JAVELLANA.docx

7/26/2019 JAVELLANA.docx

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G.R. No. L-36142 March 31, 1973

JOSUE JAVELLANA, petitioner,vs.THE EXEUT!VE SERETAR", THE SERETAR" O#NAT!ONAL $E#ENSE, THE SERETAR" O# JUST!E AN$ THESERETAR" O# #!NANE, respondents.

G.R. No. L-36164 March 31, 1973

V!$AL TAN, J. ANTON!O ARANETA, ALEJAN$RO ROES,MANUEL RU$O, ANTON!O U. M!RAN$A, EM!L!O $E%ERALTA AN$ LOREN&O M. TA'A$A, petitioners,vs.THE EXEUT!VE SERETAR", THE SERETAR" O##!NANE , THE SERETAR" O# JUST!E, THE SERETAR"O# LAN$ RE#ORM, THE SERETAR" O# NAT!ONAL$E#ENSE, THE AU$!TOR GENERAL, THE (U$GETOMM!SS!ONER, THE HA!RMAN O# %RES!$ENT!ALOMM!SS!ON ON REORGAN!&AT!ON, THE TREASURER O#THE %H!L!%%!NES, THE OMM!SS!ON ON ELET!ONS AN$THE OMM!SS!ONER O# !V!L SERV!E, respondents.

G.R. No. L-3616) March 31, 1973.

GERAR$O ROXAS, AM(ROS!O %A$!LLA, JOV!TO R.SALONGA, SALVA$OR H. LAUREL, RAMON V. M!TRA, JR. a*+EVA ESTRA$A-ALA, petitioners,vs.ALEJAN$RO MELHOR, * h/ ca0ac a/ Ec5 ScrarJUAN %ONE ENR!LE, * h/ ca0ac a/ Scrar o8 Nao*a$8*/ G*ra ROMEO ES%!NO, * h/ ca0ac a/ h8 o8Sa88 o8 h Ar:+ #orc/ o8 h %h00*/ TAN!O E.ASTA'E$A, * h/ ca0ac a/ Scrar G*ra Src/S*aor G!L J. %U"AT, * h/ ca0ac a/ %r/+* o8 hS*a a*+ S*aor JOSE RO", h/ ca0ac, a/ %r/+* %roT:0or o8 h o8 h S*a, respondents.

G.R. No. L-36236 March 31, 1973

E$$!E (. MONTELARO, ;0r/o*a a*+ * h/ ca0ac a/%r/+* o8 h Nao*a %r// 5< o8 h%h00*/=, petitioner,vs.THE EXEUT!VE SERETAR", THE SERETAR" O# %U(L!!N#ORMAT!ON, THE AU$!TOR GENERAL, THE (U$GETOMM!SS!ONER > THE NAT!ONAL TREASURER, respondents.

G.R. No. L-362?3 March 31, 1973

NA%OLEON V. $!LAG, AL#RE$O SALA%ANTAN, JR.,LEONAR$O ASO$!SEN, JR., a*+ RAUL M.GON&ALE&, petitioners,vs.THE HONORA(LE EXEUT!VE SERETAR", THEHONORA(LE SERETAR" O# NAT!ONAL $E#ENSE, THEHONORA(LE (U$GET OMM!SS!ONER, THE HONORA(LEAU$!TOR GENERAL, respondents.

Ramon A. Gonzales for petitioner Josue Javellana.

Lorenzo M. Taada and Associates for petitioners Vidal Tan, et al.

Taada, Salonga, rdoez, Rodrigo, Sanidad, Ro!as. Gonzales andArro"o for petitioners Gerardo Ro!as, et al.

Jo#er $. Arro"o and Rogelio %. $adilla for petitioner &ddie Monteclaro.

Raul M. Gonzales and Associates for petitioners 'apoleon V. (ilag, et al.

