IN RELATION TO SECTION 17 ART VI – LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT
CARMELO F. LAZATIN, petitioner vs. THE HOUSE ELECTORAL TRIBUNAL and LORENZO G. TIMBOL, respondents
FACTS The petitioner and the private respondent ere a!on" the #andidates $or Representative Representative o$ the %rst distri#t o$ Pa!pan"a d&rin" e'e#tions o$ Ma( 11) 1*+7, D&rin" the #anvassin" o$ the votes) private respondent o-.e#ted to the in#'&sion o$ #ertain e'e#tion ret&rns, /e -ro&"ht his #ase to the Co!!ission on E'e#tions 0COMELEC, 0COMELEC, On Ma( 1*) 1*+7) 1*+7) the COMELEC COMELEC ordered ordered the Provin#ia Provin#ia'' 2oard o$ Canvassers to s&spend the pro#'a!ation o$ the innin" #andidate $or the %rst distri#t o$ Pa!pan"a, /oever) on Ma( 34) 1*+7) the COMELEC ordered the Provin#ia' 2oard o$ Canvassers to pro#eed ith #anvassin" o$ votes and pro#'ai! the inner, The petitioner as pro#'ai!ed the Con"ress!an5e'e#t on Ma( 37) 1*+7 1* +7,, Priv Privat ate e respo espond nden entt %'ed %'ed ith ith the the COME COMELE LEC C a peti petiti tion on to de#' de#'ar are e petitioner6s pro#'a!ation void a- initio and prohi-it the petitioner $ro! ass&!in" the o#e, The COMELEC COMELEC $ai'ed to a#t on the the se#ond petition petition so petitioner petitioner as a-'e to ass&!e o#e on 8&ne 9:) 1*+7, On Septe!-er 1;) 1*+7) the COMELEC reso reso'& '&ti tion on de#'a de#'are red d the the peti petiti tion oner6 er6s s pro# pro#'a 'a!at !atio ion n void void a- init initio io)) hi# hi#h h the the petitioner 'ater #ha''en"ed, The Co&rt set aside the COMELEC6s revo#ation o$ petiti petitione oner6s r6s pro#'a pro#'a!at !ation ion on 8an&ar( 8an&ar( 3;) 1*++, 1*++, On
ISSUE =hether or not private respondent6s protest had -een seasona-'e %'ed, HEL! >ES, T"e Co#rt is o$ t"e vie% t"at t"e protest "ad &een '(ed on ti)e, "en*e, HRET a*+#ired #risdi*tion over it. Petitioner6s re'ian#e on Se#, 3;: o$ the O!ni-&s E'e#tion Code is !isp'a#ed, Se#, 3;: app'ies on'( to petitions %'ed -e$ore the COMELEC #ontestin" the e'e#tion o$ an( Me!-er o$ the 2atasan" Pa!-a Pa!-ansa nsa)) or an( re"ion re"iona') a') provi provin#i n#ia') a') or #it( #it( o#ia', o#ia', <&rther &rther!or !ore) e) Se#, Se#, 3;: sho&'d -e read to"ether ith Se#, 3?* o$ the sa!e #ode hi#h provides that the COMELEC @sha'' -e the so'e .&d"e o$ a'' #ontests re'atin" to the e'e#tions) ret&rns and &a'i%#ations o$ a'' Me!-ers o$ the 2atasan" Pa!-ansa) e'e#tive re"iona') prov provin in#i #ia' a' and and #it( #it( o#i o#ia' a's) s)@@ reit reitera erati tin" n" Art, Art, BII5 BII5C) C) Se#, Se#, 303 303 o$ the the 1* 1*79 79 Constit&tion, That Se*. Se*. -/ -/ o$ t"e t"e O) O)ni ni&# &#s s E(e* E(e*ti tion on Code, ode, as $ar $ar as *ont *ontes ests ts re0ardin0 t"e e(e*tion, ret#rns and +#a(i'*ations o$ Me)&ers o$ t"e
Batasan0 1a)&ansa is *on*erned, "ad *eased to &e e2e*tive #nder t"e 3456 Constit#tion is readi(7 apparent ,
1
Se#, 3;:, E'e#tion #ontests $or 2atasan" Pa!-ansa) re"iona') provin#ia' and #it( o#es, F A sorn petiti petition on #ontes #ontestin tin" " the the e'e#ti e'e#tion on o$ an( Me!-e Me!-err o$ the the 2atasa 2atasan" n" Pa!-ans a!-ansa a or an( re"io re"iona' na')) provin#ia' or #it( o#ia' sha'' -e %'ed ith the Co!!ission -( an( #andidate ho has d&'( %'ed a #erti%#at #erti%#ate e o$ #andida# #andida#( ( and has -een voted voted $or the sa!e o#e) o#e) %it"in ten da7s a$ter t"e pro*(a)ation o$ t"e res#(ts o$ t"e e(e*tion, e(e*tion , 3
Se#, *, E'e#tion #ontests arisin" $ro! the 1*+7 Con"ressiona' e'e#tions sha'' -e %'ed ith the O#e o$ the Se#retar( o$ the Tri-&na' or !ai'ed at the post o#e as re"istered !atter addressed to the Se#retar( o$ the Tri-&na') to"ether ith te've 013 'e"i-'e #opies thereo$ p'&s one 01 #op( $or ea#h protestee) %it"in '$teen 839 da7s $ro) t"e e2e*tivit7 o$ t"ese R#(es on Nove)&er --, 3456 %"ere t"e pro*(a)ation "as &een )ade prior to t"e e2e*tivit7 o$ t"ese R#(es, ot"e ot"er% r%is ise, e, t"e t"e sa)e sa)e )a7 )a7 &e '(ed '(ed %it"i %it"in n '$te '$teen en 839 839 da7s da7s $ro) $ro) t"e t"e date date o$ t"e t"e pro*(a)ation, pro*(a)ation, E'e#tion E'e#tion #ontests #ontests arisin" arisin" $ro! the 1*+7 Con"ression Con"ressiona' a' e'e#tions e'e#tions %'ed ith the Se#retar( o$ the /o&se o$ Representatives Representatives and trans!itted -( hi! to the Chair!an o$ the Tri-&na' sha'' -e dee!ed %'ed ith the tri-&na' as o$ the date o$ ee#tivit( o$ these R&'es) s&-.e#t to pa(!ent o$ %'in" $ees as pres#ri-ed in Se#tion 1; hereo$,
