8AnA1 vs Comelec

Aprll 21 2009
Carplo !
Speclal Clvll AcLlon ln Lhe Supreme CourL CerLlorarl and Mandamus

8elevanL provlslons
ar 2 Sec S Art|c|e VI of Const|tut|on 1he parLyllsL represenLaLlves shall consLlLuLe 20 of Lhe LoLal number of represenLaLlves
lncludlng Lhose under Lhe parLy llsL lor 3 consecuLlve Lerms afLer Lhe raLlflcaLlon of Lhls ConsLlLuLlon Z of Lhe seaLs allocaLed Lo
parLyllsL represenLaLlves shall be fllled as provlded by law by selecLlon or elecLlon from Lhe labor peasanL urban poor lndlgenous
culLural communlLles women youLh and such oLher secLors as may be provlded by law excepL Lhe rellglous secLor
Sec 11 kA 7941 (artyL|st System Act) 1he parLles organlzaLlons and coallLlons recelvlng aL leasL 2 of Lhe LoLal voLes casL for Lhe
parLyllsL sysLem shall be enLlLled Lo one seaL each provlded LhaL Lhose garnerlng more Lhan 2 of Lhe voLes shall be enLlLled Lo
addlLlonal seaLs ln proporLlon Lo Lhelr LoLal number of voLes provlded flnally LhaL each parLy organlzaLlon or coallLlon shall be
enLlLled Lo noL more Lhan 3 seaLs
Sec 12 kA 7941 (artyL|st System Act) All parLyllsL groups shall be glven Lhe number of seaLs correspondlng Lo every 2 of Lhe
voLes Lhey recelved and Lhe addlLlonal seaLs shall be allocaLed ln proporLlon Lo Lhe percenLage of voLes obLalned by each parLyllsL
group ln relaLlon Lo Lhe LoLal naLlonwlde voLes casL ln Lhe parLyllsL elecLlon afLer deducLlng Lhe correspondlng voLes of Lhose whlch
were alloLLed seaLs under Lhe 2 Lhreshold rule

lacLs of Lhe Case

!une 27 2002 8AnA1 flled a eLlLlon Lo roclalm Lhe lull number of arLy LlsL 8epresenLaLlves rovlded by Lhe ConsLlLuLlon (n8C
no 07041) because CCMLLLC has been recenLly quoLed ln naLlonal papers LhaL lL ls duLy bound and shall lmplemenL Lhe veLerans
rullng and apply Lhe anganlban formula ln allocaLlng parLy llsL seaLs eLlLlon prayed for Lhe followlng rellefs
O 1haL 20 of Lhe arLy LlsL represenLaLlves as mandaLed by Sec 3 ArLlcle vl of Lhe ConsLl shall be proclalmed
O ar (b) Sec 11 of 8A 7941 should be harmonlzed wlLh Sec 3 ArL vl of Lhe ConsLl and wlLh Sec 12 of 8A 7941 ln LhaL lL
should be appllcable only Lo Lhe flrsL parLy llsL rep seaLs Lo be alloLLed on Lhe basls of Lhelr lnlLlal/flrsL ranklng
O 3seaL llmlL prescrlbed by 8A 7941 shall be applled
O lnlLlally all parLy llsL groups shall be glven Lhe number of seaLs correspondlng Lo every 2 of Lhe voLes Lhey recelved and
Lhe addlLlonal seaLs shall be allocaLed ln accordance wlLh Sec 12 of 8A 7941
O ln Lhe alLernaLlve Lo declare unconsLlLuLlonal Sec 11 of 8A 7941 and LhaL Lhe procedure ln allocaLlng seaLs prescrlbed by
Sec 12 of 8A 7941 shall be followed