Arturo M. Tolentino for respondents Gil J. $u"at and Jose Ro".

ffice of t)e Solicitor General &stelito $. Mendoza, Solicitor Vicente V.Mendoza and Solicitor Re"nato S. $uno for ot)er respondents.

R E S O L U T I O N

ONE%!ON,C.J.:

The above-entitled five (5) ases are a se!"el of ases #.R. Nos. L-$5%&5,L-$5%&%, L-$5%', L-$5%', L-$5%'&, L-$5%'*, L-$5%5$, L-$5%+, L-$5%+5 andL-$5%%, deided on an"ar &&, %$, to /hih 0e /ill hereafter referolletivel as the plebisite ases.

%ac#ground of t)e $le*iscite +ases.

The fat"al settin1 thereof is set forth in the deision therein rendered,fro2 /hih 0e !"ote3

On 4arh +, %+, on1ress of the 6hilippinespassed Resol"tion No. &, /hih /as a2ended b

Resol"tion No. ' of said bod, adopted on "ne ,%+%, allin1 a onvention to propose a2end2entsto the onstit"tion of the 6hilippines. SaidResol"tion No. &, as a2ended, /as i2ple2ented bRep"bli 7t No. +$&, approved on 7"1"st &',%, p"rs"ant to the provisions of /hih theeletion of dele1ates to said onvention /as held onNove2ber , %, and the % onstit"tionalonvention be1an to perfor2 its f"ntions on "ne, %. 0hile the onvention /as in session onSepte2ber &, %&, the 6resident iss"ed6rola2ation No. * plain1 the entire 6hilippines"nder 4artial La/. On Nove2ber &%, %&, theonvention approved its 6roposed onstit"tion ofthe Rep"bli of the 6hilippines. The ne8t da,Nove2ber $, %&, the 6resident of the 6hilippines

iss"ed 6residential 9eree No. $, :s"b2ittin1 to the;ilipino people for ratifiation or ree?, et al. a1ainst theNational Treas"rer and the o22ission onEletions (ase #.R. No. L-$5%'&)@ on 9ee2ber &,%&, b Aidal Tan, et al., a1ainst the o22ission onEletions, the Treas"rer of the 6hilippines, the7"ditor #eneral and the 9iretor of 6rintin1 (ase#.R. No. L-$5%'*) and b ose 0. 9ioBno and=eni1no S. 7!"ino a1ainst the o22ission onEletions (ase #.R. No. L-$5%5$)@ on 9ee2ber ',

%&, b ainto i2ene? a1ainst the o22ission onEletions, the 7"ditor #eneral, the Treas"rer of the6hilippines and the 9iretor of the ="rea" of6rintin1 (ase #.R. No. L-$5%+), and b Ra"l 4.#on?ales a1ainst the o22ission on Eletions, the="d1et o22issioner, the National Treas"rer andthe 7"ditor #eneral (ase #.R. No. L-$5%+5)@ andon 9ee2ber +, %&, b Ernesto . Cidal1o a1ainstthe o22ission on Eletions, the Seretar ofEd"ation, the National Treas"rer and the 7"ditor#eneral (ase #.R. No. L-$5%%).

In all these ases, e8ept the last (#.R. No. L-$5%%),the respondents /ere re!"ired to file their ans/ers:not later than &3 (oDloB) noon of Sat"rda,9ee2ber +, %&.: Said ases /ere, also, set forhearin1 and partl heard on 4onda, 9ee2ber *,%&, at %3$ a.2. The hearin1 /as ontin"ed on9ee2ber %, %&. = a1ree2ent of the parties, theafore2entioned last ase #.R. No. L-$5%% /as,


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2also, heard,


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3In ordertobroadenthe baseofiti?ensDpartiipation in1overn2ent.

UESTION No. &

="t /e do not /ant the 7dInteri2 7sse2bl to beonvoBed. Or if it is to beonvened at all, it sho"ld notbe done so "ntil after at leastseven () ears fro2 theapproval of the Ne/onstit"tion b the iti?ens7sse2blies.

