The House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET) complies with the conditions of good governance and the requirements of Philippine Transparency Seal as set by National Budget Circular 542 issued by the Department of Budget of Management and as provided for in the General Appropriations Act.
Our MANDATE.
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. 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.
(Section 17, Article VI of the 1987 Philippine Constitution)
Our MISSION.
That we be true SENTINELS of the SANCTITY of SUFFRAGE, as we read and understand the real message of the voters, apply the correct appreciation of the law and evidence, discover wicked schemes to silence or falsify the voice of the people and act with efficiency without sacrificing the uncompromising criterion of JUSTICE.
Our VISION.
A TRIBUNAL that adheres to the principles of JUSTICE, INTEGRITY and FAIRNESS in the proclamation of the will of the electorate as to who are fit to serve as Members of the House of Representatives as mandated by the Constitution.
About Us
The House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET) is the sole judge of all contests relating to the election, returns, and qualifications of the Members of the House of Representatives.
The HRET is composed of nine (9) Members; three (3) of whom are Justices of the Supreme Court while the remaining six (6) are Members of the House of Representatives.
Our Services
Members
CASES
RULES
1902
When the Philippine government was initially established through the passage of the Philippine Bill of 1902 (Cooper Act), the Senate and House of Representatives, respectively, were the sole judges of the elections, returns, and qualifications of their elective members. (Section 18, Philippine Bill of 1902, 01 July 1902)
1906
Under the Philippine Autonomy Act of 1916 (Jones Law) this authority was placed with the Philippine Assembly, or the Legislature itself. (Section 7, Philippine Autonomy Act, United States Congress, 29 August 1916)
1935
When the 1935 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines was approved and ratified through a plebiscite, the Electoral Commission composed of three (3) justices of the Supreme Court, and six (6) members of the National Assembly was created. Under a unicameral legislature, the Electoral Commission was the sole judge of all contests relating to the election, returns, and qualifications of the Members of the then National Assembly. (Section 4, Article VI, 1935 Constitution)
1940
The 1935 Constitution was amended to create a bicameral legislative department composed of Senate and House of Representatives. This led to the establishment of separate and independent electoral tribunals for each house of Congress, both of which assumed the authority and jurisdiction previously held by the Electoral Commission over their respective members (Section 11, Article VI, 1935 Constitution, as amended)
1973
When the 1973 Constitution was approved and ratified, no similar provision existed and the jurisdiction on election contests against the Members of the National Assembly or the Legislature was lodged with the Commission on Elections. (Section 2(2), Article XII-C, 1973 Constitution)
1987
With the approval and ratification of the 1987 Constitution, the authority of the HRET to be the sole judge of all contests relating to the election, returns, and qualifications of the Members of the House of Representatives was revived, and the HRET that is today was organized.