EN BANC
[G.R. No. 129118. July 19, 2000]
AGRIPINO A. DE GUZMAN, JR., NARCISO M. ARABE, LETICIA T. ENDOMA,
ARISTIDES A. RAMOS, PANCHO M. RIVERA, TERESITA A. DE CASTRO, CANDIDA C. HABANA,
AZUCENA C. FALCON, MARIA LUZ P. CAEDO, YOLANDA V. RIO, RUBEN S. ANIEVAS, LELISA
L. SANCHEZ, VILLARDO A. TRINIDAD, ENRIQUE CH. ZUNIGA, ROMEO A. GONZALES,
CASIANO G. ATUEL, JR., GEMMA L. BANARES, PERFECTO T. CAMPOS, ARNULFO A.
AGUILAR, RUDOLPH R. MELON, MAGDALENA M. LAO, MARINA GERONA, FLORIANA O. DE
GUIA, EMETERIO B. BRUCAL, NILDA C. CONCHA, YOLANDA P. FERMA, TEOTISTA C.
ANGKIKO, FRANCISCO V. TRIAS, JENELYN E. ESTERNON, MILAGROS M. ABELLAR, ALICIA
T. MOJICA, ELVIRA E. BAYBAY, PRICILLA P. GOLFO, ELISEA M. HIERCO, TERESITA L. DIMACUHA,
MYRNA GUILLERMO, GRACIANO R. SAMELA, JR., NIMFA M. LAGASCA, JOSEFINA P. JARENO,
NORMA V. ORDENES, FRANCISCO T. SERVANDO, VIOLETA M. ANONUEVO, ALFREDO O.
BAYANI, MARIO J. RAMOS, EME FEROLINO, LEONIDES P. COMIA, MILAGROS E. GENEBLAZO,
LORNA L. MENORCA, REYNALDO DE LA CRUZ, ROMULO A. FAZ, LIMUEL G. GADO, REY G.
FABELLA, DOMINGUITO G. TACASA, IMELDA R.B. ROTONI, TITA FOJA, NOEMI F. CASTRO,
LILIA B. CAWALING, ROBERT A. REYES, CONCEPCION H. PARRENO, SERAFIN L. OLMEDO,
ADOLFO L. ALLAN, PROSPERO D. CASTRO, ROSELLER C. GAPULAO, GLICERIO B. LAURENTE,
BERNICE E. BERNABE, ADINA L. FERNANDEZ, ANITA M. PAALAN, ROSA P. PINOON,
INOCENCIA P. DANGUE, JULITA E. MENDOZA, ELENA O. RAMOS, GENE BE BARTE,
FLORENCIA Z. MAGANITO, PABLO A. ARGA, PEDRO S. LUNA, CARMELITA P. LAUREL,
VICTORINO I. MARASIGAN, ROMEO M. MENDOZA, JUAN C. MALABANAN, MANUEL B. ABRELI,
JOSEPH T. MACAHIYA, LEONOR P. ARADA, JULIA G. PEREZ, MODESTO M. VILLADELREY,
ARNULFO Y. FAJILAN, MARLON P. HERRERA, JAIME A. BISCOCHO, MICHAEL D. CASTILLO,
MILAGROS H. BAYLOSIS, ARSENIO T. GUSTE, ALFREDO V. ORAYANI, DANTE A. PENAMANTE,
ROMEO A. DE CHAVEZ, MANUEL M. ILAGAN, ALFREDO O. MANZA, JR., DOMINGO B. GUNIO,
FIDEL V. PALERACIO, VICENTE V. DEL MORO, JUSTINO R. DEQUILLA, ERNESTO A. RUZOL,
ROMEO D. DELGADO, ERLINDA P. MAGSINO, VERONICA R. CAMBRONERO, NORMA A. DEQUINA,
WELLIE R. RAVINA, CORAZON T. LOPEZ, REMEDIOS R. QUIZON, LORETA E. VERGARA,
MELECIA M. ASTRERA, VICENTA R. SAMANTE, HELEN M. CUENTO-BUENDICHO, ANICIA V.
