31 True False 399330

September 29, 2015.G.R. No. 205505.*

ATTY. ISIDRO Q. LICO, RAFAEL A. PUENTESPINA, PROCULO T. SARMEN,

AMELITO L. REVUELTA, WILLIAM C. YBANEZ, SILVERIO J. SANCHEZ,
GLORIA G. FUTALAN, HILARIO DE GUZMAN, EUGENE M. PABUALAN,
RODOLFO E. PEREZ, HIPOLITO R. QUILLAN, MARIO ARENAS, TIRSO C.
BUENAVENTURA, LYDIA B. TUBELLA, REYNALDO C. GOLO & JONATHAN
DEQUINA, in their individual capacities, and as legitimate members and officers of
ADHIKAING TINATAGUYOD NG KOOPERATIBA (ATING KOOP PARTY LIST),
petitioners, vs. THE COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS EN BANC and the self-styled
sham ATING KOOP PARTYLIST represented by AMPARO T. RIMAS, respondent.

Constitutional Law; House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal; Jurisdiction;

Section 17, Article VI of the 1987 Constitution endows the House of Representatives
Electoral Tribunal (HRET) with jurisdiction to resolve questions on the
qualifications of members of Congress.Section 17, Article VI of the 1987
Constitution endows the HRET with jurisdiction to resolve questions on the
qualifications of members of Congress. In the case of party-list representatives, the
HRET acquires jurisdiction over a disqualification case upon proclamation of the
winning party-list group, oath of the nominee, and assumption of office as member
of the House of Representatives. In this case, the COMELEC proclaimed Ating Koop
as a winning party-list group; petitioner Lico took his oath; and he assumed office in
the House of Representatives. Thus, it is the HRET, and not the COMELEC, that
has jurisdiction over the disqualification case.
Same; Party-List System; A party-list nominee must have been, among others, a
bona fide member of the party or organization for at least ninety (90) days preceding
the day of the election.In the present case, the Petition for petitioner Licos
expulsion from the House of Representatives is anchored on his expulsion from
Ating Koop,

_______________

* EN BANC.

597
 VOL. 771, SEPTEMBER 29, 2015 597
Lico vs. Commission on Elections En Banc
which necessarily affects his title as member of Congress. A party-list nominee
must have been, among others, a bona fide member of the party or organization for
at least ninety (90) days preceding the day of the election. Needless to say, bona fide
membership in the party-list group is a continuing qualification. We have ruled
that qualifications for public office, whether elective or not, are continuing
requirements. They must be possessed not only at the time of appointment or
election, or of assumption of office, but during the officers entire tenure.
Same; Same; An amendment to the bylaws of a party-list organization should
become effective only upon approval by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC).
A party-list organization owes its existence to the State and the latters approval
must be obtained through its agent, the COMELEC. In the 2013 case of Dayao v.
COMELEC, 689 SCRA 412, We declared that it is the State, acting through the
COMELEC, that breathes life to a party-list organization. The implication,
therefore, is that the State, through the COMELEC, is a party to the principal
contracts entered into by the party-list organization and its members the
Constitution and Bylaws such that any amendment to these contracts would
constitute a novation requiring the consent of all the parties involved. An
amendment to the bylaws of a party-list organization should become effective only
upon approval by the COMELEC.
Remedial Law; Evidence; Equiponderance of Evidence; When the evidence in an
issue of fact is in equipoise, that is, when the respective sets of evidence of both
parties are evenly balanced, the party having the burden of proof fails in that issue.
Accordingly, as neither group can sufficiently lay claim to legitimacy, the equipoise
doctrine comes into play. This rule provides that when the evidence in an issue of
fact is in equipoise, that is, when the respective sets of evidence of both parties are
evenly balanced, the party having the burden of proof fails in that issue. Since
neither party succeeds in making out a case, neither side prevails. The courts are
left with no other option but to leave them as they are. The consequence, therefore,
is the dismissal of the complaint/petition.

SPECIAL CIVIL ACTION in the Supreme Court. Certiorari.

The facts are stated in the opinion of the Court.

598
598 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED
Lico vs. Commission on Elections En Banc
Ma. Rosario L. Payumo, Eric C. Opriasa and Nadine Faye C. Miralles for
petitioners.
Francisco B. Sibayan and Yasser B. Lumbos for private respondent.

