouse
shall be necessary elLher Lo afflrm a resoluLlon Wl1P 1PL A81lCLLS of
lmpeachmenL Cl Lhe CommlLLee or Lo overrlde lLs conLrary resoluLlon 1he voLe of
each Member shall be recorded
I a|ready ment|oned ear||er yesterday that the |n|t|at|on as far as Lhe Pouse of
8epresenLaLlves of Lhe unlLed SLaLes ls concerned rea||y starts from the f|||ng of
the ver|f|ed comp|a|nt and every resoluLlon Lo lmpeach always carrles wlLh lL Lhe
ArLlcles of lmpeachmenL As a maLLer of facL Lhe words ArLlcles of lmpeachmenL
are menLloned on llne 23 ln Lhe case of Lhe dlrecL flllng of a verlfled compllanL of
oneLhlrd of all Lhe Members of Lhe Pouse l wlll menLlon agaln Madam resldenL
LhaL my amendmenL wlll noL vary Lhe subsLance ln any way lL ls only ln keeplng
wlLh Lhe unlform procedure of Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves of Lhe unlLed SLaLes
Congress 1hank you Madam resldenL
143
(lLallcs ln Lhe orlglnal emphasls and
udnerscorlng supplled)
1hls amendmenL proposed by Commlssloner Maambong was clarlfled and accepLed by Lhe
CommlLLee on Lhe AccounLablllLy of ubllc Cfflcers
144

lL ls Lhus clear LhaL Lhe framers lnLended lnlLlaLlon Lo sLarL wlLh Lhe flllng of Lhe complalnL
ln hls omlcos cotloe brlef Commlssloner Maambong explalned LhaL Lhe obvlous reason ln
deleLlng Lhe phrase to |n|t|ate |mpeachment proceed|ngs as conLalned ln Lhe LexL of Lhe
provlslon of SecLlon 3 (3) was to sett|e and make |t understood once and for a|| that the
|n|t|at|on of |mpeachment proceed|ngs starts w|th the f|||ng of the comp|a|nt and Lhe voLe
of oneLhlrd of Lhe Pouse ln a resoluLlon of lmpeachmenL does not |n|t|ate Lhe lmpeachmenL
proceedlngs wh|ch was a|ready |n|t|ated by the f|||ng of a ver|f|ed comp|a|nt under Sect|on
3 paragraph (2) Art|c|e kI of the Const|tut|on
143

Amlcos cotloe ConsLlLuLlonal Commlssloner 8egalado ls of Lhe same vlew as ls laLher 8ernas
who was also a member of Lhe 1986 ConsLlLuLlonal Commlsslon LhaL Lhe word lnlLlaLe as
used ln ArLlcle xl SecLlon 3(3) means Lo flle boLh addlng however LhaL Lhe flllng musL be
accompanled by an acLlon Lo seL Lhe complalnL movlng
uurlng Lhe oral argumenLs before Lhls CourL laLher 8ernas clarlfled LhaL Lhe word lnlLlaLe
appearlng ln Lhe consLlLuLlonal provlslon on lmpeachmenL vlz
SecLlon 3 (1) 1he Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves shall have Lhe excluslve power Lo
lnlLlaLe all cases of lmpeachmenL
x x x
(3) no lmpeachmenL proceedlngs shall be lnlLlaLed agalnsL Lhe same offlclal more
Lhan once wlLhln a perlod of one year (Lmphasls supplled)
refers Lo Lwo ob[ecLs lmpeachmenL case and lmpeachmenL proceedlng
laLher 8ernas explalns LhaL ln Lhese Lwo provlslons Lhe common verb ls Lo lnlLlaLe 1he
ob[ecL ln Lhe flrsL senLence ls lmpeachmenL case 1he ob[ecL ln Lhe second senLence ls
lmpeachmenL proceedlng lollowlng Lhe prlnclple of teJJeoJo sloqoolo sloollls Lhe Lerm
cases musL be dlsLlngulshed from Lhe Lerm proceedlngs An lmpeachmenL case ls Lhe
legal conLroversy LhaL musL be declded by Lhe SenaLe AbovequoLed flrsL provlslon provldes
LhaL Lhe Pouse by a voLe of oneLhlrd of all lLs members can brlng a case Lo Lhe SenaLe lL ls
ln LhaL sense LhaL Lhe Pouse has excluslve power Lo lnlLlaLe all cases of lmpeachmenL no
oLher body can do lL Powever before a declslon ls made Lo lnlLlaLe a case ln Lhe SenaLe a
proceedlng musL be followed Lo arrlve aL a concluslon A proceedlng musL be lnlLlaLed 1o
lnlLlaLe whlch comes from Lhe LaLln word loltlom means Lo begln Cn Lhe oLher hand
proceedlng ls a progresslve noun lL has a beglnnlng a mlddle and an end lL Lakes place noL
ln Lhe SenaLe buL ln Lhe Pouse and conslsLs of several sLeps (1) Lhere ls Lhe flllng of a verlfled
complalnL elLher by a Member of Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves or by a prlvaLe clLlzen
endorsed by a Member of Lhe Pouse of Lhe 8epresenLaLlves (2) Lhere ls Lhe processlng of
Lhls complalnL by Lhe proper CommlLLee whlch may elLher re[ecL Lhe complalnL or uphold lL