MORALES, RISALINA C. GONZALES, ROSARIO CHARITO R. PABELLON, LOLITA L. MALADAGA,
MAXIMO A. GLINDO, WILFREDO A. RODELAS, CELSO O. ROGO, RAMON C. VALENCIA, FELIPE
R. FRANDO, ADEN B. DUNGO, OFELIA N. QUIBEN, LIGAYA S. VALENZUELA, EUNICE S.
FAMILARIN, MARCELA DE LEON, ADELA M. JAMILLA, RENY ABLES, ADELA E. FABERES, ALICIA
P. BALDOMAR, EDNA C. GARCIA, ANGELINA V. GARRIDO, ELOISA P. TORRENO, CHARITO M.
LACAMENTO, CLARENCIA M. AQUINO, HILDA DIMALANTA, ELSIE SIBAL, PURIFICACION
TANGONAN, AMELITA FERNANDEZ, TEDDY C. MARIANO, LORETO SANGGALANG, GERARDO
GONZALES, FEDERICO ONATE, JR., ARTURO BALIGNASAY, FELIX M. CABARIOS, JR.,
NORBERTO PUNZALAN, JAIME G. ALCANTARA, ERNESTO VILLANUEVA, ESTANISLAO SANCHEZ,
ADORACION L. PINEDA, LUCILA S. DUNGCA, ADELAIDA B. LAOIJINDANUM, ROLANDO A.
BALUYUT, FRANCISCO M. DAVID, LEONELLE S. MENDOZA, MA. LUZ A. BASILIO, NESTOR J.
TIMBANG, HILDA P. DIZON, EMMANUEL E. IGNACIO, RAMON S. ABELLA, JOSELITO MATIAS,
HEZEQUIAS B. GALANG, ERLINDA C. ZAPATA, IMELDA R. MANALASTAS, PEDRO L. PALO,
AURECIO C. TRASPE, JOSEPHINE GALANG, FLORINDA R. MADULID, MAGDALENA W. SADI,
NYDIA V.A. BOLISAY, PRESENTACION A. PALOM, ANTONIO B. ANCHETA, MACARIO L. SADI,
PACIFICO E. GISAPON, FELICIANO C. CRUZ, IMELDA A. QUIMEL, LINDA D. SANDOVAL,
MARILOU R. ORTIZ, NORMA F. SANTOS, MAGPAYO V. ABESAMIS, BONIFACIO B. VILLAFLOR,
DANIEL O. TABIOS, CONSTANTE T. CATRIZ, JESUS E. ALICANTE, FEDERICO SACLAYAN,
JR., NOLY G. UMINGA, FE FRAELI L. DE GUZMAN, RODRIGO S. WYCOCO, JOVEN
HERMOGENES, RODOLFO D. BANAWA, ABELARDO O. CAPANZANA, ERNESTO Q. TIONGSON,
ROSANNA CRUZ, OSCAR C. ONGOCO, CONSUELO A. KABIGTING, JULITA V. PASTELERO,
ARSENIA V. BONDOC, ISIDRO A. TOMAS, ANGELINA V. GARRIDO, CONSOLACION N. LABOG,
ELENITA A. RIVERA, SOCORRO NOCES, RODOLFO GALLARDO, CARMENCITA M. ONGEO, CAMILO
L. SEDURIFA, ARLEEN VIC B. OCHANDRA, EDGARDO E. APOSTOL, CLOTILDE C. CANETE,
ALEJANDRO B. DEL AGUA, PILAR R. BUENO, TEODOICO C. MAGALLANES, PETRONIO N.
PIANGCO, JR., JOSE M. FLORENDO, BIBIANO A. CAGNAN, ALICIA A. TUBI, RODOLFO C.
