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Senate Electoral Tribunal

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Senate Electoral Tribunal
JurisdictionPhilippines
LocationSugar Center Building, Quezon City
Composition methodDesignation of the Chief Justice (3 members)
Nomination by the Senate (6 members)
Authorized byConstitution of the Philippines
Appeals toSupreme Court of the Philippines
Number of positions9
WebsiteOfficial website
Chairperson
CurrentlyMarvic Leonen

The Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET) is an electoral tribunal that decides election protests in the Senate of the Philippines. It consists of 6 senators nominated by the Senate, and 3 justices of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, who are designated by the Chief Justice. The equivalent tribunals for elections to the lower house is the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal and to president and vice presidents is Presidential Electoral Tribunal.

The SET is located at SET-HRET Building, Commission on Audit Compound, Quezon City.

Members of the Tribunal receive a monthly allowance of 100,000 Philippine pesos on top of their regular salary.[1]

History

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In the 1935 constitution, there were nine members, with three designated by the Chief Justice, three by the largest party in the Senate, and another three from second-largest party. In Tañada and Macapagal v. Cuenco, et. al., the Supreme Court ruled that the Senate may not elect members who have not been nominated by the parties specified in the constitution. This was after the Nacionalista Party moved to include 2 more of its members in 1956 after Lorenzo Tañada, the sole senator not a member of the Nacionalista Party, nominated only himself.

In the 1987 constitution, there were still nine members, but the six senators were now based via proportional representation from the political parties therein.

Membership

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The chairperson of the SET is always the most senior justice of the Supreme Court that's sitting in the tribunal.

The three members from the Supreme Court are designated by the chief justice. While there's no regular occurrence on when a chief justice designates members, this is almost certainly done when there is a new justice of the Supreme Court.

The six members from the Senate are named in a resolution of the Senate. This always happens at the organization of the chamber at the start of every new Congress.

These are the members in the 19th Congress, which first convened on July 25, 2022.

19th Congress (July 25, 2022–June 30, 2025)
Members Party Membership
Marvic Leonen Nonpartisan Supreme Court associate justice (Chairperson)
Ramon Paul Hernando Nonpartisan Supreme Court associate justice
Henri Jean Paul Inting Nonpartisan Supreme Court associate justice
Robin Padilla PDP–Laban Senator from the majority bloc
Raffy Tulfo Independent Senator from the majority bloc
Joel Villanueva Independent Senator from the majority bloc
Lito Lapid NPC Senator from the majority bloc
Bong Revilla Lakas Senator from the majority bloc
Pia Cayetano Nacionalista Senator from the independent bloc