SERENO,CJ.:

The pivotal and interrelated issues before Us in this case involve the seemingly
elementary matter of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) jurisdiction over
the expulsion of a sitting party-list representative: from the House of
Representatives, on the one hand; and from his party-list organization, on the other.
The instant case involves two rival factions of the same party-list organization,
the Adhikaing Tinataguyod ng Kooperatiba (Ating Koop). One group is headed by
petitioner Atty. Isidro Q. Lico (the Lico Group), who represents the organization in
the House of Representatives, and the other group by Amparo T. Rimas
(respondents herein, or the Rimas Group).

The Case

Before Us is a Petition for Certiorari under Rule 641 in relation to Rule 65,2
seeking to annul the Resolutions in E.M. No. 12-039 dated 18 July 2012 and 31
January 2013 of the COMELEC.
_______________

1 Rule 64 of the Rules of Court deals with review of judgments and final orders
or resolutions of the Commission on Elections and the Commission on Audit.
2 Rule 65 of the Rules of Court relates to the special civil actions of certiorari,
prohibition and mandamus.

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The Antecedent Facts
 Ating Koop is a multi-sectoral party-list organization which was registered on 16
November 2009 under Republic Act (R.A.) No. 7941, also known as the Party-List
System Act (Party-List Law).
Under Ating Koops Constitution and By-Laws, its highest policy-making body is
the National Convention. The Central Committee, however, takes over when the
National Convention is not in session.3
On 30 November 2009, Ating Koop filed its Manifestation of Intent to Participate
in the Party-List System of Representation for the 10 May 2010 Elections. 4 On 6
March 2010, it filed with the COMELEC the list of its nominees, with petitioner
Lico as first nominee and Roberto Mascaria as second nominee.
_______________

3 Article V, Section 2 of the Constitution of Ating Koop and Section I, Article V of

its Amended Constitution. Rollo, pp. 384 and 1621. For the years 2010-2013, the
Central Committee and officers of Ating Koop consisted of the following:
Fr.1. Mario DJ Arenas as President;
Atty.2. Proculo Sarmen as Executive Vice President;
Mr.3. Eduardo C. Bato as Vice President for Luzon;
Dra.4. Sylvia Flores as Vice President for Visayas;
Mr.5. Isagani Daba as Vice President for Mindanao;
Ms.6. Erlinda Duque as Treasurer;
Mr.7. Reynaldo C. Golo as Auditor;
Mr.8. Roberto C. Mascaria as Executive Director;
Fr.9. Anton CT. Pascual as Independent Director;
Mr.10. Aurelio Jose as Head, Political Affairs Committee;
Ms.11. Cristina R. Salvosa as Head, Rules Committee;
Ms.12. Emma Dela Cerna as Head, Platform and Program;
Mr.13. Rito Fabella as Head, Finance Committee;
Ms.14. Amparo Rimas as Head, Membership;
Atty.15. James dela Vega as Secretary General. Id., at pp. 193-194.
4 Id., at p. 1511.

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Lico vs. Commission on Elections En Banc
 On 8 December 2010, COMELEC proclaimed Ating Koop as one of the winning
party-list groups.5 Based on the procedure provided in BANAT Party-List v.
COMELEC,6 Ating Koop earned a seat in the House of Representatives. Petitioner
Lico subsequently took his oath of office on 9 December 2010 before the Secretary-
General of the House of Representatives,7 and thereafter assumed office.
Several months prior to its proclamation as one of the winning party-list
organizations, or on 9 June 2010, Ating Koop issued Central Committee Resolution
2010-01, which incorporated a term-sharing agreement signed by its nominees. 8
Under the agreement, petitioner Lico was to serve as Party-list Representative for
the first year of the three-year term.9
On 14 May 2011, Ating Koop held its Second National Convention, during which
it introduced amendments to its Constitution and Bylaws. Among the salient
changes was the composition of the Central Committee, 10 which would still be
composed of 15 representatives but with five each coming from Luzon, Visayas and
Mindanao (5-5-5 equal representation).11 The amendments likewise mandated the
holding of an election of Central Committee members within six months after the
Second National Convention.12
In effect, the amendments cut short the three-year term of the incumbent
members (referred to hereafter as the Interim Central Committee) of the Central
Committee.13 The Interim Central Committee was dominated by members of the
Rimas Group.
_______________

5 Id., at p. 299.
6 G.R. No. 177508, 7 August 2009, 595 SCRA 477.
7 Rollo, p. 300.
8 Id., at pp. 1578-1585.
9 Id., at pp. 1578-1583.
10 Id., at pp. 384 and 1621.
11 Id., at pp. 384 and 1621-1622.
12 Id., at p. 1632.
13 Id., at p. 1622.

