Reference: Annual Audit Report on the Senate Electoral Tribunal

For the Calendar Year 31 December 1995

 Agency Background

The Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET) is a constitutional body created under Sections 17 and 19 of Article VI of the 1987 charter. It is mandated by the Constitution to decide on protests pertaining to the election, returns and qualifications of the Members of the Senate.

Nine Members, three of whom are Associate Justices of the Supreme Court and Six Members of the Senate, constitute the Tribual. In 1995, its membership went through some changes. Senior Associate Justice Florentino P. Feliciano assumed the chairmanship of SET in August 1995 from Associate Justice Teodoro R. Padilla who was the Chairman from January 1 to July 31, 1995. in December of the same year however, he retired from the government service to serve in the appellate tribunal of the WTO and Associate Justice Florenz D. Regalado was designated by the Chief of Justice as Acting Chairman of the Senate Electoral Tribunal until December 31, 1995. With regard its senatorial composition, the Tribunal likewise had undergone change in view of the senatorial elections conducted on May 8, 1995. As of December 31, 1995, the SET had the following Members:

  1.  Associate Justice Florenz D. Regalado – Acting Chairman
  2. Associate Justice Josue N. Bellosillo – Member
  3. Senator Alberto G. Romulo – Member
  4. Senator Freddie N. Webb – Member
  5. Senator Ramon B. Revilla – Member
  6. Senator Juan M. Flavier – Member
  7. Senator Gloria M. Arroyo – Member
  8. Senator Miriam D. Santiago – Member

Likewise during the year, a change of stewardship took place in the position of Tribunal Secretary. Atty. Irene R. Guevarra was appointed Secretary of the Tribunal effective September 19, 1995 in view of the retirement of Atty. Eduardo M. David on September 15, 1995.

During the year, the Triunal received one (1) election contest in relation to the senatorial elections held in May 1995. SET Case No. 001-95 entitled “Aquilino Pimentel, Jr. Protestant vs. Gregorio Honasan, Marcelo Fernan, Juan Ponce Enrile, Anna Dominique Coseteng, Protestees”, brought about the various accomplishments of the Tribunal relative to the received election protest. These were contained in their year-end report and were validated through verification and examination of relevant documents and reports. Summarized below are the significant accomplishments of the agency:

  1. Collection teams were organized which were tasked to gather ballot boxes, election documents and paraphernalia fro the identified ballot precincts.

  2. Series of lectures were conducted on various topics from Collection Techniques, First Aid Measures to Orientation of Regional, Cultural traits and Peace and Order Situations in areas of collections.

  3. Actual collection of ballot boxes and election documents were undertaken from Pangasinan, Pasig and Binan in November and December, 1995. A total of 2,862 ballot boxes were collected.

  4. Revision of the ballots and election documents from 568 pilot precincts of the Protestant in the province of Pangasinsn was conducted from December 4 to 14, 1995.

 In relation to its target accomplishment on judicial operations for 1995, particularly the number of electoral contests that may be acted upon during the year, the agency justified in its Work and Financial Plan that its target cases that may be acted upon during the year depends on whether or not election protests will be filed after the 1995 senatorial elections.