!uly 9 2007 CCMLLLC acLlng as n8C promulgaLed n8C 8esoluLlon no 0760 whlch made a parLlal proclamaLlon of parLles
organlzaLlons and coallLlons LhaL obLalned aL leasL 2 of Lhe LoLal voLes casL under Lhe arLy LlsL SysLem ln Lhe May 14 2007
elecLlons

n8C 8esoluLlon no 0772 declared Lhe addlLlonal seaLs allocaLed Lo Lhe approprlaLe parLles
O 8uhay obLalned Lhe hlghesL number of voLes ls Lhe flrsL parLy" ln accordance Lo veLerans
O 1he correcL formula for deLermlnlng addlLlonal seaLs for Lhe flrsL parLy ls no of voLes of 1
sL
parLy / 1oLal voLes for parLy llsL
sysLem roporLlon of 1
sL
parLy relaLlve Lo LoLal voLes (roporLlon equlvalenLs equal Lo or aL leasL 6 2 seaLs equal Lo or
greaLer Lhan 4 buL less LhaL 6 1 seaL less Lhan 4 0 seaLs)
O ln deLermlnlng Lhe addlLlonal seaLs for Lhe oLher quallfled seaLs Lhe correcL formula expressed ln veLerans ls AddlLlonal
seaLs for a concerned parLy (no of voLes of concerned parLy/no of voLes of flrsL parLy) x no of addlLlonal seaLs allocaLed Lo
flrsL parLy

AugusL 3 2007 n8C 8esoluLlon no 0788 approved recommendaLlon of ALLy Alloden ualalg (ln n8C 07041) Lo render Lhe 8AnA1
peLlLlon as mooL and academlc

8AnAL flled a peLlLlon for cerLlorarl and mandamus assalllng Lhe rullng ln n8C 0788

lssues
1 ls Lhe 20 allocaLlon for Lhe parLyllsL represenLaLlves ln Sec 3(2) ArL vl of Lhe ConsLl mandaLory or merely a celllng?
2 ls Lhe 3seaL llmlL ln Sec 11(b) of Lhe 8A 7941 consLlLuLlonal?
3 ls Lhe 2 Lhreshold prescrlbed ln Sec 11(b) of 8A 7941 Lo quallfy for one seaL consLlLuLlonal?
4 Pow shall Lhe parLyllsL represenLaLlve seaLs be allocaLed?
3 uoes Lhe ConsLlLuLlon prohlblL Lhe ma[or pollLlcal parLles from parLlclpaLlng ln Lhe parLyllsL elecLlons? lf noL can Lhe ma[or
pollLlcal parLles be barred from parLlclpaLlng ln Lhe parLyllsL elecLlons?

8ullng
We parLlally granL Lhe peLlLlon

1 Celllng
2 ?es
3 2 Lhreshold ls unconsLlLuLlonal ln Lhe allocaLlon of addlLlonal seaLs
4 uescrlbed below
3 no 8uL by a voLe of 87 CourL decldes Lo conLlnue wlLh Lhe rullng ln veLerans dlsallowlng ma[or pollLlcal parLles from
parLlclpaLlng ln Lhe parLy llsL elecLlon
veLerans
1he hlllpplnesLyle parLyllsL elecLlon has aL leasL four lnvlolable parameLers
1 1he 20 allocaLlonLhe comblned number of all parLyllsL congressmen shall noL exceed 20 of Lhe LoLal membershlp of
Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves lncludlng Lhose elecLed under Lhe parLyllsL
2 1he 2 Lhresholdonly Lhose parLles garnerlng a mlnlmum of 2 of Lhe LoLal valld voLes casL for Lhe parLyllsL sysLem are
quallfled" Lo have a seaL ln Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves
3 1he LhreeseaL llmlL each quallfled parLy regardless of Lhe number of voLes lL acLually obLalned ls enLlLled Lo a maxlmum
of Lhree seaLs LhaL ls one quallfylng and Lwo addlLlonal seaLs
4 roporLlonal represenLaLlonLhe addlLlonal seaLs whlch a quallfled parLy ls enLlLled Lo shall be compuLed ln proporLlon Lo
Lhelr LoLal number of voLes"
8easonlng

number of arLyLlsL 8epresenLaLlves 1he lormula MandaLed by Lhe ConsLlLuLlon
Sec 3 ArL vl of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon sLaLes LhaL Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves shall be composed of noL more Lhan 230 members unless
oLherwlse provlded by law" 1he ConsLlLuLlon allows Lhe leglslaLure Lo modlfy Lhe number of Lhe members of Lhe Pouse of
8epresenLaLlves
Sec 3(2) ArL vl of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon sLaLes LhaL Lhe raLlo of Lhe parLyllsL represenLaLlves Lo Lhe LoLal number of represenLaLlves ln
prescrlblng Lhls raLlo Lhe ConsLlLuLlon lefL Lhe manner of allocaLlng Lhe seaLs avallable Lo parLyllsL represenLaLlves Lo Lhe wlsdom of
Lhe leglslaLure


