JAVELLANA JAVELLANA –VS- EXECUTIVE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY SECRETARY, 50 SCRA 30 (1973) (1973)
Constitutional Law. Political Law. Ratifcation Cases. Date o eectivity o the 1973 Constitution. JAVLLA!A JAVLLA!A V" #$ %C'V %C'V "CR# "CR#AR AR( ( )* "CRA 3*+ ,a-ch 31 1973 Ponente/ Conce0cion C.J AC#"/ 2n Janua-y * 1973 Josue Javellana fle4 a 0-ohi5ition case to -est-ain -es0on4ents -o6 i60le6entin any o the 0-ovisions o the 0-o0ose4 constitution not oun4 in the 0-esent constitution. Javellana 6aintaine4 that the -es0on4ents a-e actin without o- in e8cess o u-is4iction in i60le6entin 0-o0ose4 constitution an4 that the 0-esi4ent is without 0owe- to 0-oclai6 the -atifcation o the constitution. "i6ilaactions we-e fle4 5y Vi4al #an :e-a-4o Ro8as a6on othe-s. Petitione-s 0-ay othe nullifcation o P-ocla6ation 11* ;Citi
usticia5le > . ?as the constitution constituti on 0-o0ose4 5y the 1971 Constitutional Constituti onal Convention -atife4 vali4ly in co60liance to a00lica5le laws> 3. ?as the 0-o0ose4 Constitution Constituti on ac@uiesce4 5y the 0eo0le> . A-e the 0etitione-s 0etitione- s entitle4 -elie> ). 's the 0-o0ose4 Constitution in o-ce> $LD/ ?hethe- a constitutional a6en46ent has 5een 0-o0e-ly a4o0te4 acco-4in to an e8istin constitution is a u4icial @uestion as it is the a5solute 4uty o the u4icia-y to 4ete-6ine whethe- the Constitution has 5een a6en4e4 in the 6anne- -e@ui-e4 5y the constitution. #he Constitution 0-o0ose4 5y the 1971 Convention was not vali4ly -atife4 in acco-4ance with A-ticle %V section 1 o the 193) Constitution which 0-ovi4es only one way o- -atifcation ;election o- 0le5iscite hel4 in acco-4ance with law an4 only with @ualife4 vote-s=. Due to the envi-on6ental an4 social con4itions in the Phili00ines ;i.e. 6a-tial law= the Cou-t cannot honestly say that the 0eo0le ac@uiesce4 to the 0-o0ose4 Constitution. #he 6ao-ity -ule4 to 4is6iss the cases as the eectivity o the 0-o0ose4 Constitution Constitution is the 5asic issue 0ose4 5y the cases which consi4e-ations othe- than u4icial a-e -elevant an4 unavoi4a5le. #he new constitution is in o-ce as the-e a-e not enouh votes to say othe-wise.
BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB Javellana vs. #he #he 8ecutive 8ecutive "ec-eta-y "ec-eta-y )* "CRA "CRA 3* Ponente/
Chie Justice Ro5e-to Conce0cion
#he acts/ acts/ #he Ple5iscite Ple5iscite Case
JAVELLANA JAVELLANA –VS- EXECUTIVE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY SECRETARY, 50 SCRA 30 (1973) (1973)
A Convention to 0-o0ose a6en46ents to the Constitution o the Phili00ines was a00-ove4 on Auust 197* an4 5ean to 0e-o-6 its unctions on June 1 1971. 2n "e0te65e- 1 197 the P-esi4ent issue4 P-ocla6ation !o. 1*1 0lacin the enti-e Phili00ines un4e- ,a-tial Law. 2n !ove65e- 9 197 the 1971 Constitutional Constitutional Convention a00-ove4 its P-o0ose4 Constitution o the Re0u5lic o the Phili00ines. #he ne8t 4ayP-esi4ent ,a-cos issue4 P-esi4ential Dec-ee !o. 73 su56ittin to the ili0ino 0eo0le o- -atifcation o- -eection the Constitution o the Re0u5lic o the Phili00ines 0-o0ose4 5y the 1971 Constitutional Convention an4 a00-o0-iatin un4s the-eo-E as well as settin the 0le5iscite o- sai4 -atifcation o- -eection o the P-o0ose4 Constitution on Janua-y 1) 1973. 