ÿWPCM N9nãñ(¡S¥¿Aºm™²F)Ù”-bò›£`e$ø1ýP¼Hä}¨i^37ÇFǧÂ`ãÓ­8p‰Ïq|ŒŸ¶Ѧ´µ/Ý/ˆæ’éBlg¼°K(3S%¡­/ëëò†')òƒ*ĬëָϸeÈ·»Ÿ¹Ld™Ñg‰OÔ µüË­±˜OÝ )\9çaËÐ(ruaÏ«”,ëð=YÓ`Ø„ùL˜$VR«W¢\Ã’œ ŠôÙÕØQÀ×xúȱæóûx6›b6*¼2ßJÞª,ß¶*€tk‘@œ i‚C[§ì¦õϯÅËÙµ…©§÷®|»%ƒ¤‰Õó_ þL]¾¡ë`k8ºµteàÖ™ææèå )(m¡=(¾µÄï”/7;¼5_Õ‘ê,ÆóÇÒ”N‰ä 5Ì+V6—‡×ôI4ÉÌ@C@Å‚² {¢ÙLq÷×ÃÓ^êxR†ÙøItY{BÍÒ!^½‡sz(¼åF%:·P;£ÜU_{ùÊ2>bÛB»ü§é`w~Uø7Þl»WÂ\¤fj „¶…¥{~-\Qh9èbyå¬ÛÿÆ.$nõ%"×NgÇÎzeö ólf¹òûnÂìè–& Í|9½Y$Í(”Ò¸ ^ #ɨUNq %¿ 0:Å^ ÿw 4#2 m4NK˜\\YORK_UNIVERSITY\q_hrts_hp4000tnÒV,,,,ÒV0(ÖÃ9 Z‹6Times New Roman RegularX(ö\$¡¡ÔCEUS.,ÔÚD/— ‰zC/¦̇¢3|xÿU‹ÿÀÀÀÝ ƒö\!ÝÔCEUS.,ÔÝ  ÝÔ_Ôò òÓ  ÓHUMAN€RIGHTS€COMMITTEEÐ ° ÐÌòòÔ_ÔHomÔ_Ô€v.€PhilippinesóóÐ „Ô ÐÌCommunication€No.€1169/2003Ð X¨ ÐÌ30€July€2003Ð , | ÐÌÔ_ÔCCPRÔ_Ô/C/78/D/1169/2003€Ð  P ÐÌÌADMISSIBILITYó óÐ ¾  ÐÌÌòòòòSubmitted€byóó:€Mr.€Antonio€Ô_ÔHomÔ_ÔÐ zÊ  ÐÌòòAlleged€victimóó:€The€authorÐ H˜ ÐÌòòState€partyóó:€The€PhilippinesÐ f ÐÌòòDate€of€communicationóó:€20€December€2001€(initial€submission)óóÐ ä4 ÐÌÌòòThe€Human€Rights€Committeeóó,€established€under€article€28€of€the€International€Covenant€on€CivilÐ í Ðand€Political€Rights,Ð †Ö ÐÌòòMeetingóó€on€30€July€2003Ð X¨ ÐÌòòAdoptsóó€the€following:Ð *z ÐÌÌò òÓ  ÓòòDecision€on€admissibilityó óóóÐ å 5 ÐÓÀÓÌÌ1.€The€author€of€the€communication€is€Antonio€Ô_ÔHomÔ_Ô.€He€claims€to€be€a€victim€of€a€violation€by€theÐ ¡#ñ" ÐPhilippines€of€his€rights€under€articles€1,€paragraph€2,€14,€paragraph€1,€and€26€of€the€Covenant.€TheÐ Š$Ú# Ðauthor,€a€member€of€the€bar,€is€not€represented€by€counsel.Ð s%à $ ÐÌòòThe€facts€as€presentedóóÐ E'•"& ÐÌ2.1€On€3€October€1992,€the€author,€who€had€retired€in€1987€from€employment€with€the€PhilippineÐ )g$( ÐNational€Bank,€brought€an€action€for€sum€of€money€against€the€bank.€He€claimed€that€the€bank€hadÐ *P%) Ðillegally€deducted€withholding€tax€from€the€money€value€of€his€unused€leave€credits.€On€29€JuneÐ é*9&* Ð1994,€the€Regional€Trial€Court€of€Ô_ÔNegrosÔ_Ô€Occidental,€at€first€instance,€found€against€the€author,Ð Ò+"'+ Ðdetermining€that€the€bank€had€properly€applied€the€relevant€taxation€law,€as€it€then€stood.€On€27Ð », (, ÐOctober€1998,€a€bench€of€three€justices€of€the€Manila€Court€of€Appeals€dismissed€the€author'sÐ ¤-ô(- Ðappeal.Ð ° ÐÌ2.2€On€25€November€1998,€the€author€moved€for€review€on€certiorari€of€the€Court€of€Appeal'sÐ ‚Ò Ðdecision€on€the€basis€of€alleged€jurisdictional€error.€The€petition€was€served€and€filed€by€mail,Ð k» Ðwithout€reasons€as€to€why€it€was€not€served€and€filed€in€person,€as€generally€required€by€theÐ T¤ Ðapplicable€rules€of€procedure.Ð =  ÐÌ2.3€On€22€February€1999,€the€Supreme€Court€denied€the€author's€motion€for€review€on€certiorari€ofÐ  _ Ðthe€Court€of€Appeals'€decision,€on€the€basis€(Ô_ÔiÔ_Ô)€that€the€impugned€judgment€had€not€been€properlyÐ ø H Ðcertified€by€a€clerk€of€the€court,€(ii)€that€the€motion€was€insufficient€in€form€and€substance,€and€(ii)Ð á 1  Ðthat€the€motion€had€not€been€personally€served.