Abas Kida v.

Senate WON the NO, the passage of RA The general rule that
of the Philippines passage of RA No. 10153 DOES NOT before bills passed by
No. 10153 violates the three- either the House or
Several laws violates the readings-on-separate- the Senate can
pertaining to the three-readings- days requirement in become laws they
Autonomous Region in on-separate- Section 26(2), Article must pass through
Muslim Mindanao days rule under VI of the 1987 three readings on
(ARMM) were enacted Section 26(2), Constitution. The separate days, is
by Congress. Republic Article VI of the general rule that subject to the
Act (RA) No. 6734 is 1987 before bills passed by EXCEPTION when the
the organic act that Constitution. either the House or the President certifies to
established the ARMM Senate can become the necessity of the
and scheduled the first laws they must pass bills immediate
regular elections for through three readings enactment. In the
the ARMM regional on separate days, is present case, the
officials. RA No. 9054 subject to the records show that
amended the ARMM EXCEPTION when the the President wrote
Charter and reset the President certifies to to the Speaker of the
regular elections for the necessity of the House of
the ARMM regional bills immediate Representatives to
officials to the second enactment. The Court, certify the necessity
Monday of September in Tolentino v. of the immediate
2001. RA No. 9140 Secretary of Finance, enactment of a law
further reset the first explained the effect of synchronizing the
regular elections to the Presidents ARMM elections with
November 26, 2001. certification of the national and local
RA No. 9333 reset for necessity in the elections. Following
the third time the following manner: The our Tolentino ruling,
ARMM regional presidential the Presidents
elections to the 2nd certification dispensed certification
Monday of August with the requirement exempted both the
2005 and on the same not only of printing but House and the
date every 3 years also that of reading the Senate from having
thereafter. Pursuant to bill on separate days. to comply with the
RA No. 9333, the next The phrase "except three separate
ARMM regional when the President readings
elections should have certifies to the requirement.
been held on August necessity of its
8, 2011. COMELEC immediate enactment,
had begun etc." in Art. VI, Section
preparations for these 26[2] qualifies the two
elections and had stated conditions
accepted certificates before a bill can
of candidacies for the become a law: [i] the
various regional bill has passed three
offices to be elected. readings on separate
But on June 30, 2011, days and [ii] it has
RA No. 10153 was been printed in its final
enacted, resetting the form and distributed
next ARMM regular three days before it is
elections to May 2013 finally approved. In the
to coincide with the present case, the
regular national and records show that the
local elections of the President wrote to the
country. In these Speaker of the House
consolidated petitions of Representatives to
filed directly with the certify the necessity of
Supreme Court, the the immediate
petitioners assailed enactment of a law
the constitutionality of synchronizing the
RA No. 10153. ARMM elections with
the national and local
elections. Following our
Tolentino ruling, the
Presidents certification
exempted both the
House and the Senate
from having to comply
with the three separate
readings requirement.