UESTION No. $

The vote of the iti?ens

7sse2blies sho"ld alread beonsidered the plebisite onthe Ne/ onstit"tion.

If the iti?ens 7sse2bliesapprove of the Ne/onstit"tion, then the ne/onstit"tion sho"ld bedee2ed ratified.

UESTION No. '

0e are siB and tired of toofre!"ent eletions. 0e are fed

"p /ith politis, of so 2andebates and so 2"h e8penses.

UESTION No. 5

6robabl a period of at leastseven () ears 2oratori"2 oneletions /ill be eno"1h forstabilit to be established inthe o"ntr, for refor2s totaBe root and nor2al toret"rn.

UESTION No. +

0e /ant 6resident 4aros toontin"e /ith 4artial La/. 0e/ant hi2 to e8erise his

po/ers /ith 2ore a"thorit.0e /ant hi2 to be stron1 andfir2 so that he an ao2plishall his refor2 pro1ra2s andestablish nor2al in theo"ntr. If all other 2eas"resfail, /e /ant 6resident 4arosto delare a revol"tionar1overn2ent alon1 the lines ofthe ne/ onstit"tion /itho"tthe ad interi2 7sse2bl.:

:7ttention is respetf"ll invited to the o22ents on:"estion No. $,: /hih reads3

UESTION No. $

The vote of the iti?ens7sse2blies sho"ld beonsidered the plebisite onthe Ne/ onstit"tion.

If the iti?ens 7sse2bliesapprove of the Ne/onstit"tion, then the ne/onstit"tion sho"ld be

dee2ed ratified.

This, /e are afraid, and therefore alle1e, is pre1nant/ith o2ino"s possibilities.

'. That, in the 2eanti2e, speaBin1 on televisionand over the radio, on an"ar , %$, the 6residentanno"ned that the li2ited freedo2 of debate on theproposed onstit"tion /as bein1 /ithdra/n andthat the prola2ation of 2artial la/ and the ordersand derees iss"ed there"nder /o"ld theneforthstritl be enfored F9ail E8press, an"ar *, %$G@

5. That petitioners have reason to fear, and

therefore state, that the !"estion added in the lastlist of !"estions to be asBed to the iti?ens7sse2blies, na2el3

9o o" approve of the Ne/onstit"tionH

in relation to the !"estion follo/in1 it3

9o o" still/ant aplebisite tobe alled toratif thene/

onstit"tionH:

/o"ld be an atte2pt to b-pass and short-ir"it thisConorable o"rt before /hih the !"estion of thevalidit of the plebisite on the proposedonstit"tion is no/ pendin1@

:+. That petitioners have reason to fear, andtherefore alle1e, that if an affir2ative ans/er to thet/o !"estions e?,et al. v. The National Treas"rer, et al.:

The ne8t da, an"ar $, %$, /hih /as aSat"rda, the o"rt iss"ed a resol"tion re!"irin1 therespondents in said three ($) ases to o22ent onsaid :"r1ent 2otion: and :2anifestation,: :not later

than T"esda noon, an"ar +, %$.: 6rior thereto,or on an"ar 5, %$, shortl before noon, thepetitioners in said ase #.R. No. L-$5%'* riled a:s"pple2ental 2otion for iss"ane of restrainin1


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4order and inl"sion o f additional respondents,:prain1

:... that a restrainin1 order beiss"ed eno@ the9epart2ent of 71rarianRefor2s and its head,Seretar onrado Estrella@the National Ratifiationoordinatin1 o22ittee andits hair2an, #"iller2o deAe1a@ their dep"ties,s"bordinates and s"bstit"tes,and all other offiials andpersons /ho 2a be assi1neds"h tasB, fro2 olletin1,ertifin1, and anno"nin1and reportin1 to the 6residentor other offiials onerned,the so-alled iti?ensD7sse2blies referend"2 res"ltsalle1edl obtained /hen the/ere s"pposed to have 2et

d"rin1 the period o2prisedbet/een an"ar andan"ar 5, %$, on the t/o!"estions !"oted in para1raph of this S"pple2ental Ur1ent4otion.:

In s"pport of this praer, it /as alle1ed

:$. That petitioners are no/ before this Conorableo"rt in order to asB f"rther that this Conorableo"rt iss"e a restrainin1 order en


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5No. *+. and the instr"tions inidental theretolearl fall /ithin the sope of this petition@

FbG In their petition,petitioners so"1ht the iss"aneof a /rit of preli2inarin


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6onstit"tional onvention has been ratified b anover/hel2in1 2a


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7of the ases dis2issed the sa2e, /itho"t speial prono"ne2ent as toosts.

T)e $resent +ases

6rior thereto, or on an"ar &, %$, os"e avellana filed ase #.R. No.L-$+'& a1ainst the E8e"tive Seretar and the Seretaries of National9efense, "stie and ;inane, to restrain said respondents :and theirs"bordinates or a1ents fro2 i2ple2entin1 an of the provisions of thepropose onstit"tion not fo"nd in the present onstit"tion: referrin1 tothat of %$5. The petition therein, filed b os"e avellana, as a :;ilipino

iti?en, and a !"alified and re1istered voter: and as :a lass s"it, forhi2self, and in behalf of all iti?ens and voters si2ilarl sit"ated,: /asa2ended on or abo"t an"ar &', %$. 7fter reitin1 in s"bstane thefats set forth in the deision in the plebisite ases, avellana alle1ed thatthe 6resident had anno"ned :the i22ediate i2ple2entation of the Ne/onstit"tion, thr" his abinet, respondents inl"din1,: and that the latter:are atin1 /itho"t, or in e8ess of


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87fter deliberatin1 on these ases, the 2e2bers of the o"rt a1reed thateah /o"ld /rite his o/n opinion and serve a op thereof on hisollea1"es, and this the did. S"bse!"entl, the o"rt dis"ssed saidopinions and votes /ere ast thereon. S"h individ"al opinions areappended hereto.

7ordin1l, the /riter /ill first e8press his person opinion on the iss"esbefore the o"rt. 7fter the e8position his aforesaid opinion, the /riter /ill2aBe, on"rrentl /ith his ollea1"es in the o"rt, a res"2e of s"22arof the votes ast b the2 in these ases.

/riter0s $ersonal pinion

I.

Alleged academic futilit" of furt)er proceedings in G.R. L123435.

This defense or theor, set "p b o"nsel for respondents #il . 6"at andose Ro in #.R. No. L-$++5, and, also, b the Soliitor #eneral, isprediated "pon the fat that, in O"r deision in the plebisite ases, 4r."stie =arredo had e8pressed the vie/ that the %$5 onstit"tion had:pro tanto passed into histor: and :been le1iti2atel s"pplanted b theonstit"tion no/ in fore b virt"e of 6rola2ation No. & ...:@ that 4r."stie 7ntonio did not feel :that this o"rt o2petent to at: in said ases:in the absene of an


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92a not be onsidered as s"h plebisite@ that the fats of reordab"ndantl sho/ that the afore2entioned 7sse2blies o"ld not have beenheld thro"1ho"t the 6hilippines fro2 an"ar to an"ar 5, %$@ andthat, in an event, the proeedin1s in said 7sse2blies are n"ll and void asan alle1ed ratifiation of the ne/ onstit"tion proposed b the %onstit"tional onvention, not onl bea"se of the ir"2stanes "nder/hih said 7sse2blies had been reated and held, b"t, also, bea"sepersons dis!"alified to vote "nder 7rtile A of the onstit"tion /ereallo/ed to partiipate therein, bea"se the provisions of o"r Eletion ode/ere not observed in said 7sse2blies, bea"se the sa2e /ere not held"nder the s"pervision of the o22ission on Eletions, in violation ofsetion & of 7rtile K of the %$5 onstit"tion, and bea"se the e8istene

of 4artial La/ and #eneral Order No. &, /ithdra/in1 or s"spendin1 theli2ited freedo2 to dis"ss the 2erits and de2erits of said proposedonstit"tion, i2paired the peopleDs freedo2 in votin1 thereon,parti"larl a viva voce, as it /as done in 2an instanes, as /ell as theirabilit to have a reasonable Bno/led1e of the ontents of the do"2ent on/hih the /ere alle1edl alled "pon to e8press their vie/s.