Ð Ê   ÐÌ2.4€On€26€April€1999,€the€author€filed€a€"motion€for€reconsideration",€arguing€that€the€judgment€inÐ œì  Ðquestion€had€been€properly€certified,€that€his€substantive€argument€was€sound,€and€that€there€wereÐ …Õ  Ðpractical€reasons€why€personal€service€had€not€been€pursued.€On€23€June€1999,€the€Court€finallyÐ n¾  Ðdenied€the€author's€motion€for€reconsideration€of€its€resolution€of€22€February€1999,€on€the€basis€thatÐ W§  Ðno€substantial€arguments€were€raised€to€warrant€such€reconsideration.Ð @ ÐÌ2.5€On€2€August€1999,€the€author€moved€the€Supreme€Court€for€reconsideration€of€its€23€June€1999Ð b Ðdecision,€making€extensive€argumentation€on€the€substantive€issues€of€alleged€errors€of€law€andÐ ûK Ðmiscarriage€of€justice€committed€by€the€lower€court.€On€8€September€1999,€the€Supreme€CourtÐ ä4 Ðrejected€the€author's€motion€of€2€August€1999,€on€the€basis€of€procedural€rules€which€excludedÐ Í Ðconsecutive€motions€for€reconsideration€from€the€same€party.€As€a€result,€on€27€October€1999,Ð ¶ Ðjudgment€was€formally€entered€in€the€author's€case.Ð Ÿï ÐÌ2.6€On€25€March€2000,€the€author€complained€to€the€Chief€Justice€about€the€denial€of€his€petitionÐ qÁ Ðfor€review.€On€8€May€2000,€a€Justice€of€the€Supreme€Court€responded,€explaining€that€a€petitionerÐ Zª Ðhad€to€show€prima€facie€merit€in€an€attack€on€an€appellate€decision,€without€which€a€petition€wouldÐ C“ Ðbe€summarily€denied.€On€26€May€2000,€the€author€again€complained€to€the€Chief€Justice.€On€26Ð ,| ÐJune€2000,€the€Supreme€Court€formally€noted€the€author's€letter€of€25€March€2002€to€the€ChiefÐ e ÐJustice,€but€took€no€action.Ð þN ÐÌ2.7€On€25€August€2000,€the€author€again€complained€to€the€Chief€Justice.€On€21€September€2000,Ð Ð!   Ðthe€Chief€Justice's€Staff€Head€responded.€On€17€October€2000,€the€author€again€complained€to€theÐ ¹" ! ÐChief€Justice's€Staff€Head€contesting€the€Court's€resolution€of€22€February€1999.€On€24€JanuaryÐ ¢#ò" Ð2001,€the€author€complained€to€Staff€Head,€contending€that€the€Supreme€Court's€decisions€of€22Ð ‹$Û# ÐFebruary€1999,€23€June€1999,€26€June€2000€and€8€September€1999,€as€well€as€the€Associate€Justice'sÐ t%Ä $ Ðletter€of€8€May€2000,€were€in€error.Ð ]&­!% ÐÌ2.8€On€24€January€2001,€the€Supreme€Court,€treating€the€author's€letter€of€17€October€2000,€as€aÐ /(#' Ðthird€motion€for€reconsideration,€resolved€to€"reiterate€the€bases€of€its€ruling"€of€22€February€1999Ð )h$( Ðfirst€dismissing€the€author's€appeal.