(3) wheLher Lhe resoluLlon of Lhe CommlLLee re[ecLs or upholds Lhe complalnL Lhe resoluLlon
musL be forwarded Lo Lhe Pouse for furLher processlng and (4) Lhere ls Lhe processlng of Lhe
same complalnL by Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves whlch elLher afflrms a favorable resoluLlon
of Lhe CommlLLee or overrldes a conLrary resoluLlon by a voLe of oneLhlrd of all Lhe
members lf aL leasL one Lhlrd of all Lhe Members upholds Lhe complalnL ArLlcles of
lmpeachmenL are prepared and LransmlLLed Lo Lhe SenaLe lL ls aL Lhls polnL LhaL Lhe Pouse
lnlLlaLes an lmpeachmenL case lL ls aL Lhls polnL LhaL an lmpeachable publlc offlclal ls
successfully lmpeached 1haL ls he or she ls successfully charged wlLh an lmpeachmenL
case before Lhe SenaLe as lmpeachmenL courL
laLher 8ernas furLher explalns 1he lmpeachmenL proceedlng ls noL lnlLlaLed when Lhe
complalnL ls LransmlLLed Lo Lhe SenaLe for Lrlal because LhaL ls Lhe end of Lhe Pouse
proceedlng and Lhe beglnnlng of anoLher proceedlng namely Lhe Lrlal nelLher ls Lhe
lmpeachmenL proceedlng lnlLlaLed when Lhe Pouse dellberaLes on Lhe resoluLlon passed
on Lo lL by Lhe CommlLLee because someLhlng prlor Lo LhaL has already been done 1he
acLlon of Lhe Pouse ls already a furLher sLep ln Lhe proceedlng noL lLs lnlLlaLlon or beglnnlng
8aLher Lhe proceedlng ls lnlLlaLed or beglns when a verlfled complalnL ls flled and referred
Lo Lhe CommlLLee on !usLlce for acLlon 1hls ls Lhe lnlLlaLlng sLep whlch Lrlggers Lhe serles of
sLeps LhaL follow
1he framers of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon also undersLood lnlLlaLlon ln lLs ordlnary meanlng 1hus when
a proposal reached Lhe floor proposlng LhaL A voLe of aL leasL oneLhlrd of all Lhe Members
of Lhe Pouse shall be necessary Lo loltlote lmpeocbmeot ptoceeJloqs Lhls was meL by a
proposal Lo deleLe Lhe llne on Lhe ground LhaL Lhe voLe of Lhe Pouse does noL lnlLlaLe
lmpeachmenL proceedlng buL raLher Lhe flllng of a complalnL does
146
1hus Lhe llne was
deleLed and ls noL found ln Lhe presenL ConsLlLuLlon
laLher 8ernas concludes LhaL when SecLlon 3 (3) says no lmpeachmenL proceedlng shall be
lnlLlaLed agalnsL Lhe same offlclal more Lhan once wlLhln a perlod of one year lL means LhaL
no second verlfled complalnL may be accepLed and referred Lo Lhe CommlLLee on !usLlce for
acLlon 8y hls explanaLlon Lhls lnLerpreLaLlon ls founded on Lhe common undersLandlng of
Lhe meanlng of Lo lnlLlaLe whlch means Lo begln Pe remlnds LhaL Lhe ConsLlLuLlon ls
raLlfled by Lhe people boLh ordlnary and sophlsLlcaLed as Lhey undersLand lL and LhaL
ordlnary people read ordlnary meanlng lnLo ordlnary words and noL absLruse meanlng Lhey
raLlfy words as Lhey undersLand lL and noL as sophlsLlcaLed lawyers confuse lL
1o Lhe argumenL LhaL only Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves as a body can lnlLlaLe lmpeachmenL
proceedlngs because SecLlon 3 (1) says 1he Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves shall have Lhe
excluslve power Lo lnlLlaLe all cases of lmpeachmenL 1hls ls a mlsreadlng of sald provlslon
and ls conLrary Lo Lhe prlnclple of teJJeoJo sloqolo sloqolls by equaLlng lmpeachmenL
cases wlLh lmpeachmenL proceedlng
lrom Lhe records of Lhe ConsLlLuLlonal Commlsslon Lo Lhe omlcos cotloe brlefs of Lwo former
ConsLlLuLlonal Commlssloners lL ls wlLhouL a doubL LhaL Lhe Lerm Lo lnlLlaLe refers Lo Lhe
flllng of Lhe lmpeachmenL complalnL coupled wlLh Congress Laklng lnlLlal acLlon of sald
complalnL
Pavlng concluded LhaL Lhe lnlLlaLlon Lakes place by Lhe acL of flllng and referral or
endorsemenL of Lhe lmpeachmenL complalnL Lo Lhe Pouse CommlLLee on !usLlce or by Lhe
flllng by aL leasL oneLhlrd of Lhe members of Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves wlLh Lhe
SecreLary Ceneral of Lhe Pouse Lhe meanlng of SecLlon 3 (3) of ArLlcle xl becomes clear
