Electoral tribunals

1. Powers and jurisdiction

The Electoral Tribunal which shall be the sole judge of all contests relating to the election, returns, and qualifications of their respective Members. (Section 17, Article VI, 1987 Constitution)

a. Powers

The Senate and the House of Representatives shall each have an Electoral Tribunal which shall be the sole judge of all contests relating to the election, returns, and qualifications of their respective Members. (Section 17, Article VI, 1987 Constitution)

NB: For the Senate, it is the Senate Electoral Tribunal or (SET). For the House of Representatives, it is the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET)

COMPOSITION: Each Electoral Tribunal shall be composed of nine Members, three of whom shall be Justices of the Supreme Court to be designated by the Chief Justice, and the remaining six shall be Members of the Senate or the House of Representatives, as the case may be, who shall be chosen on the basis of proportional representation from the political parties and the parties or organizations registered under the party-list system represented therein. The senior Justice in the Electoral Tribunal shall be its Chairman. (Ibid.)

HOW CONSTITUTED: The Electoral Tribunals shall be constituted within thirty (30) days after the Senate and the House of Representatives shall have been organized with the election of the President and the Speaker. (Ibid.)

b. Jurisdiction

1) HRET Jurisdiction

DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVES: To be co...