[G.R. No. 131499.

November 17, 1999]

Herrera vs COMELEC
Case:
A
petitionforcertioraritoannulandsetasideResolutionNo.2950promulgatedonNovember3,1997byrespondentommissiono
n!le"tionsont#eallegedgroundofgraveabuseofdis"retion.
Facts:
$n its Resolution no. %&, t#e 'angguniang(anlala)igan of *uimaras re+uested t#e ,-!.! to #ave t#e provin"e
subdivided into t)o provin"ial distri"ts. A"ting upon t#e re+uest, t#e (rovin"ial !le"tion 'upervisor "ondu"ted t)o
"onsultative meetings )it# t#e provin"ial and muni"ipal offi"ials, barangay "aptains, barangay /aga)ads,
representatives of all politi"al parties, and ot#er interested parties. A "onsensus )as rea"#ed in favor of t#e division as
follo)s0
1.
1irst2istri"ts#allbe"omposedoft#e-uni"ipalitiesof3ordan4uenavistaand'an2iego)it#t#ree536'anggunian
g(anlala)igan-embers,and
2.
7#e'e"ond2istri"ts#allbe"omposedoft#e-uni"ipalitiesof3ordan,Nueva8alen"iaand'ibunag)it#t#ree536'
angguniang(anlala)igan-embers.
7#e(rovin"ial!le"tion'upervisorissueda-emorandumre"ommendingt#edivisionoft#e(rovin"eof*uimarasintot)o526pr
ovin"ialdistri"ts. 7#e4ureauof.o"al*overnment1inan"eoft#e2epartmentof1inan"eissued-emorandumir"ularNo.979
1re"lassifyingseveralprovin"esin"ludingt#e(rovin"eof*uimaras,)#i"#)asre"lassifiedfromfift#"lasstofourt#"lassprovin
"e )#i"#allottedeig#t5&6'angguniang(anlala)iganseatstot#e(rovin"eof*uimaras belo)0
*uimaras:1st distri"t 54uenavista and 'an .oren;o6< 3 seats
and 2nd distri"t 53ordan, Nueva 8alen"ia, and 'ibunag6< 5 seats.
7#e petitioners +uestioned Resolution No. 2950, pointing out t#at0
1.t#e distri"ts do not "omprise a "ompa"t, "ontiguous and ad=a"ent area.
2.t#e "onsultative meetings did not e>press t#e true sentiment of t#e voters of t#e provin"e.
3.t#e apportionment of t#e t)o distri"ts are not e+uitable.
?.t#ere is disparity in t#e ratio of t#e number of voters t#at a 4oard -ember represents.
ss!e:
@#et#er or not t#e ,-!.! "ommitted a grave abuse of dis"retion in issuing Resolution No. 2950A
R"LNG:
#HEREFORE,forla"/ofmeritt#epetitionunder"onsiderationis#ereby2$'-$''!2.Nopronoun"ementasto"osts.
5,-!.! did not gravely abuse its dis"retion6
RE$%ONNG:
1. 7#e muni"ipalities belonging to ea"# distri"t are "ompa"t, "ontiguous and ad=a"ent. ontiguous and ad=a"ent
means ad=oining, nearby, abutting, #aving a "ommon border, "onne"ted, andBor tou"#ing along boundaries often for
"onsiderable distan"es. ,n its fa"e, t#e map of *uimaras s#o)s t#at t#e muni"ipalities grouped toget#er are
"ontiguous or ad=a"ent.
2. 7#ere )ere t)o "onsultative meetings #eld by t#e ,ffi"e of t#e (rovin"ial !le"tion 'upervisor. As re+uired by
,-!.! Resoluiton No. 2313, all interested parties )ere duly notified and represented.
3. Cnder Republi" A"t %%3%, a ?t# "lass provin"e s#all #ave & 'angguniang(anlala)igan members. Also, under
Republi" A"t 71%%, provin"es )it# 1 legislative distri"t s#all be divided into 2 distri"ts for purposes of ele"ting t#e
members of t#e 'angguniang(anlala)igan. 7#e provin"e of *uimaras, being a ?t# "lass provin"e and #aving only 1
legislative distri"t, s#all #ave & 'angguniang(anlala)igan members and 2 distri"ts.
?. Cnder Republi" A"t 71%% and ,-!.! Resolution No. 2313, t#e basis for division s#all be t#e number of
in#abitants of t#e provin"e "on"erned not t#e number of listed or registered voters. 7#e distri"ting of t#e (rovin"e of
*uimaras )as based on t#e offi"ial 1995 ensus of (opulation as "ertified by t#e National 'tatisti"s ,ffi"e.