Case Digest (G.R. No. L-67573)
Facts:
Trade Unions of the Philippines and Allied Services (TUPAS‑WFTU) and National Federation of Labor Unions (NAFLU‑KMU), for themselves and on behalf of forty‑two affiliated labor organizations, filed an original petition in prohibition and mandamus assailing the constitutionality of Article III, Sections 4–6 of Batas Pambansa Blg. 697 (the 1984 Election Law), insofar as Section 6 prescribes the mode of selection of sectoral representatives. The petition, docketed as G.R. No. 67573, was decided by the Supreme Court En Banc on June 19, 1985, with Fernando, J., writing for the Court.Petitioners alleged they represented over one million workers in the agricultural and industrial labor sectors and claimed a right to participate in nominating sectoral representatives under Section 5 of BP Blg. 697. They stated that, by letter dated May 30, 1984, they notified respondent Honorable Blas Ople, Minister of Labor and Employment, that accreditation and nomination procedures were little known among sector members and that the Ministry failed to make meaningful efforts to inform them. They further alleged respondent ignored their representations, accredited other labor organizations that submitted nominees, and refused to accredit petitioners.
Respondent Minister Ople, through Solicitor General Estelito P. Mendoza, filed a Comment explaining that Section 6 allowed nominations “in any form” (resolutions or letters to the President through the Minister), and that thirteen labor organizations had submitted nominees under that procedure. The Comment also noted that petitioners, instead of submitting nominees, had written (May 30, 1984) that they were questioning the constitutionality of Sections 4–6 and therefore were not submitting nominations. The Comment was treated as answer and the case was submitted for resolution without further proceedings.
The Court, En Banc, considered precedent and statutory text and dismissed the petition for lack of merit. Several Justices co...(Pro-only)
Issues:
- Does Article III, Section 6 of Batas Pambansa Blg. 697 effect an unlawful delegation of legislative power?
- Does Article III, Section 6 of Batas Pambansa Blg. 697 deny petitioners equal protection ...(Pro-only)
Ruling:
- (Pro-only)
Ratio:
- (Pro-only)
Doctrine:
- (Pro-only)