Brillantes vs. Comelec FACTS : On December 22, 1997, Congress enacted e!"blic Act #o.

$%&' a"t(ori)ing t(e CO*+,+C to "se an a"tomated election s-stem .A+S/ 0or t(e !rocess o0 voting, co"nting o0 votes and canvassing1consolidating t(e res"lts o0 t(e national and local elections. 2t also re3"ired t(e CO*+,+C to ac3"ire a"tomated co"nting mac(ines .AC*s/, com!"ter e3"i!ment, devices and materials and ado!t ne4 electoral 0orms and !rinting materials. T(e CO*+,+C initiall- intended to im!lement t(e said a"tomation d"ring t(e *a- 11, 199$ !residential elections, !artic"larl- in co"nting t(e votes collected 0rom t(e A"tonomo"s egion in *"slim *indanao .A **/. 5o4ever, t(e 0ail"re o0 t(e mac(ines to correctl- read a n"mber o0 a"tomated ballots discontin"ed its im!lementation. Contrib"tions 0or t(e establis(ment o0 t(e A+S !ersisted t(at even 6resident 7loria *aca!agal8 Arro-o iss"ed +9ec"tive Order #o. 172 on :an"ar- 2%, 2;;&, allocating t(e s"m o0 62,<;;,;;;,;;; to e9cl"sivel- 0"nd t(e A+S in time 0or t(e *a- 1;, 2;;% elections. On Febr"ar1;, 2;;&, "!on t(e re3"est o0 t(e CO*+,+C, 6resident 7loria *aca!agal8Arro-o iss"ed +9ec"tive Order #o. 17< a"t(ori)ing t(e release o0 a 0"rt(er s"!!lemental 6<;; million b"dget 0or t(e A+S !ro=ect o0 t(e CO*+,+C. T(e S"!reme Co"rt resolved t(e CO*+,+C to maintain t(e old and man"al voting and co"nting s-stem 0or t(e *a- 1;, 2;;% elections a0ter contract negations 4it( com!anies *ega 6aci0ic Consorti"m .t(e s"!!lier o0 t(e com!"teri)ed voting1co"nting mac(ines/ 4ere discontin"ed. Des!ite t(is im!ediment, t(e CO*+,+C nevert(eless contin"ed t(e electronic transmission o0 advanced "no00icial res"lts o0 t(e 2;;% elections 0or national, !rovincial and m"nici!al !ositions, also d"bbed as an >"no00icial 3"ic? co"nt.> A 7@*+#TS: 6etitioner contends t(at t(e res!ondent CO*+,+C committed grave ab"se o0 discretion amo"nting to e9cess o0 :"risdiction in t(e iss"ance o0 esol"tion #o. '712. es!ondent CO*+,+C contends t(at its advancement in tab"lation !roced"res is allo4ed 4it(in t(e stat"tor- con0ines o0 section <2 .i/ o0 t(e Omnib"s +lection Code t(at: 6rescribe.s/ t(e "se or ado!tion o0 t(e latest tec(nological and electronic devices, ta?ing into

acco"nt t(e sit"ation !revailing in t(e area and t(e 0"nds available 0or t(e !"r!ose. 6rovided, T(at t(e Commission s(all noti0- t(e a"t(ori)ed re!resentatives o0 accredited !olitical !arties and candidates in areas a00ected b- t(e "se or ado!tion o0 tec(nological and electronic devices not less t(an t(irt- da-s !rior to t(e e00ectivit- o0 t(e "se o0 s"c( devices. 2SS@+: A(et(er or not esol"tion #o. '712 dated A!ril 2$, 2;;% iss"ed b- t(e CO*+,+C in a"t(ori)ing t(e "se o0 election 0"nds in consolidating t(e election res"lts 0or t(e *a- 1;, 2;;% elections s(o"ld be declared BO2D, as it is "nconstit"tional. 5+,D: C+S. For violating section % o0 Article B22. T(e said esol"tion #o. '712 !reem!ts t(e sole a"t(orit- o0 t(e Congress to canvass t(e votes o0 t(e election ret"rns 0or t(e 6resident and t(e Bice86resident.

+ASO#S: Art. B22, Sec. % o0 t(e 19$7: esol"tion 6reem!ts t(e sole and e9cl"sive a"t(orit- vested in t(e Congress to canvass t(e votes 0or t(e election o0 6resident and Bice86resident. 2t is a grave error on t(e !art o0 t(e res!ondent to (ave ignored t(e misa!!re(ensions addressed b- Senate 6resident Fran?lin *. Drilon to CO*+,+C C(airman Ben=amin Abalos d"ring t(e 2;;% sa-ing t(at s"c( act 4o"ld be in violation o0 t(e Constit"tion .section % o0 Article B22/: >an- 3"ic? co"nt to be cond"cted b- t(e Commission on said !ositions 4o"ld in e00ect constit"te a canvass o0 t(e votes o0 t(e 6resident and Bice86resident, 4(ic( not onl- 4o"ld be !re8em!tive o0 t(e a"t(orit- o0 Congress, b"t 4o"ld also be lac?ing o0 an- constit"tional a"t(orit-.> T(e e9istence o0 an accredited Citi)enDs arm: @nder Section 27 o0 e!. Act #o. 71'', as amended b- e!. Act #o. $17&, and reiterated in Section 1$ o0 e!. Act #o. $%&', t(e accredited citi)enDs arm 8 in t(is case, #A*F +, 8 is e9cl"sivel- a"t(ori)ed to "se a co!- o0 t(e election ret"rns in t(e cond"ct o0 an >"no00icial> co"nting o0 t(e votes, 4(et(er 0or t(e national or t(e local elections. #o ot(er entit-, incl"ding t(e res!ondent CO*+,+C itsel0, is a"t(ori)ed to "se a co!- o0 t(e election ret"rns 0or !"r!oses o0 cond"cting an >"no00icial> co"nt. 2n addition, t(e second or t(ird co!- o0 t(e election ret"rns, 4(ile re3"ired to be delivered to t(e CO*+,+C "nder t(e said la4s, are not intended 0or "nderta?ing an >"no00icial> co"nt. T(e said

co!ies are arc(ived and "nsealed onl- 4(en needed b- to veri0- election res"lts in connection 4it( resolving election dis!"tes t(at ma- be establis(ed. 2na!!licabilit- o0 Section <2.i/ o0 t(e Omnib"s +lection Code: T(e Co"rt contends t(at Section <2.i/ o0 t(e Omnib"s +lection Code, 4(ic( is cited b- t(e CO*+,+C as t(e stat"tor- basis 0or t(e assailed resol"tion, does not cover t(e "se o0 t(e latest tec(nological and election devices 0or >"no00icial> tab"lations o0 votes. *oreover, t(e CO*+,+C 0ailed to noti0- t(e a"t(ori)ed re!resentatives o0 accredited !olitical !arties and all candidates in areas a00ected b- t(e "se or ado!tion o0 tec(nological and electronic devices not less t(an t(irt- da-s !rior to t(e e00ectivito0 t(e "se o0 s"c( devices, a0ter 0ailing to s"bmit an- doc"ment !roving t(at it (ad noti0ied all !olitical !arties o0 t(e intended ado!tion o0 esol"tion #o. '712.