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8ANA1 v. CCMLLLC

C.8. no. 177308
AugusL 7, 2009

et|t|oners:
8arangay AssoclaLlon for naLlonal AdvancemenL and 1ransparency
(8AnA1) arLy-LlsL, represenLed by
Salvador 8rlLanlco

kespondent:
Commlsslon on LlecLlons (Comelec)

Case Summary: 8efore Lhe CourL ls a peLlLlon for prohlblLlon wlLh a prayer for
Lhe lssuance of a 18C or a WrlL of rellmlnary ln[uncLlon flled by peLlLloner
8AnA1 assalllng Lhe consLlLuLlonallLy of 8A 9369 and en[olnlng respondenL
CCMLLLC from lmplemenLlng Lhe sLaLuLe.

onente: !. Carplo


8ackground:

8A 9369 ls a consolldaLlon of SenaLe 8lll 2231 and Pouse 8lll 3332 passed by
Lhe SenaLe and Lhe Po8 ln uecember of 2006. ln !anuary of 2007, less Lhan 4
monLhs before Lhe May 14, 2007 local elecLlons, Lhe resldenL slgned 8A 9369.
1wo newspapers of general clrculaLlon, Malaya and 8uslness Mlrror, publlshed
8A 9369 on !anuary 26, 2007 and lL Look effecL on lebruary 10, 2007.

May 7, 2007 ! eLlLloner flled Lhls peLlLlon for prohlblLlon alleglng LhaL 8A
9369 vlolaLed ArLlcle vl of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon. eLlLloner also assalls Lhe
consLlLuLlonallLy of SecLlons 34, 37, 38, and 43 of 8A 9369. eLlLloner says LhaL
Lhese provlslons are of quesLlonable appllcaLlon and doubLful valldlLy for falllng
Lo comply wlLh Lhe provlslons of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon.

1he CCMLLLC and Lhe Cfflce of Lhe SollclLor Ceneral (CSC) flled Lhelr
respecLlve CommenLs and boLh malnLaln LhaL 8A 9369 en[oys Lhe presumpLlon
of consLlLuLlonallLy, save for SecLlon 43 Lhereof, whlch ls unconsLlLuLlonal.


"#$%& '()*+#,-./ ,. (00($1%/ 0%)2$,.0

Sect|ons 37 and 38 ! 8he Lwo secLlons prescrlbe Lhe procedures on pre-
proclamaLlon conLroversles ln case of any dlscrepancy ln Lhe cerLlflcaLes of
canvass. 1he Congress and CCMLLLC en banc shall deLermlne Lhe auLhenLlclLy
of Lhe cerLlflcaLes of canvass. no pre-proclamaLlon conLesLs shall be allowed for
Lhe elecLlons for Lhe resldenL, vlce resldenL, SenaLors and members of Lhe
Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves. Powever, Lhls does noL preclude Lhe auLhorlLy of Lhe
approprlaLe canvasslng body Lo correcL manlfesL errors ln Lhe elecLlon reLurns.

Sect|on 43 ! rovldes LhaL CCMLLLC has Lhe power Lo conducL prellmlnary
lnvesLlgaLlons of elecLlon offenses, and Lo prosecuLe Lhe same.

Sect|on 34 ! Amnded an old law by glvlng poll waLchers of Lhe domlnanL
ma[orlLy and Lhe domlnanL mlnorlLy parLles a flxed per dlem of 400. (noLe
LhaL each reglsLered pollLlcal parLy or candldaLe ls allowed Lo have one poll
waLcher ln Lhe polllng place/canvasslng cenLer)



Issues ] ne|d:

1. WCn 8A 9369 vlolaLes ArLlcle vl, Sec. 26(1) of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon

2. WCn SecLlons 37 and 38 vlolaLe ArLlcle vl, Sec. 17 and ArLlcle vlll, Sec. 4,
paragraph 7

3. WCn SecLlon 43 vlolaLes ArLlcle lx-C, Sec. 2(6) of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon

4. WCn SecLlon 34 vlolaLes ArLlcle lll, Sec. 10 of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon

! NC on a|| accounts





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kat|o:

1. kA 9369 does NC1 Art|c|e VI, Sec. 26(1) of the Const|tut|on

8oLh Lhe CCMLLLC and Lhe CSC malnLaln LhaL Lhe LlLle of 8A 9369 ls broad
enough Lo encompass Loplcs whlch deal noL only wlLh Lhe auLomaLlon
process buL wlLh everyLhlng relaLed Lo lLs purpose encouraglng a
LransparenL, credlble, falr, and accuraLe elecLlons.