Referrin1 no/ 2ore speifiall to the iss"e on /hether the ne/onstit"tion proposed b the % onstit"tional onvention has beenratified in aordane /ith the provisions of 7rtile KA of the %$5onstit"tion is a politial !"estion or not, I do not hesitate to state that theans/er 2"st be in the ne1ative. Indeed, s"h is the position taBen b thiso"rt, in an endless line of deisions, too lon1 to leave an roo2 forpossible do"bt that said iss"e is inherentl and essentiall


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10in!"ir into s"h iss"e and the settle2ent thereof are the mainf"ntionsof o"rts of


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11po/er to deter2ine !"estions of a politialharater. It is interestin1 historiall, b"t it has nott)e slig)testappliation to the ase at bar. 0henaref"ll anal?ed, it appears that it 2ereldeter2ines that thefederal courts ill accept asfinal and controlling a decision of t)e )ig)est courtof a state upon a 9uestion of t)e construction of t)e+onstitution of t)e state. ... . 33

%a#er v. +arr, 34ited b respondents, involved an ation to ann"l aTennessee stat"te apportionin1 the seats in the #eneral 7sse2bl a2on1the o"nties of the State, "pon the theor that the le1islation violated the

e!"al protetion la"se. 7 distrit o"rt dis2issed the ase "pon the1ro"nd, a2on1 others, that the iss"e /as a politial one, b"t, after apainstaBin1 revie/ of the


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12Se. &. The o22ission on Eletions shallhave e!clusivehar1e of the enfore2ent andad2inistration of all lasrelative to the conduct ofelectionsand shall e8erise all other f"ntions /hih2a be onferred "pon it b la/. It shall deide, savethose involvin1 the ri1ht to vote, allad2inistrative!"estions, affetin1 eletions, inl"din1 thedeter2ination of the n"2ber and loation of pollin1plaes, and the appoint2ent of eletion inspetorsand of other eletion offiials.All la enforcementagencies and instrumentalities of t)e Government,/hen so re!"ired b the o22ission, shall atas itsdeputiesfor the p"rpose of insuring fee, orderl",and )onest elections. The deisions, orders, andr"lin1s of the o22ission shall be s"b


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13ratified the ne/ or revised onstit"tion drafted b the % onstit"tionalonvention.

In fat, aordin1 to the latest offiial data, the total n"2ber of re1isteredvoters & ears of a1e or over in the entire 6hilippines, available inan"ar %$, /as less than & 2illion. et, 6rola2ation No. & statesthat ',%+,5+ :2e2bers of all the =aran1as (iti?ens 7sse2blies) votedfor the adoption of the proposed onstit"tion, as a1ainst ... '$,*+% /hovoted for its re


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14;e/ la/s 2a be fo"nd /ith s"h 2eti"lo"s and elaborate set ofprovisions ai2ed at :ins"rin1 free, orderl, and honest eletion,: asenvisa1ed in setion & of 7rt. K of the onstit"tion. et, none of thefore1oin1 onstit"tional and stat"tor provisions /as follo/ed b the so-alled =aran1as or iti?ensD 7sse2blies. 7nd no reasons have been 1iven,or even soug)tto be 1iven therefor. In 2an, if not 2ost, instanes, theeletion /ere held a viva voce, th"s deprivin1 the eletorate of the ri1ht tovote seretl one of the 2ost, f"nda2ental and ritial feat"res of o"reletion la/s fro2 ti2e i22e2orial parti"larl at a ti2e /hen thesa2e /as of utmosti2portane, o/in1 to the e!istence of Martial La.

