B2017 | Constitutional Law 1 | Prof.

Gatmaytan | 1

Digest by: Ting Agustin& Ron Husmillo

!"#$%&'%() +", -', .#/0#0#1#'#2&3 $# 0/# 4#$#$#$//(1 $/ 0/# 4#$/#/#5#$/ 6&1&7&$() 8$%,
9:; <=>? 99 @ABBCD
E,>, :FBFA: .(-G0HG" :B) ABBC

"#$%& '( %)* $#&*+
1. 22 !uly 2002: 1he Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves adopLed a 8esoluLlon, sponsored by 8ep. lellx
Wllllam u. luenLebella, whlch dlrecLed Lhe CommlLLee on !usLlce Lo conducL an lnvesLlgaLlon, ln
ald of leglslaLlon, on %)* ,#--*. '( /0&12.&*,*-%& #-/ *34*-/0%2.*& 15 %)* 6)0*( 72&%0$* '( %)*
824.*,* 6'2.% '( %)* 72/0$0#.5 9*:*;'4,*-% "2-/(!ul)."
1. 2 !une 2003: resldenL !oseph L. LsLrada flled an lmpeachmenL complalnL agalnsL Chlef !usLlce
Pllarlo uavlde, !r. and seven AssoclaLe !usLlces for culpable vlolaLlon of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon,
beLrayal of publlc LrusL and oLher hlgh crlmes."
2. 13 CcLober 2003: 1he Pouse CommlLLee on !usLlce ruled LhaL Lhe flrsL lmpeachmenL complalnL
was sufflclenL ln form", buL dlsmlssed Lhe case on 22 CcLober 2003 for belng lnsufflclenL ln
subsLance".
3. 23 CcLober 2003: SecreLary Ceneral of Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves CllberLo C. 1eodoro, !r. and
8ep. lellx Wllllam 8. luenLebella flled a &*$'-/ 0,4*#$),*-% $',4;#0-% agalnsL Chlef !usLlce
Pllarlo uavlde, !r. founded on Lhe alleged resulLs of Lhe leglslaLlve lnqulry lnlLlaLed by Lhe Pouse
8esoluLlon. 1hls was accompanled by a 8esoluLlon of LndorsemenL/lmpeachmenL" slgned by aL
leasL 1/3 of all Lhe members of Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves.
4. 1hus arose Lhe lnsLanL peLlLlon agalnsL Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves, eL. al, mosL of whlch
peLlLlons conLend LhaL Lhe flllng of Lhe second lmpeachmenL complalnL ls unconsLlLuLlonal.
3. 28 CcLober 2003: MoLlon was puL forLh for Lhe complalnL be LransmlLLed Lo Lhe SenaLe, buL was
noL carrled due Lo lack of quorum. !usLlces uno and vlLug offered Lo recuse Lhemselves buL
were re[ecLed. !usLlce anganlban lnhlblLed hlmself, buL Lhe CourL dlrecLed hlm Lo parLlclpaLe.

<#%2.*! eLlLlon for CerLlorarl, rohlblLlon and Mandamus

=*%0%0'-*.&+
1. ALLy. LrnesLo 8. lranclsco, !r. alleges he has a duLy as a member of lnLegraLed 8ar of Lhe
hlllpplnes Lo use all avallable legal remedles Lo sLop an 2-$'-&%0%2%0'-#; 0,4*#$),*-%.
lranclsco says he hlmself was a vlcLlm of $#4.0$0'2& #-/ #.10%.#.5 $)#->*& 0- %)* ?2;*& '(
=.'$*/2.* 0- @,4*#$),*-% =.'$**/0->& 0-%.'/2$*/ 15 %)* AB
%)
6'->.*&&C
2. CLher peLlLloners:
Sedfrey Candelarla, eL al, as clLlzens and Laxpayers, hlllpplne 8ar AssoclaLlon: allege
LhaL Lhe lssues are of LranscendenLal lmporLance.
lranclsco Chavez, peLlLlons LhaL Lhe second lmpeachmenL complalnL be declared
unconsLlLuLlonal.
ALLy. Parry 8oque, eL. al., as Laxpayers and members of Lhe legal professlon
8ep. Salacnlb l. 8aLerlna and uepuLy Speaker 8aul Conzales, as leglslaLors
Leonllo 8. Alfonso, eL. al., clalm Lhey have a rlghL Lo be proLecLed agalnsL all forms of
senseless spendlng of Laxpayers' money
lnLegraLed 8ar of Lhe hlllpplnes, mandaLed by Lhe Code of rofesslonal 8esponslblllLy
ALLys. venlclo llores and PecLor Pofllena, clalm as professors of law, Lhey have abldlng
lnLeresL ln Lhe sub[ecL maLLer
LL. al.

