9) SUBIC BAY METROPOLITAN AUTHORITY, petitioner, vs. COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS, ENRIQUE T. ARCIA !n" CATALINO A. CALIMBAS,respon"ents. R.A. No.

#$$# %re!te" petitioner SBMA to i&p'e&ent t(e "e%'!re" n!tion!' po'i%) o* %onvertin+ t(e S,-i% &i'it!r) reserv!tion into !'tern!tive pro",%tive ,ses. In Apri' .99/, t(e S!n++,ni!n+ B!)!n o* Moron+, B!t!!n p!sse" P!&-!)!n+ 0!p!s)!(!n Bi'!n+ .1, Ser)e .99/, e2pressin+ t(erein its !-so',te %on%,rren%e, !s re3,ire" -) s!i" Se%. .$ o* R.A. No. #$$#, to 4oin t(e S,-i% Spe%i!' E%ono&i% 5one. Respon"ents t(en *i'e" ! petition 6it( t(e S!n++,ni!n+ B!)!n o* Moron+ to !nn,' P!&-!)!n+ 0!p!s)!(!n B'+. .1, Ser)e .99/ !n" t(!t it s(o,'" *irst %o&p') to t(e %on"itions set in t(eir petition. T(e S!n++,ni!n+ B!)!n o* Moron+ !%te" ,pon t(e petition o* respon"ents -) pro&,'+!tin+ P!&-!)!n+ 0!p!s)!(!n B'+. .7, Ser)e .99/, re3,estin+ Con+ress o* t(e P(i'ippines to !&en" %ert!in provisions o* R.A. No. #$$#. Not s!tis*ie",respon"ents resorte" to t(eir po6er o* initi!tive ,n"er t(e Lo%!' overn&ent Co"e o* .99.. Respon"ent COMELEC "enie" s!i" petition *or 'o%!' initi!tive on t(e +ro,n" t(!t t(e s,-4e%t t(ereo* 6!s &ere') ! reso',tion 8p!&-!)!n+ 9!p!s)!(!n) !n" not !n or"in!n%e. Ho6ever, on :,ne $#, .99;, Co&e'e% pro&,'+!te" t(e !ss!i'e" Reso',tion No. $7<7 provi"in+ *or =t(e r,'es !n" +,i"e'ines to +overn t(e %on",%t o* t(e re*eren",& proposin+ to !nn,' or repe!' 0!p!s)!(!n B'+. .1, Ser)e .99/ o* t(e S!n++,ni!n+ B!)!n o* Moron+, B!t!!n.= ISSUES> .) ?(et(er respon"ent Co&e'e% %o&&it +r!ve !-,se o* "is%retion in pro&,'+!tin+ !n" i&p'e&entin+ Reso',tion No. $7<7 $) ?(et(er P!&-!)!n+ 0!p!s)!(!n B'+. .1, Ser)e .99/, is ,'tr! vires or -e)on" t(e po6ers o* t(e S!n++,ni!n+ B!)!n to en!%t HEL@> .) Yes. To -e+in 6it(, t(e pro%ess st!rte" -) priv!te respon"ents 6!s !n INITIATIAE -,t respon"ent Co&e'e% &!"e prep!r!tions *or ! REBEREN@UM on'). ?(i'e initi!tive is entire') t(e 6or9 o* t(e e'e%tor!te, re*eren",& is -e+,n !n" %onsente" to -) t(e '!6C&!9in+ -o"). Initi!tive is ! pro%ess o* '!6C&!9in+ -) t(e peop'e t(e&se'ves 6it(o,t t(e p!rti%ip!tion !n" !+!inst t(e 6is(es o* t(eir e'e%te" represent!tives, 6(i'e re*eren",& %onsists &ere') o* t(e e'e%tor!te !pprovin+ or re4e%tin+ 6(!t (!s -een "r!6n ,p or en!%te" -) ! 'e+is'!tive -o"). Hen%e, t(e pro%ess !n" t(e votin+ in !n initi!tive !re ,n"erst!n"!-') &ore %o&p'e2 t(!n in ! re*eren",& 6(ere e2pe%te"') t(e voters 6i'' si&p') 6rite eit(er =Yes= or =No= in t(e -!''ot. Bro& t(e !-ove "i**erenti!tion, it *o''o6s t(!t t(ere is nee" *or t(e Co&e'e% to s,pervise !n initi!tive &ore %'ose'), its !,t(orit) t(ereon e2ten"in+ not on') to t(e %o,ntin+ !n" %!nv!ssin+ o* votes -,t !'so to seein+ to it t(!t t(e &!tter or !%t s,-&itte" to t(e peop'e is in t(e proper *or& !n" '!n+,!+e so it &!) -e e!si') ,n"erstoo" !n" vote" -) t(e e'e%tor!te. $) No. T(e 'o%!' initi!tive is NOT ,'tr! vires -e%!,se t(e &,ni%ip!' reso',tion issti'' in t(e propos!' st!+e !n" not )et !n !pprove" '!6. T(e &,ni%ip!' reso',tion is sti'' in t(e propos!' st!+e. It is not )et !n !pprove" '!6. S(o,'" t(e peop'e re4e%t it, t(en t(ere 6o,'" -e not(in+ to %ontest !n" to !"4,"i%!te. It is on') 6(en t(e peop'e (!ve vote" *or it !n" it (!s -e%o&e !n !pprove" or"in!n%e or reso',tion t(!t ri+(ts !n" o-'i+!tions %!n -e en*or%e"

or i&p'e&ente" t(ere,n"er. At t(is point, it is &ere') ! propos!' !n" t(e 6rit o* pro(i-ition %!nnot iss,e ,pon ! &ere %on4e%t,re or possi-i'it). Constit,tion!'') spe!9in+, %o,rts &!) "e%i"e on') !%t,!' %ontroversies, not ()pot(eti%!' 3,estions or %!ses. In t(e present %!se, it is 3,ite %'e!r t(!t t(e Co,rt (!s !,t(orit) to revie6 Co&e'e% Reso',tion No. $7<7 to "eter&ine t(e %o&&ission o* +r!ve !-,se o* "is%retion. Ho6ever, it "oes not (!ve t(e s!&e !,t(orit) in re+!r" to t(e propose" initi!tive sin%e it (!s not -een pro&,'+!te" or !pprove", or p!sse" ,pon -) !n) =-r!n%( or instr,&ent!'it)= or 'o6er %o,rt, *or t(!t &!tter. T(e Co&&ission on E'e%tions itse'* (!s &!"e no revie6!-'e prono,n%e&ents !-o,t t(e iss,es -ro,+(t -) t(e p'e!"in+s. T(e Co&e'e% si&p') in%',"e" ver-!ti& t(e propos!' in its 3,estione" Reso',tion No. $7<7. Hen%e, t(ere is re!'') no "e%ision or !%tion &!"e -) ! -r!n%(, instr,&ent!'it) or %o,rt 6(i%( t(is Co,rt %o,'" t!9e %o+niD!n%e o* !n" !%3,ire 4,ris"i%tion over, in t(e e2er%ise o* its revie6 po6ers.