SET Case No. 001-95 (AQUILINO Q. PIMENTEL, JR., Protestant, versus GREGORIO HONASAN, MARCELO B. FERNAN, JUAN PONCE ENRILE and ANNA DOMINIQUE COSETENG, Principal Protestees; and RAMON MITRA and RODOLFO BIAZON, Necessary Protestees)

 

Election Protest: The Election Protest was filed on 20 June 1995 to contest the results of the 08 May 1995 senatorial elections. Ranking 15th in the senatorial race, Protestant Aquilino Q. Pimentel, Jr. named as Principal Protestees Gregorio Honasan, Marcelo B. Fernan, Juan Ponce Enrile and Anna Dominique Coseteng, who ranked 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th, respectively; and as Necessary Protestees Ramon Mitra and Rodolfo G. Biazon, who ranked 13th and 14th, respectively.

Protestant Pimentel alleged that the counting of the senatorial electoral results was attended by massive cheating on a nationwide scale under the scheme commonly known as “Operation Dagdag-Bawas”.

After revision and appreciation of the contested ballots, the Tribunal issued on 23 June 1998 Resolution No. 98-04 setting forth the final results of the proceedings in the pilot precincts of Protestant Pimentel. The Tribunal found that “Operation Dagdag-Bawas” attended the 08 May 1995 elections, which affected the ranking of the parties.

On 24 September 1998, the Tribunal issued Resolution No. 98-18, declaring that the protest should proceed against the Protestees. However, on 15 October 1998, Protestant Pimentel filed a Manifestation, stating that he was no longer interested in seeking the collection of additional ballot boxes for the purpose of further revision proceedings and that he was formally resting his case.

Status: The case was dismissed in the Tribunal Resolution promulgated on 28 July 1999, the protest having become moot and academic by Protestant Pimentel’s election and assumption of office as Senator in the 11th Congress of the Philippines.