Cnce an lmpeachmenL complalnL has been lnlLlaLed anoLher lmpeachmenL complalnL may
noL be flled agalnsL Lhe same offlclal wlLhln a one year perlod
under SecLlons 16 and 17 of 8ule v of Lhe Pouse lmpeachmenL 8ules lmpeachmenL
proceedlngs are deemed lnlLlaLed (1) lf Lhere ls a flndlng by Lhe Pouse CommlLLee on !usLlce
LhaL Lhe verlfled complalnL and/or resoluLlon ls sufflclenL ln subsLance or (2) once Lhe Pouse
lLself afflrms or overLurns Lhe flndlng of Lhe CommlLLee on !usLlce LhaL Lhe verlfled complalnL
and/or resoluLlon ls noL sufflclenL ln subsLance or (3) by Lhe flllng or endorsemenL before Lhe
SecreLaryCeneral of Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves of a verlfled complalnL or a resoluLlon of
lmpeachmenL by aL leasL 1/3 of Lhe members of Lhe Pouse 1hese rules clearly conLravene
SecLlon 3 (3) of ArLlcle xl slnce Lhe rules glve Lhe Lerm lnlLlaLe a meanlng dlfferenL meanlng
from flllng and referral
ln hls amlcus curlae brlef !usLlce Pugo CuLlerrez poslLs LhaL Lhls CourL could noL use
conLemporaneous consLrucLlon as an ald ln Lhe lnLerpreLaLlon of Sec3 (3) of ArLlcle xl clLlng
veto v Avelloo
147
whereln Lhls CourL sLaLed LhaL Lhelr personal oplnlons (referrlng Lo
!usLlces who were delegaLes Lo Lhe ConsLlLuLlon ConvenLlon) on Lhe maLLer aL lssue
expressed durlng Lhls CourLs our dellberaLlons sLand on a dlfferenL fooLlng from Lhe properly
recorded uLLerances of debaLes and proceedlngs lurLher clLlng sald case he sLaLes LhaL Lhls
CourL llkened Lhe former members of Lhe ConsLlLuLlonal ConvenLlon Lo acLors who are so
absorbed ln Lhelr emoLlonal roles LhaL lnLelllgenL specLaLors may know more abouL Lhe real
meanlng because of Lhe laLLers balanced perspecLlves and dlslnLeresLedness
148

!usLlce CuLlerrezs sLaLemenLs have no appllcaLlon ln Lhe presenL peLlLlons 1here are aL
presenL only Lwo members of Lhls CourL who parLlclpaLed ln Lhe 1986 ConsLlLuLlonal
Commlsslon Chlef !usLlce uavlde and !usLlce Adolf Azcuna Chlef !usLlce uavlde has noL
Laken parL ln Lhese proceedlngs for obvlous reasons Moreover Lhls CourL has noL slmply
relled on Lhe personal oplnlons now glven by members of Lhe ConsLlLuLlonal Commlsslon buL
has examlned Lhe records of Lhe dellberaLlons and proceedlngs Lhereof
8espondenL Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves counLers LhaL under SecLlon 3 (8) of ArLlcle xl lL ls
clear and unequlvocal LhaL lL and only lL has Lhe power Lo make and lnLerpreL lLs rules
governlng lmpeachmenL lLs argumenL ls premlsed on Lhe assumpLlon LhaL Congress has
absoluLe power Lo promulgaLe lLs rules 1hls assumpLlon however ls mlsplaced
SecLlon 3 (8) of ArLlcle xl provldes LhaL 1he Congress shall promulgaLe lLs rules on
lmpeachmenL Lo effecLlvely carry ouL Lhe purpose of Lhls secLlon Clearly lLs power Lo
promulgaLe lLs rules on lmpeachmenL ls llmlLed by Lhe phrase Lo effecLlvely carry ouL Lhe
purpose of Lhls secLlon Pence Lhese rules cannoL conLravene Lhe very purpose of Lhe
ConsLlLuLlon whlch sald rules were lnLended Lo effecLlvely carry ouL Moreover SecLlon 3 of
ArLlcle xl clearly provldes for oLher speclflc llmlLaLlons on lLs power Lo make rules vlz
SecLlon 3 (1) x x x
(2) A verlfled complalnL for lmpeachmenL may be flled by any Member of Lhe
Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves or by any clLlzen upon a resoluLlon of endorsemenL by
any Member Lhereof whlch shall be lncluded ln Lhe Crder of 8uslness wlLhln Len
sesslon days and referred Lo Lhe proper CommlLLee wlLhln Lhree sesslon days
LhereafLer 1he CommlLLee afLer hearlng and by a ma[orlLy voLe of all lLs
Members shall submlL lLs reporL Lo Lhe Pouse wlLhln slxLy sesslon days from such
referral LogeLher wlLh Lhe correspondlng resoluLlon 1he resoluLlon shall be
calendared for conslderaLlon by Lhe Pouse wlLhln Len sesslon days from recelpL
Lhereof
(3) A voLe of aL leasL oneLhlrd of all Lhe Members of Lhe Pouse shall be necessary
Lo elLher afflrm a favorable resoluLlon wlLh Lhe ArLlcles of lmpeachmenL of Lhe