@&&2*&+
1. WheLher Lhe offenses alleged ln Lhe Second lmpeachmenL complalnL consLlLuLe valld
lmpeachable offenses.

2. WheLher Lhe resoluLlon Lhereof ls a pollLlcal quesLlon - has resulLed ln a pollLlcal crlsls
B2017 | Constitutional Law 1 | Prof. Gatmaytan | 2

Digest by: Ting Agustin& Ron Husmillo





='-*-%*+
ConchlLa Carplo-Morales

D#0- 9'$%.0-*+
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

6'.';;#.5 9'$%.0-*+
Checks and balances 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 co-equallLy

: 1wo 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 whaL ls ln Lhe greaLer lnLeresL and well-belng of Lhe people.

! #$%&' ()(&%* +', '&(-+.$ %+/
LeL Lhe good of Lhe people be Lhe supreme law.

?2;0->+
1he ConsLlLuLlon ls sufflclenL Lo address all lssues. leared resorL Lo exLra-consLlLuLlonal meLhods of
resolvlng lL ls nelLher necessary nor legally permlsslble.
1he second lmpeachmenL complalnL ls unconsLlLuLlonal and ls barred under aragraph 3, SecLlon 3 of
ArLlcle xl of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon.

Carplo, vlLug, anganlban, Culsumblng, Corona, Calle[o, Azcuna, 1lnga concur.
uavlde, !r. (C.!.) no parL.
uno, concur and dlssenL.

?#%0'
=($3G$3&($ <I7"G0G =(I"3
1he peLlLloners do noL possess sufflclenL legal
sLandlng as slnce only Lhe Chlef !usLlce wlll susLaln
dlrecL personal ln[ury ln Lhe case.
Legal sLandlng ls granLed Lo all peLlLloners excepL
valle[o, who falled Lo allege lnLeresL ln Lhe case.
1o Laxpayers because $01 *.(+02*03
,-$0'.*,,$% ,) ,4+ #+0$,+ )5 ,4+ 6-,*7%+' )5
*.(+$74.+0, $02 ,4+ +0'&*03 ,-*$% )5 ,4+
84*+5 9&',*7+ :*%% 0+7+''$-*%1 *0;)%;+ (&<%*7
5&02'=>
1o leglslaLors as Lhey are $%%):+2 ,) '&+
,) ?&+',*)0 ,4+ ;$%*2*,1 )5 $01 )55*7*$%
$7,*)0 :4*74 @*' 7%$*.+2A ,) *05-*03+ @,4+*-A
(-+-)3$,*;+ $' %+3*'%$,)-'=>
1o Lhe assoclaLlon and members of Lhe
legal professlon, as Lhey advanced
consLlLuLlonal lssues whlch deserve Lhe
aLLenLlon of Lhe Supreme CourL ln vlew of
B2017 | Constitutional Law 1 | Prof. Gatmaytan | 3

Digest by: Ting Agustin& Ron Husmillo

Lhelr serlousness, novelLy and welghL as
precedenLs (Lhough Lhelr mere lnvocaLlon
of Lhe B0,+3-$,+2 C$- )5 ,4+ D4*%*((*0+'
and Lhelr belng .+.<+- )5 ,4+ %+3$%
(-)5+''*)0 does noL sufflce alone Lo cloLhe
Lhem wlLh sLandlng)
1o Lhe hlllpplne 8ar AssoclaLlon, slnce
Lhelr sole clalm LhaL Lhe case of
LranscendenLal lmporLance meL Lhe
deLermlnanLs esLabllshed by former
!usLlce lellclano: (1) characLer of funds
lnvolved, (2) dlsregard of
consLlLuLlonal/sLaLuLory prohlblLlon by
publlc respondenL agency or
lnsLrumenLallLy of gov'L and (3) lack of
oLher parLy wlLh a more speclflc and
dlrecL lnLeresL Lo Lhe case
1he lssues ralsed by Lhe peLlLloners are noL
[usLlclable, Lhey are pollLlcal quesLlons whlch are
ouLslde Lhe [urlsdlcLlon of Lhe courL.
1he sLandard employed ln deLermlnlng wheLher
quesLlons ralsed are pollLlcal or noL relles on Lhe
answer Lo Lhe quesLlon of wheLher Lhere are
consLlLuLlonally lmposed llmlLs on powers or
funcLlons conferred upon pollLlcal bodles. lf Lhere
are, Lhen Lhe courLs are duLy-bound Lo examlne
wheLher Lhe branch or lnsLrumenLallLy of gov'L
acLed wlLhln such llmlLs.

