8/13/2019 Phil Judge Asso vs Prado Sec 26

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G.R. No. 105371 November 11, 1993

Philippine Judges Associ!ion vs Prdo

"R#$, J

%c!s&

1. 'he min !rge! o( !his pe!i!ion is ))*ec!ion 35 o( R.A. No.735+. 'hese mesures i!hdr!he (rn-ing privilege (rom !he *", "A, R'", '" nd !he /nd Regis!r!ion "ommission nd

i!s Regis!ers o( eeds, long i!h cer!in o!her governmen! o((ices.

Sec. 35 of R.A. No. 7354, which is the principal target of the petition, reads as follows:

Sec. 35. Repealing Clause. All acts, decrees, orders, e!ecuti"e orders, instructions, rules and

regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with the pro"isions of this Act are repealed or #odified

accordingl$.

All fran%ing pri"ileges authori&ed '$ law are here'$ repealed, e!cept those pro"ided for under

Co##onwealth Act No. ()5, Repu'lic Acts Nu#'ered )*, +-, +4+4, (-7 and 5-5*. heCorporation #a$ continue the fran%ing pri"ilege under Circular No. 35 dated /cto'er (4, +*77

and that of the 0ice 1resident, under such arrange#ents and conditions as #a$ o'"iate a'use or

unauthori&ed use thereof.2

%rn-ing priveleges re(ers !o !he righ! o( members o( "ongress, in !his !he includes !he2udicir, !o send mil !o !heir cons!i!uen!s ! !he governmen!4s epense.

6. 'he pe!i!ioners re members o( !he loer cour!s ho (eel !h! !heir o((icil (unc!ions s 2udgesill be pre2udiced b !he bovenmed mesures. 'he pe!i!ion ssils !he cons!i!u!ionli! o(

R.A. No. 735+

3. 'he pe!i!ioners ssil !he mendmen!s mde on !he ls! reding o( !he bill, hich even!ull

becme R.A. 735+.

+. 'he lso lleged !h! copies o( !he bill in (inl (orm ere no! dis!ribu!ed mong !he members

o( ech house.

8ssue&

he!her or no! RA 735+ is cons!i!u!ionl

'he pe!i!ion ssils !he cons!i!u!ionli! o( R.A. No. 735+ on !he grounds !h!&

:1; i!s !i!le embrces more !hn one sub2ec! nd does no! epress i!s purposes

8/13/2019 Phil Judge Asso vs Prado Sec 26

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:6; i! did no! pss !he re=uired redings in bo!h >ouses o( "ongress nd prin!ed copies o( !he bill in i!s (inl (orm

ere no! dis!ribu!ed mong !he members be(ore i!s pssge< nd

:3; i! is discrimin!or nd encroches on !he independence o( !he Judicir.

>?/&

N@, RA 735+ is uncons!i!u!ionl

1; No. 'he pe!i!ioners4 con!en!ion is un!enble. e do no! gree !h! !he !i!le o( !he chllenged c! viol!es !he

"ons!i!u!ion.

'he !i!le o( !he bill is no! re=uired !o be n inde !o !he bod o( !he c!, or !o be s comprehensive s !o cover ever

single de!il o( !he mesure. 8! hs been held !h! i( !he !i!le (irl indic!es !he generl sub2ec!, nd resonbl

covers ll !he provisions o( !he c!, nd is no! clcul!ed !o misled !he legisl!ure or !he people, !here is su((icien!complince i!h !he cons!i!u!ionl re=uiremen!. 2

e consider (irs! !he ob2ec!ion bsed on Ar!icle 8, *ec. 6B:l;, o( !he "ons!i!u!ion providing !h! C?ver bill pssedb !he "ongress shll embrce onl one sub2ec! hich shll be epressed in !he !i!le !hereo(.C

'he purposes o( !his rule re& :1; !o preven! hodgepodge or ClogrollingC legisl!ion< :6; !o preven! surprise or (rud

upon !he legisl!ure b mens o( provisions in bills o( hich !he !i!le gives no in!im!ion, nd hich migh! !here(ore

be overloo-ed nd crelessl nd unin!en!ionll dop!ed< nd :3; !o (irl pprise !he people, !hrough suchpublic!ion o( legisl!ive proceedings s is usull mde, o( !he sub2ec! o( legisl!ion !h! is being considered, in

order !h! !he m hve oppor!uni! o( being herd !hereon, b pe!i!ion or o!herise, i( !he shll so desire.1

8! is !he submission o( !he pe!i!ioners !h! *ec!ion 35 o( R.A. No. 735+ hich i!hdre !he (rn-ing privilege (rom

!he Judicir is no! epressed in !he !i!le o( !he l, nor does i! re(lec! i!s purposes.

6; No, 8! pssed !he re=uired redings. Do!h !he enrolled bill nd !he legisl!ive 2ournls cer!i(ied !h! !hemesure s dul enc!ed< hence !he 2udicir is bound b such o((icil ssurnces (rom

coordin!e depr!men! o( !he governmen!, !o hich !he oe, ! !he ver les!, becoming cour!es.

:p. 139 boo-;

An enrolled bill is conclusive upon !he Judicir. 'he cour! !here(ore declined !o loo- in!o !he pe!i!ioners.

3; Ees, e (ind i!s repeling cluse !o be discrimin!or provision !h! denies !he Judicir !he e=ul

pro!ec!ion o( !he ls gurn!eed (or ll persons or !hings similrl si!u!ed. 'he dis!inc!ion mde b

!he l is super(icil. 8! is no! bsed on subs!n!il dis!inc!ions !h! m-e rel di((erences be!een !he

Judicir nd !he grn!ees o( !he (rn-ing privilege.

'his is no! =ues!ion o( isdom or poer in!o hich !he Judicir m no! in!rude. 8! is m!!er o(rbi!rriness !h! !his "our! hs !he du! nd poer !o correc!.