1he consLlLuLlonal requlremenL LhaL every blll passed by Lhe Congress
shall embrace only one sub[ecL whlch shall be expressed ln Lhe LlLle
Lhereof" has always been glven a pracLlcal raLher Lhan a Lechnlcal
consLrucLlon. 1he requlremenL ls saLlsfled lf Lhe LlLle ls comprehenslve
enough Lo lnclude sub[ecLs relaLed Lo Lhe general purpose, whlch Lhe
sLaLuLe seeks Lo achleve.

8A 9369 ls an amendatory act enLlLled An AcL Amendlng 8epubllc AcL no.
8436, enLlLled,

'An AcL AuLhorlzlng Lhe Commlsslon on LlecLlons Lo use an
AuLomaLed LlecLlon SysLem ln Lhe May 11, 1998 naLlonal or
Local LlecLlons and ln SubsequenL naLlonal and Local
LlecLoral Lxerclses, Lo Lncourage 1ransparency, CredlblllLy,
lalrness and Accuracy of LlecLlons, Amendlng for Lhe
urpose 8aLas ambansa 8lg. 881, as Amended, 8epubllc AcL
no. 7166 and CLher 8elaLed LlecLlon Laws, rovldlng lunds
1herefor and lor CLher urposes.'"

Clearly, Lhe sub[ecL maLLer of 8A 9369 covers Lhe amendmenLs Lo 8A 8436,
8aLas ambansa 8lg. 881 (8 881), 8epubllc AcL no. 7166 (8A 7166), and
oLher relaLed elecLlon laws Lo achleve lLs purpose of promoLlng
Lransparency, credlblllLy, falrness, and accuracy ln Lhe elecLlons.

1he provlslons of 8A 9369 assalled by peLlLloner deal wlLh amendmenLs Lo
speclflc provlslons of 8A 7166 and 8 881. 1herefore, Lhe assalled
provlslons are germane Lo Lhe sub[ecL maLLer of 8A 9369, whlch ls Lo
amend 8A 7166 and 8 881, among oLhers.




2. Sect|ons 37 and 38 DC NC1 v|o|ate Art|c|e VI, Sec. 17 and Art|c|e VIII,
Sec. 4, paragraph 7

Accordlng Lo peLlLloner, Congress as Lhe naLlonal 8oard of Canvassers for
Lhe elecLlon of Lhe resldenL and vlce resldenL (Congress), and Lhe
CCMLLLC %. '(.) as Lhe naLlonal 8oard of Canvassers, for Lhe elecLlon of
SenaLors may now enLerLaln pre-proclamaLlon cases ln Lhe elecLlon of Lhe
resldenL, v, and SenaLors. ln so dolng, peLlLloner concludes LhaL Lhe
Congress and Lhe CCMLLLC %. '(.) undermlne Lhe lndependence and
encroach upon Lhe [urlsdlcLlon of Lhe L1 and SL1.

Powever, Lhe CCMLLLC malnLalns LhaL Lhe amendmenLs lnLroduced by
SecLlon 37 perLaln only Lo Lhe adopLlon and appllcaLlon of Lhe procedures
on pre-proclamaLlon conLroversles ln case of any dlscrepancy,
lncompleLeness, erasure or alLeraLlon ln Lhe cerLlflcaLes of canvass. 1he
CCMLLLC adds LhaL SecLlon 37 does noL provlde LhaL Congress and Lhe
CCMLLLC %. '(.) may now enLerLaln pre-proclamaLlon cases for naLlonal
elecLlve posLs.

CSC argues LhaL Lhe ConsLlLuLlon does noL prohlblL pre-proclamaLlon cases
lnvolvlng naLlonal elecLlve posLs.

ln 3$4%.2%1 555 67 89:;<;8 Lhe lmpllcaLlons of Lhe amendmenLs lnLroduced by
SecLlons 37 and 38 Lo SecLlons 13 and 30 of 8A 7166, were dlscussed:

ln sum, ln [Lhe] elecLlons for resldenL, vlce-resldenL,
SenaLors and Members of Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves, the
genera| ru|e |s st||| that pre-proc|amat|on cases on matters
re|at|ng to the preparat|on, transm|ss|on, rece|pt, custody and
apprec|at|on of e|ect|on returns or cert|f|cates of canvass are
st||| proh|b|ted.