In Glen v. Gnau, 6)involvin1 the astin1 of 2an votes, openl, /itho"t

o2plin1 /ith the re!"ire2ents of the la/ pertinent thereto, it /as heldthat the :eletion offiers: involved :cannot *e too strongl" condemned:therefor and that if the :o"ld le1all dispense /ith s"h re!"ire2ent ...the o"ld /ith e!"al propriet dispense /ith all of the2, including t)eone t)at t)e vote s)all *e *" secret *allot, or even *" *allotat all... .:

4oreover, "pon the for2al presentation to the E8e"tive of the proposedonstit"tion drafted b the % onstit"tional onvention, or on9ee2ber , %&, 6residential 9eree No. $ (on the validit of /hih /hih /as ontested in the plebisite ases, as /ell as in the %& )a*eascorpusases 66 0e need not, in the ase of bar, e8press an opinion)/as iss"ed, allin1 a plebisite, to be held on an"ar 5, %$, at /hihthe proposed onstit"tion /o"ld be s"b2itted to the people forratifiation or re


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15or it assoiations in t"rn for2ed part of a National 7ssoiation or;ederation of 6residents of s"h 6rovinial or it 7ssoiations@ and thatone ;raniso r"? fro2 6asi1, Ri?al, as 6resident of said National7ssoiation or ;ederation, reported to the 6resident of the 6hilippines, inthe 2ornin1 of an"ar , %$, the total res"lt of the votin1 in theiti?ensD asse2blies all over the o"ntr fro2 an"ar to an"ar 5,%$. The Soliitor #eneral f"rther inti2ated that the said 2"niipalassoiations had reported the res"lts of the iti?ensD asse2blies in theirrespetive 2"niipalities to the orrespondin1 6rovinial 7ssoiation,/hih, in t"rn, trans2itted the res"lts of the votin1 in the to the9epart2ent of Loal #overn2ents and o22"nit 9evelop2ent, /hihtab"lated the res"lts of the votin1 in the iti?ensD asse2blies thro"1ho"tthe 6hilippines and then t"rned the2 over to 4r. ;raniso r"?, as6resident or atin1 6resident of the National 7ssoiation or ;ederation,/here"pon 4r. r"?, atin1 in a ere2onial apait, reported said res"lts(tab"lated b the 9epart2ent of #overn2ents and o22"nit9evelop2ent) to the hief E8e"tive, /ho, aordin1l, iss"ed6rola2ation No. &.

The reord sho/s, ho/ever, that 4r. r"? /as not even a mem*erof anbarrio o"nil sine %&, so that he o"ld possibl have beena mem*eron an"ar , %$, of amunicipal assoiation ofpresidentsofbarrio or /ard iti?ensD asse2blies, 2"h less of a 6rovinial, it orNational 7ssoiation or ;ederation of$residents of an s"h provinial orit assoiations.

Seondl, at the onl"sion of the hearin1 of these ases ;ebr"ar +, %$,and in the resol"tion of this o"rt of sa2e date, the Soliitor #eneral /asasBed to s"b2it, to1ether /ith his notes on his oral ar1"2ent, a tr"e opof afore2entioned report of 4r. r"? to the 6resident and of:(p)rola2ation, deree, instr"tion, order, re1"lation or ir"lar, if an,reatin1 or diretin1 or a"thori?in1 reation, establish2ent oror1ani?ation: of said 2"niipal, provinial and national assoiations, b"tneither a op of alle1ed report to the 6resident, nor a op of an:(p)rola2ation, deree, instr"tion, order, re1"lation or ir"lar,: hasbeen s"b2itted to this o"rt. In the absene of said report,:(p)rola2ation, deree, instr"tion,: et., 6rola2ation No. & isdevoid of anfactual and legalfo"ndation. Cene, the onl"sion set forthin the dispositive portion of said 6rola2ation No. &, to the effet thatthe proposed ne/ or revised onstit"tion had been ratified b 2a


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16ple*iscite and appropriate funds t)erefor, )ic)+ongress un9uestiona*l" could do, particularl" invie of t)e formal postponement of t)e ple*iscite*" t)e $resident D reportedl" after consultationit), among ot)ers, t)e leaders of +ongress and t)e+ommission on &lections D t)e +ourt deemed itmore imperative to defer its final action on t)esecases.

