22.4 Lambino v.

 COMELEC, 505 SCRA 160 (2006)

FACTS: On 25 August 2006, Lambino et al filed a petition with the COMELEC to
hold   a   plebiscite   that   will   ratify   their   initiative   petition   to   change   the   1987
Constitution under Section 5(b) and (c)2 and Section 73 of Republic Act No. 6735 or
the Initiative and Referendum Act. The Lambino Group alleged that their petition
had the support of 6,327,952 individuals constituting at least twelve per centum
(12%) of all registered voters, with each legislative district represented by at least
three per centum  (3%) of its registered voters. The Lambino Group also claimed
that COMELEC election registrars had verified the signatures of the 6.3 million
individuals. The Lambino Group’s initiative petition changes the 1987 Constitution
by modifying Sections 1­7 of Article VI (Legislative Department)4 and Sections 1­4
of   Article   VII   (Executive   Department)   and   by   adding   Article   XVIII   entitled
“Transitory Provisions.” These proposed changes will shift the present Bicameral­
Presidential   system   to   a   Unicameral­Parliamentary   form   of   government.   On   30
August 2006, the Lambino Group filed an Amended Petition with the COMELEC
indicating   modifications   in   the   proposed   Article   XVIII   (Transitory   Provisions)   of
their initiative.

ISSUE: Whether the Lambino Group’s initiative petition complies with Section 2,
Article   XVII   of   the   Constitution   on   amendments   to   the   Constitution   through   a
people’s initiative

HELD: No, the essence of amendments “directly proposed by the people through
initiative upon a petition” is that the entire proposal on its face is a petition by the
people. This means two essential elements must be present. First, the people must
author and thus sign the entire proposal. Second, no agent or representative can
sign on their behalf. Second, as an initiative upon a petition, the proposal must be
embodied in a petition. The Lambino Group did not attach to their present petition
with   this   Court   a   copy   of   the   paper   that   the   people   signed   as   their   initiative
petition, but only submitted to this Court a copy of a signature sheet.