1he peLlLloners ralsed 3 lssues ln LoLal:
l. WheLher offenses alleged ln 2
nd

lmpeachmenL complalnL consLlLuLe valld
offenses under Lhe ConsLlLuLlon
ll. WheLher Lhe 2
nd
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 auLnomy
of Lhe [udlclary
lv. WheLher SecLlons 13 and 16 of 8ule v of
Lhe 8ules of lmpeachmenL adopLed by Lhe
12
Lh
Congress are unconsLlLuLlonal for
vlolaLlng Lhe provlslon of SecLlon 3, ArLlcle
xl of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon
v. WheLher Lhe 2
nd
lmpeachmenL complalnL
ls barred under SecLlon 3(3) of ArLlcle xl
of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon
1hrough Lhe sLandard shared above, Lwo [usLlclable
lssues remaln: lssues (lv) and (v), as Lhey consLlLuLe
Lhe very %*' .),$ @crux or essence) of Lhe
conLroversy

B2017 | Constitutional Law 1 | Prof. Gatmaytan | 4

Digest by: Ting Agustin& Ron Husmillo

1he CourL should exerclse [udlclal resLralnL
SenaLe has Lhe sole power Lo Lry and
declde all cases of lmpeachmenL
Slnce Lhe courL ls an lnLeresLed parLy,
Lhere ls moral compulslon for Lhe courL
noL Lo assume [urlsdlcLlon
!udlclal revlew of Lhe case mlghL lead Lo a
consLlLuLlonal crlsls, a confllcL beLween Lhe
leglslaLure and Lhe [udlclary
1he courL belleves LhaL lL should noL pracLlce
[udlclal resLralnL over Lhe lssue:
Whlle lL recognlzes Lhe sole power of Lhe
SenaLe over 7$'+' of lmpeachmenL, Lhe
courL's power of [udlclal revlew lncludes
power over [usLlclable lssues ln
lmpeachmenL (-)7++2*03'
Lven lf Lhe CourL ls an lnLeresLed parLy, lL
cannoL shlrk lLs duLy as [urlsdlcLlon ls noL
[usL a power, lL ls a solemn duLy whlch
may noL be renounced. 1o renounce lL,
even lf lL ls vexaLlous, would be a
derellcLlon of duLy
1he posslblllLy of a consLlLuLlonal crlsls ls
noL a reason for Lhe courL Lo refraln from
upholdlng Lhe ConsLlLuLlon ln all cases
because lL ls a duLy.
SecLlons 16 and 17 of 8ule v of Lhe Pouse
lmpeachmenL 8ules do noL vlolaLe Lhe ConsLlLuLlon
1he Lerm lnlLlaLe" does noL mean Lo flle"
1here are only 3 ways Lo lnlLlaLe an
lmpeachmenL complalnL as provlded for
by SecLlon 3(2), ArLlcle xl of Lhe
ConsLlLuLlon: (1) by a verlfled complalnL
for lmpeachmenL by any member of Lhe
Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves, (2) by any
clLlzen upon a resoluLlon by any member
or (3) by aL leasL 1/3 of all Lhe members of
Lhe Pouse.
1hus, Lhe one year ban has noL yeL been
vlolaLed as Lhe Pouse has noL yeL acLed on
Lhe 1
sL
lmpeachmenL complalnL.
1he Lerm lnlLlaLe" means Lo flle," as lnLended Lhe
framers of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon.
An lmpeachmenL proceedlng ls noL a
slngle acL, lL conslsLs of a beglnnlng, a
mlddle and an end. 1he end ls Lhe
LransmlLLal of Lhe arLlcles Lo Lhe SenaLe.
1he mlddle conslsLs of dellberaLlons ln
formulaLlng Lhe ArLlcles of lmpeachmenL
and Lhe beglnnlng or *0*,*$,*)0 ls Lhe flllng
of Lhe complalnL and lLs referral Lo Lhe
CommlLLee on !usLlce

uue Lo Lhe CourL seLLllng Lhe proper deflnlLlon of
lnlLlaLe" above, Lhe 1
sL
lmpeachmenL complalnL ls
now consldered Lo have been lnlLlaLed, maklng Lhe
2
nd
lmpeachmenL complalnL a vlolaLlon of Lhe
consLlLuLlonal one year ban on flllng lmpeachmenL
proceedlngs agalnsL Lhe same offlclal.