CommlLLee or overrlde lLs conLrary resoluLlon 1he voLe of each Member shall be
recorded
(4) ln case Lhe verlfled complalnL or resoluLlon of lmpeachmenL ls flled by aL leasL
oneLhlrd of all Lhe Members of Lhe Pouse Lhe same shall consLlLuLe Lhe ArLlcles of
lmpeachmenL and Lrlal by Lhe SenaLe shall forLhwlLh proceed
(3) no lmpeachmenL proceedlngs shall be lnlLlaLed agalnsL Lhe same offlclal more
Lhan once wlLhln a perlod of one year
lL ls baslc LhaL all rules musL noL conLravene Lhe ConsLlLuLlon whlch ls Lhe fundamenLal law lf
as alleged Congress had absoluLe rule maklng power Lhen lL would by necessary lmpllcaLlon
have Lhe power Lo alLer or amend Lhe meanlng of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon wlLhouL need of
referendum
ln smeo v leoJotoo
149
Lhls CourL held LhaL lL ls wlLhln Lhe provlnce of elLher Pouse of
Congress Lo lnLerpreL lLs rules and LhaL lL was Lhe besL [udge of whaL consLlLuLed dlsorderly
behavlor of lLs members Powever ln loceto v 5ectetoty of tbe commlssloo oo
Appolotmeots
130
!usLlce (laLer Chlef !usLlce) Lnrlque lernando speaklng for Lhls CourL and
quoLlng !usLlce 8randels ln uolteJ 5totes v 5mltb
131
declared LhaL where Lhe consLrucLlon Lo
be glven Lo a rule affecLs persons oLher Lhan members of Lhe LeglslaLure Lhe quesLlon
becomes [udlclal ln naLure ln Attoyo v ue veoeclo
132
quoLlng uolteJ 5totes v 8olllo Iosepb
co
133
!usLlce vlcenLe Mendoza speaklng for Lhls CourL held LhaL whlle Lhe ConsLlLuLlon
empowers each house Lo deLermlne lLs rules of proceedlngs lL may noL by lLs rules lgnore
consLlLuLlonal resLralnLs or vlolaLe fundamenLal rlghLs and furLher LhaL Lhere should be a
reasonable relaLlon beLween Lhe mode or meLhod of proceedlng esLabllshed by Lhe rule and
Lhe resulL whlch ls soughL Lo be aLLalned lL ls only wlLhln Lhese llmlLaLlons LhaL all maLLers of
meLhod are open Lo Lhe deLermlnaLlon of Lhe LeglslaLure ln Lhe same case of Attoyo v ue
veoeclo !usLlce 8eynaLo S uno ln hls Concurrlng and ulssenLlng Cplnlon was even more
emphaLlc as he sLressed LhaL ln Lhe hlllpplne seLLlng Lhere ls even more reason for courLs Lo
lnqulre lnLo Lhe valldlLy of Lhe 8ules of Congress vlz
W|th due respect I do not agree that the |ssues posed by the pet|t|oner are non
[ust|c|ab|e Nor do I agree that we w||| tr|v|a||ze the pr|nc|p|e of separat|on of
power |f we assume [ur|sd|ct|on over he case at bar Lven ln Lhe unlLed SLaLes Lhe
prlnclple of separaLlon of power ls no longer an lmpregnable lmpedlmenL agalnsL
Lhe lnLerposlLlon of [udlclal power on cases lnvolvlng breach of rules of procedure
by leglslaLors
8lghLly Lhe ponencla uses Lhe 1891 case of u5 v 8olllo (144 uS 1) as a wlndow Lo
vlew Lhe lssues before Lhe CourL lL ls ln 8olllo where Lhe uS Supreme CourL flrsL
deflned Lhe boundarles of Lhe power of Lhe [udlclary Lo revlew congresslonal rules
lL held
x x x
1he ConsLlLuLlon ln Lhe same secLlon provldes LhaL each house may deLermlne
Lhe rules of lLs proceedlngs lL appears LhaL ln pursuance of Lhls auLhorlLy Lhe
Pouse had prlor Lo LhaL day passed Lhls as one of lLs rules
ku|e kV
3 Cn Lhe demand of any member or aL Lhe suggesLlon of Lhe Speaker Lhe names
of members sufflclenL Lo make a quorum ln Lhe hall of Lhe Pouse who do noL voLe
shall be noLed by Lhe clerk and recorded ln Lhe [ournal and reporLed Lo Lhe
Speaker wlLh Lhe names of Lhe members voLlng and be counLed and announced ln
deLermlnlng Lhe presence of a quorum Lo do buslness (Pouse !ournal 230 leb
14 1890)
1he acLlon Laken was ln dlrecL compllance wlLh Lhls rule 1he quest|on therefore
|s as to the vo/idity of this r/e and noL whaL meLhods Lhe Speaker may of hls own
moLlon resorL Lo for deLermlnlng Lhe presence of a quorum nor whaL maLLers Lhe
Speaker or clerk may of Lhelr own vollLlon place upon Lhe [ournal nelLher do Lhe
advanLages or dlsadvanLages Lhe wlsdom or folly of such a rule presenL any
maLLers for [udlclal conslderaLlon Jltb tbe cootts tbe poestloo ls ooly ooe of