Former senator members

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Congress (July 1, 1987 – June 30, 2019)
Member Political party Term of Senators
Joel Villanueva CIBAC July 1, 2017 – June 30, 2019
Grace Poe Independent August 10, 2016 – June 30, 2019
Antonio Trillanes Nacionalista August 10, 2016 – June 30, 2019
Cynthia Villar Nacionalista August 10, 2016 – June 30, 2017
Loren Legarda NPC July 1, 1998 – June 30, 2001; July 1, 2014 – August 10, 2016
Bam Aquino Liberal July 1, 2013 – August 10, 2016
Tito Sotto NPC July 1, 2001 – June 30, 2004; July 1, 2013 – August 10, 2016
Pia Cayetano Nacionalista July 1, 2007 – June 30, 2016
Sonny Angara LDP July 1, 2013 – June 30, 2014
Francis Pangilinan Liberal July 1, 2001 – June 30, 2004; July 1, 2010 – June 30, 2013
Bong Revilla Lakas July 1, 2004 – June 30, 2007; July 1, 2010 – June 30, 2013
Gregorio Honasan UNA July 1, 2010 – June 30, 2013
Lito Lapid Lakas July 1, 2010 – June 30, 2013
Edgardo Angara LDP July 1, 2007 – June 30, 2010
Francis Escudero Independent July 1, 2007 – June 30, 2010
Benigno Aquino III Liberal July 1, 2007 – June 30, 2010
Panfilo Lacson Independent July 1, 2007 – June 30, 2010
Manuel Villar Nacionalista July 1, 2004 – June 30, 2007
Loi Ejercito PMP October 16, 2005 – June 30, 2007
Jinggoy Estrada PMP July 1, 2004 – October 15, 2005
Ramon Magsaysay, Jr. Liberal July 1, 2004 – June 30, 2007
Aquilino Pimentel, Jr. PDP–Laban July 1, 2001 – June 30, 2007
Juan Flavier Lakas July 1, 2001 – June 30, 2007
Rodolfo Biazon Liberal July 1, 2001 – June 30, 2004
Ramon Revilla, Lakas July 1, 1998 – June 30, 2001
John Henry Osmeña NPC July 1, 1998 – June 30, 2001
Robert Jaworski Lakas July 1, 1998 – June 30, 2001
Raul Roco Aksyon July 1, 1995 – June 30, 1998
Blas Ople LAMMP July 1, 1995 – June 30, 1998
Alberto Romulo LDP July 1, 1995 – June 30, 1998
Miriam Defensor Santiago PRP July 1, 1995 – June 30, 1998
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Lakas July 1, 1995 – June 30, 1998
Francisco Tatad PRP July 1, 1992 – June 30, 1995
Nikki Coseteng LDP July 1, 1992 – June 30, 1995
Leticia Ramos-Shahani Lakas July 1, 1992 – June 30, 1995
Freddie Webb LDP July 1, 1992 – June 30, 1995
Juan Ponce Enrile PMP July 1, 1988 – June 30, 1992
Teofisto Guingona Liberal July 1, 1987 – June 30, 1995
Neptali A. Gonzales LDP July 1, 1987 – June 30, 1992
Jose D. Lina, Jr. LDP July 1, 1987 – June 30, 1992
Joseph Estrada PMP July 1, 1987 – June 30, 1988
Mamintal A.J. Tamano Nacionalista July 1, 1987 – June 30, 1992
Victor San Andres Ziga Liberal July 1, 1987 – June 30, 1992

Cases

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Most cases, such as the Pimentel v. Zubiri case, are election protests, and most are usually resolved when the protestant (the losing candidate) runs on another election; at this point, the tribunal will rule that they have abandoned the case.

A few, such as the David v. Poe case, are quo warranto petitions, or questioning if the winner is actually qualified to be a senator.

Successful cases:

  • Romero v. Sanidad (1946)
  • Rodriguez v. Tan (1947)
  • Recto v. de Vera (1949)
  • Pimentel v. Zubiri (2007)
    • Tribunal granted the petition in 2011, declaring Koko Pimentel as duly-elected senator.

Failed cases (since 2000):

  • Enrile vs. Recto et. al. (2001)
    • Enrile withdrew the protest in 2002.
  • Osmeña vs. Biazon, et. al. (2004)
    • Osmeña withdrew the protest in 2006.
  • David v. Poe (2015)
    • Dismissed the petition in 2015; the Supreme Court then upheld the decision of the SET in 2016
  • Tolentino v. de Lima (2016)
    • Tolentino withdrew the protest in 2018.
  • Mansilungan v. Pimentel and Adan v. Pimentel (2019)
    • Dismissed due to lack of merit in 2020.

Seat

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The tribunal was formerly found in the SET-HRET Building, Commission on Audit Compound in Quezon City. However, that building was condemned, and the SET was transferred to the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay.[2] It has then transferred to the Sugar Center Building that houses the Sugar Regulatory Administration in Quezon City.

References

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  1. ^ Diaz, Jess (August 8, 2014). "Reduction in Senate electoral tribunal's funding sought". The Philippine Star. Retrieved October 12, 2015.
  2. ^ "45 and beyond: How PICC continues to be the premier MICE venue for decades". BusinessWorld Online. 2021-09-05. Retrieved 2022-02-09.
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