Republic of the Philippines SUPREME COURT Manila EN BANC G.R. No. 83767 October 27, 1988 FIRDAUSI SMAIL ABBAS, HOMOBONO A. ADAZA, ALEJANDRO D. ALMENDRAS, ABUL KAHYR D. ALONTO, JUAN PONCE ENRILE, RENE G. ESPINA, WILSON P. GAMBOA, ROILO S. GOLEZ, ROMEO G. JALOSJOS EVA R. ESTRADA-KALAW, WENCESLAO R. LAGUMBAY, VICENTE P. MAGSAYSAY, JEREMIAS U. MONTEMAYOR, BLAS F. OPLE, RAFAEL P. PALMARES, ZOSIMO JESUS M. PAREDES, JR., VICENTE G. PUYAT, EDITH N. RABAT, ISIDRO S$. RODRIGUEZ, FRANCISCO S. TATAD, LORENZO G. TEVES, ARTURO M. TOLENTINO, and FERNANDO R. VELOSO, petitioners, vs. THE SENATE ELECTORAL TRIBUNAL, respondent. GANCAYCO, J: (on October 8, 1987, te paloners ted belore the respondent Tbunal an election contest docked a8 SET Cate No, 0027 agahnat 22 candidate of the 3 cealion wn were proclaed senators nthe May 11,1087 congressional lectone bythe Commission on Elactons. The responées Tiel Was ‘ine competed of toe (2) susiens ofa Supreme Coun and si (6) Senator, ramely: Sevor Aswoente Juice Pedra (Yap (Charman). Associle TAnaien® Navasa and Hugo E. Gulez, and Sento Joseph © Estods, Nepal A Gonzales, Tels Gungona, ose Lin, Je, Masa ‘Tarmano and Vio" 8. ia. “Troual replace Senator Estrada, te later nang alates wih tn Libra Pry and resigned asthe Oppesiton'sepesoriao me Towa lod wi the ierestod partes said caso, a espondonis hea efor al, Sonat Rene AV. Sagusag. oe of a esporaens nh ‘Recuto ‘an lnior 2 Supplomenia! Pion to Recor te same Sonor ombers ofthe Tsao aaron he so 3 Sonator Venta 1. Paterno, arate’ respondent Inthe sate contest thereat tied ha comments on both the peton to recuse and the maton ft ‘Ssualteaton er inion. Meraranda ante subject ware sho led and oral arguments wero heard By the rasposdert bur. wih to lator Sterns Senator an Pon »2 maantms had volun nbtes hime rom paricpatg inthe narings ans deliberations of th respondent reual in both ‘tomate spondenis, lng hs personel volvement a «payne two eabes {ought ane thst he daca ot naceasty wnicn tay persis to bet foundation peitan ofthe qustoned Resetons Goes tre ut a souton both Prasteabe and coneesionaly unobectonabl, namohr the srwncment ofthe respondent Trsunals Rules of proceaure 2 as fo por he cores beng “Te proposod amendment the Trbunas Rus (Section 24)—recusng the concurance ofa) members fr te adenton of resoitons of whatvor natura 2 Sono bat hare more than (our () members are dng, the ominng roembers shal enue quorum ol ast tan Brae (3) nus 298 () ‘hstce, and may adopt resalaons 8 marty vole wi ne absterions, ous talrod to fhe sialon cesta by a petton for deaalicaon ts wou, rot soughe ° agree wit peiioner hess Ihat the scagested doen i nether unfeasible nor repugnant o he Contaton. We opine that in fact he most scone propoual es the lin tara end tant Oe Consuon faut which, Ale Vi. Sectan 1, creas the Sante Elec air ls congestion ane does is unedlcion ars powers of Represertatves shat each Nave an Electoral Tibunal which shall be te sale judge ofa cones sen Elocoral Trounal shall be composed ot rno Members, Senate othe House of Represeratves, a he case Maybe, who al be chosen on babes of propolonl repression or he palcl paris and to pros or organizations egatorod undo the part sytem rproseiod orn. Te sear Juste in he Eocoal Tal of he Susame Cour and Membors ofthe Sana, the Constiton nd auhoty of dating a contests eaing fo Be schon, rts and ear exrecsic fan rant Ik soems quite clos tous tat n thus proving for 2 Tribunal obo safe by both J atte thus ust! and loge’ components commonly sate he 3 ston of Senatas. The responder! Tnounal cecil stte ore Pat fh propossen when hela ss roan” ‘at (ues) cnlots shal be esalvos bya pana boy in whic the ie Sonar} pers nha Chamber re rprosoio‘athe constutonalpovsion ust as coer mandstas the partipaton in the same process of dacson of repcesentaive or ropresentaves of the Supreme gropotion of Santos to uses ia tho Electoral Trbunal 2 be eal exces rom ‘ec ‘ral wihin aw and pncaten damian ne petlon for daquaistion er Ween ad by har patoners, The alr ptt far cerara 2 DISMISSED for Nanas, Cuter, ond Pare, J, ook no part Separate Opinions FELICIANO, J.:, concurring: | quite agree with what Mr. Justice Gancayco has written into his opinion for the Court. | would merely like to carry forward however slightly the analysis found in the penultimate paragraph of his opinion. Should any three (3) Senator-Members of the Senate Electoral Tribunal voluntarily inhibit or disqualify themselves from participating in the proceedings in SET Case No. 002-87, a Tribunal would result that would be balanced between the three (3) Justice- Members and the three (3) Senator-Members and still constitute more than a bare quorum. In such a Tribunal, both the considerations of public policy and fair play raised by petitioners and the constitutional intent above noted concerning the mixed "judicial" and "legislative" composition of the Electoral Tribunals would appear to be substantially met and served. Thisdenouement, however, must be voluntarily reached and not compelled by certiorari. Separate Opinions FELICIANO, J.:, concurring: | quite agree with what Mr. Justice Gancayco has written into his opinion for the Court. | would merely like to carry forward however slightly the analysis found in the penultimate paragraph of his opinion. Should any three (3) Senator-Members of the Senate Electoral Tribunal voluntarily inhibit or disqualify themselves from participating in the proceedings in SET Case No. 002-87, a Tribunal would result that would be balanced between the three (3) Justice- Members and the three (3) Senator-Members and still constitute more than a bare quorum. In such a Tribunal, both the considerations of public policy and fair play raised by petitioners and the constitutional intent above noted concerning the mixed "judicial" and "legislative" composition of the Electoral Tribunals would appear to be substantially met and served. This denouement, however, must be voluntarily reached and not compelled by certiorari. Footnotes “The Lauphil Project - Aono Law Foundaton