EN BANC

 

 

RAUL L. LAMBINO and ERICO B.                      G.R. No. 174153

AUMENTADO, TOGETHER WITH

6,327,952  REGISTERED VOTERS,                   

                                           Petitioners,                          

                                                                      

              - versus -         

                                                         

THE COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS,

                                         Respondent.                

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ALTERNATIVE LAW GROUPS, INC.,

                                                  Intervenor.

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ONEVOICE INC., CHRISTIAN S.

MONSOD, RENE B. AZURIN,

MANUEL L. QUEZON III, BENJAMIN

T. TOLOSA, JR., SUSAN V. OPLE, and

CARLOS P. MEDINA, JR.,

                                          Intervenors.

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ATTY. PETE QUIRINO QUADRA,

                                        Intervenor.

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BAYAN represented by its Chairperson

Dr. Carolina Pagaduan-Araullo, BAYAN MUNA

represented by its Chairperson Dr. Reynaldo

Lesaca, KILUSANG MAYO UNO represented

by its Secretary General Joel Maglunsod, HEAD

represented by its Secretary General Dr. Gene

Alzona Nisperos, ECUMENICAL BISHOPS

FORUM represented by Fr. Dionito Cabillas,

MIGRANTE represented by its Chairperson

Concepcion Bragas-Regalado, GABRIELA

represented by its Secretary General

Emerenciana de Jesus, GABRIELA WOMEN’S

PARTY represented by Sec. Gen. Cristina Palabay,

ANAKBAYAN represented by Chairperson

 

Eleanor de Guzman, LEAGUE OF FILIPINO

STUDENTS represented by Chair Vencer

Crisostomo Palabay, JOJO PINEDA of the

League of Concerned Professionals and

Businessmen, DR. DARBY SANTIAGO

of the Solidarity of Health Against Charter

Change, DR. REGINALD PAMUGAS of

Health Action for Human Rights,

                                                     Intervenors.

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LORETTA ANN P. ROSALES,

MARIO JOYO AGUJA, and ANA THERESA

HONTIVEROS-BARAQUEL,

                                                    Intervenors.

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ARTURO M. DE CASTRO,

                                                     Intervenor.

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TRADE UNION CONGRESS OF THE

PHILIPPINES,

                                                  Intervenor.

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LUWALHATI RICASA ANTONINO,

                                                  Intervenor.

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PHILIPPINE CONSTITUTION

ASSOCIATION (PHILCONSA), CONRADO

F. ESTRELLA, TOMAS C. TOLEDO,

MARIANO M. TAJON, FROILAN M.

BACUNGAN, JOAQUIN T. VENUS, JR., 

FORTUNATO P. AGUAS, and AMADO

GAT INCIONG,                                                  

                                                      Intervenors.

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RONALD L. ADAMAT, ROLANDO

MANUEL RIVERA, and RUELO BAYA,

                                                  Intervenors.

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PHILIPPINE TRANSPORT AND GENERAL

WORKERS ORGANIZATION (PTGWO)

and MR. VICTORINO F. BALAIS,

                                                  Intervenors.

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SENATE OF THE PHILIPPINES, represented

by its President, MANUEL VILLAR, JR.,

                                           Intervenor.

 

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SULONG BAYAN MOVEMENT

FOUNDATION, INC.,

                                           Intervenor.

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JOSE ANSELMO I. CADIZ, BYRON D.

BOCAR, MA. TANYA KARINA A. LAT,

ANTONIO L. SALVADOR, and

RANDALL TABAYOYONG,

                                           Intervenors.

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INTEGRATED BAR OF THE PHILIPPINES,

CEBU CITY AND CEBU PROVINCE

CHAPTERS,

                                          Intervenors.           

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SENATE MINORITY LEADER AQUILINO       

Q. PIMENTEL, JR. and SENATORS                      

SERGIO R. OSMEŇA III, JAMBY                       

MADRIGAL, JINGGOY ESTRADA,                     

ALFREDO S. LIM and

PANFILO LACSON,         

                                            Intervenors.             

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JOSEPH EJERCITO ESTRADA and                      

PWERSA NG MASANG PILIPINO,                           

                                               Intervenors.                     