NATAN, JAIME B. MENDONEZ, EDILBERTO EDANG, ROSENDA T. JENOVEVA, VEDASTO B.
ELIZAN, JR., MILAGROS P. DE LUNA, ATILANO L. ISAAC, CORAZON L. J. PEPITO,
LUCILA S. PINEDA, ROCHE B. CERRO, JOCELYN KL. LIBUT, REMBERTO L. GUTIERREZ,
NAZARIO A. TRASMONTE, REYNALDO O. MACARAT, FLORENCIA M. MALIBAGO, IMELDA G.
TUYAY, JUAN A. GIBA, JR., JOSE M. CAPACITE, ARCITA M. GARCIA, ANGEL G. DACUNO,
RITA M. BEDIANG, RENATO L. CANDIDO, NESTORIO B. BOCO, JONATHAN C. AMBIDA,
MONICA MACABARE, BENITO A. MONTALLANA, CLOTILDE C. APURA-VALDEMORO, CIRIACO J.
ARCENO, PABLO L. FORMARAN, JR., PROSPERO S. OLMEDO, IGNACIO V. CASCANO, SERAFIN
L. CLUTARIO, ARTURO L. DIN, JUCHITA C. SY, RODOLFO L. ASUERO, PIO T. PORTES,
MARILOU F. TAMAYO, MILAGROS P. LAMBINO, ESTANISLAO A. ESPINA, RENERIO D. ENGO,
FERNANDO A. MOSCARE, CONCHITA A. PICARDAL, ELIAS T. TURLA, BONIFACIO T. LIM,
JOSEFINA A. AGUILAR, ANTONIO O. TEPACE, GAVINO S. ASOTES, RENE P. MAGBUTAY,
NICOLAS C. UY, JR., JESUS B. LAVA, SENORA C. CALAGOS, RAFAEL A. PAYOD, MACARIO
L. CIEGO, SALVADOR T. CRUZ, VIRGINIA V. BESAS, RAUL S. FIGUERDA, EDGAR R. DELOS
REYES, TERESO R. ROSEL, JOSE J. MABANGUE, PRIMO D. PALOMO, JOHN C. YANGZON,
ROMULO D. JABON, FIDENCIO Z. LA TORRE, JR., LETICIA R. MACARIOLA, CARLOS P.
VARELA, JR., ANTONIO L. PEDRAZA, SALVACION A. LAMBAN, LINO L. JAPSON, EUNIA H.
VACAL, ANTONIO F. VALDEZ, NATIVIDAD E. PRADO, LORENZO C. MERKA, GAUDIOSO A.
RUEGO, ETERIO Z. ABOCEJO, DEMETRIA O. COROLLO, MARIA S. OBEN, ARTHUR V. LEYSON,
PEDRO L. AVILA, DOMINADOR S. RODILLA, MARCIAL MAGPATOC, FEDERICO D. BARCELON,
EVANGELINE DELA ROSA, ELENO GIL, ARSENIA GARCIA, HUMILDA ALICUM, DIOSDADO CAS, ABRAHAM
MASAOY, SAMUEL ORALLO, AMELIA OLORES, CANDIDO URBANO, LOURDES FRIAS, ROEL
SORIANO, EMELDA AGUSTIN, PAQUITO SORIANO, GERMAN BALOLONG, BENJAMIN C. ROSARIO,
EFREN BUYA, LEONIDA LEGASPI, TOMAS ABELLA, JR., JOVENCIA CANTO, JUAN DACONO,
MIGUEL BAUTISTA, LORNA PASCUAL, FERDINAND BRAGANZA, PRISCILLA PEREZ, ALMA LUZ
SORIANO, JUAN VALENCIA, JR., JULIAN APOSTOL, ROSARIO GUICO, BONITA VIDAL, GUIA
GARCIA, LEOCADIO GINEZ, CATALINA BANEZ, VERONICA TABILIN, ELVIRA CALSADO,
ALIPIO LOPEZ, JOSEPHINE MALANA, PIO ANONUEVO, ELMA DEL ROSARIO, RUFINO FLORES,
ANTONIO ORDONEZ, CARMEN CLAVERIA, ESTRELLA RAMOS, petitioners, vs. COMMISSION
ON ELECTIONS, respondent.