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 Lico vs. Commission on Elections En Banc
On 5 December 2011, or almost one year after petitioner Lico had assumed office,
the Interim Central Committee expelled him from Ating Koop for disloyalty. 14 Apart
from allegations of malversation and graft and corruption, the Committee cited
petitioner Licos refusal to honor the term-sharing agreement as factual basis for
disloyalty and as cause for his expulsion under Ating Koops Amended Constitution
and Bylaws.15
On 8 December 2011, Congressman Lico filed a Motion for Reconsideration with
the Interim Central Committee,16 which subsequently denied the same in a
Resolution dated 29 December 2011.17
14 Id., at p. 689.
15 Id., at p. 1454; Comment, p. 7.
16 Id., at p. 689.
17 Id., at pp. 117-120.

While petitioner Licos Motion for Reconsideration was pending, the Lico Group
held a special meeting in Cebu City (the Cebu meeting) on 19 December 2011. At
the said meeting, new members of the Central Committee, as well as a new set of
officers, were elected.18 The election was purportedly held for the purpose of
implementing the 5-5-5 equal representation amendment made during the Second
National Convention.19
_______________

18 Id., at pp. 1549-1558.

19 Id., at p. 1556; the following were the new members of the Central
Committee:
Amelito1. L. Revuelta Luzon
Tirso2. C. Buenaventura Luzon
Rafael3. A. Puentespina Visayas
William4. C. Ybanez Visayas
Rodolfo5. E. Perez Visayas
Hipolito R. Quillan Visayas6.
Jonathan B. Dequina Visayas7.
Lydia8. B. Tubella Mindanao
Atty.9. Proculo T. Sarmen Mindanao
Silverio J. Sanchez Mindanao10.
 602

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Lico vs. Commission on Elections En Banc

On 21 January 2012, the Rimas Group held a Special National Convention in

Paraaque City20 (the Paraaque convention), at which a new Central Committee
and a new set of officers were constituted.21 Members of the Rimas Group won the
election and occupied all the corresponding seats.

Proceedings Before the COMELEC

Second Division

On 16 March 2012, the Rimas Group, claiming to represent Ating Koop, filed
with COMELEC a Petition against petitioner Lico docketed as E.M. No. 12-039. 22
The said Petition, which was subsequently raffled to the Second Division, prayed
that petitioner Lico be ordered to vacate the office of Ating Koop in the House of
Representatives, and for the succession of the second nominee, Roberto Mascaria
as Ating Koops representative in the House.
The Rimas Group thereafter filed an Amended Petition with the COMELEC on
14 May 2012, this time impleading not only petitioner Lico but the entire Lico
Group. The Amended Petition also prayed that the COMELEC nullify the election
conducted at the Cebu meeting and recognize the Paraaque convention.
In both the Petition and the Amended Petition, the Rimas Group alleged that
Ating Koop had expelled Congressman Lico for acts inimical to the party-list group,
such as malversation, graft and corruption, and that he had boldly displayed his
recalcitrance to honor party commitment to be upright and consistently honest, thus
violating basic principles of the Ating Koop.23 The Amended Petition stated further
_______________

Reynold S. Alejo Mindanao11.

Francis C. Loque Mindanao12.
20 Id., at p. 155.
21 Id., at p. 237.
22 Id., at p. 78.
 23 Id., at p. 150.

