8/11/2019 Lozada vs Comelec case digest

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LOZADA vs. COMELEC | DE CASTRO,J. (1983)

FACTS

- This is a petition for mandams fi!ed "# $o%ada and &'ot as a representatie sit

for and in "eha!f of those ho ish to parti*ipate in the e!e*tion, to *ompe! the

respondent CO+E$EC to *a!! a spe*ia! e!e*tion to fi!! p eistin' 1 a*an*ies in

the &nterim .atasan /am"ansa10

- /etitioner $o%ada *!aims that he is a *iti%en tapa#er and a "onafide oter hodesires to rn for the position in the .atasan /am"ansa hi!e petitioner Romeo .0

&'ot a!!e'es that, as a *iti%en tapa#er, he has standin' to petition "# mandams the

*a!!in' of a spe*ia! e!e*tion as mandated "# the 1923 Constittion0

- The respondent CO+E$EC, represented "# *onse!, opposes the petition a!!e'in'

that 1) petitioners !a* standin' to fi!e the instant petition for the# are not the

proper parties to institte the a*tion ) this Cort has no 4risdi*tion to entertain

this petition and 3) Se*tion 5(), Arti*!e 6&&& of the 1923 Constittion does not

app!# to the &nterim .atasan /am"ansa0

ISSUE/S & HELD:

7O the petitioners hae !e'a! standin'0 NO.

RATIONALE

(1) As tapa#ers, petitioners ma# not fi!e the instant petition, for nohere is it

a!!e'ed that ta mone# is "ein' i!!e'a!!# spent0 The a*t *omp!ained of ino!es no

ependitre of p"!i* fnds0 &t is on!# hen an a*t *omp!ained of ino!es the

i!!e'a! ependitre of p"!i* mone# that the so-*a!!ed tapa#er sit ma# "e

a!!oed0 7hat the *ase at "ar sees is one that entai!s ependitre of p"!i* fnds

hi*h ma# "e i!!e'a! "e*ase it o!d "e spent for a prpose that of *a!!in' a

spe*ia! e!e*tion hi*h has no athorit# either in the Constittion or a statte0

() As oters, neither hae petitioners the reisite interest or persona!it# to a!if#

them to maintain and prose*te the present petition0 The n*ha!!en'ed r!e is that

the person ho imp'ns the a!idit# of a statte mst hae a persona! and

s"stantia! interest in the *ase s*h that he has sstained, or i!! sstain, dire*tin4r# as a res!t of its enfor*ement0

- /etitioners: standin' to se ma# not "e predi*ated pon a 'enera!i%ed interest,

hi*h is he!d in *ommon "# a!! mem"ers of the p"!i* "e*ase of the ne*essari!#

a"stra*t natre of the in4r# spposed!# shared "# a!! *iti%ens0

- Con*rete in4r#, hether a*ta! or threatened, is that indispensa"!e e!ement of a

dispte hi*h seres in part to *ast it in a form traditiona!!# *apa"!e of 4di*ia!

reso!tion0- /etitioners hae not demonstrated an# permissi"!e persona! stae0 /etitioner

1The petition is "ased on Se*tion 5(), Arti*!e 6&&& of the 1923 Constittion; ) da#s after the a*an*# o**rs to e!e*t

the +em"er to sere the nepired term0?

$o%ada does not on!# fai! to inform the Cort of the re'ion he ants to "e a

*andidate "t maes indis*riminate demand that spe*ia! e!e*tion "e *a!!ed

thro'hot the *ontr#0

- The Supreme Court's jurisdiction over the COMELEC is only to review by

certiorari the latter's decision orders or rulin!s as the Constitution provides

(Arti*!e @& &C Se*tion 11)0 There is in this *ase no de*ision, order or r!in' of the

CO+E$EC hi*h is so'ht to "e reieed "# this Cort nder its *ertiorari4risdi*tion0

- +andams i!! not !ie in this *ase "e*ase it is not shon that petitioners hae a

*!ear ri'ht to the ho!din' of a spe*ia! e!e*tion hi*h is ea!!# the *!ear and

ministeria! dt# of CO+E$EC to respe*t0

- &t is o"ios that the ho!din' of spe*ia! e!e*tions in seera! re'iona! distri*ts

here a*an*ies eist, o!d entai! h'e ependitre of mone#0 On!# the .atasan

/am"ansa *an mae the ne*essar# appropriation for the prpose0

The provision o" Section #$%& rticle ())) o" the Constitution was intended to apply

to vacancies in the re!ular *ational ssembly now +atasan ,ambansa not to the

)nterim +atasan ,ambansa.

- The stron'est reason h# the afore*ited proision of the Constittion is notintended to app!# to the &nterim ationa! Assem"!# is the fa*t that as passed "# the

Constittiona! Conention, the &nterim ationa! Assem"!# as to "e *omposed "#

the de!e'ates to the Constittiona! Conention, as e!! as the /resident and 6/,

mem"ers of the Senate and OR of Con'ress0 7ith s*h nm"er of representaties

representin' ea*h *on'ressiona! distri*t or a proin*e, there is no need for fi!in'

a*an*ies o**rrin' in the &nterim ationa! Assem"!#, *onsiderin' the n*ertaint#

of the dration of its eisten*e0

- 7hat as in the mind of the Constittiona! Conention in proidin' for spe*ia!

e!e*tions to fi!! p a*an*ies is the re!ularationa! Assem"!#, "e*ase a proin*e

or representatie distri*t o!d hae on!# one representatie in the said ationa!

Assem"!#0

- The proision of Se*tion 5() of Arti*!e 6&&& of the e Constittion is in themain "od# of the said Constittion, not in the transitor# proisions in hi*h a!!

matters re!atin' to the &nterim .atasan /am"ansa are fond0 o proision otside

of Arti*!e 6&&& on the BTransitor# /roisionsB has referen*e or re!ean*e to the

&nterim .atasan /am"ansa0