powet @he onstittion empowers eoch hose to determine its r/es of
proceedinqs lt moy not by its r/es iqnore constittiono/ restroints or vio/ote
fndomento/ riqhts ond there sho/d be o reosonob/e re/otion between the mode
or method of proceedinqs estob/ished by the r/e ond the res/t which is soqht to
be ottoined 8uL wlLhln Lhese llmlLaLlons oll mottets of metboJ are open Lo Lhe
deLermlnaLlon of Lhe Pouse and lL ls no lmpeachmenL of Lhe rule Lo say LhaL some
oLher way would be beLLer more accuraLe or even more [usL lL ls no ob[ecLlon Lo
Lhe valldlLy of a rule LhaL a dlfferenL one has been prescrlbed and ln force for a
lengLh of Llme 1he power Lo make rules ls noL one whlch once exerclsed ls
exhausLed lL ls a conLlnuous power always sub[ecL Lo be exerclsed by Lhe Pouse
and wlLhln Lhe llmlLaLlons suggesLed absoluLe and beyond Lhe challenge of any
oLher body or Lrlbunal
8o//in c|ear|y conf|rmed the [ur|sd|ct|on of courts to pass upon the va||d|ty of
congress|ona| ru|es |e whether they are const|tut|ona| 8ule xv was examlned by
Lhe CourL and lL was found Lo saLlsfy Lhe LesL (1) LhaL lL dld noL lgnore any
consLlLuLlonal resLralnL (2) lL dld noL vlolaLe any fundamenLal rlghL and (3) lLs
meLhod had a reasonable relaLlonshlp wlLh Lhe resulL soughL Lo be aLLalned 8y
examlnlng 8ule xv Lhe CourL dld noL allow lLs [urlsdlcLlon Lo be defeaLed by Lhe
mere lnvocaLlon of Lhe prlnclple of separaLlon of powers
134

x x x
In the Phi/ippine settinq there |s a more compe//inq reoson for courts to
categor|ca||y re[ect the po||t|ca| quest|on defense when |ts |nterpos|t|on w||| cover
up abuse of power Ior sect|on 1 Art|c|e VIII of our Const|tut|on was intentiono//y
cobb|ed to empower courts x x x to determ|ne whether or not there has been a
grave abuse of d|scret|on amount|ng to |ack or excess of [ur|sd|ct|on on the part
of any branch or |nstrumenta||ty of the government 1hls power ls new and was
noL granLed Lo our courLs ln Lhe 1933 and 1972 ConsLlLuLlons It was not a|so
xeroxed from the US Const|tut|on or any fore|gn state const|tut|on 1he CCNCCM
granted th|s enormous power to our courts |n v|ew of our exper|ence under
mart|a| |aw where abus|ve exerc|ses of state power were sh|e|ded from [ud|c|a|
scrut|ny by the m|suse of the po||t|ca| quest|on doctr|ne Led by Lhe emlnenL
former Chlef !usLlce 8oberLo Concepclon Lhe CCnCCM expanded and sharpened
Lhe checklng powers of Lhe [udlclary vlsvls Lhe LxecuLlve and Lhe LeglslaLlve
deparLmenLs of governmenL
133

x x x
1be coostltotloo coooot be ooy cleotet Jhot it qronted to this ort is not o mere
power which it con dec/ine to exercise Precise/y to deter this disinc/inotion the
onstittion imposed it os o dty of this ort to strike down ony oct of o bronch
or instrmento/ity of qovernment or ony of its officio/s done with qrove obse of
discretion omontinq to /ock or excess of jrisdiction klqbtly ot wtooqly tbe
coostltotloo bos elooqoteJ tbe cbeckloq powets of tbls coott oqolost tbe otbet
btoocbes of qovetomeot Jesplte tbelt mote Jemoctotlc cbotoctet tbe lteslJeot ooJ
tbe leqlslotots beloq electeJ by tbe people
136

x x x
1he provlslon deflnlng [udlclal power as lncludlng Lhe duLy of Lhe courLs of [usLlce
Lo deLermlne wheLher or noL Lhere has been a grave abuse of dlscreLlon
amounLlng Lo lack or excess of [urlsdlcLlon on Lhe parL of any branch or
lnsLrumenLallLy of Lhe CovernmenL consLlLuLes Lhe capsLone of Lhe efforLs of Lhe
ConsLlLuLlonal Commlsslon Lo upgrade Lhe powers of Lhls courL vlsvls Lhe oLher
branches of governmenL 1hls provlslon was dlcLaLed by our experlence under
marLlal law whlch LaughL us LhaL a sLronger and more lndependenL [udlclary ls
needed Lo aborL abuses ln governmenL x x x
x x x
ln sum l submlL LhaL ln lmposlng Lo Lhls CourL Lhe duLy Lo annul acLs of governmenL
commlLLed wlLh grave abuse of dlscreLlon Lhe new ConsLlLuLlon Lransformed Lhls
