NINETEENTH CONGRESS
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
First Regular Session
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lntroduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriquez
This bill was filed during the 18th Congress and was approved by the House of
Representatives.
Elections are crucial exercises of political freedom and might foretell the political
climate in the years to come. With this in mind, it is essential that upcoming elections are
clean, honest and truthful so that the leaders who stand to be proclaimed will be the genuine
ones who are truly chosen by the people and their mandate acceptable to all with nobody
doubting their authority to govern this nation.
That is possible only if we institute electoral reforms. Too many aspects need to be
addressed. However, it is this bill's purpose to address the aspect of protest since this put
into serious question the proclamation of the winning candidate.
First, fees for protest at present are exorbitant that we have to make them reasonable
to enable the genuine protests to be affordable to the cheated candidates.
Third, let us put a time limitation to the resolution of protests. Many unscrupulous
victors defy the election code and resort to cheating because they know that protests take a
long time before they are decided.
Fourth, deny the proclaimed candidate payment of benefits while the protest is heard
Fifth, candidates found cheating to secure victory but are eventually ousted must be
barred from running again or holding any government post as punishment.
Lastly, hold those involved in delaying resolution of protests criminally liable.
It is hoped that if enacted into law, the bill will make the prospective cheater and his
supporters think twice before resorting to fraud just to insure his false victory. On the other
hand, it will restore the confidence of the electorate in the electoral process as the stabilizing
political solution to our political instability.
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
House Bill No.
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Second, let us make the proclaimed winner who is eventually ousted in the protest
shoulder all costs as punishment for him.
July 8, 2022
3:03 pm
1666


NINETEENTH CONGRESS
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
First Regular Session
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
lntroduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez
AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR THE EXPEDITIOUS RESOLUTION OF ELECTORAL PROTESTS
Be it enacted by the Senale and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:
SECTION {. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Expeditious Resolution of Electoral
Protests Act"
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - lt is hereby declared the policy of the State to ensure the fair,
impartial and expeditious disposition of election protests to prevent the disenfranchisement of
the electorate and guarantee that outcomes of electoral processes are reflective of the
sovereign will of the people.
SEC. 3. Scope of this Act, - This Act shall apply to all elective positions in the national, local,
and barangay levels.
SEC. 4. Filing Fees; Costs of Revisions and Recount; Revisor's Fees; And Reimbursement of
Costs and Fees. - All provisions of laws and rules and regulations to the contrary
notwithstanding, the filing fees, costs of revision and recount, revisor's fees, and other costs
involved in electoral protests shall be governed by the following policies:
(a) Filing Fees. - Filing fees shall be reasonable and cover only administrative costs
for accepting and docketing the electoral protests.
(b) Costs of Revision and Recount. - The costs of revision and recount shall be
shouldered by the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), the Senate Electoral
Tribunal (SET), the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET), the
Commission on Elections (COMELEC) and the courts, as the case may be.
(c) Revisor's Fees. - Fees for revisors shall be borne solely by the protestant and
protestee who retained their respective services.
(d) Reimbursement of Costs and Fees. - Fees and other costs paid to the PET, the
SET, the HRET, the COMELEC and the court, as the case may be, and the fees
and costs paid to the revisors, shall be reimbursed by the protestee to the
protestant when the election protest is sustained and the election of the protestee
is nullified.
SEG. 5. Expeditious Resolution of Electoral Protests. - Notwithstanding any provision of law
or rules and regulations to the contrary, all electoral protests involving different positions shall
be resolved not later than the following periods:
(a) For President, Vice-President, or Senator, within twenty-four (24) months following
the proclamation and assumption into office of the official whose election is contested;
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House Bill No. _1666


(b) For Member of the House of Representatives, within twelve (12) months following
the proclamation and assumption into office of the representative whose election is
contested;
(c) For regional, provincial, city and municipal positions, within twelve (12) months
following the proclamation and assumption into office of the official whose election is
contested; and
(d) For barangay positions, within six (6) months following the proclamation and
assumption into office of the official whose election is contested.
a) For President, Vice-President, or Senator, filed before the assumption into office of
the official whose election is contested, within six (6) months from the said assumption,
or if filed after such assumption, within six (6) months from the filing of the case;
b) For Member of the House of Representatives, filed before the assumption into office
of the Representative whose election is contested, within six (6) months from the said
assumption, or if filed after such assumption, within six (6) months from the filing of the
case;
c) For regional, provincial, city and municipal positions, within six (6) months from the
filing of the case; and
d) For barangay positions, within six (6) months from the filing of the case
SEC. 7. Expeditious Resolution of Appealed Cases. - Any appealed decision on an election
protest or quo warranto case shall be resolved by the COMELEC or the court exercising
appellate jurisdiction, as the case may be, within three months upon the service of a notice of
appeal.
A notice of appeal shall be served within three (3) days upon the filing of an appeal.
SEC, 8. Sanctions for the Violations of the l\Iandatory Periods - The following sanctions shall
be imposed for failure to comply with the mandatory periods under Sections 5 and 6 of this
Act:
(a) For the Members of the PET, the SET, and the HRET, withholding of all
remunerations to which they may be entitled as such members pending resolution
of the case beyond the mandatory period;
(b) (b) For the Chairman and Commissioners of the COMELEC, withholding of basic
salaries pending resolution of the case beyond the mandatory period; and
(c) For Judges of Courts, withholding of basic salaries pending resolution of the case
beyond the mandatory period.
ln addition, the Supreme Court may impose such other sanctions on non-complying
judges as it may deem warranted.
SEC. L Separability Clause. - lf any portion or provision of this Act is declared
unconstitutional, the remainder thereof or any provision not affected thereby shall remain in
force and effect.
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SEG. 6. Resolution of Quo Warranto Cases. - Notwithstanding any provision of law or rules
and regulations to the contrary, all quo warranto cases involving different positions shall be
resolved not later than the following periods:


SEC. 10. Repealing Clause. - Section 22 of Republic Act No. 7166 entitled 'An Act Providing
For Synchronized National And Local Elections And For Electoral Reforms, Authorizing
Appropriations Therefor, And For Other Purposes" and Section 24 of Republic Act No. 8046,
entitled "An Act Authorizing The Commission On Elections To Conduct A Nationwide
Demonstration Of A Computerized Election System And Pilot-Test lt ln The March 1996
Elections ln The Autonomous Region ln Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) And For Other Purposes"
are hereby amended.
All other laws, acts, presidential decrees, executive orders, issuances, presidential
proclamations, rules and regulations or parts thereof, which are contrary to and inconsistent
with any provlsion of this Act, are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.
SEC. {1. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the
Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,
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