PIMENTEL v.

JOINT COMMITTEE OF CONGRESS

G.R. No. 163783, June 22, 2004

FACTS:

 Senator Pimentel, Jr. seeks a judgment declaring null and void the continued existence of
the Joint Committee of Congress (Joint Committee) to determine the authenticity and due
execution of the certificates of canvass and preliminarily canvass the votes cast for
Presidential and Vice-Presidential candidates in the May 10, 2004 elections following the
adjournment of Congress on June 11, 2004.

 Petitioner argued that the adjournment on June 11, 2004 by the 12 th Congress of its last
regular session, its term terminated and expired on the said day and the said 12 th Congress
serving the term 2001 to 2004 passed out of legal existence.

RELEVANT RULING:

Adjournment of regular sessions does not affect non-legislative functions of Congress

 The legislative functions of the 12th Congress may have come to a close upon the final
adjournment of its regular sessions on June 11, 2004, but this does not affect its non-
legislative functions, such as that of being the National Board of Canvassers.
 The joint public session of both Houses of Congress convened by express directive of
Section 4, Article VII of the Constitution to canvass the votes for and to proclaim the newly
elected President and Vice-President has not, and cannot, adjourn sine die until it has
accomplished its constitutionally mandated tasks.
 Since the 12th Congress has not yet completed its non-legislative duty to canvass the votes
and proclaim the duly elected President and Vice-President, its existence as the National
Board of Canvassers, as well as that of the Joint Committee to which it referred the
preliminary tasks of authenticating and canvassing the certificates of canvass, has not
become functus officio.