€It€detailed€that€(Ô_ÔiÔ_Ô)€the€appellate€judgment€had€not€been€certifiedÐ *Q%) Ðby€a€clerk€of€that€court,€as€required,€(ii)€that€the€author's€petition€had€not€explained€his€failure€toÐ ê*:&* Ðrender€personal€service,€and€(iii)€that€the€petition,€"by€any€standard,€is€manifestly€insufficient€in€formÐ Ó+#'+ Ðand€substance",€failing€to€show€prima€facie€any€reversible€error€committed€by€the€appellate€court.Ð ¼, (, ÐIt€accordingly€denied€the€motion.Ð ¥-õ(- ЇÌòòThe€complaintóóÐ ™é ÐÌ3.1€The€author€claims€a€violation€of€article€1,€paragraph€2,€of€the€Covenant€in€that€he€has€beenÐ k» Ðallegedly€deprived€of€his€retirement€benefits,€which€constitute€the€very€means€of€his€subsistence.Ð T¤ ÐÌ3.2€He€further€claims€a€violation€of€article€14,€paragraph€1,€in€that€he€was€allegedly€denied€bothÐ & v Ðequality€before€the€courts€and€a€fair€hearing€in€determining€his€rights€in€a€suit€at€law.€In€particular,Ð  _ Ðthe€author€contends,€firstly,€that€the€Supreme€Court€did€nor€grant€him€a€hearing,€when€it€stated€inÐ ø H Ðits€resolution€of€24€January€2001€that€no€further€Ô_ÔpleadingÔ_Ô€would€be€entertained€in€his€case.€Secondly,Ð á 1  Ðthe€Supreme€Court€improperly€distinguished€between€certification€applied€by€a€Clerk€of€theÐ Ê   ÐRegional€Trial€Court€and€a€Clerk€of€the€Court€of€Appeals€in€finding€that€procedural€requirement€notÐ ³  Ðsatisfied.€Secondly,€the€Supreme€Court€decided€to€treat€the€author's€letter€of€17€October€2000€as€aÐ œì  Ðthird€motion€for€reconsideration,€while€having€earlier€decided€that€it€could€not€receive€any€furtherÐ …Õ  Ðsuch€motions.€Thirdly,€the€Supreme€Court€improperly€rejected€his€failure€to€exercise€personalÐ n¾  Ðservice,€on€the€basis€that€the€physical€distance€involved€was€obvious€and€that€it€had€allegedlyÐ W§  Ðpreviously€accepted€service€by€mail.Ð @ ÐÌ3.3€The€author€also€cites€a€violation€of€article€26€as€to€the€equal€protection€of€the€law,€withoutÐ b Ðfurther€substantiating€any€argumentation€as€to€this€claim.Ð ûK ÐÌòòIssues€and€proceedings€before€the€CommitteeóóÐ Í ÐÌòòConsideration€of€admissibilityóóÐ Ÿï ÐÌ4.1€Before€considering€any€claim€contained€in€a€communication,€the€Human€Rights€CommitteeÐ o¿ Ðmust,€in€accordance€with€rule€87€of€its€rules€of€procedure,€decide€whether€or€not€the€communicationÐ X¨ Ðis€admissible€under€the€Optional€Protocol€to€the€Covenant.Ð A‘ ÐÌ4.2€As€to€the€author's€claim€under€article€1€of€the€Covenant,€the€Committee€refers€to€its€jurisprudenceÐ c Ðthat,€for€the€purposes€of€a€communication€under€the€Optional€Protocol,€article€1€cannot€on€its€ownÐ üL Ðbe€the€subject€of€a€communication€under€the€Optional€Protocol.€(1)€Moreover,€the€author€has€notÐ å 5 Ðpresented€his€communication€in€the€context€of€any€claim€of€a€"people",€within€the€meaning€of€articleÐ Î!  Ð1€of€the€Covenant.€Accordingly,€this€aspect€of€the€communication€falls€outside€the€Optional€ProtocolÐ ·"! ÐòòÔ_ÔrationeÔ_Ô€Ô_ÔmateriaeÔ_Ôóó€and€òòÔ_ÔrationeÔ_Ô€personaeóó,€respectively,€and€the€claim€is€inadmissible€under€articles€3Ð  #ð" Ðand€1€of€the€Optional€Protocol.