7nd, apparentl, the parties in said ases entertained the sa2e belief, for,on 9ee2ber &$, %& fo"r (') das after the last hearin1 of saidases 76 the 6resident anno"ned thepostponementof the plebisite

shed"led b 6residential 9eree No. $ to be held on an"ar 5, %$,after ons"ltation /ith the o22ission on Eletions and the leaders ofon1ress, o/in1 to do"bts on the s"ffiien of the ti2e available totranslate the proposed onstit"tion into so2e loal dialets and to o2pl/ith so2e pre-eletoral re!"ire2ents, as /ell as to afford the people areasonable opport"nit to be posted on the ontents and i2pliations ofsaid transendental do"2ent. On an"ar , %$, #eneral Order No. &/as iss"ed for2all, postponin1 said plebisite :"ntil f"rther notie.: Co/an saidpostponementbe reoniled /ith the theor that the proeedin1sin the iti?ensD 7sse2blies shed"led to be held fro2 an"ar toan"ar 5, %$, /ere :plebisites,: in effet, accelerated, aordin1 tothe theor of the Soliitor #eneral, for the ratifiation of the proposedonstit"tionH If said 7sse2blies /ere 2eant to be the plebisites oreletions envisa1ed in 7rt. KA of the onstit"tion, /hat, then, /as the:plebisite:postponedb #eneral Order No. &H Under theseir"2stanes, it /as onl reasonable for the people /ho attended s"h

asse2blies to believe that the sa2e /ere not an :eletion: or plebisite forthe ratifiation or adoption of said proposed onstit"tion.

7nd, this belief is f"rther bolstered "p b the !"estions propo"nded in theiti?ensD 7sse2blies, na2el3

FG 9o o" liBe the Ne/ SoietH

F&G 9o o" liBe the refor2s "nder 2artial la/H

F$G 9o o" liBe on1ress a1ain to hold sessionsH

F'G 9o o" liBe the plebisite to be held laterH

F5G(o "ou li#e t)e a" $resident Marcos isrunning t)e affairs of t)e government-F="lletinToda, an"ar , %$@ e2phasis an additional!"estion.G

F+G 9o o" approve of the iti?ens asse2blies as thebase of pop"lar 1overn2ent to deide iss"es ofnational interestsH

FG 9o o" approve of the ne/ onstit"tionH

F*G 9o o" /ant a plebisite to be alled to ratif thene/ onstit"tionH

F%G 9o o" /ant the eletions to be held inNove2ber, %$ in aordane /ith the provisions ofthe %$5 onstit"tionH

FG If the eletions /o"ld not be held, /hen do o"/ant the ne8t eletions to be alledH

FG 9o o" /ant 2artial la/ to ontin"eH F="lletinToda, an"ar , %$G

To be1in /ith, !"estions nos. , &, $, ', 5, +, %, and are not proper ina plebisite for the ratifiation of a proposed onstit"tion or of a proposeda2end2ent thereto. Seondl, neither is the lan1"a1e of !"estion No. :9o o" approve the ne/ onstit"tionH: One approves :of: the at ofanother /hih doesnotneed s"h approval for the effetivit of said at,/hih the first person, ho/ever, finds to be 1ood, /ise satisfator. Theapproval of the 2a


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17;ederal S"pre2e o"rt of the United States stressed, in%a#er v.+arr, 7?that :a o"rt is notat libert to s)ut its e"es to an o*viousmista#e, /hen the validit" of t)e ladepends "pon the tr"th of /hat isdelared.:

In the li1ht of the fore1oin1, I annot see ho/ the !"estion "nderonsideration an be ans/ered or resolved other/ise than in the ne1ative.

