20) Defensor Santiago, Et. Al. vs. Guingona, Et. Al.

 

DEFENSOR SANTIAGO, et. al. vs. GUINGONA, et. al. G.R. No. 134577/ November 18, 1998  PANGANIBA  PA NGANIBAN  N 

Facts –

On July 31, 1998, Senators Mram !e"ensor Santa#o an$ %ran&s&o S. 'ata$ nsttute$ an or#nal (etton "or )uo *arranto see+n# te ouster o" Senator 'eo"sto '. Gun#ona Jr. as mnorty lea$er o" te Senate an$ te $e&laraton o" Senator 'ata$ as te r#t"ul mnorty lea$er. !urn# te $s&usson on *o soul$ &onsttute te Senate -mnorty,- Sen. Juan M. %laver  man"este$ tat te senators belon#n# to te a+asN0!0M!2 2arty a mnorty  a$ &osen Senator Gun#ona as te mnorty lea$er. No &onsensus on te matter *as arrve$ at. 'e "ollo*n# "oll o*n# sesson $ay, te $ebate on te )ueston &ontnue$, *t Senators Senators Santa#o Santa#o an$ 'ata$ 'ata$ $elvern# (rvle#e s(ee&es. On te tr$ sesson $ay, te Senate met n &au&us, but stll "ale$ to resolve te ssue. On July 3, 1998, te maorty lea$er n"orme$ te bo$y tat e *as n re&e(t o" a letter s#ne$ by te seven a+asN0!0M!2 senators statn# tat tey a$ ele&te$ Senato Sen atorr Gun#on Gun#onaa as te mnor mnorty ty lea$er lea$er.. y vrtue vrtue tereo tereo", ", te Senate Senate 2res$ 2res$ent ent "ormal "ormally ly re&o#n6e$ Senator Gun#ona as te mnorty lea$er o" te Senate. 'e "ollo*n# $ay, Senators Santa#o an$ 'ata$ "le$ be"ore ts ourt te sube&t (etton "or )uo *arranto, alle#n# n te man tat Senator Senator Gun#ona Gun#ona a$ been usur(n#, usur(n#, unla*"ully unla*"ully ol$n# ol$n# an$ eer&sn# eer&sn# te (oston (oston o" Senate mnorty lea$er, a (oston tat, a&&or$n# to tem, r#t"ully belon#e$ to Senator  'ata$. Issue –

1 eter eter or not te ourt ourt ave urs$&t urs$&ton on over te (etto (etton. n. : eter eter or not tere tere *as an a&tual a&tual volat volaton on o" te onstt onsttuton uton.. 3 as as Res(on$ent Res(on$ent Gun#ona usur(n#, usur(n#, unla*"ull unla*"ully y ol$n# an$ eer&sn# eer&sn# te (oston (oston o"  Senate mnorty lea$er; 4 !$ Res(on$e Res(on$ent nt %ernan %ernan a&t *t #rave #rave abuse abuse o" $s&ret $s&reton on n re&o#n6 re&o#n6n# n# Res(on$en Res(on$entt Gun#ona as te mnorty lea$er; Ruling –  1st issue:

Se&ton 1< =1, >rt&le ?@ o" te 2l((ne onsttutons states tat -te Senate sall ele&t ts 2res$ent an$ te Aouse o" Re(resentatves ts S(ea+er, by a maorty vote v ote o" all ts res(e&tve Members.- @n te nstant &ontroversy, te (ettoners  one o" *om s Senator Santa#o, &lam tat Se&ton 1< =1, >rt&le ?@ o" te onsttuton, as not been observe$ n te sele&ton o" te Senate mnorty lea$er. 'ey also nvo+e te ourtBs -e(an$e$- u$&al (o*er -to $etermne *eter or not tere as been a #rave abuse o" $s&reton amountn# to la&+ or e&ess o"   urs$&ton- on te (art o" res(on$ents. Mr. Just&e ?&ente ?. Men$o6a submts tat te ourt as no urs$&ton over te (etton. ellsettle$ s te $o&trne, o*ever, tat urs$&ton over 

 

te sube&t matter o" a &ase s $etermne$ by te alle#atons o" te &om(lant or (etton, re#ar$less o" *eter te (lant"" or (ettoner s enttle$ to te rele" asserte$. @n l#t o" te a"oresa$ alle#atons o" (ettoners, t s &lear tat ts ourt as urs$&ton over te (etton. @t s *ell *tn te (o*er an$ urs$&ton o" te ourt to n)ure *eter n$ee$ te Senate or ts o""&als &ommtte$ a volaton o" te onsttuton or #ravely abuse$ ter $s&reton n te eer&se o" ter "un&tons an$ (rero#atves. 2nd issue:

2e 2et tt ton oner erss an ans* s*er er te te ab abov ovee )uest )uesto on n n t tee a" a"" "rm rmat atv ve. e. 'ey 'ey &onte &onten$ n$ t tat at t tee &onsttutonal (rovson re)urn# te ele&ton o" te Senate 2res$ent- by maorty vote o" all ts members- &arres *t t a u$&al $uty to $etermne te &on&e(ts o" -maorty- an$ -mnorty,as *ell as *o may ele&t a mnorty lea$er. 'e Su(reme ourt beleve, o*ever, tat te nter(retaton (ro(ose$ by (ettoners "n$s no &lear su((ort "rom te onsttuton, te la*s, te Rules o" te Senate or even "rom (ra&t&es o" te 0((er Aouse. le te onsttuton s e(l&t on te manner o" ele&tn# a Senate 2res$ent an$ a Aouse S(ea+er, t s, o*ever, $ea$ slent on te manner o" sele&tn# te oter o""&ers n bot &ambers o" on#ress. 'ere"ore, su& meto$ must be (res&rbe$ by te Senate tsel", not by ts ourt. le no (rovson o" te onsttuton or te la*s or te rules an$ even te (ra&t&e o" te Senate *as volate$, an$ *le te u$&ary s *tout (o*er to $e&$e matters over *& "ull $s&retonary autorty as been lo$#e$ n te le#slatve $e(artment, ts ourt may stll n)ure *eter an a&t o" on#ress or ts o""&als as  been ma$e *t #rave abuse o" $s&reton. t t ts (ara$#m, *e no* eamne te t*o oter  ssues ss ues &alle &allen# n#n# n# te a&ton a&tons, s, "rst, "rst, o" Res(on$ Res(on$ent ent Gun#o Gun#ona na an$, se& se&on$, on$, o" Res(on$ Res(on$ent ent %ernan. !d Issue:

0sur(aton #enerally re"ers to unautor6e$ arbtrary assum(ton an$ eer&se o" (o*er   by one *tout &olor o" ttle or *o s not enttle$ by la* tereto. @n ts re#ar$, te ourt notes tat 2ettoner Santa#o as no stan$n# to brn# te nstant (etton "or )uo *arranto, "or se $oes not &lam to be r#t"ully enttle$ to te (oston o" Senate mnorty lea$er. @n or$er "or a )uo *arranto (ro&ee$n# to be su&&ess"ul, te (erson sun# must so* tat e or se as a &lear  r#t to te &onteste$ o""&e or to use or eer&se te "un&tons o" te o""&e alle#e$ly usur(e$ or  unla*"ully el$ by te res(on$ent. @n ts &ase, (ettoners (resent no su""&ent (roo" o" a &lear  an$ n$ubtable "ran&se to te o""&e o" te Senate mnorty lea$er. 'e s(e&"& norms or  stan$ar$s tat may be use$ n $etermnn# *o may la*"ully o&&u(y te $s(ute$ (oston as not been la$ $o*n by te onsttuton, te statutes, or te Senate tsel" n *& te (o*er as  been veste$. >bsent any &lear&ut #u$elne, n no *ay &an t be sa$ tat lle#alty or rre#ularty tante$ Res(on$ent Gun#onaBs assum(ton an$ eer&se o" te (o*ers o" te o""&e o" Senate mnorty lea$er. %urtermore, no #rave abuse o" $s&reton as been so*n to &ara&ter6e any o"  s s(e&"& a&ts as mnorty lea$er.

"t# Issue:

 

-y #rave abuse o" $s&reton s meant su& &a(r&ous or *ms&al eer&se o" u$#ment as s e)uvalent to la&+ o" urs$&ton. 'e abuse o" $s&reton must be (atent an$ #ross as to amount to an evason o" (ostve $uty or a vrtual re"usal to (er"orm a $uty enone$ by la*, or to a&t at all n &ontem(laton o" la* as *ere te (o*er s eer&se$ n an arbtrary an$ $es(ot& manner by reason o" (asson an$ ostlty.- y te above stan$ar$, *e ol$ tat Res(on$ent %ernan $$ not #ravely abuse s $s&reton as Senate 2res$ent n re&o#n6n# Res(on$ent Gun#ona as te mnorty lea$er. et us re&all tat te latter belon#s to one o" te mnorty  (artes n te Senate, te a+asN0!0M!2. a+asN0!0M!2. y unanmous resoluton o" o " te members o" ts  (arty tat e be te mnorty lea$er, e *as re&o#n6e$ as su& by te Senate 2res$ent. Su& "ormal re&o#nton by Res(on$ent %ernan &ame only a"ter at least t*o Senate sessons an$ a &au&us, *eren bot s$es *ere lberally allo*e$ to art&ulate ter stan$(onts. 0n$er tese &r&um &r&umsta stan&es n&es,, *e belev belevee tat tat te Senate Senate 2res$ 2res$ent ent &annot &annot be a&&use a&&use$ $ o" -&a(r -&a(r&o &ous us or  *ms&al eer&se o" u$#ment- or o" -an arbtrary an$ $es(ot& manner by reason o" (asson or  ostlty.- ere no (rovson o" te onsttuton, te la*s or even te rules o" te Senate as  been &learly so*n to ave been volate$, $sre#ar$e$ or overloo+e$, #rave abuse o" $s&reton &annot be m(ute$ to Senate o""&als "or a&ts $one *tn ter &om(eten&e an$ autorty. 'e (etton *as !@SM@SSC!.