Ð ‰$Ù# ÐÌ4.3€As€to€the€author's€claims€under€articles€14,€paragraph€1,€the€Committee€notes€that€these€claimsÐ [&«!% Ðhave€their€origins€in€a€lawsuit€by€the€author€concerning€the€withholding€of€some€10%€in€taxes€onÐ D'”"& Ðthe€value€of€his€unused€leave€credits€upon€retirement.€To€the€extent€that€the€communication€can€beÐ -(}#' Ðunderstood€as€relating€to€the€interpretation€of€domestic€law€and€further€the€evaluation€of€the€factsÐ )f$( Ðand€evidence€by€the€Regional€Trial€Court,€the€Committee€observes€that€Ô_ÔthatÔ_Ô€the€author€appealed€toÐ ÿ)O%) Ðthe€Court€of€Appeals,€which€had€full€authority€to€address€these€issues.€The€Committee€refers€to€itsÐ è*8&* Ðconstant€jurisprudence€that€it€is€not€for€the€Committee€to€review€these€issues,€unless€the€appreciationÐ Ñ+!'+ Ðof€the€domestic€courts€is€manifestly€arbitrary€or€amounts€to€a€denial€of€justice.€The€CommitteeÐ º, (, Ðconsiders€that€the€author€has€failed€to€substantiate,€for€the€purposes€of€admissibility,€any€suchÐ £-ó(- Ðexceptional€element€in€his€present€case,€and€this€part€of€the€communication€is€therefore€inadmissibleÐ ° Ðunder€article€2€of€the€Optional€Protocol.Ð ™é ÐÌ4.4€As€to€the€aspects€of€the€authors'€claims€under€articles€14,€paragraph€1,€and€26€relating€to€theÐ k» Ðcircumstances€of€the€subsequent€refusal€of€the€Supreme€Court€to€review€the€outcome€of€his€case,€theÐ T¤ ÐCommittee€similarly€considers€that€the€author€has€failed€to€substantiate,€for€purposes€ofÐ =  Ðadmissibility,€any€claim€that€would€raise€issues€under€these€provisions.€These€claims€are€thus€alsoÐ & v Ðinadmissible€under€article€2€of€the€Optional€Protocol.Ð  _ ÐÌ5.€Accordingly,€the€Committee€decides:Ð á 1  ÐÌa)€that€the€communication€is€inadmissible;€andÐ ³  ÐÌb)€that€this€decision€will€be€transmitted€to€the€author€and,€for€information,€to€the€State€party.Ð …Õ  ÐÌÌ[Adopted€in€English,€French€and€Spanish,€the€English€text€being€the€original€version.€SubsequentlyÐ @ Ðto€be€issued€also€in€Arabic,€Chinese€and€Russian€as€part€of€the€Committee's€annual€report€to€theÐ )y ÐGeneral€Assembly.]Ð b ÐÌ*€The€following€members€of€the€Committee€participated€in€the€examination€of€the€presentÐ ä4 Ðcommunication:€Mr.€Ô_ÔAbdelfattahÔ_Ô€Amor,€Mr.€Ô_ÔPrafullachandraÔ_Ô€Ô_ÔNatwarlalÔ_Ô€Ô_ÔBhagwatiÔ_Ô,€Mr.€AlfredoÐ Í ÐÔ_ÔCastilleroÔ_Ô€Ô_ÔHoyosÔ_Ô,€Mr.€Maurice€Ô_ÔGllÔ_Ô€Ô_ÔAhanhanzoÔ_Ô,€Mr.€Walter€Ô_ÔKlinÔ_Ô,€Mr.€Ahmed€Ô_ÔTawfikÔ_Ô€Ô_ÔKhalilÔ_Ô,€Mr.Ð ¶ ÐRafael€Ô_ÔRivasÔ_Ô€Ô_ÔPosadaÔ_Ô,€Mr.€Nigel€Ô_ÔRodleyÔ_Ô,€Mr.€Martin€Ô_ÔScheininÔ_Ô,€Mr.€Ivan€Shearer,€Mr.€RomanÐ Ÿï ÐÔ_ÔWieruszewskiÔ_Ô€and€Mr.€Maxwell€Ô_ÔYaldenÔ_Ô.Ð ˆØ ÐÌÌòòNotesóóÐ C“ ÐÌ1.€See,€for€example,€òòÔ_ÔOminayakÔ_Ô€et€al.€v€Canadaóó€Case€No€167/1984,€Views€adopted€on€26€MarchÐ e Ð1990,€at€para€13.3.€