CourL from passlvlLy Lo acLlvlsm 1hls LransformaLlon dlcLaLed by our dlsLlncL
experlence as naLlon ls noL merely evoluLlonary buL revoluLlonary uoJet tbe 19J5
ooJ tbe 197J coostltotloos tbls coott opptoocbeJ coostltotloool vlolotloos by
loltlolly Jetetmloloq wbot lt coooot Jo nder the 1987 onstittion there is o shift
in stress this ort is mondoted to opprooch constittiono/ vio/otions not by
findinq ot whot it sho/d not do bt whot it mst do 1he CourL musL dlscharge
Lhls solemn duLy by noL resusclLaLlng a pasL LhaL peLrlfles Lhe presenL
l urge my breLhren ln Lhe CourL Lo glve due and serlous conslderaLlon Lo Lhls new
consLlLuLlonal provlslon as Lhe case aL bar once more calls us Lo deflne Lhe
parameLers of our power Lo revlew vlolaLlons of Lhe rules of Lhe Pouse We w||| not
be true to our trust as the |ast bu|wark aga|nst government abuses |f we refuse to
exerc|se th|s new power or |f we w|e|d |t w|th t|m|d|ty 1o be sure |t |s th|s
exceed|ng t|m|d|ty to unsheathe the [ud|c|a| sword that has |ncreas|ng|y
embo|dened other branches of government to den|grate |f not defy orders of
our courts ln 1oleotloo l endorsed Lhe vlew of former SenaLor Salonga LhaL Lhls
novel provlslon sLreLchlng Lhe laLlLude of [udlclal power ls dlsLlncLly llllplno and lLs
lnLerpreLaLlon should noL be depreclaLed by undue rellance on lnappllcable forelgn
[urlsprudence ln resolvlng Lhe case aL bar Lhe lessons of our own hlsLory should
provlde us Lhe llghL and noL Lhe experlence of forelgners
137
(lLallcs ln Lhe orlglnal
emphasls and underscorlng supplled)
1hus Lhe rullng ln smeoo v leoJotoo ls noL appllcable Lo Lhe lnsLanL peLlLlons Pere Lhe
Lhlrd parLles alleglng Lhe vlolaLlon of prlvaLe rlghLs and Lhe ConsLlLuLlon are lnvolved
nelLher may respondenL Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves rely on Nlxoo v u5
138
as basls for argulng
LhaL Lhls CourL may noL declde on Lhe consLlLuLlonallLy of SecLlons 16 and 17 of Lhe Pouse
lmpeachmenL 8ules As already observed Lhe uS lederal ConsLlLuLlon slmply provldes LhaL
Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves shall have Lhe sole power of lmpeachmenL lL adds noLhlng
more lL glves no clue whaLsoever as Lo how Lhls sole power ls Lo be exerclsed no
llmlLaLlon whaLsoever ls glven 1hus Lhe uS Supreme CourL concluded LhaL Lhere was a
LexLually demonsLrable consLlLuLlonal commlLmenL of a consLlLuLlonal power Lo Lhe Pouse of
8epresenLaLlves 1hls reasonlng does noL hold wlLh regard Lo lmpeachmenL power of Lhe
hlllpplne Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves slnce our ConsLlLuLlon as earller enumeraLed furnlshes
several provlslons arLlculaLlng how LhaL excluslve power ls Lo be exerclsed
1he provlslons of SecLlons 16 and 17 of 8ule v of Lhe Pouse lmpeachmenL 8ules whlch sLaLe
LhaL lmpeachmenL proceedlngs are deemed lnlLlaLed (1) lf Lhere ls a flndlng by Lhe Pouse
CommlLLee on !usLlce LhaL Lhe verlfled complalnL and/or resoluLlon ls sufflclenL ln subsLance
or (2) once Lhe Pouse lLself afflrms or overLurns Lhe flndlng of Lhe CommlLLee on !usLlce LhaL
Lhe verlfled complalnL and/or resoluLlon ls noL sufflclenL ln subsLance or (3) by Lhe flllng or
endorsemenL before Lhe SecreLaryCeneral of Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves of a verlfled
complalnL or a resoluLlon of lmpeachmenL by aL leasL 1/3 of Lhe members of Lhe Pouse Lhus
clearly conLravene SecLlon 3 (3) of ArLlcle xl as Lhey glve Lhe Lerm lnlLlaLe a meanlng
dlfferenL from flllng
Io/idity of the econd lmpeochment omp/oint
Pavlng concluded LhaL Lhe lnlLlaLlon Lakes place by Lhe acL of flllng of Lhe lmpeachmenL
complalnL and referral Lo Lhe Pouse CommlLLee on !usLlce Lhe lnlLlal acLlon Laken Lhereon
Lhe meanlng of SecLlon 3 (3) of ArLlcle xl becomes clear Cnce an lmpeachmenL complalnL
has been lnlLlaLed ln Lhe foregolng manner anoLher may noL be flled agalnsL Lhe same offlclal
wlLhln a one year perlod followlng ArLlcle xl SecLlon 3(3) of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon
ln flne conslderlng LhaL Lhe flrsL lmpeachmenL complalnL was flled by former resldenL
LsLrada agalnsL Chlef !usLlce Pllarlo C uavlde !r along wlLh seven assoclaLe [usLlces of Lhls
CourL on !une 2 2003 and referred Lo Lhe Pouse CommlLLee on !usLlce on AugusL 3 2003
Lhe second lmpeachmenL complalnL flled by 8epresenLaLlves CllberLo C 1eodoro !r and
lellx Wllllam luenLebella agalnsL Lhe Chlef !usLlce on CcLober 23 2003 vlolaLes Lhe
consLlLuLlonal prohlblLlon agalnsL Lhe lnlLlaLlon of lmpeachmenL proceedlngs agalnsL Lhe
same lmpeachable offlcer wlLhln a oneyear perlod
onc/sion
lf Lhere ls anyLhlng consLanL abouL Lhls counLry lL ls LhaL Lhere ls always a phenomenon LhaL
Lakes Lhe cenLer sLage of our lndlvldual and collecLlve consclousness as a people wlLh our
characLerlsLlc flalr for human drama confllcL or Lragedy Cf course Lhls ls noL Lo demean Lhe
serlousness of Lhe conLroversy over Lhe uavlde lmpeachmenL lor many of us Lhe pasL Lwo
weeks have proven Lo be an exasperaLlng menLally and emoLlonally exhausLlng experlence
8oLh sldes have foughL blLLerly a dlalecLlcal sLruggle Lo arLlculaLe whaL Lhey respecLlvely
belleve Lo be Lhe correcL poslLlon or vlew on Lhe lssues lnvolved asslons had ran hlgh as
demonsLraLors wheLher for or agalnsL Lhe lmpeachmenL of Lhe Chlef !usLlce Look Lo Lhe
sLreeLs armed wlLh Lhelr famlllar slogans and chanLs Lo alr Lhelr volce on Lhe maLLer varlous
secLors of socleLy from Lhe buslness reLlred mlllLary Lo Lhe academe and denomlnaLlons of
falLh offered suggesLlons for a reLurn Lo a sLaLe of normalcy ln Lhe offlclal relaLlons of Lhe
governmenLal branches affecLed Lo obvlaLe any percelved resulLlng lnsLablllLy upon areas of
naLlonal llfe
1hrough all Lhese and as early as Lhe Llme when Lhe ArLlcles of lmpeachmenL had been
consLlLuLed Lhls CourL was speclflcally asked Lold urged and argued Lo Lake no acLlon of any
klnd and form wlLh respecL Lo Lhe prosecuLlon by Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves of Lhe
lmpeachmenL complalnL agalnsL Lhe sub[ecL respondenL publlc offlclal When Lhe presenL
peLlLlons were knocklng so Lo speak aL Lhe doorsLeps of Lhls CourL Lhe same clamor for non
lnLerference was made Lhrough whaL are now Lhe argumenLs of lack of [urlsdlcLlon non
[usLlclablllLy and [udlclal selfresLralnL almed aL halLlng Lhe CourL from any move LhaL may
have a bearlng on Lhe lmpeachmenL proceedlngs
1hls CourL dld noL heed Lhe call Lo adopL a handsoff sLance as far as Lhe quesLlon of Lhe
consLlLuLlonallLy of lnlLlaLlng Lhe lmpeachmenL complalnL agalnsL Chlef !usLlce uavlde ls
concerned 1o relLeraLe whaL has been already explalned Lhe CourL found Lhe exlsLence ln
full of all Lhe requlslLe condlLlons for lLs exerclse of lLs consLlLuLlonally vesLed power and duLy
of [udlclal revlew over an lssue whose resoluLlon preclsely called for Lhe consLrucLlon or
lnLerpreLaLlon of a provlslon of Lhe fundamenLal law of Lhe land WhaL lles ln here ls an lssue
of a genulne consLlLuLlonal maLerlal whlch only Lhls CourL can properly and compeLenLly
address and ad[udlcaLe ln accordance wlLh Lhe clearcuL allocaLlon of powers under our
sysLem of governmenL laceLoface Lhus wlLh a maLLer or problem LhaL squarely falls under
Lhe CourLs [urlsdlcLlon no oLher course of acLlon can be had buL for lL Lo pass upon LhaL
problem head on
1he clalm Lherefore LhaL Lhls CourL by [udlclally enLangllng lLself wlLh Lhe process of
lmpeachmenL has effecLlvely seL up a reglme of [udlclal supremacy ls paLenLly wlLhouL basls
ln facL and ln law
1hls CourL ln Lhe presenL peLlLlons sub[ecLed Lo [udlclal scruLlny and resolved on Lhe merlLs
only Lhe maln lssue of wheLher Lhe lmpeachmenL proceedlngs lnlLlaLed agalnsL Lhe Chlef
!usLlce Lransgressed Lhe consLlLuLlonally lmposed oneyear Llme bar rule 8eyond Lhls lL dld
noL go abouL assumlng [urlsdlcLlon where lL had none nor lndlscrlmlnaLely Lurn [usLlclable