As wlLh oLher general rules, Lhere are recognlzed except|ons Lo
Lhe prohlblLlon, namely: (1) CorrecLlon of manlfesL errors, (2)
CuesLlons affecLlng Lhe composlLlon or proceedlng of Lhe
board of canvassers, and (3) ueLermlnaLlon of Lhe auLhenLlclLy
and due execuLlon of cerLlflcaLes of canvass as provlded ln
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SecLlon 30 of 8epubllc AcL no. 7166, as amended by 8epubllc
AcL no. 9369.

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3. Sect|on 43 DCLS NC1 v|o|ate Art|c|e Ik-C, Sec. 2(6) of the Const|tut|on

1he SC does noL agree wlLh Lhe peLlLloner and Lhe CCMLLLC LhaL Lhe
ConsLlLuLlon gave Lhe CCMLLLC Lhe exc|us|ve power" Lo lnvesLlgaLe and
prosecuLe cases of vlolaLlons of elecLlon laws.

SecLlon 2(6), ArLlcle lx-C of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon vesLs ln Lhe CCMLLLC Lhe
power Lo lnvesLlgaLe and, where appropr|ate, prosecuLe cases of
vlolaLlons of elecLlon laws, lncludlng acLs or omlsslons consLlLuLlng elecLlon
frauds, offenses, and malpracLlces." 1hls was an lmporLanL lnnovaLlon
lnLroduced by Lhe ConsLlLuLlon because Lhls provlslon was noL ln
Lhe 1933 or 1973 ConsLlLuLlons.

1he phrase [w]here approprlaLe" leaves Lo Lhe leglslaLure Lhe power Lo
deLermlne Lhe klnd of elecLlon offenses LhaL Lhe CCMLLLC shall prosecuLe
excluslvely or concurrenLly wlLh oLher prosecuLlng arms of Lhe
governmenL.

1hls was also an lnnovaLlon lnLroduced by 8 881. 1he hlsLory of
elecLlon laws shows LhaL prlor Lo 8 881, no such excluslve power" was
ever besLowed on Lhe CCMLLLC.

We also noLe LhaL whlle SecLlon 263 of 8 881 vesLs ln Lhe CCMLLLC
Lhe excluslve power" Lo conducL prellmlnary lnvesLlgaLlons and prosecuLe
elecLlon offenses, lL llkewlse auLhorlzes Lhe CCMLLLC Lo avall lLself of Lhe
asslsLance of oLher prosecuLlng arms of Lhe governmenL.

ln Lhe 1993 CCMLLLC 8ules of rocedure, Lhe auLhorlLy of Lhe CCMLLLC
was subsequenLly quallfled and explalned. 1he 1993 CCMLLLC 8ules of
rocedure provldes LhaL Lhe Commlsslon shall have Lhe excluslve power
Lo conducL prellmlnary lnvesLlgaLlon of all elecLlon offenses punlshable
under Lhe elecLlon laws and Lo prosecuLe Lhe same, excepL as may
oLherwlse be provlded by law."

lL ls clear LhaL Lhe granL of Lhe excluslve power" Lo lnvesLlgaLe and
prosecuLe elecLlon offenses Lo Lhe CCMLLLC was noL by vlrLue of Lhe
ConsLlLuLlon buL by 8 881, a leglslaLlve enacLmenL. lf Lhe lnLenLlon of Lhe
framers of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon were Lo glve Lhe CCMLLLC Lhe excluslve
power" Lo lnvesLlgaLe and prosecuLe elecLlon offenses, Lhe framers would
have expressly so sLaLed ln Lhe ConsLlLuLlon. 1hey dld noL.

ln 3%,>1% 67 "(0$11(, we acknowledged LhaL wlLhouL Lhe asslsLance of
provlnclal and clLy flscals and Lhelr asslsLanLs and sLaff members, and of
Lhe sLaLe prosecuLors of Lhe ueparLmenL of !usLlce, Lhe prompL and falr
lnvesLlgaLlon and prosecuLlon of elecLlon offenses commlLLed before or ln
Lhe course of naLlonwlde elecLlons would slmply noL be posslble.

ln 89:;<;8 67 ;0>(J,1, we also sLaLed Lhe CCMLLLC dld noL have a
sufflclenL number of legal offlcers Lo conducL such lnvesLlgaLlon and Lo
prosecuLe such cases. 1he prompL lnvesLlgaLlon, prosecuLlon, and
dlsposlLlon of elecLlon offenses consLlLuLe an lndlspensable parL of Lhe Lask
of securlng free, orderly, honesL, peaceful, and credlble elecLlons. 1hus,
glven Lhe plenary power of Lhe leglslaLure Lo amend or repeal laws, lf
Congress passes a law amendlng SecLlon 263 of 8 881, such law does not
v|o|ate the Const|tut|on.