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Lico vs. Commission on Elections En Banc
that the Cebu meeting held by the Lico Group violated notice and quorum
requirements.24
In a Resolution dated 18 July 2012, 25 the COMELEC Second Division upheld the
expulsion of petitioner Lico from Ating Koop and declared Mascaria as the duly
qualified nominee of the party-list group. 26 The Second Division characterized the
issue of the validity of the expulsion of petitioner Lico from Ating Koop as an intra-
party leadership dispute, which it could resolve as an incident of its power to
register political parties.27

Proceedings Before the COMELEC

En Banc

Consequently, the Lico Group filed a Motion for Reconsideration from the Second
Divisions Resolution, which the COMELEC En Banc denied on 31 January 2013.
The dispositive portion of its Resolution reads:
WHEREFORE, premises considered, the Commission (En Banc) RESOLVES,
as it hereby RESOLVED, to:
a.DISMISS the instant Petition to Expel Respondent Atty. Isidro Q. Lico in the
House of Representatives and to Sanction the Immediate Succession of the Second
Nominee of ATING KOOP Party List, Mr. Roberto C. Mascaria as its Party
Representative, for lack of jurisdiction;
b.UPHOLD the Expulsion of Respondent Atty. Isidro Lico from ATING KOOP
Party-list Group; [and]
c.UPHOLD the ATING KOOP Party-list Group represented by its President,
Amparo T. Rimas, as the legiti-

_______________

24 Id., at p. 154.
 25 Id., at pp. 687-696.
26 Id., at p. 696.
27 Id., at p. 692.

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Lico vs. Commission on Elections En Banc
mate Party-list Group accredited by the Commission on Elections, to the exclusion
of respondents Atty. Isidro Q. Lico, Rafael A. Puentespina, Proculo T. Sarmen,
Amelito L. Revuelta, William C. Ybanez, Silverio J. Sanchez, Gloria G. Futalan,
Hilario De Guzman, Eugene M. Pabualan, Rodolfo E. Perez, Hipolito R. Quillan,
Mario Arenas, Tirso C. Buenaventura, Lydia B. Tubella, and Jonathan Dequina. 28

In arriving at its Resolution, the COMELEC En Banc held that it had no

jurisdiction to expel Congressman Lico from the House of Representatives,
considering that his expulsion from Ating Koop affected his qualifications as
member of the House, and therefore it was the House of Representatives Electoral
Tribunal (HRET) that had jurisdiction over the Petition.
At the same time, the COMELEC upheld the validity of petitioner Licos
expulsion from Ating Koop, explaining that when the Interim Central Committee
ousted him from Ating Koop, the said Committees members remained in holdover
capacity even after their terms had expired; 29 and that the COMELEC was not in a
position to substitute its judgment for that of Ating Koop with respect to the cause
of the expulsion.30
Finally, the COMELEC En Banc recognized the Rimas Group as the legitimate
representative of Ating Koop considering that: 1) it found nothing in the records to
show that the Lico Group made a valid call for the special election of Central
Committee members as required under the Amended Constitution and By-Laws; 31 2)
there is nothing on record indicating that a minimum of 100 attended the Cebu
meeting;32 and 3)
_______________

28 Id., at p. 726.
29 Id., at p. 725; Resolution dated 31 January 2013, p. 4.
30 Id., at p. 726; id., at p. 5.
 31 Id., at p. 725.
32 Id., at pp. 725-726; Resolution dated 31 January 2013, pp. 4-5.

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Lico vs. Commission on Elections En Banc
the Paraaque convention was in accordance with Ating Koops Amended
Constitution and By-Laws.33

Hence, this Petition: the Lico Group now comes before Us, praying for a review of
the COMELEC Resolutions.

The Courts Ruling

On the COMELECs jurisdiction over

the expulsion of a Member of the
House of Representatives from his
party-list organization

We find that while the COMELEC correctly dismissed the Petition to expel
petitioner Lico from the House of Representatives for being beyond its jurisdiction,
it nevertheless proceeded to rule upon the validity of his expulsion from Ating Koop
a matter beyond its purview.
The COMELEC notably characterized the Petition for expulsion of petitioner Lico
from the House of Representatives and for the succession of the second nominee as
party-list representative as a disqualification case. For this reason, the COMELEC
dismissed the petition for lack of jurisdiction, insofar as it relates to the question of
unseating petitioner Lico from the House of Representatives.
Section 17, Article VI of the 1987 Constitution 34 endows the HRET with
jurisdiction to resolve questions on the qualifi-
_______________

33 Id., at p. 726.
34 The Senate and the House of Representatives shall each have an
17. SECTION Electoral Tribunal, which shall be the sole judge of all contests
relating to the election, returns, and qualifications of their respective
Members. Each Electoral Tribunal shall be composed of nine Members, three of
whom shall be Justices of the Supreme Court to be designated by the Chief Justice,
and the remaining six shall be Members of the Senate or the House of
Representatives, as the case may be, who shall be chosen on the

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Lico vs. Commission on Elections En Banc
cations of members of Congress. In the case of party-list representatives, the
HRET acquires jurisdiction over a disqualification case upon proclamation of the
winning party-list group, oath of the nominee, and assumption of office as member
of the House of Representatives.35 In this case, the COMELEC proclaimed Ating
Koop as a winning party-list group; petitioner Lico took his oath; and he assumed
office in the House of Representatives. Thus, it is the HRET, and not the
COMELEC, that has jurisdiction over the disqualification case.
What We find to be without legal basis, however, is the action of the COMELEC
in upholding the validity of the expulsion of petitioner Lico from Ating Koop, despite
its own ruling that the HRET has jurisdiction over the disqualification issue. These
findings already touch upon the qualification requiring a party-list nominee to be a
bona fide member of the party-list group sought to be represented.
The COMELEC justified its Resolution on the merits of the expulsion, by relying
on the rule that it can decide intra-party matters as an incident of its
constitutionally granted powers and functions. It cited Lokin v. COMELEC, where
We held that when the resolution of an intra-party controversy is necessary or
incidental to the performance of the constitutionally-granted functions of the
COMELEC, the latter can step in and exercise jurisdiction over the intra-party
matter.36 The Lokin case, however, involved nominees and not incumbent members of
Congress. In the present case, the fact that petitioner Lico was a member of
Congress at the time of his expulsion from Ating Koop removes the matter from the
jurisdiction of the COMELEC.
_______________
 basis of proportional representation from the political parties and the parties or
organizations registered under the party-list system represented therein. The senior
Justice in the Electoral Tribunal shall be its Chairman. (Emphasis supplied)
35 Infra note 41.
36 G.R. No. 193808, 26 June 2012, 674 SCRA 538.

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Lico vs. Commission on Elections En Banc
The rules on intra-party matters and on the jurisdiction of the HRET are not
parallel concepts that do not intersect. Rather, the operation of the rule on intra-
party matters is circumscribed by Section 17 of Article VI of the 1987 Constitution
and jurisprudence on the jurisdiction of electoral tribunals. The jurisdiction of the
HRET is exclusive. It is given full authority to hear and decide the cases on any
matter touching on the validity of the title of the proclaimed winner. 37
In the present case, the Petition for petitioner Licos expulsion from the House of
Representatives is anchored on his expulsion from Ating Koop, which necessarily
affects his title as member of Congress. A party-list nominee must have been,
among others, a bona fide member of the party or organization for at least ninety
(90) days preceding the day of the election. 38 Needless to say, bona fide membership
in the party-list group is a continuing qualification. We have ruled that
qualifications for public office, whether elective or not, are continuing requirements.
They must be possessed not only at
_______________

37 Javier v. COMELEC, Nos. L-68379-81, 22 September 1986, 144 SCRA 194.

38 The requirement is found under Section 9 of the Party-List Law, which reads
as follows:
9.Sec.Qualification of Party-list Nominees.No person shall be nominated as
party-list representative unless he is a natural-born citizen of the Philippines, a
registered voter, a resident of the Philippines for a period of not less than one (1)
year immediately preceding the day of the election, able to read and write, bona
fide member of the party or organization which he seeks to represent for at
least ninety (90) days preceding the day of the election, and is at least twenty-five
(25) years of age on the day of the election.
 In case of a nominee of the youth sector, he must at least be twenty-five (25) but
not more than thirty (30) years of age on the day of the election. Any youth sectoral
representative who attains the age of thirty (30) during his term shall be allowed to
continue until the expiration of his term.

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Lico vs. Commission on Elections En Banc
the time of appointment or election, or of assumption of office, but during the
officers entire tenure.39
This is not the first time that this Court has passed upon the issue of HRET
jurisdiction over the requirements for bona fide membership in a party-list
organization. In Abayon v. HRET,40 it was argued that the petitioners did not belong
to the marginalized and under-represented sectors that they should represent; as
such, they could not be properly considered bona fide members of their respective
party-list organizations. The Court held that it was for the HRET to interpret the
meaning of the requirement of bona fide membership in a party-list organization. It
reasoned that under Section 17, Article VI of the Constitution, the HRET is the sole
judge of all contests when it comes to qualifications of the members of the
House of Representatives.41
Consequently, the COMELEC failed to recognize that the issue on the validity of
petitioner Licos expulsion from Ating Koop is integral to the issue of his
qualifications to sit in Congress. This is not merely an error of law but an error of
jurisdiction correctible by a writ of certiorari;42 the COMELEC should not have
encroached into the expulsion issue, as it was outside its authority to do so.

Distinguished from Reyes

v. COMELEC

Our ruling here must be distinguished from Regina Ongsiako Reyes v.

Commission on Elections.43 In that case, We
_______________

39 Maquiling v. COMELEC, G.R. No. 195649, 16 April 2013, 696 SCRA 420.
40 G.R. Nos. 189466 and 189506, 11 February 2010, 612 SCRA 375.
 41 Id., at pp. 381-385.
42 Villareal v. Aliga, G.R. No. 166995, 13 January 2014, 713 SCRA 52.
43 G.R. No. 207264, 25 June 2013, 708 SCRA 197.

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Lico vs. Commission on Elections En Banc
upheld the disqualification by the COMELEC of petitioner Reyes, even as she
was already proclaimed winner in the elections at the time she filed her petition
with the High Court. In doing so, We rejected the argument that the case fell within
the exclusive jurisdiction of the HRET.
In Reyes, the petitioner was proclaimed winner of the 13 May 2013 Elections, and
took her oath of office before the Speaker of the House of Representatives. However,
the Court ruled on her qualifications since she was not yet a member of the House
of Representatives: petitioner Reyes had yet to assume office, the term of which
would officially start at noon of 30 June 2013, when she filed a Petition for
Certiorari with Prayer for Temporary Restraining Order and/or Preliminary
Injunction and/or Status Quo Ante Order dated 7 June 2013 assailing the
Resolutions ordering the cancellation of her Certificate of Candidacy. In the present
case, all three requirements of proclamation, oath of office, and assumption of office
were satisfied.
Moreover, in Reyes, the COMELEC En Banc Resolution disqualifying petitioner
on grounds of lack of Filipino citizenship and residency had become final and
executory when petitioner elevated it to this Court. 44 It should be mentioned that
when petitioner Reyes filed her petition with the Court, the COMELEC En Banc
had, as early as 5 June 2013, already issued a Certificate of Finality over its 14 May
2013 Resolution disqualifying her. Therefore, there was no longer any pending case
on the qualifications of petitioner Reyes to speak of. Here, the question of whether
petitioner Lico remains a member of the House of Representatives in view of his
expulsion from Ating Koop is a subsisting issue.
_______________

44 The assailed COMELEC En Banc Resolution dated 14 May 2013 became final
and executory as early as 19 May 2013, based on Section 3, Rule 37 of the
COMELEC Rules of Procedure. The provision gives a five-day period, to be reckoned
from promulgation, within which to file a Rule 64 petition with this Court.
Petitioner, however, failed to do so. She filed it only on 10 June 2013.

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Lico vs. Commission on Elections En Banc
Finally, in Reyes, We found the question of jurisdiction of the HRET to be a non-
issue, since the recourse of the petitioner to the Court appeared to be a mere
attempt to prevent the COMELEC from implementing a final and executory
judgment. We said that the petitioner therein took an inconsistent, if not confusing,
stance, considering that she sought remedy before the Court, and yet asserted that
it is the HRET which had jurisdiction over the case. 45 In this case, the question on
the validity of petitioner Licos expulsion from Ating Koop is a genuine issue that
falls within the jurisdiction of the HRET, as it unmistakably affects his
qualifications as party-list representative.

On which group legitimately represents

Ating Koop

We now pass upon the question of which, between the two contending groups, is
the legitimate leadership of Ating Koop.
At the outset, We reject the Lico Groups argument that the COMELEC has no
jurisdiction to decide which of the feuding groups is to be recognized, and that it is
the Regional Trial Court which has jurisdiction over intra-corporate controversies.
Indeed, the COMELECs jurisdiction to settle the struggle for leadership within the
party is well-established. This power to rule upon questions of party identity and
leadership is exercised by the COMELEC as an incident of its enforcement powers. 46
That being said, We find the COMELEC to have committed grave abuse of
discretion in declaring the Rimas Group as the legitimate set of Ating Koop officers
for the simple reason that the amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws of Ating
Koop were not registered with the COMELEC. Hence, neither of the elections
held during the Cebu meeting and
_______________

45 Reyes v. COMELEC, supra note 43.

 46 Supra note 48.

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Lico vs. Commission on Elections En Banc
the Paraaque conference pursuant to the said amendments, were valid.
Both the Lico Group and the Rimas Group indeed assert that their respective
elections were conducted pursuant to the amendment introduced in the Second
National Convention held on 14 May 2011. In particular, Section 1 of Article VI of
Ating Koops Bylaws called for the conduct of an election of Central Committee
members within six months after the Second National Convention.47
There is no showing, however, that the amendments were actually filed with the
COMELEC.
A party-list organization owes its existence to the State and the latters approval
must be obtained through its agent, the COMELEC. In the 2013 case of Dayao v.
COMELEC,48 We declared that it is the State, acting through the COMELEC, that
breathes life to a party-list organization. The implication, therefore, is that the
State, through the COMELEC, is a party to the principal contracts entered into by
the party-list organization and its members the Constitution and Bylaws such
that any amendment to these contracts would constitute a novation requiring the
consent of all the parties involved. An amendment to the bylaws of a party-list
organization should become effective only upon approval by the COMELEC.
Such a prerequisite is analogous to the requirement of filing of the amended
bylaws and subsequent conformity thereto of the Securities and Exchange
Commission (SEC) under corporation law. Under the Corporation Code, an
amendment to a bylaw provision must be filed with the SEC. The amendment shall
be effective only upon the issuance by the SEC of a
_______________

47 Rollo, p. 1632. The provision states:

SECTION A special election of the members of the Central Committee, after
due1. notice, shall be conducted six months after the approval of the
amendments of this Constitution.
48 G.R. No. 193643, January 29, 2013, 689 SCRA 412.
 612

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Lico vs. Commission on Elections En Banc
certification that it is not inconsistent with the Corporation Code. 49
There being no showing that the amendments on the
bylaws of Ating Koop were filed with and subsequently approved by the COMELEC,
any election conducted pursuant thereto may not be considered valid. Without such
requisite proof, neither the Lico Group nor the Rimas Group can claim to be the
legitimate set of officers of Ating Koop.
Even assuming arguendo that the amendment calling for a special election were
effective, this Court still cannot declare any of the feuding groups as the legitimate
set of officers considering that the respective sets of evidence presented were evenly
balanced. With respect to the Lico Groups Cebu meeting, the COMELEC correctly
found and the records bear out that the notices sent were deficient and that
there was no sufficient proof of quorum. Hence, the Cebu meeting was held to be
invalid. On the other hand, the COMELEC failed to appreciate the fact that the
Paraaque convention suffered from the same infirmity: the records of the said
convention, consisting merely of the Minutes thereof, likewise fail to establish due
notice and a quorum.50
Accordingly, as neither group can sufficiently lay claim to legitimacy, the
equipoise doctrine comes into play. This rule provides that when the evidence in an
issue of fact is in equipoise, that is, when the respective sets of evidence of both
parties are evenly balanced, the party having the burden of proof fails in that issue.
Since neither party succeeds in making out a case, neither side prevails. The courts
are left with no other option but to leave them as they are. The consequence,
therefore, is the dismissal of the complaint/petition.51
_______________

49 Section 48, Corporation Code.

50 Rollo, pp. 1568-1576.
51 Rivera v. Court of Appeals, 348 Phil. 734; 284 SCRA 673 (1998).

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Lico vs. Commission on Elections En Banc
The Rimas Group, being the petitioner before the COMELEC, had the burden of
proving that it is the petitioner, and not the Lico Group, that is the legitimate
group. As the evidence of both parties are in equipoise, the Rimas Group failed to
discharge its burden. The COMELEC should have dismissed the petition of the
Rimas Group insofar as it sought to be declared the legitimate group representing
Ating Koop.
Yet, the COMELEC held that the Paraaque convention appeared to be in
conformity with Ating Koops Amended Constitution and By-Laws. 52 It should be
stressed that the COMELEC did not even substantiate this conclusion. 53
The Court ordinarily refrains from reviewing the COMELECs appreciation and
evaluation of the evidence.54 But when the COMELECs assessment of the evidence
is so grossly unreasonable that it turns into an error of jurisdiction, the Court is
compelled to intervene and correct the error.55
As seen in the above discussions, neither of the parties was able to establish its
legitimacy. The evaluation of the evidence by the COMELEC in deciding the issue of
which group legitimately represents Ating Koop was therefore grossly unreasonable,
which amounts to a jurisdictional error that may be remedied by certiorari under
Rule 65.
The final, and most important question to be addressed is: if neither of the two
groups is the legitimate leadership of Ating Koop, then who is?
We find such legitimate leadership to be the Interim Central Committee, whose
members remain as such in a holdover capacity.
_______________

52 Id., at p. 726; p. 682.

53 Id.
54 Mitra v. Commission on Elections, G.R. No. 191938, 2 July 2010, 622 SCRA
744.
55 Sabili v. COMELEC, G.R. No. 193261, 24 April 2012, 670 SCRA 664.

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Lico vs. Commission on Elections En Banc
 In Seeres v. COMELEC,56 the validity of the Certificate of Nomination filed by
Buhay Party-List through its President, Roger Robles, was questioned on the
ground that his term had expired at the time it was filed. The Court applied by
analogy the default rule in corporation law to the effect that officers and directors of
a corporation holdover after the expiration of their terms until such time as their
successors are elected or appointed.57 Seeres ruled that the holdover principle
applies in the absence of a provision in the constitution or bylaws of the party-list
organization prohibiting its application.
In the present case, We have gone through the Constitution and Bylaws of Ating
Koop and We do not see any provision forbidding, either expressly or impliedly, the
application of the holdover rule. Thus, in accordance with corporation law, the
existing Interim Central Committee is still a legitimate entity with full authority to
bind the corporation and to carry out powers despite the lapse of the term of its
members on 14 November 2011, since no successors had been validly elected at the
time, or since.
WHEREFORE, premises considered, the Petition is GRANTED. The
COMELEC En Banc Resolution dated 31 January 2013 and the COMELEC Second
Division Resolution dated 18 July 2012 in E.M. No. 12-039 are hereby ANNULLED
and SET ASIDE insofar as it declares valid the expulsion of Congressman Lico
from Ating Koop and it upholds the ATING KOOP Party-list Group represented by
its President, Amparo T. Rimas, as the legitimate Party-list Group.
A new one is entered DECLARING that the legitimate Central Committee and
set of officers legitimately representing Ating Koop are the Interim Central
Committee and set of officers prior to the split of Ating Koop.
_______________

56 603 Phil. 532; 585 SCRA 557 (2009).

57 Id., at pp. 568-570; pp. 574-575.

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Lico vs. Commission on Elections En Banc
SO ORDERED.
Carpio, Leonardo-De Castro, Peralta, Del Castillo, Villarama, Jr., Perez and
Leonen, JJ., concur.
 Velasco, Jr., Bersamin, Mendoza and Perlas-Bernabe, JJ., On Official Leave.
Brion and Reyes, JJ., On Leave.
Jardeleza, J., No part.

Petition granted.

Notes.In computing the allocation of additional seats, the continued operation

of the two percent threshold for the distribution of the additional seats as found in
the second clause of Section 11(b) of R.A. No. 7941 is unconstitutional. (Barangay
Association for National Advancement and Transparency [BANAT] vs. Commission
on Elections, 586 SCRA 210 [2009])
The two percent threshold presents an unwarranted obstacle to the full
implementation of Section 5(2), Article VI of the Constitution and prevents the
attainment of the broadest possible representation of party, sectoral or group
interests in the House of Representatives. (Id.)

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