D E C I S I O N
PURISIMA, J.:
At bar is a
petition for certiorari and prohibition with urgent prayer for the
issuance of a writ of preliminary injunction and temporary restraining order,
assailing the validity of Section 44 of Republic Act No. 8189 (RA 8189)
otherwise known as "The Voter’s Registration Act of 1996".
RA 8189 was enacted
on June 10, 1996 and approved by President Fidel V. Ramos on June 11, 1996.
Section 44 thereof provides:
"SEC. 44.
Reassignment of Election Officers. - No Election Officer shall hold office
in a particular city or municipality for more than four (4) years. Any election
officer who, either at the time of the approval of this Act or subsequent
thereto, has served for at least four (4) years in a particular city or
municipality shall automatically be reassigned by the Commission to a new
station outside the original congressional district."
By virtue of the
aforequoted provision of law, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) promulgated
Resolution Nos. 97-0002[1] and 97-0610[2] for the implementation thereof. Thereafter, the
COMELEC issued several directives[3] reassigning the petitioners, who are either City or
Municipal Election Officers, to different stations.
Aggrieved by the
issuance of the aforesaid directives and resolutions, petitioners found their
way to this Court via the present petition assailing the validity of Section 44
of RA 8189, contending that:
I
SECTION 44 OF
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8189 VIOLATES THE ‘EQUAL PROTECTION CLAUSE’ ENSHRINED IN THE
CONSTITUTION;
II
SECTION 44 OF
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8189 VIOLATES THE CONSTITUTIONAL GUARANTEE ON SECURITY OF
TENURE OF CIVIL SERVANTS;
III
SECTION 44 OF REPUBLIC
ACT NO. 8189 CONSTITUTES A DEPRIVATION OF PROPERTY WITHOUT DUE PROCESS OF LAW;
IV
SECTION 44 OF
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8189 UNDERMINES THE CONSTITUTIONAL INDEPENDENCE OF COMELEC AND
COMELEC’S CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY TO NAME, DESIGNATE AND APPOINT AND THEN
REASSIGN AND TRANSFER ITS VERY OWN OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES;
V
SECTION 44 OF
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8189 CONTRAVENES THE BASIC CONSTITUTIONAL PRECEPT [Article VI,
SECTION 26(1), Phil. Constitution] THAT EVERY BILL PASSED BY CONGRESS SHALL
EMBRACE ONLY ONE SUBJECT WHICH MUST BE EXPRESSED IN THE TITLE THEREOF; and
VI
SECTION 44 OF
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8189 IS VOID FOR FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THE CONSTITUTIONAL
REQUIREMENT [ARTICLE VI, SECTION 26 (2)] OF THREE READINGS ON SEPARATE DAYS AND
DISTRIBUTION OF PRINTED COPIES IN ITS FINAL FORM THREE DAYS BEFORE ITS PASSAGE.
Petitioners’
contentions revolve on the pivotal issue, whether Section 44 of RA 8189 is
valid and constitutional.
The petition is
barren of merit. Section 44 of RA 8189 enjoys the presumption of validity, and
the Court discerns no ground to invalidate it.
Petitioners
theorize that Section 44 of RA 8189 is violative of the "equal protection
clause" of the 1987 Constitution because it singles out the City and
Municipal Election Officers of the COMELEC as prohibited from holding office in
the same city or municipality for more than four (4) years. They maintain that
there is no substantial distinction between them and other COMELEC officials,
and therefore, there is no valid classification to justify the objective of the
provision of law under attack.
