(G.R. No. 127325 - March 19, 1997) Facts: Privat Privatee respon responent ent !t"" !t"",. ,. #es$s %e&'in, presi presient ent o' Peop& Peop&es es Private initia initiative tive 'or Re'ors s,,Moe Moerni*atio rni*ation n an !ction !ction (P+RM!), (P+RM!), 'i&e ith M/0/ M/0/ a petition petition to aen the constit$tion constit$tion to &i't the ter &iits &iits o' e&ective o''icia o''icia&s, &s, thro$h thro$h Peop&e Peop&ess +nitiative. +nitiative. e e ase this this petition petition on !rtic&e !rtic&e 4++, 4++, 6ec. 2o' 2o ' the 197 onstit$tion, hich provies 'or the riht o' the peop&e to e8ercise the poer to irect&" propose aenents to the onstit$tion. 6$se$ent&" the M/0/ iss$e an orer irectin thep$&ication o' the petition an o' the notice o' hearin an therea'ter set the case 'orr he 'o heari arin n.. !t th thee he hear arin in, , 6e 6ena nato torr Ro Roco co,, th thee + +P P, %e %eo o;ra ;ras" s"a-+ a-+pa pat tan an o& o& an an 5 o' the R$&es o' o$rt aainst M/0/ an an th thee %e %e&' &'in in pe peti titi tion on ri risi sin n th thee sev sever era& a& ar ar$ $e ent nts, s, s$ s$ch ch as th thee 'o 'o&& &&o oin in: : (1 (1)) =h =hee constit con stit$ti $tiona ona&& pro provis vision ion on peo peop&e p&es s ini initiat tiative ive to ae aen n the con consti stit$t t$tion ion can on& on&" " e ip&eente " &a to e passe " onress. No s$ch &a has een passe? (2) =he peop&es initiative is &iite to aenents to the onstit$tion, not to revision thereo'. 0i'ti 0i 'tin n o' th thee te ter r &i &iit itss co cons nstit tit$t $tes es a rev revisi ision on,, th there ere'o 'ore re it is o$ o$tsi tsie e th thee po poe err o' peop&es in initiative. =he 6$pree o$rt rante the Motions 'or +ntervention. +ss$e :@het +ss$e :@hether her or or not 6ec 6ec.. 2, !rt. !rt. 4+ 4+++ o' the the 197 197 ons onsti tit$ t$ti tion on is a se&' se&'-e8 -e8ec$ ec$tin tin provi provisio sion.( n.( 2 ) @ h e t h e r o r n o t M/ M / 0/ 0 / R e so s o & $t $ t i on o n N o . 2 3 AA A A r e a a r i i n t h e c o n n $c $ c t o ' i n it i t i at a t i ve ve on aenents to the onstit$tion is va&i, consierin the asence in the &a o' speci'ic provisions ont onth he con$ct o' s$ch initiative.( 3 ) @ h e t h e r t h e & i ' t i n o ' t e r & i i t s o ' e&ective o''icia&s o$& constit$te a revision or an aenent o' the onstit$tion. R$&in : 6ec. 2,!rt 4++ o' R$&in o' the onstit$ onstit$tion tion is not se&' se&' e8ec$t e8ec$tor" or",, th$s, th$s, itho$t itho$t ip&e ip&eentin entin &eis&ati &eis&ation on the sae cann ca nnot ot op oper erate ate.. !&t &tho ho$ $h h th thee o ons nstit tit$t $tio ion n ha hass re reco con ni* i*e e or r ran ante te th thee ri riht ht,, th thee peop&e ca cannot e8 e8ercise itit i' i' o onress o oes no not pr provie 'o 'or itits i ip&eentation. =he portion o' M/0/ Reso&$tion No. 23AA hich prescries r$&es an re$&ations on the con$ct o' initiative on aen a en en ents ts to th thee o ons nsti tit$ t$ti tion on,, is voi. voi. +t ha hass e een en an esta& esta&ish ishe e r$&e r$&e th that at h a t h a s e e n e & e a t e , c a n n o t e e & e a t e ( p o t e s t a s e & e a t a n o n e & e a r i p o t e s t ) . = h e e e&e &e at atio ion n o' th thee po poe err to to th thee M M/ /0/ 0/ ei ein n in inv va& a&i i,, th thee &atter cannot va&i&" pro$&ate r$&es an re$&ations to ip&eent the e8ercise o' the riht to peop&es initiat ini tiative ive.. =he &i'tin &i'tin o' the ter &iits &iits as he& to e tha thatt o' a revision, revision, as it o$ o$& & a''ect a''ect other provis provision ionss o' the onsti on stit$t t$tion ion s$ch as the s"n s"nchr chroni oni*ati *ation on o' e&ec e&ectio tions, ns, the con constit stit$ti $tiona ona&& $a $aran rantee tee o' e$a& access to opport$nities 'or p$&ic service, an prohiitin po&itica& "nasties. ! revision cannot e one " initiative. oever, consierin the o$rts ecision in the aove +ss$e, the iss$e o' hether or notthe petition is a revision or aenent has ecoe acaeic.