A

ave t)e people ac9uiesced in t)e proposed +onstitution-

It is "r1ed that the present #overn2ent of the 6hilippines is no/ and hasbeen r"n, sine an"ar , %, "nder the onstit"tion drafted b the% onstit"tional onvention@ that the politial depart2ent of the#overn2ent has reo1ni?ed said revised onstit"tion@ that o"r forei1nrelations are bein1 ond"ted "nder s"h ne/ or revised onstit"tion@ thatthe Le1islative 9epart2ent has reo1ni?ed the sa2e@ and that the people,in 1eneral, have, b their ats or o2issions, indiated their onfor2itthereto.

7s re1ards the so-alled politial or1ans of the #overn2ent, 1ather thatrespondents refer 2ainl to the offies "nder the E8e"tive 9epart2ent.In a sense, the latter perfor2s so2e f"ntions /hih, fro2 a onstit"tionalvie/point, are politis in nat"re, s"h as in reo1ni?in1 a ne/ state or1overn2ent, in aeptin1 diplo2ati representatives aredited to o"r#overn2ent, and even in devisin1 ad2inistrative 2eans and /as tobetter arr into effet. 7ts of on1ress /hih define the 1oals orob


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18fail"re to "se the 1"n a1ainst those /ho compl"/ith the orders of thepart /ieldin1 the /eapon does not detrat fro2 the inti2idation that4artial La/ neessaril onnotes. It 2a reflet the 1ood, reasonable and/holeso2e attit"de of the person /ho has the 1"n, either pointed atothers, /itho"t p"llin1 the tri11er, or 2erel Bept in its holster, b"t not/itho"t /arnin1 that he 2a or /o"ld "se it if he dee2ed it neessar.Still, the inti2idation is there, and ination or obediene of the people,"nder these onditions, is not neessaril an at of onfor2it ora!"iesene. This is speiall so /hen /e onsider that the 2asses are, band lar1e, unfamiliar/ith the parlia2entar sste2, the ne/ for2 of1overn2ent introd"ed in the proposed onstit"tion, /ith theparti"larit that it is not even identical to that e8istin1 in En1land andother parts of the /orld, and that even e!perienced la"ers and socialscientistsfind it diffi"lt to 1rasp the f"ll i2pliations of so2e provisionsinorporated therein.

7s re1ards the appliabilit to these ases of the :enrolled bill: r"le, it is/ell to re2e2ber that the sa2e refers to a do"2ent ertified to the6resident for his ation "nder the onstit"tion b the Senate6resident and the SpeaBer of the Co"se of Representatives, and attested tob the Seretar of the Senate and the Seretar of the Co"se ofRepresentatives, onernin1 le1islative 2eas"res approved b the t/oCo"ses of on1ress. The ar1"2ent of the Soliitor #eneral is, ro"1hl,this3 If the enrolled bill is entitled to f"ll faith and redene and, to thise8tent, it is onl"sive "pon the 6resident and the


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19and 2odifiations as he 2a dee2 proper, as /ell as dis"ss thereon otherrelated iss"es /hih he 2a onsider vital and relevant to the ases at bar.

The five !"estions th"s a1reed "pon as refletin1 the basi iss"es hereininvolved are the follo/in13

. Is the iss"e of the validit of 6rola2ation No. & a


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20le1islative


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21a2end2ent "nder onsideration had been s"b2itted aftertheonstit"tion been han1ed, it had been le1all s"b2itted and adopted.

:InState v. $oell, 4iss. 5'$, & So"th. %&, the !"estion /hether ana2end2ent to the onstit"tion had been le1all s"b2itted and adoptedb the people as held to be

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