AllocaLlon of SeaLs for arLyLlsL 8epresenLaLlves 1he SLaLuLory LlmlLs resenLed by Lhe 1wo ercenL 1hreshold and Lhe 1hreeSeaL
Cap
Congress enacLed 8A 7941 aragraphs (a) and (b) of SecLlon 11 and SecLlon 12 provlde
SecLlon 11 number of arLyLlsL 8epresenLaLlves
ln deLermlnlng Lhe allocaLlon of seaLs for Lhe second voLe Lhe followlng procedure shall be observed
(a) 1he parLles organlzaLlons and coallLlons shall be ranked from Lhe hlghesL Lo Lhe lowesL based on Lhe number of voLes
Lhey garnered durlng Lhe elecLlons
(b) 1he parLles organlzaLlons and coallLlons recelvlng aL leasL 2 of Lhe LoLal voLes casL for Lhe parLy llsL sysLem shall be
enLlLled Lo one seaL each rovlded 1haL Lhose garnerlng more Lhan 2 of Lhe voLes shall be enLlLled Lo addlLlonal
seaLs ln proporLlon Lo Lhelr LoLal number of voLes rovlded flnally 1haL each parLy organlzaLlon or coallLlon shall be
enLlLled Lo noL more Lhan 3 seaLs

SecLlon 12 rocedure ln allocaLlng SeaLs for arLyLlsL 8epresenLaLlves 1he CCMLLLC shall Lally all Lhe voLes for Lhe parLles
organlzaLlons or coallLlons on a naLlonwlde basls rank Lhem accordlng Lo Lhe number of voLes recelved and allocaLe parLy
llsL represenLaLlves proporLlonaLely accordlng Lo Lhe percenLage of voLes obLalned by each parLy organlzaLlon or coallLlon
as agalnsL Lhe LoLal naLlonwlde voLes casL for Lhe parLy llsL sysLem

ln compuLlng Lhe allocaLlon of addlLlonal seaLs Lhe conLlnued operaLlon of Lhe 2 Lhreshold for Lhe dlsLrlbuLlon of Lhe addlLlonal
seaLs as found ln Lhe second clause of SecLlon 11(b) of 8A 7941 ls unconsLlLuLlonal 1he CourL found LhaL Lhe 2 Lhreshold makes lL
maLhemaLlcally lmposslble Lo achleve Lhe maxlmum number of avallable parLy llsL seaLs when Lhe number of avallable parLy llsL
seaLs exceeds 30 1he conLlnued operaLlon of Lhe 2 Lhreshold ln Lhe dlsLrlbuLlon of Lhe addlLlonal seaLs frusLraLes Lhe aLLalnmenL of
Lhe permlsslve celllng LhaL 20 of Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves shall conslsL of parLyllsL represenLaLlves
1he CourL Lherefore sLruck down Lhe 2 Lhreshold only ln relaLlon Lo Lhe dlsLrlbuLlon of Lhe addlLlonal seaLs as found ln Lhe 2
nd

clause of SecLlon 11(b) of 8A 7941 1he 2 Lhreshold presenLs an unwarranLed obsLacle Lo Lhe full lmplemenLaLlon of SecLlon 3(2)
ArLlcle vl of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon and prevenLs Lhe aLLalnmenL of Lhe broadesL posslble represenLaLlon of parLy secLoral or group
lnLeresLs ln Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves"
ln deLermlnlng Lhe allocaLlon of seaLs for parLy llsL represenLaLlves under SecLlon 11 of 8A no 7941 Lhe followlng procedure shall be
observed
1 1he parLles organlzaLlons and coallLlons shall be ranked from Lhe hlghesL Lo Lhe lowesL based on Lhe number of voLes Lhey
garnered durlng Lhe elecLlons
2 1he parLles organlzaLlons and coallLlons recelvlng aL leasL 2 of Lhe LoLal voLes casL for Lhe parLy llsL sysLem shall be
enLlLled Lo one guaranLeed seaL each
3 1hose garnerlng sufflclenL number of voLes accordlng Lo Lhe ranklng ln paragraph 1 shall be enLlLled Lo addlLlonal seaLs ln
proporLlon Lo Lhelr LoLal number of voLes unLll all Lhe addlLlonal seaLs are allocaLed
4 Lach parLy organlzaLlon or coallLlon shall be enLlLled Lo noL more Lhan 3 seaLs

