MALONZO V ZAMORA

FACTS
Petitioners were faulted for violating Sections 50 and 52 of the Code requiring the
Sangguniang Panlungsod to adopt or update its existing rules of procedure within
the first 90 days following the election of its members. The Sanggunian allegedly
conducted three readings of Ordinance No. 0254, S. 1998 in one day and on the first
day of its session (July 2, 1998) without the Sanggunian having first organized itself
and adopted its rules of procedure. It was only on July 23, 1998 that the Sanggunian
adopted its internal rules of procedure.
ISSUE
WON the three readings required for the passage of an ordinance may all be done in
one day
HELD
YES. There is no violation of Sections 50 and 52 of the Code. We cannot infer the
mandate of the Code that no other business may be transacted on the first regular
session except to take up the matter of adopting or updating rules. All that the law
requires is that on the first regular session the sanggunian concerned shall adopt or
update its existing rules or procedure. There is nothing in the language thereof that
restricts the matters to be taken up during the first regular session merely to the
adoption or updating of the house rules. If it were the intent of Congress to limit the
business of the local council to such matters, then it would have done so in clear
and unequivocal terms. But as it is, there is no such intent.
Neither is there anything in the law which prohibits the conduct of three readings of
a proposed ordinance from being held in just one session day.