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MAR-LEN ABIGAIL BINAY,                       G.R. No. 174299

SOFRONIO UNTALAN, JR., and                          

RENE A.V. SAGUISAG,                                 Present:

                                               Petitioners,                               

                                                                     PANGANIBAN, C.J.,

- versus -                                      PUNO,

                                                                     QUISUMBING,

                                                                     YNARES-SANTIAGO,

COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS,                      SANDOVAL-GUTIERREZ,

represented by Chairman BENJAMIN      CARPIO,

S. ABALOS, SR., and Commissioners        AUSTRIA-MARTINEZ,

RESURRECCION Z. BORRA,                 CORONA,            

FLORENTINO A. TUASON,         JR.,              CARPIO MORALES,  

ROMEO A. BRAWNER,                             CALLEJO, SR.,

RENE V. SARMIENTO,                            AZCUNA,          

NICODEMO T. FERRER, and                      TINGA,

John Doe and Peter Doe,                          CHICO-NAZARIO,          

Respondents.                GARCIA, and                                                                               VELASCO, JR., JJ.

 

 

                                                          Promulgated:

 

                                                          October 25, 2006

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D E C I S I O N

 

 

CARPIO, J.:

 

 

The Case

 

          These are consolidated petitions on the Resolution dated 31 August 2006 of the Commission on Elections (“COMELEC”) denying due course to an initiative petition to amend the 1987 Constitution.

 

 

Antecedent Facts

 

          On 15 February 2006, petitioners in G.R. No. 174153, namely Raul L. Lambino and Erico B. Aumentado (“Lambino Group”), with other groups[1] and individuals, commenced gathering signatures for an initiative petition to change the 1987 Constitution.  On 25 August 2006, the Lambino Group filed a petition with the COMELEC to hold a plebiscite that will ratify their initiative petition under Section 5(b) and (c)[2] and Section 7[3] of Republic Act No. 6735 or the Initiative and Referendum Act (“RA 6735”).

 

The Lambino Group alleged that their petition had the support of 6,327,952 individuals constituting at least twelve per centum (12%) of all registered voters, with each legislative district represented by at least three per centum (3%) of its registered voters.  The Lambino Group also claimed that COMELEC election registrars had verified the signatures of the 6.3 million individuals.

 

The Lambino Group’s initiative petition changes the 1987 Constitution by modifying Sections 1-7 of Article VI (Legislative Department)[4] and Sections 1-4 of Article VII (Executive Department)[5] and by adding Article XVIII entitled “Transitory Provisions.”[6] These proposed changes will shift the present Bicameral-Presidential system to a Unicameral-Parliamentary form of government.   The Lambino Group prayed that after due publication of their petition, the COMELEC should submit the following proposition in a plebiscite for the voters’ ratification:

 

          DO YOU APPROVE THE AMENDMENT OF ARTICLES VI AND VII OF THE 1987 CONSTITUTION, CHANGING THE FORM OF GOVERNMENT FROM THE PRESENT BICAMERAL-PRESIDENTIAL TO A UNICAMERAL-PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM, AND PROVIDING ARTICLE XVIII AS TRANSITORY PROVISIONS FOR THE ORDERLY SHIFT FROM ONE SYSTEM TO THE OTHER?

 

 

          On 30 August 2006, the Lambino Group filed an Amended Petition with the COMELEC indicating modifications in the proposed Article XVIII (Transitory Provisions) of their initiative.[7]

 

 

The Ruling of the COMELEC

 

          On 31 August 2006, the COMELEC issued its Resolution denying due course to the Lambino Group’s petition for lack of an enabling law governing initiative petitions to amend the Constitution. The COMELEC invoked this Court’s ruling in Santiago v. Commission on Elections[8] declaring RA 6735 inadequate to implement the initiative clause on proposals to amend the Constitution.[9]

 

          In G.R. No. 174153, the Lambino Group prays for the issuance of the writs of certiorari and mandamus to set aside the COMELEC Resolution of 31 August 2006 and to compel the COMELEC to give due course to their initiative petition. The Lambino Group contend