The Court is not
persuaded by petitioners’ arguments. The "equal protection clause" of
the 1987 Constitution permits a valid classification under the following
conditions:
1. The
classification must rest on substantial distinctions;
2. The
classification must be germane to the purpose of the law;
3. The
classification must not be limited to existing conditions only; and
4. The
classification must apply equally to all members of the same class.[4]
After a careful
study, the ineluctable conclusion is that the classification under Section 44
of RA 8189 satisfies the aforestated requirements.
The singling out of
election officers in order to "ensure the impartiality of election
officials by preventing them from developing familiarity with the people of
their place of assignment" does not violate the equal protection clause of
the Constitution.
In Lutz vs.
Araneta,[5] it was held that "the legislature is not
required by the Constitution to adhere to a policy of ‘all or none’". This
is so for underinclusiveness is not an argument against a valid classification.
It may be true that all the other officers of COMELEC referred to by
petitioners are exposed to the same evils sought to be addressed by the statute.
However, in this case, it can be discerned that the legislature thought the
noble purpose of the law would be sufficiently served by breaking an important
link in the chain of corruption than by breaking up each and every link
thereof. Verily, under Section 3(n) of RA 8189, election officers are the
highest officials or authorized representatives of the COMELEC in a city or
municipality. It is safe to say that without the complicity of such officials,
large scale anomalies in the registration of voters can hardly be carried out.
Moreover, to
require the COMELEC to reassign all employees (connected with the registration
of voters) who have served at least four years in a given city or municipality
would entail a lot of administrative burden on the part of the COMELEC.
Neither does
Section 44 of RA 8189 infringe the security of tenure of petitioners nor unduly
deprive them of due process of law. As held in Sta. Maria vs. Lopez.[6]
"xxx the rule
that outlaws unconsented transfers as anathema to security of tenure applies
only to an officer who is appointed - not merely assigned - to a particular
station. Such a rule does not pr[o]scribe a transfer carried out under a
specific statute that empowers the head of an agency to periodically reassign
the employees and officers in order to improve the service of the agency.
xxx" (italics supplied)
The guarantee of
security of tenure under the Constitution is not a guarantee of perpetual
employment. It only means that an employee cannot be dismissed (or transferred)
from the service for causes other than those provided by law and after due
process is accorded the employee. What it seeks to prevent is capricious
exercise of the power to dismiss. But, where it is the law-making authority
itself which furnishes the ground for the transfer of a class of employees, no
such capriciousness can be raised for so long as the remedy proposed to cure a
perceived evil is germane to the purposes of the law.
Untenable is
petitioners’ contention that Section 44 of RA 8189 undermines the authority of
COMELEC to appoint its own officials and employees. As stressed upon by the
Solicitor General, Section 44 establishes a guideline for the COMELEC to
follow. Said section provides the criterion or basis for the reassignment or
transfer of an election officer and does not deprive the COMELEC of its power
to appoint, and maintain its authority over its officials and employees. As a
matter of fact, the questioned COMELEC resolutions and directives illustrate
that it is still the COMELEC which has the power to reassign and transfer its
officials and employees. But as a government agency tasked with the
implementation and enforcement of election laws, the COMELEC is duty bound to
comply with the laws passed by Congress.
The independence of
the COMELEC is not at issue here. There is no impairment or emasculation of its
power to appoint its own officials and employees. In fact, Section 44 even
strengthens the COMELEC’s power of appointment, as the power to reassign or
transfer is within its exclusive jurisdiction and domain.
Petitioners’
contention that Section 44 has an isolated and different subject from that of
RA 8189 and that the same is not expressed in the title of the law, is equally
untenable.
