Republic of the Philippines SUPREME COURT Manila ... - Columba.us
Republic of the Philippines SUPREME COURT Manila ... - Columba.us
Republic of the Philippines SUPREME COURT Manila ... - Columba.us
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Judicial Review<br />
As reflected above, petitioners plead for this Court to exercise <strong>the</strong> power <strong>of</strong> judicial review to<br />
determine <strong>the</strong> validity <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> second impeachment complaint.<br />
This Court's power <strong>of</strong> judicial review is conferred on <strong>the</strong> judicial branch <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> government in<br />
Section 1, Article VIII <strong>of</strong> our present 1987 Constitution:<br />
SECTION 1. The judicial power shall be vested in one Supreme Court and in such lower<br />
courts as may be established by law.<br />
Judicial power includes <strong>the</strong> duty <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> courts <strong>of</strong> j<strong>us</strong>tice to settle actual controversies<br />
involving rights which are legally demandable and enforceable, and to determine<br />
whe<strong>the</strong>r or not <strong>the</strong>re has been a grave ab<strong>us</strong>e <strong>of</strong> discretion amounting to lack or<br />
excess <strong>of</strong> jurisdiction on <strong>the</strong> part <strong>of</strong> any branch or instrumentality <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
government. (Emphasis supplied)<br />
Such power <strong>of</strong> judicial review was early on exha<strong>us</strong>tively expounded upon by J<strong>us</strong>tice Jose P.<br />
Laurel in <strong>the</strong> definitive 1936 case <strong>of</strong> Angara v. Electoral Commission 23 after <strong>the</strong> effectivity <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
1935 Constitution whose provisions, unlike <strong>the</strong> present Constitution, did not contain <strong>the</strong> present<br />
provision in Article VIII, Section 1, par. 2 on what judicial power includes. Th<strong>us</strong>, J<strong>us</strong>tice Laurel<br />
discoursed:<br />
x x x In times <strong>of</strong> social disquietude or political excitement, <strong>the</strong> great landmarks <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
Constitution are apt to be forgotten or marred, if not entirely obliterated. In cases <strong>of</strong><br />
conflict, <strong>the</strong> judicial department is <strong>the</strong> only constitutional organ which can be called<br />
upon to determine <strong>the</strong> proper allocation <strong>of</strong> powers between <strong>the</strong> several departments<br />
and among <strong>the</strong> integral or constituent units <strong>the</strong>re<strong>of</strong>.<br />
As any human production, our Constitution is <strong>of</strong> course lacking perfection and<br />
perfectibility, but as much as it was within <strong>the</strong> power <strong>of</strong> our people, acting through <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
delegates to so provide, that instrument which is <strong>the</strong> expression <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir sovereignty<br />
however limited, has established a republican government intended to operate and<br />
function as a harmonio<strong>us</strong> whole, under a system <strong>of</strong> checks and balances, and subject to<br />
specific limitations and restrictions provided in <strong>the</strong> said instrument. The Constitution<br />
sets forth in no uncertain language <strong>the</strong> restrictions and limitations upon<br />
governmental powers and agencies. If <strong>the</strong>se restrictions and limitations are<br />
transcended it would be inconceivable if <strong>the</strong> Constitution had not provided for a<br />
mechanism by which to direct <strong>the</strong> course <strong>of</strong> government along constitutional<br />
channels, for <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong> distribution <strong>of</strong> powers would be mere verbiage, <strong>the</strong> bill <strong>of</strong> rights<br />
mere expressions <strong>of</strong> sentiment, and <strong>the</strong> principles <strong>of</strong> good government mere political<br />
apo<strong>the</strong>gms. Certainly, <strong>the</strong> limitations and restrictions embodied in our Constitution are<br />
real as <strong>the</strong>y should be in any living constitution. In <strong>the</strong> United States where no express<br />
constitutional grant is found in <strong>the</strong>ir constitution, <strong>the</strong> possession <strong>of</strong> this moderating<br />
power <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> courts, not to speak <strong>of</strong> its historical origin and development <strong>the</strong>re, has been<br />
set at rest by popular acquiescence for a period <strong>of</strong> more than one and a half centuries. In