ln compuLlng Lhe addlLlonal seaLs Lhe guaranLeed seaLs shall no longer be lncluded because Lhey have already been allocaLed aL
one seaL each Lo every LwopercenLer 1hus Lhe remalnlng avallable seaLs for allocaLlon as addlLlonal seaLs" are Lhe maxlmum seaLs
reserved under Lhe arLy LlsL SysLem less Lhe guaranLeed seaLs
ln declarlng Lhe 2 Lhreshold unconsLlLuLlonal Lhe allocaLlon of addlLlonal seaLs ls noL llmlLed Lo Lhe LwopercenLers 1he
percenLage of voLes garnered by each parLy llsL candldaLe ls arrlved aL by dlvldlng Lhe voLes garnered by each parLy by Lhe LoLal
number of voLes casL for parLy llsL candldaLes
SLeps ln Lhe second round of seaL allocaLlon
1 1he percenLage ls mulLlplled by Lhe remalnlng avallable seaLs 1he whole lnLeger of Lhe producL corresponds Lo a parLy's
share ln Lhe remalnlng avallable seaLs
2 Cne parLyllsL seaL ls asslgned Lo each of Lhe parLles nexL ln rank unLll all avallable seaLs are compleLely dlsLrlbuLed
3 1he 3seaL cap ls applled Lo deLermlne Lhe number of seaLs each quallfled parLyllsL candldaLe ls enLlLled
arLlclpaLlon of Ma[or ollLlcal arLles ln arLyLlsL LlecLlons
Congress ln enacLlng 8A 7941 puL Lhe LhreeseaL cap Lo prevenL any parLy from domlnaLlng Lhe parLyllsL elecLlons
nelLher Lhe ConsLlLuLlon nor 8A 7941 prohlblLs ma[or pollLlcal parLles from parLlclpaLlng ln Lhe parLyllsL sysLem Cn Lhe conLrary Lhe
framers of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon clearly lnLended Lhe ma[or pollLlcal parLles Lo parLlclpaLe ln parLyllsL elecLlons Lhrough Lhelr secLoral
wlngs Lxcludlng Lhe ma[or pollLlcal parLles ln Lhe parLyllsL elecLlons ls manlfesLly agalnsL Lhe ConsLlLuLlon Lhe lnLenL of Lhe
ConsLlLuLlonal Commlslon and 8A 7941
nelLher Lhe ConsLlLuLlon nor 8A 7941 mandaLes Lhe fllllngup of Lhe enLlre 20 allocaLlon of parLyllsL represenLaLlves found ln Lhe
ConsLlLuLlon 1he ConsLlLuLlon ln paragraph 1 SecLlon 3 of ArLlcle vl lefL Lhe deLermlnaLlon of Lhe number of Lhe members of Lhe
Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves Lo Congress 1he 20 allocaLlon of parLyllsL represenLaLlves ls merely a celllng parLyllsL represenLaLlves
cannoL be more Lhan 20 of Lhe members of Lhe Pouse of 8epresenLaLlves
1he LhreeseaL cap as a llmlLaLlon Lo Lhe number of seaLs LhaL a quallfled parLyllsL organlzaLlon may occupy remalns a valld
sLaLuLory devlce LhaL prevenLs any parLy from domlnaLlng Lhe parLyllsL elecLlons
Powever by a voLe of 87 Lhe CourL declded Lo conLlnue Lhe rullng ln veLerans dlsallowlng ma[or pollLlcal parLles from parLlclpaLlng
ln Lhe parLyllsL elecLlons dlrecLly or lndlrecLly