The objectives of
Section 26(1), Article VI of the 1987 Constitution, that "[e]very bill
passed by the Congress shall embrace only one subject which shall be expressed
in the title thereof", are:
1. To prevent
hodge-podge or log-rolling legislation;
2. To prevent
surprise or fraud upon the legislature by means of provisions in bills of which
the titles gave no information, and which might therefore be overlooked and
carelessly and unintentionally adopted; and
3. To fairly
apprise the people, through such publication of legislative proceedings as is
usually made, of the subjects of legislation that are being considered, in
order that they may have opportunity of being heard thereon by petition or
otherwise if they shall so desire.[7]
Section 26(1) of
Article VI of the 1987 Constitution is sufficiently complied with where, as in
this case, the title is comprehensive enough to embrace the general objective
it seeks to achieve, and if all the parts of the statute are related and
germane to the subject matter embodied in the title or so long as the same are
not inconsistent with or foreign to the general subject and title.[8] Section 44 of RA 8189 is not isolated considering
that it is related and germane to the subject matter stated in the title of the
law. The title of RA 8189 is "The Voter’s Registration Act of 1996"
with a subject matter enunciated in the explanatory note as "AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR A GENERAL REGISTRATION OF VOTERS, ADOPTING A SYSTEM OF CONTINUING
REGISTRATION, PRESCRIBING THE PROCEDURES THEREOF AND AUTHORIZING THE
APPROPRIATION OF FUNDS THEREFOR." Section 44, which provides for the
reassignment of election officers, is relevant to the subject matter of
registration as it seeks to ensure the integrity of the registration process by
providing a guideline for the COMELEC to follow in the reassignment of election
officers. It is not an alien provision but one which is related to the conduct
and procedure of continuing registration of voters. In this regard, it bears
stressing that the Constitution does not require Congress to employ in the
title of an enactment, language of such precision as to mirror, fully index or
catalogue, all the contents and the minute details therein.[9]
In determining the
constitutionality of a statute dubbed as defectively titled, the presumption is
in favor of its validity.[10]
As regards the
issue raised by petitioners - whether Section 44 of RA 8189 was enacted in
accordance with Section 26 (2), Article VI of the 1987 Constitution,
petitioners have not convincingly shown grave abuse of discretion on the part
of Congress. Respect due to co-equal departments of the government in matters
entrusted to them by the Constitution, and the absence of a clear showing of
grave abuse of discretion suffice to stay the judicial hand.[11]
WHEREFORE, the petition is DISMISSED; and the
constitutionality and validity of Section 44 of RA 8189 UPHELD. No
pronouncement as to costs.
SO ORDERED.
Davide, Jr.,
C.J., (Chairman), Bellosillo, Melo, Puno, Vitug, Kapunan, Mendoza, Panganiban,
Quisumbing, Buena, Gonzaga-Reyes, Ynares-Santiago, and De Leon, Jr., JJ., concur.
Pardo, J., no part.
[1] Annex "A" of Petition; Rollo, pp.
49-50.
[2] Annex "B" of Petition; Rollo, pp.
52-53.
[3] Annexes "C", "D" and
"E" of Petition, pp. 58-101.
[4] The Conference of Maritime Manning Agencies, Inc. vs.
Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, 243 SCRA 666, 677 citing: People
vs. Cayat, 68 Phil. 12, 18 [1939].
[5] 98 Phil. 148, 153 (1955).
[6] 31 SCRA 637, 653 citing: Ibañez vs. Commission
on Elections, L-26558, April 27, 1967, 19 SCRA 1002, 1012 and Section 12 of the
Tax Code.
[7] Central Capiz vs. Ramirez, 40 Phil. 883, 891
citing: Cooley’s Constitutional Limitations, p. 143.
[8] Tio vs. Videogram Regulatory Board, 151 SCRA
208, 213 citing: Sumulong vs. COMELEC, No. 48609, October 10, 1941, 73
Phil. 288 and Cordero vs. Hon. Cabatuando, et al., L-14542, October 31,
1962, 6 SCRA 418.
[9] Lidasan vs. Commission on Elections, 21 SCRA
496, 501.
[10] Insular Lumber Co. vs. Court of Tax Appeals,
104 SCRA 710, 717.
[11] Tolentino vs. Secretary of Finance, 249 SCRA
628, 646.