5. SJS vs. Dangerous Drugs Board Case Digest

SJS vs. Dangerous Drugs Board

570 SCRA 410 – Political Law – Qualifications of a Senator or a Congress Representative N!"# !$is is consoli%ate% wit$ Laserna vs &angerous &rugs 'oar% ()*R* No* 15+,--. an% Pi/entel vs C"L"C ()*R* No* 1,1,5+. n 20023 Repulic Act No* 1,5 or t$e Co/pre$ensive &angerous &rugs Act of 2002 was i/ple/ente%* Section -, t$ereof re6uires /an%ator %rug testing of can%i%ates for pulic office3 stu%ents of secon%ar an% tertiar sc$ools3 officers an% e/ploees of pulic an% private offices3 an% persons c$arge% efore t$e prosecutor8s office wit$ certain offenses* n &ece/er 200-3 C"L"C issue% Resolution No* ,4+,3 prescriing t$e rules an% regulations on t$e /an%ator %rug testing of can%i%ates for pulic office in connection wit$ t$e a 103 2004 snc$roni9e% national an% local elections* A6uilino Pi/entel3 :r*3 a senator an% a can%i%ate for re; election in t$e a elections3 file% a Petition for Certiorari an% Pro$iition un%er Rule ,5* n it3 $e seeoin t$e C"L"C fro/ i/ple/enting Resolution No* ,4+,* Accor%ing to Pi/entel3 t$e Constitution onl prescries a /a?i/u/ of five (5. 6ualifications for one to e a can%i%ate for3 electe% to3 an% e a /e/er of t$e Senate* @e sas t$at ot$ t$e Congress an% C"L"C3  re6uiring3 via RA 1,5 an% Resolution No* ,4+,3 a senatorial aspirant3 a/ong ot$er can%i%ates3 to un%ergo a /an%ator %rug test3 create an a%%itional 6ualification t$at all can%i%ates for senator /ust first e certifie% as %rug free* @e a%%s t$at t$ere is no provision in t$e Constitution aut$ori9ing t$e Congress or C"L"C to e?pan% t$e 6ualification re6uire/ents of can%i%ates for senator* ISSUE: $et$er or not Sec -, of RA 1,5 an% Resolution ,4+, are constitutional* HELD: No* Pi/entel8s contention is vali%* Accor%ingl3 Sec* -, of RA 1,5 is unconstitutional* t is asic t$at if a law or an a%/inistrative rule violates an nor/ of t$e Constitution3 t$at issuance is null an% voi% an% $as no effect* !$e Constitution is t$e asic law to w$ic$ all laws /ust confor/= no act s$all e vali% if it conflicts wit$ t$e Constitution* n t$e %isc$arge of t$eir %efine% functions3 t$e t$ree %epart/ents of govern/ent $ave no c$oice ut to iel% oe%ience to t$e co//an%s of t$e Constitution* $atever li/its it i/poses /ust e oserve%*

!$e provision BnDo person electe% to an pulic office s$all enter upon t$e %uties of $is office until $e $as un%ergone /an%ator %rug testE is not tenale as it enlarges t$e 6ualifications* C"L"C cannot3 in t$e guise of enforcing an% a%/inistering election laws or pro/ulgating rules an% regulations to i/ple/ent Sec* -,3 vali%l i/pose 6ualifications on can%i%ates for senator in a%%ition to w$at t$e Constitution prescries* f Congress cannot re6uire a can%i%ate for senator to /eet suc$ a%%itional 6ualification3 t$e C"L"C3 to e sure3 is also wit$out suc$ power* !$e rig$t of a citi9en in t$e %e/ocratic process of election s$oul% not e %efeate%  unwarrante% i/positions of re6uire/ent not ot$erwise specifie% in t$e Constitution*