2n Dece65e- 7 197 Cha-ito Planas fle4 a case aainst the Co66ission on lections the #-easu-e- o the Phili00ines an4 the Au4ito- :ene-al to enoin sai4 -es0on4ents o- thei- aents -o6 i60le6entin P-esi4ential Dec-ee !o. 73 in any 6anne- until u-the- o-4e-s o the Cou-tE u0on the -oun4s inte- alia that sai4 P-esi4ential Dec-ee has no o-ce an4 eect as law 5ecause the callin o such 0le5iscite the settin o ui4elines o- the con4uct o the sa6e the 0-esc-i0tion 0-esc-i0tion o the 5allots to 5e use4 an4 the @uestion to 5e answe-e4 5y the vote-s an4 the a00-o0-iation o 0u5lic un4s o- the 0u-0ose a-e 5y the Constitution lo4e4 e8clusively in Con-ess an4 the-e is no 0-o0e- su56ission to the 0eo0le o sai4 P-o0ose4 Constitution set o- Janua-y 1) 1973 the-e 5ein no -ee4o6 o s0eech 0-ess an4 asse65ly an4 the-e 5ein no suFcient ti6e to ino-6 the 0eo0le o the contents the-eo.E 2n Dece65e- 3 the P-esi4ent announce4 the 0ost0one6ent o the 0le5iscite othe -atifcation o- -eection o the P-o0ose4 Constitution an4 te60o-a-ily sus0en4in the eects o P-ocla6ation !o. 1*1 o- 0u-0oses o -ee an4 o0en 4e5ate on the 0-o0ose4 Constitution.E #he Cou-t 4ee6e4 4ee6e4 it ft to -e-ain -e-ain o- the the ti6e 5ein -o6 -o6 4eci4in the ao-e6entione4 cases o- neithe- the 4ate no- the con4itions un4e- which sai4 0le5iscite woul4 5e hel4 we-e Gnown o- announce4 oFcially. 'n the ate-noon o Janua-y 1 1973 the 0etitione-s in Case :.R. !o. LB3)9 fle4 an u-ent 6otionE 0-ayin that sai4 case 5e 4eci4e4 as soon as 0ossi5le 0-ee-a5ly 0-ee-a5ly not late- than Janua-y 1) 1973.E #he Cou-t issue4 issue4 a -esolution -esolution -e@ui-in -e@ui-in the -es0on4ents -es0on4ents in in sai4 th-ee th-ee ;3= cases to co66ent on sai4 u-ent 6otionE an4 6aniestationE not late- than #ues4ay noon Janua-y 1H 1973 an4 set the 6otion o- hea-in on Janua-y 17 1973 at 9/3* a.6.E ?hile the case was 5ein hea-4 the P-esi4ent issue4 P-ocla6ation !o. 11*. A!!2&!C'!: #$ RA#''CA#'2! I( #$ 'L'P'!2 P2PL 2 #$ C2!"#'#'2! PR2P2"D I( #$ 1971 C2!"#'#'2!AL C2!V!#'2!
JAVELLANA JAVELLANA –VS- EXECUTIVE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY SECRETARY, 50 SCRA 30 (1973) (1973)
Citi $as the Constitution 0-o0ose4 5y the 1971 Constitutional Convention 5een -atife4 vali4ly ;with su5stantial i not st-ict co60liance= cono-6a5ly cono-6a5ly to the a00lica5le constitutional constitutional an4 statuto-y 0-ovisions> 0-ovisions> $as the ao-e6entione4 0-o0ose4 Constitution ac@uiesce4 in ;with o- without vali4 -atifcation= 5y the 0eo0le> ;ac@uiesce4 K 0e-6issionE 0e-6issionE iven 5y silence o0assiveness. Acce0tance o- a-ee6ent 5y Gee0in @uiet o- 5y not 6aGin o5ections.= A-e 0etitione-s entitle4 to -elie> 's the ao-e6entione4 0-o0ose4 Constitution in o-ce>
Decision an4 Ratio/ #he cou-t was was seve-ely 4ivi4e4 4ivi4e4 on the issues issues -aise4 -aise4 in the 0etition 0etition 5ut when the c-ucial @uestion o whethe- the 0etitione-s a-e entitle4 to -elie si8 6e65e-s o the cou-t ;Justices ,aGalintal Cast-o Ia--e4o ,aGasia- Antonio an4 sue--a= vote4 to 4is6iss the 0etition. Conce0cion toethe- Justices al4iva- e-nan4o an4 #eehanGee #eehanGee vote4 to -ant the the -elie 5ein 5ein souht souht thus u0hol4in u0hol4in the 1973 Constitution. #he Cou-t hel4 hel4 that the issue issue is 0olitical 0olitical an4 5eyon4 the a65it o u4icial u4icial in@ui-y [email protected] .E Cou-t hel4 that the Constitution Constitution 0-o0ose4 5y the 1971 Constitutional Convention was not vali4ly -atife4 in acco-4ance with A-ticle %V section 1 o the 193) Constitution Constitution which 0-ovi4es only one way o- -atifcation i.e. in an election o0le5iscite hel4 in acco-4ance with law an4 0a-tici0ate4 in only 5y @ualife4 an4 4uly
