Regular Batasang Pambansa

The Regular Batasang Pambansa or the "Second Batasan" was the meeting of the parliament of the Philippines from the beginning of its session on July 23, 1984 until it was abolished by President Corazon Aquino on March 25, 1986.

Events

Marcos impeachment complaint

On August 13, 1985, fifty-six Mambabatas Pambansa (MP) or Members of Parliament signed a resolution calling for the impeachment of President Marcos for graft and corruption, culpable violation of the Constitution, gross violation of his oath of office and other high crimes.

They cited the San Jose Mercury News exposé of the Marcoses’ multi-million dollar investment and property holdings in the United States. The properties allegedly amassed by the First Family were the Crown Building, Lindenmere Estate, and a number of residential apartments (in New Jersey and New York), a shopping center in New York, mansions (in London, Rome and Honolulu), the Helen Knudsen Estate in Hawaii and three condominiums in San Francisco, California.

The MPs also included in the complaint the misuse and misapplication of funds “for the construction of the Film Center, where X-rated films are exhibited, contrary to public morals and Filipino customs and traditions.”

The following day, the Committee on Justice, Human Rights and Good Government dismissed the impeachment complaint for being insufficient in form and substance:

The resolution is no more than a hodge-podge of unsupported conclusions, distortion of law, exacerbated by ultra partisan considerations. It does not allege ultimate facts constituting an impeachable offense under the Constitution. In sum, the Committee finds that the complaint is not sufficient in form and substance to warrant its further consideration. It is not sufficient in form because the verification made by the affiants that the allegations in the resolution “are true and correct of our own knowledge” is transparently false. It taxes the ken of men to believe that the affiants individually could swear to the truth of allegations, relative to the transactions that allegedly transpired in foreign countries given the barrier of geography and the restrictions of their laws. More important, the resolution cannot be sufficient in substance because its careful assay shows that it is a mere charade of conclusions.

The People Power Revolution

The People Power Revolution from February 22 to February 25, 1986 was a mostly nonviolent mass demonstration in the Philippines. Four days of peaceful action by millions of Filipinos in Metro Manila under the guidance of Jaime Cardinal Sin led to the downfall of the authoritarian regime of President Ferdinand Marcos and the installation of Corazon Aquino as president of the Republic.

Presidential Proclamation No. 3

On March 25, 1986, President Corazon Aquino signed "Presidential Proclamation No. 3" or the "Freedom Constitution" which abolished the Office of the Prime Minister and the Regular Batasang Pambansa:

Whereas, the new government was installed through a direct exercise of the power of the Filipino people assisted by units of the New Armed Forces of the Philippines; Whereas, the heroic action of the people was done in defiance of the provisions of the 1973 Constitution, as amended;Whereas, the direct mandate of the people as manifested by their extraordinary action demands the complete reorganization of the government, restoration of democracy, protection of basic rights, rebuilding of confidence in the entire governmental system, eradication of graft and corruption, restoration of peace and order, maintenance of the supremacy of civilian authority over the military, and the transition to a government under a New Constitution in the shortest time possible; Whereas, during the period of transition to a New Constitution it must be guaranteed that the government will respect basic human rights and fundamental freedoms; Wherefore, I, Corazon C. Aquino, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the sovereign mandate of the people, do hereby promulgate the following Provisional Constitution:

This is an excerpt from Article I, Section 3 of the Presidential Proclamation No. 3:

Section 3. ARTICLE VIII (The Batasang Pambansa), ARTICLE IX (The Prime Minister and the Cabinet), ARTICLE XVI (Amendments), ARTICLE XVII (Transitory Provisions) and all amendments thereto are deemed superseded by this Proclamation.

essions

*First Regular Session: July 23, 1984 – June 7, 1985
*Second Regular Session: July 22, 1985 – March 25, 1986

Leadership

*Prime Minister::Cesar E. A. Virata (KBL, Parliamentary District of Cavite)::Salvador H. Laurel (UNIDO) "appointed on February 25, 1986" [President Corazon Aquino appointed Vice-President Salvador Laurel on February 25, 1986 which was confirmed by the Regular Batasang Pambansa.]
*Deputy Prime Minister::Jose A. Roño, Jr. (KBL, Parliamentary District of Samar)
*Speaker of the Batasan::Nicanor E. Yñiguez, Jr. (KBL, Parliamentary District of Southern Leyte)
*Speaker Pro-Tempore::Salipada K. Pendatun (KBL, Parliamentary District of Maguindanao)::Macacuna B. Dimaporo (KBL, Parliamentary District of Lanao del Sur), "elected 1985"
*Majority Floor Leader::Jose A. Roño (KBL, Parliamentary District of Samar)
*Minority Floor Leader::Jose B. Laurel, Jr. (UNIDO, Parliamentary District of Batangas)

Legislation

The Regular Batasang Pambansa passed a total of 181 laws: Mga Batas Pambansa Blg. 703 to 884

Major legislation

* [http://www.chanrobles.com/bataspambansabilang877.htm Batas Pambansa Blg. 877] – "Stabilization and Regulation of, Rentals of Certain Residential Units for Other Purposes"
* [http://www.chanrobles.com/bataspambansabilang880.htm Batas Pambansa Blg. 880] – "Public Assembly Act of 1985"
* [http://www.comelec.gov.ph/laws/oec.html Batas Pambansa Blg. 881] – "Omnibus Election Code of the Philippines"
* [http://www.chanrobles.com/bataspambansabilang882.htm Batas Pambansa Blg. 882] – "Order of Succession Act"
* [http://www.chanrobles.com/bataspambansabilang883.htm Batas Pambansa Blg. 883] – "Special Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Act"
* [http://www.chanrobles.com/bataspambansabilang884.htm Batas Pambansa Blg. 884] – "Presidential Electoral Tribunal Act"

Members

Member of Parliament

:mnb|leyte|1 Benjamin T. Romualdez preferred to sit as Ambassador of the Philippines to the United States therby was disqualified to sit as Mambabatas Pambansa of Leyte.:mnb|maguindanao|2 Salipada K. Pendatun died in office.:mnb|zamboanga|3 Cesar C. Climaco was assassinated on November 14, 1984.

References

ee also

*Congress of the Philippines
*Philippine parliamentary election, 1984

External links

* [http://www.congress.gov.ph Congress]