IDEALS, Inc. vs. The Senate of the Philippines Summary

INITIATIVES FOR DIALOGUE AND EMPOWERMENT THROUGH ALTERNATIVE LEGAL SERVICES, INC. (IDEALS, INC.), REPRESENTED BY ITS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MR. EDGARDO LIGON, ALLIANCE OF PROGRESSIVE LABOR (APL), REPRESENTED BY ITS CHAIRPERSON, DANIEL L. EDRALIN, ECOLOGICAL WASTE COALITION OF THE PHILIPPINES, INC., REPRESENTED BY ITS PRESIDENT/EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, RIEDO PANALIGAN; MOTHER EARTH FOUNDATION, REPRESENTED BY ITS PRESIDENT, MARIETTA MARCIANO; CONCERNED CITIZENS AGAINST POLLUTION, REPRESENTED BY ITS PRESIDENT, RENATO D. PINEDA, JR.; NGOS FOR FISHERIES REFORM, REPRESENTED BY ITS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DENNIS F. CALVAN; KILUSAN PARA SA PAGPAPAUNLAD NG INDUSTRIYA NG PANGISDAAN, REPRESENTED BY ITS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER, PABLO R. ROSALES, JR.; ANA THERESIA HONTIVEROS-BARAQUEL, AS THE DULY ELECTED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE AKBAYAN CITIZENS' ACTION PARTY; AND PHILIPPINE WORKERS ALLIANCE, REPRESENTED BY ITS PRESIDENT FRANCISCO P. MERO, VS. THE SENATE OF THE PHILIPPINES, REPRESENTED BY SENATORS WHO CAST A VOTE OF CONCURRENCE FOR THE JPEPA, NAMELY: MANUEL VILLAR, HON. MIRIAM DEFENSOR-SANTIAGO, MAR ROXAS, EDGARDO ANGARA, RODOLFO BIAZON, ALAN PETER CAYETANO, JOSE 'JINGGOY' ESTRADA, JUAN PONCE ENRILE, RICHARD GORDON, GREGORIO B. HONASAN II, PANFILO LACSON, MANUEL LAPID, LOREN LEGARDA, FRANCIS PANGILINAN, RAMON REVILLA, JR., JUAN MIGUEL ZUBIRI; THE SECRETARY OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY; THE SECRETARY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS; THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY; THE SECRETARY OF FINANCE; AND THE COMMISSIONER OF BUREAU OF CUSTOMS, RESPONDENTS. G.R. No. 185366 FAIR TRADE ALLIANCE, AUTOMATIVE INDUSTRY WORKERS ALLIANCE, CONGRESSMAN LORENZO TAÑADA III, CONGRESSMAN DEL R. DE GUZMAN, CONGRESSMAN CARLOS M. PADILLA, CONGRESSMAN ALFONSO V. UMALI, JOVITO R. SALONGA AND TEOFISTO GUINGONA, JR., PETITIONERS, VS. THE SENATE OF THE PHILIPPINES, REPRESENTED SENATORS WHO VOTED IN FAVOR OF JPEPA, NAMELY: HON. EDGARDO ANGARA, HON. RODOLFO BIAZON, HON. ALAN PETER CAYETANO, HON. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA, HON. RICHARD GORDON, HON. GREGORIO HONASAN II, HON. PANFILO LACSON, HON. LITO LAPID, HON. LOREN LEGARDA, HON. FRANCIS PANGILINAN, HON. RAMON REVILLA, HON. MAR ROXAS, HON. MIRIAM DEFENSOR-SANTIAGO, HON. MANUEL VILLAR, HON. MIGUEL ZUBIRI; HON. EDUARDO R. ERMITA, IN HIS OFFICIAL CAPACITY AS EXECUTIVE SECRETARY; HON. ALBERTO G. ROMULO, IN HIS OFFICIAL CAPACITY AS SECRETARY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS; HON. PETER B. FAVILA, IN HIS OFFICIAL CAPACITY AS SECRETARY OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY; HON. ROLANDO G. ANDAYA, IN HIS OFFICIAL CAPACITY AS SECRETARY OF BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT; HON. THOMAS G. AQUINO, IN HIS OFFICIAL CAPACITY AS UNDERSECRETARY OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY AND CHAIR OF THE PHILIPPINE COORDINATING COMMITTEE FOR THE JPEPA, RESPONDENTS.

G.R. No. 184635 and G.R. No. 185366 | 2023-06-13

LEONEN, ACTING C.J.:

As demand for international goods and services rises, governments have deemed it wise to enter into bilateral trade agreements to ensure a level playing field for trade and investment opportunities for all stakeholders. In 2006, the Philippines and Japan signed the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA), the first bilateral free trade agreement entered into by the Philippines in over half a century.^[1]

Yet, the president's ratification of the JPEPA, along with the Senate's concurrence, has raised a plethora of issues on the constitutionality and legality of the Agreement. Most, if not all,...