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Lambino, et at. vs. COMELEC [SEPARATE OPINION, VELASCO, JR., J]

RAUL L. LAMBINO and ERICO B. AUMENTADO, TOGETHER WITH 6,327,952 REGISTERED VOTERS, Petitioners vs. THE COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS, Respondent. / ALTERNATIVE LAW GROUPS, INC., Intervenor. / ONEVOICE INC., CHRISTIAN S. MONSOD, RENE B. AZURIN, MANUEL L. QUEZON III, BENJAMIN T. TOLOSA, JR., SUSAN V. OPLE and CARLOS P. MEDINA, JR., Intervenors. / ATTY. PETE QUIRINO QUADRA, Intervenor. / BAYAN represented by its Chairperson Dr. Carolina Pagaduan-Araullo, BAYAN MUNA represented by its Chairperson Dr. Reynaldo Lesaca, KILUSANG MAYO UNO represented by its Secretary General Joel Maglunsod, HEAD represented by its Secretary General Dr. Gene Alzona Nisperos, ECUMENICAL BISHOPS FORUM represented by Fr. Dionito Cabillas, MIGRANTE represented by its Chairperson Concepcion Bragas-Regalado, GABRIELA represented by its Secretary General Emerenciana de Jesus, GABRIELA WOMEN'S PARTY represented by Sec. Gen. Cristina Palabay, ANAKBAYAN represented by Chairperson Eleanor de Guzman, LEAGUE OF FILIPINO STUDENTS represented by Chair Vencer Crisostomo Palabay, JOJO PINEDA of the League of Concerned Professionals and Businessmen, DR. DARBY SANTIAGO of the Solidarity of Health Against Charter Change, DR. REGINALD PAMUGAS of Health Action for Human Rights, Intervenors. / LORETA ANN P. ROSALES, MARIO JOYO AGUJA, and ANA THERESA HONTIVEROS-BARAQUEL, Intervenors. / LUWALHATI RIACASA ANTONINO, Intervenor. / ARTURO M. DE CASTRO, Intervenor. / TRADE UNION CONGRESS OF THE PHILIPPINES, Intervenor. / LUWALHATI RICASA ANTONINO, Intervenor. / PHILIPPINE CONSTITUTION ASSOCIATION (PHILCONSA), CONRADO F. ESTRELLA, TOMAS C. TOLEDO, MARIANO M. TAJON, FROILAN M. BACUNGAN, JOAQUIN T. VENUS, JR., FORTUNATO P. AGUAS, and AMADO GAT INCIONG, Intervenors. / RONALD L. ADAMAT, ROLANDO MANUEL RIVERA, and RUELO BAYA, Intervenors. / PHILIPPINE TRANSPORT AND GENERAL WORKERS ORGANIZATION (PTGWO) and MR. VICTORINO F. BALAIS, Intervenors. / SENATE OF THE PHILIPPINES, represented by its President, MANUEL VILLAR, JR., Intervenor. / SULONG BAYAN MOVEMENT FOUNDATION, INC., Intervenor. / JOSE ANSELMO I. CADIZ, BYRON D. BOCAR, MA. TANYA KARINA A. LAT, ANTONIO L. SALVADOR, and RANDALL TABAYOYONG, Intervenors. / INTEGRATED BAR OF THE PHILIPPINES, CEBU CITY AND CEBU PROVINCE CHAPTERS, Intervenors. / SENATE MINORITY LEADER AQUILINO Q. PIMENTEL, JR. and SENATORS SERGIO R. OSMENA III, JAMBY MADRIGAL, JINGGOY ESTRADA, ALFREDO S. LIM and PANFILO LACSON, Intervenors. / JOSEPH EJERCITO ESTRADA and PWERSA NG MASANG PILIPINO, Intervenors. [SEPARATE OPINION, VELASCO, JR., J]

G.R. No. 174153 | 2006-10-25

SEPARATE OPINION 
 

VELASCO, JR., J.:

Introduction

 

The fate of every democracy, of every government based on the Sovereignty of the people, depends on the choices it makes between these opposite principles: absolute power on the one hand, and on the other the restraints of legality and the authority of tradition. 

 

 

 
-John Acton 
 
In this thorny matter of the people's initiative, I concur with the erudite and highly persuasive opinion of Justice Reynato S. Puno upholding the people's initiative and raise some points of my own. 
 
The issue of the people's power to propose...