Case Digest - Political Law

Cordillera Regional Assembly Members vs. COMELEC
G.R. No 93054, December 4, 1990
FACTS:
On January 30, 1990, the people of the provinces of Benguet, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Abra and Kalinga Apayao and the City of Baguio cast their votes in a plebiscite hold pursuant to RA 6766. The creation of the Region was approved by the voters of the province of Ifugao but overwhelmingly rejected by the rest of the provinces and city mentioned.
ISSUE:
Whether or not the province of Ifugao can, alone, legally and validly constitute the Cordillera Autonomous Region?
Facts 1) COMELEC issued a resolution that the organic act 13 approved by the voters of Ifugao; secretary of justice reiterated in the memo to the constitute CAR and Exec. Sec. granted authority to wind up the affairs of the Cordillera Exec Board and Cordillera Regional Assembly created under EO 220.
RULING:
The sole province of Ifugao cannot validly constitute the Cordillera Autonomous Region… To become part of a region, it must join other provinces, cities, municipalities and geographical areas. It joins other units because of their common and distinctive historical and culturasl heritage, economic and social structures, other relevant characteristics. The constitutional requirements (Art. X section 15 of the 1987 Constitution) are not present.