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Sunday,November20,2011
Atty.EvilloC.Pormentov.JosephEjercito"Erap"Estradaand
Comelec,G.R.No.191988,August31,2010
RESOLUTION
CORONA,C.J.:
I.THEFACTS
Private respondent Joseph Erap Ejercito Estrada was elected President of the
Republic of the Philippines in the general elections held on May 11, 1998. He was
however ousted [resigned according to the decision of the Supreme Court in Estrada
vs.Arroyo,G.R.No.146738,March2,2001]fromofficeandwasnotabletofinishhis
term. He sought the presidency again in the general elections held on May 10, 2010.
Petitioner Atty. Evillo C. Pormento opposed Eraps candidacy and filed a petition for the
latters disqualification, which was however denied by the COMELEC 2
nd
Division.

His
motionforreconsiderationwassubsequentlydeniedbytheCOMELECenbanc.
Petitioner filed the instant petition for certiorari

onMay 7, 2010. However, under

theRulesofCourt,thefilingofsuchpetitionwouldnotstaytheexecutionofthejudgment,
final order or resolution of the COMELEC that is sought to be reviewed.

Besides,
petitioner did not even pray for the issuance of a temporary restraining order or writ of
preliminary injunction. Hence, private respondent was able to participate as a candidate
forthepositionofPresidentintheMay10,2010electionswherehegarneredthesecond
highestnumberofvotes.
II.THEISSUE
WhatistheproperinterpretationofthefollowingprovisionofSection4,ArticleVII
oftheConstitution:[t]hePresidentshallnotbeeligibleforanyreelection?
III.THERULING
[The petition was DENIED DUE COURSE and thereby DISMISSED by the
SupremeCourt.]
PrivaterespondentwasnotelectedPresidentthesecondtimeheran[intheMay
2010 elections]. Since the issue on the proper interpretation of the phrase any
reelectionwillbepremisedonapersonssecond(whetherimmediateornot)electionas
President, there is no case or controversy to be resolved in this case. No live conflict of
legal rights exists. There is in this case no definite, concrete, real or substantial
controversy that touches on the legal relations of parties having adverse legal interests.
No specific relief may conclusively be decreed upon by this Court in this case that will
benefitanyofthepartiesherein.Assuch,oneoftheessentialrequisitesfortheexercise
of the power of judicial review, the existence of an actual case or controversy, is sorely
lackinginthiscase.
Asarule,thisCourtmayonlyadjudicateactual,ongoingcontroversies.TheCourt
is not empowered to decide moot questions or abstract propositions, or to declare
principlesorrulesoflawwhichcannotaffecttheresultastothethinginissueinthecase
beforeit.Inotherwords,whenacaseismoot,itbecomesnonjusticiable.
Anactionisconsideredmootwhenitnolongerpresentsajusticiablecontroversy
because the issues involved have become academic or dead or when the matter in
dispute has already been resolved and hence, one is not entitled to judicial intervention
unlesstheissueislikelytoberaisedagainbetweentheparties.Thereisnothingforthe
courttoresolveasthedeterminationthereofhasbeenovertakenbysubsequentevents.
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PostedbyAtty.Edat6:40AM
Labels:actualcaseorcontroversy,ineligibilityofthePresidenttorunforreelection,mootandacademic
cases,pormentov.estrada,requisitesofjudicialreview
Location:CebuCity,Philippines
Assuming an actual case or controversy existed prior to the proclamation of a
PresidentwhohasbeendulyelectedintheMay10,2010elections,thesameisnolonger
true today. Following the results of that elections, private respondent was not elected
President for the second time. Thus, any discussion of his reelection will simply be
hypotheticalandspeculative.Itwillservenousefulorpracticalpurpose.
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