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4. Sect|on 34 DCLS NC1 v|o|ate Art|c|e III, Sec. 10 of the Const|tut|on

Such assalls Lhe consLlLuLlonallLy of Lhe provlslon, whlch flxes Lhe per dlem
of poll waLchers (aL 400) Lhe domlnanL ma[orlLy and domlnanL mlnorlLy
parLles aL elecLlon day. eLlLloner argues LhaL Lhls vlolaLes Lhe freedom of
Lhe parLles Lo conLracL and Lhelr rlghL Lo flx Lhe Lerms and condlLlons of Lhe
conLracL Lhey see as falr, equlLable and [usL. eLlLloner adds LhaL Lhls ls a
purely prlvaLe conLracL uslng prlvaLe funds, whlch cannoL be regulaLed by
law.

1he CSC argues LhaL peLlLloner erroneously lnvoked Lhe non-|mpa|rment
c|ause because Lhls only applles Lo prevlously perfecLed conLracLs. ln Lhls
case, Lhere ls no perfecLed conLacL and, Lherefore, no obllgaLlon wlll be
lmpalred.

8oth the CCMLLLC and the CSG argue that the |aw |s a proper exerc|se of
po||ce power and |t w||| preva|| over a contract. Accordlng Lo Lhe
CCMLLLC, poll waLchlng ls noL [usL an ordlnary conLracL buL ls an
agreemenL wlLh Lhe solemn duLy Lo ensure Lhe sancLlLy of voLes. 1he role
of poll waLchers ls vesLed wlLh publlc lnLeresL, whlch can be regulaLed by
Congress ln Lhe exerclse of lLs pollce power. 1he CSC furLher argues LhaL
Lhe assurance LhaL Lhe poll waLchers wlll recelve falr and equlLable
compensaLlon promoLes Lhe general welfare. 1he CSC also sLaLes LhaL Lhls
was a reasonable regulaLlon conslderlng LhaL Lhe domlnanL ma[orlLy and
mlnorlLy parLles wlll secure a copy of Lhe elecLlon reLurns and are glven Lhe
rlghL Lo asslgn poll waLchers lnslde Lhe polllng preclncLs.

1here ls no vlolaLlon of Lhe non-lmpalrmenL clause.

1. llrsL, Lhe non- lmpalrmenL clause ls ||m|ted |n app||cat|on to
|aws that derogate from pr|or acts or contracts by en|arg|ng,
abr|dg|ng or |n any manner chang|ng the |ntent|on of the
part|es. ! 1here ls lmpalrmenL lf a subsequenL law changes
Lhe Lerms of a conLracL beLween Lhe parLles, lmposes new
condlLlons, dlspenses wlLh Lhose agreed upon or wlLhdraws
remedles for Lhe enforcemenL of Lhe rlghLs of Lhe parLles.

As observed by Lhe CSC, Lhere ls no exlsLlng conLracL yeL and,
Lherefore, no enforceable rlghL or demandable obllgaLlon wlll
be lmpalred. 8A 9369 was enacLed more Lhan Lhree monLhs
prlor Lo Lhe 14 May 2007 elecLlons. Pence, when Lhe domlnanL
ma[orlLy and mlnorlLy parLles hlred Lhelr respecLlve poll
waLchers for Lhe 14 May 2007 elecLlons, Lhey were deemed Lo
have lncorporaLed ln Lhelr conLracLs all Lhe provlslons of 8A
9369.

2. Second, lL ls seLLled LhaL po||ce power |s super|or to the non-
|mpa|rment c|ause. ! 1he consLlLuLlonal guaranLy of non-
lmpalrmenL of conLracLs ls llmlLed by Lhe exerclse of Lhe pollce
power of Lhe SLaLe, ln Lhe lnLeresL of publlc healLh, safeLy,
morals, and general welfare of Lhe communlLy.

Sect|on 8 of CCMLLLC keso|ut|on No. 140S speclfles Lhe rlghLs and duLles
of poll waLchers.

ln 8elLran v. SecreLary of PealLh, lL was held LhaL the freedom to contract
|s not abso|ute, all conLracLs and all rlghLs are sub[ecL Lo Lhe pollce power
of Lhe SLaLe xxx.

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