lssues ouL of decldedly pollLlcal quesLlons 8ecause lL ls noL aL all Lhe buslness of Lhls CourL Lo
asserL [udlclal domlnance over Lhe oLher Lwo greaL branches of Lhe governmenL 8aLher Lhe
ralson deLre of Lhe [udlclary ls Lo complemenL Lhe dlscharge by Lhe execuLlve and leglslaLlve
of Lhelr own powers Lo brlng abouL ulLlmaLely Lhe beneflcenL effecLs of havlng founded and
ordered our socleLy upon Lhe rule of law
lL ls suggesLed LhaL by our Laklng cognlzance of Lhe lssue of consLlLuLlonallLy of Lhe
lmpeachmenL proceedlngs agalnsL Lhe Chlef !usLlce Lhe members of Lhls CourL have acLually
closed ranks Lo proLecL a breLhren 1haL Lhe members lnLeresLs ln rullng on sald lssue ls as
much aL sLake as ls LhaL of Lhe Chlef !usLlce noLhlng could be farLher from Lhe LruLh
1he lnsLlLuLlon LhaL ls Lhe Supreme CourL LogeLher wlLh all oLher courLs has long held and
been enLrusLed wlLh Lhe [udlclal power Lo resolve confllcLlng legal rlghLs regardless of Lhe
personallLles lnvolved ln Lhe sulLs or acLlons 1hls CourL has dlspensed [usLlce over Lhe course
of Llme unaffecLed by whomsoever sLood Lo beneflL or suffer Lherefrom unfrald by
whaLever lmpuLaLlons or speculaLlons could be made Lo lL so long as lL rendered [udgmenL
accordlng Lo Lhe law and Lhe facLs Why can lL noL now be LrusLed Lo wleld [udlclal power ln
Lhese peLlLlons [usL because lL ls Lhe hlghesL ranklng maglsLraLe who ls lnvolved when lL ls an
lnconLroverLlble facL LhaL Lhe fundamenLal lssue ls noL hlm buL Lhe valldlLy of a governmenL
branchs offlclal acL as LesLed by Lhe llmlLs seL by Lhe ConsLlLuLlon? Cf course Lhere are rules
on Lhe lnhlblLlon of any member of Lhe [udlclary from Laklng parL ln a case ln speclfled
lnsLances 8uL Lo dlsquallfy Lhls enLlre lnsLlLuLlon now from Lhe sulL aL bar ls Lo regard Lhe
Supreme CourL as llkely lncapable of lmparLlallLy when one of lLs members ls a parLy Lo a
case whlch ls slmply a ooo sepoltot
no one ls above Lhe law or Lhe ConsLlLuLlon 1hls ls a baslc precepL ln any legal sysLem whlch
recognlzes equallLy of all men before Lhe law as essenLlal Lo Lhe laws moral auLhorlLy and
LhaL of lLs agenLs Lo secure respecL for and obedlence Lo lLs commands erhaps Lhere ls no
oLher governmenL branch or lnsLrumenLallLy LhaL ls mosL zealous ln proLecLlng LhaL prlnclple
of legal equallLy oLher Lhan Lhe Supreme CourL whlch has dlscerned lLs real meanlng and
ramlflcaLlons Lhrough lLs appllcaLlon Lo numerous cases especlally of Lhe hlghproflle klnd ln
Lhe annals of [urlsprudence 1he Chlef !usLlce ls noL above Lhe law and nelLher ls any oLher
member of Lhls CourL 8uL [usL because he ls Lhe Chlef !usLlce does noL lmply LhaL he geLs Lo
have less ln law Lhan anybody else 1he law ls sollclLous of every lndlvlduals rlghLs
lrrespecLlve of hls sLaLlon ln llfe
1he llllplno naLlon and lLs democraLlc lnsLlLuLlons have no doubL been puL Lo LesL once agaln
by Lhls lmpeachmenL case agalnsL Chlef !usLlce Pllarlo uavlde Accordlngly Lhls CourL has
resorLed Lo no oLher Lhan Lhe ConsLlLuLlon ln search for a soluLlon Lo whaL many feared
would rlpen Lo a crlsls ln governmenL 8uL Lhough lL ls lndeed lmmensely a blesslng for Lhls
CourL Lo have found answers ln our bedrock of legal prlnclples lL ls equally lmporLanL LhaL lL
wenL Lhrough Lhls cruclble of a democraLlc process lf only Lo dlscover LhaL lL can resolve
dlfferences wlLhouL Lhe use of force and aggresslon upon each oLher
WnLkLICkL SecLlons 16 and 17 of 8ule v of Lhe 8ules of rocedure ln lmpeachmenL
roceedlngs whlch were approved by Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves on november 28 2001
are unconsLlLuLlonal ConsequenLly Lhe second lmpeachmenL complalnL agalnsL Chlef !usLlce
Pllarlo C uavlde !r whlch was flled by 8epresenLaLlves CllberLo C 1eodoro !r and lellx
Wllllam 8 luenLebella wlLh Lhe Cfflce of Lhe SecreLary Ceneral of Lhe Pouse of
8epresenLaLlves on CcLober 23 2003 ls barred under paragraph 3 secLlon 3 of ArLlcle xl of
Lhe ConsLlLuLlon
SC CkDLkLD