JAVELLANA JAVELLANA –VS- EXECUTIVE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY SECRETARY, 50 SCRA 30 (1973) (1973)
-eiste-e4 -eiste-e4 vote-s. $oweve- it is conce4e4 that the 4oct-ine state4 in so6e A6e-ican 4ecisions to the eect that in4e0en4ently o the vali4ity o the -atifcation a new Constitution once acce0te4 ac@uiesce4 ac@uiesce4 in 5y the 0eo0le 6ust 5e acco-4e4 -econition 5y the Cou-t.E
2n the ou-th @uestion H ustices vote4 to D'",'"" the 0etition. Justice ,aGalintal ,aGalintal an4 Cast-o so vote4 on the st-enth o thei- view that #he eectivity o the sai4 Constitution Constitution in the fnal analysis is the 5asic an4 ulti6ate @uestion 0ose4 5y these cases to -esolve which consi4e-ations othe- than u4icial an4 the-eo-e 5eyon4 the co60etence o this Cou-t a-e -elevant an4 unavoi4a5le.
2n the fth @uestion o whethe- the new Constitution o 1973 is in o-ce/
ACC2RD'!:L( 5y vi-tue o the 6ao-ity o si8 ;H= votes o Justices ,aGalintal Cast-o Ia--e4o ,aGasia- Antonio an4 sue--a with the ou- ;= 4issentin votes o the Chie Justice an4 Justices al4iva- e-nan4o an4 #eehanGee all the ao-e6entione4 ao-e6entione4 cases a-e he-e5y 4is6isse4. #his 5ein the vote o the 6ao-ity the-e is no u-the- u4icial o5stacle to the new Constitution 5ein consi4e-e4 in o-ce an4 eect. Dissentin 20inion/ Justice Ia--e4o Ia--e4o @ualife4 @ualife4 his vote statin that As As to whethewhethe- o- not the 1973 1973 Constitution has 5een vali4ly -atife4 0u-suant to A-ticle %V ' still 6aintain that in the liht o t-a4itional conce0ts -ea-4in the 6eanin an4 intent o sai4 A-ticle the -ee-en4u6 in the Citi
BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB )* "CRA 3* K Political law K Constitutional Law K Political Nuestion K Vali4ity o the 1973 Constitution K Rest-iction to Ju4icial Powe'n 1973 ,a-cos o-4e-e4 the i66e4iate i60le6entation o the new 1973 Constitution. Javellana a ili0ino an4 a -eiste-e4 vote- souht to enoin the 8ec "ec an4 othe- ca5inet sec-eta-ies sec-eta-ies -o6 i60le6entin the sai4 constitution. Javellana ave--e4 that the sai4 constitution is voi4 5ecause the sa6e was initiate4 5y the 0-esi4ent. $e a-ue4 that the P-esi4ent is wo 0owe- to 0-oclai6 the -atifcation 5y
JAVELLANA JAVELLANA –VS- EXECUTIVE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY SECRETARY, 50 SCRA 30 (1973) (1973)
the ili0ino 0eo0le o the 0-o0ose4 constitution. u-the- the election hel4 to -atiy such constitution is not a -ee election the-e 5ein inti6i4ation an4 -au4. '""&/ ?hethe- o- not the "C 6ust ive 4ue cou-se to the 0etition. $LD/ #he "C -ule4 that they cannot -ule u0on the case at 5a-. ,ao-ity o the "C ustices e80-ess e80-esse4 e4 the view that they they we-e conclu4e4 conclu4e4 5y the asce-tain6ent 6a4e 6a4e 5y the 0-esi4ent o the Phili00ines in the e8e-cise o his 0olitical 0-e-oatives. u-the- the-e 5ein no co60etent evi4ence to show such -au4 an4 inti6i4ation 4u-in the election it is to 5e assu6e4 that the 0eo0le ha4 ac@uiesce4 in oacce0te4 the 1973 Constitution. #he @uestion o the vali4ity o the 1973 Constitution is a 0olitical @uestion which was let to the 0eo0le in thei- sove-ein ca0acity to answe-. #hei- -atifcation o the sa6e ha4 shown such ac@uiescence. BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB