Reference: Annual Audit Report on the Senate Electoral Tribunal
For the Calendar Year 31 December 1991
Historical Background
The Senate Electoral Tribunal was created by virtue of Section 17, Article VI (Legislative Department) of the 1986 Constitution which mandates that the Senate and the House of Representatives shall each have an Electoral Tribunal.
The Senate Electoral Tribunal is composed of nine (9) Members, three of whom are Justices of the Supreme Court and six are members of the Senate. The senior Justice in the Electoral Tribunal is the Chairman.
Functions
The Senate Electoral Tribunal shall be the sole judge of all contests relating to the election, returns and qualifications of the Members of the Senate.
Organizational Set-up
The agency is governed by the Tribunal composed of the following:
- Justice Hugo E. Gutierrez, Jr. – Chairman
- Justice Edgardo L. Paras – Member
- Justice Teodoro R. Padilla – Member
- Senator Teofisto T. Guingona – Member
- Senator Neptali A. Gonzales – Member
- Senator Juan Ponce Enrile – Member
- Senator Jose D. Lina, Jr. – Member
- Senator Mamintal A.J. Tamano – Member
- Senator Victor S. Ziga – Member
Performance and Accomplishments
During the year 1991, the Senate Electoral tribunal was able to dispose the two election contest pending before it, namely: SET Case No. 001-87 (Augusto S. Sanchez vs. Juan Ponce Enrile or Santanina T. Rasul) and SET Case No. 002-87 (Abbas, et al vs. Alvarez, et al) by dismissing the cases for apparent lack of interest on the part of the petitioners.
At the same time, the personnel are being trained to familiarize them with all phases of revision and recount so that they will be able to perform their duties efficiently and expeditiously when needed.