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Neri vs. Senate Committee onAccountability of Public Ocers andInvestigations

Ponente: Leonardo-De Castro, J.

Petition for Certiorari assailing the Show CauseLetter (Nov. 22, 200! and Conte"#t $rder (Jan.%0, 200&! issued ' res#ondent SenateCo""ittee against #etitioner Neri (for"erDire)tor *eneral of N+D!

#ril 2, 200 D$/C entered into a )ontra)twith /+ for the su##l of e1ui#"ent andservi)es for the NN Pro3e)t a"ounting to P4illion. /he #ro3e)t was to 'e 5nan)ed ' thePeo#le6s 7e#u'li) of China

Petitioner was su""oned ' res#ondents toa##ear and testif in the investigation on the NNPro3e)t on a nu"'er of dates, however, heattended onl on the Se#t. 24 hearing.

Se#t. &, 200 'usiness"an Jose de 8ene)ia 999testi5ed that several high ee)utive o;)ials and#ower 'ro

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HPrin)i#le of Se#aration of Powers- ee)utive 'ran)h )annot frustrate #ower ofCongress to legislate ' refusing to )o"#l withits de"ands of infor"ation- #ower of 3udi)ial review is availa'le right ofCongress to )ondu)t in1uiries in aid of legislationis sus)e#ti'le to a'use su'3e)t to )ertiorari

(Se). , rt. &, Constitution!

9ssues and 7atio:

. B$N the )o""uni)ations eli)ited ' the %1uestions are )overed ' +e)utive Privilege.(I+S. 2 reasons!

HPower of Congress to )ondu)t in1uiries in aid oflegislation 'road legislative )annot legislatewiseleAe)tivel in the a'sen)e of infor"ationres#e)ting the )onditions whi)h the legislation isintended to aAe)t)hange)o"#ulsor #ro)ess

to enfor)e it li"itations validit: done ina))ordan)e with the Senate or @ouse dul#u'lished rules of #ro)edure and the rights of#ersons a##earingaAe)ted 'e res#e)ted. Su)h#ower etends to ee)utive o;)ials andee"#tion )an onl 'e through a valid )lai" ofee)utive #rivilege.

a. /here is a re)ogniEed )lai" of ee)utive#rivilege des#ite revo)ation of +$ G4G.

Con)e#t of ee)utive #rivilege has )onstitutionalunder#innings.KS v. Nion #u'li) interest: #reserve)on5dentialit of )onversations that ta

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in1uir is an eer)ise of #eo#le6s right toinfor"ation.

'. /he )lai" of ee)utive #rivilege is #ro#erlinvoe"'ers whodid not a)tuall #arti)i#ate in the deli'erationwere "ade to sign the )onte"#t $rder, and itsvalidit is dou'ted. Sen. Pi"entel insisted thatthe 1uoru" of the )o""ittee was onl 2 andthat the will of the lead )o""ittee #revails overall the other.

- /he Court 5nds "erit in the argu"ent of the$S* that res#ondent violated Se). 2, rt. 4 ofthe Constitution re1uiring that the in1uir 'e in

a))ordan)e with the dul #u'lished rules of#ro)edure, whi)h the res#ondents failed to"eet therefore its hearings were #ro)edurallin5r".

- 7es#ondents6 issuan)e of the )onte"#t $rderwere ar'itrar and #re)i#itate 'e)ause it did not#ass u#on the )lai" of ee)utive #rivilege andinfor" the #etitioner of their ruling, )urtldis"issed his e#lanation as unsatisfa)tor andsi"ultaneousl issued the $rder. Petitioner wasnot an unwilling witness and "anifested hiswillingness to testif. 7es#ondents denied hi"due #ro)ess of law.

Court was also a))used of atte"#ting to a'andonits )onstitutional dut when it re1uired #arties to)onsider a #ro#osal that would lead to a #ossi'le)o"#ro"ise it was onl to test a tool that other

3urisdi)tions 5nd to 'e eAe)tive in settling si"ilar)ases to avoid a #ie)e"eal )onsideration of the1uestions for review. >u)h of this s#irit of)o"#ro"ise is re=e)ted in the generalit oflanguage foundi n the Constitution (KS v."eri)an /el. /el Co.!.

Judg"ent: Petition *ranted. Conte"#t $rderNulli5ed.

Dissent: Puno, J.

- /he #rin)i#le of se#aration of #owers is nota'solute a her"eti) sealing oA of the %'ran)hes of govern"ent fro" one anotherwould #re)lude the esta'lish"ent of a nation)a#a'le of governing itself eAe)tivel.

- Sste" of )he)

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"ust 'e su;)ient showingde"onstration ofs#e)i5) need for the withheld infor"ation. 2standards: evidentiar and )onstitutional.

- Mun)tion 9"#air"ent /est the Court weighshow the dis)losure of the withheld infor"ationwould i"#air the President6s a'ilit to #erfor"his )onstitutional duties "ore thannondis)losure would i"#air other 'ran)h6sa'ilit to #erfor" its )onstitutional fun)tions.

- /he SC )annot assess the validit of the )lai" ofthe +e)utive Se)retar 'e)ause #au)it ofe#lanation on on how di#lo"ati) se)rets will 'ee#osed at the e#ense of our national interestif #etitioner answers dis#uted 1uestions. SC)annot deter"ine whether there is reasona'ledanger if #etitioner answers Court )annotengage in guesswor