LOONG VS COMELEC

December 22,1992
FACTS: On 15 January 1990, petitioner filed with the respondent Commission his
certificate of candidacy for the position of Vice-Governor of the Mindanao
Autonomous Region in the election held on 17 February 1990 (15 January 1990
being the last day for filing said certificate); herein two (2) private respondents
(Ututalum and Edris) were also candidates for the same position.
On 5 March 1990 (or 16 days after the election), respondent Ututalum filed
before the respondent Commission (Second Division) a petition seeking to disqualify
petitioner for the office of Regional Vice-Governor, on the ground that the latter
made a false representation in his certificate of candidacy as to his age. On 7 March
1990, the other candidate, respondent Edris, filed a "Petition in Intervention" raising
the same issue. Pet Loong seek the dismissal of the petition and allege that it is not
a practice among the Muslim people in the community where respondent was born
to record the birth of a child with the Office of the Civil Registry and that respondent
COMELEC has no jurisdiction because such petition is actually one which is to deny
due course to or cancel a certificate of candidacy which, under Section 78 of the
Omnibus Election Code (BP 881), as amended by Election Reforms Law of 1987,
should have been filed within 5 days following the last day for filing of the certificate
of candidacy.
On 15 May 1990, the respondent COMELEC rendered that it has jurisdiction to
try the instant petition and Loongs motion to dismiss on the ground of lack of
jurisdiction is hereby denied. He filed a MR which was also denied.
Loong contends that the case was filed out of time because it was filed
beyond the 25-day period prescribed by Section 78 of the Omnibus Election Code.
On the other hand, private respondent Ututalum alleges that SPA No. 90-006,
though filed only on 5 March 1990, was filed when no proclamation of winner had as
yet been made and that the petition is deemed filed on time as Section 3, Rule 25 of
the Comelec Rules of Procedure states that the petition to disqualify a candidate on
grounds of ineligibility "shall be filed any day after the last day for filing of
certificates of candidacy but not later than the date of proclamation."
On 3 July 1990, Loong was proclaimed as the duly elected Vice-Governor of
the Mindanao Autonomous Region. Hence, this special civil action of certiorari to
annul the aforesaid resolutions of respondent Commission.
ISSUE: WON the disqualification case against Loong was filed within the
period prescribed by law.
RULE: NO
The undisputed facts are as follows: petitioner Loong filed his certificate of
candidacy on 15 January 1990 (The last day for filing the same), the election for
officials of the Muslim Mindanao Autonomous Region being on 17 February 1990;
but private respondent Ututalum filed the petition (SPA 90-006) to disqualify
candidate Loong only on 5 March 1990, or forty-nine (49) days from the date

Loong's certificate of candidacy was filed (i.e. 15 January 1990), and sixteen (16)
days after the election itself.
On the part of respondent Commission, it held in its assailed resolution that
the petition in SPA No. 90-006 was timely filed, applying Sections 6 and 7 of
Republic Act No. 6646, 9 and Section 2, Rule 23 of the Comelec Rules of Procedure
which states that the petition to deny due course to or cancel a certificate of
candidacy must be filed within five (5) days following the last day for the filing of a
certificate of candidacy, both read in the light of the Frivaldo ruling.
Section 74 of the Omnibus Election Code provides that the certificate of
candidacy of the person filing it shall state, among others, the date of birth of said
person. Section 78 of the same Code states that is case a person filing a
certificate of candidacy has committed false representation, a petition to cancel the
certificate of the aforesaid person may be filed within twenty-five (25) days
from the time the certificate was filed. Clearly, such was filed beyond the 25day period prescribed by Section 78 of the Omnibus Election Code.
Rule 25 of the Comelec Rules of Procedure refers to Disqualification of
Candidates; and Section 1 of said rule provides that any candidate who commits
any act declared by law to be a ground for disqualification may be disqualified from
continuing as a candidate. The grounds for disqualification as expressed in Sections
12 and 68 of the Code are the following:
SEC. 12. Disqualification. Any person who has been declared by competent authority
insane or incompetent, or has been sentenced by final judgment for subversion,
insurrection, rebellion or for any offense for which he was sentenced to a penalty of more
than eighteen months wor for a crime involving moral turpitude, shall be disqualified to be a
candidate and to hold any office, unless he has been given plenary pardon or granted
amnesty.
SEC. 68. Disqualifications. Any candidate who, in an action or protest in which he is a
party is declared by final decision of a competent court guilty of, or found by the
Commission of having (a) given money or other material consideration to influence, induce
or corrupt the voters or public official performing electoral functions; (b) committed acts of
terrorism to enhance his candidacy; (c) spent in his election compaign an amount in excess
of that allowed by contribution prohibited under Sections 89, 95, 96, 97 and 104; or (e)
violated any of Sections 80, 83, 85, 86 and 261, paragraphs d, e, k, v, and cc, sub-paragraph
6, shall be disqualified from continuing as a candidate, or if he has been elected, from
holding the office. Any person who is a permanent resident of or an immigrant to foreign
country shall not be qualified to run for any elective office under this Code, unless said or
immigrant of a foreign country in accordance with the residence requirement provided for in
the election law.

The petition filed by private respondent Ututalum does not fall under the grounds of
disqualification as provided for in Rule 25 but is expressly covered by Rule 23 of the
Comelec Rules of Procedure governing petitions to cancel certificate of candidacy.
Moreover, Section 3, Rule 25 which allows the filing of the petition at any time
after the last day for the filing of certificates of candidacy but not later than the
date of proclamation, is merely a procedural rule issued by respondent Commission
which, although a constitutional body, has no legislative powers. Thus, it cannot

supersede Section 78 of the Omnibus Election Code which is a legislative

enactment.
Moreover, it will be noted that nothing in Sections 6 or 7 modified or alters the 25day period prescribed by Section 78 of the Code for filing the appropriate action to
cancel a certificate of candidacy on account of any false representation made
therein. On the contrary, said Section 7 affirms and reiterates Section 78 of the
Code. Section 6 refers only to the effects of a disqualification case which may be
based on grounds other than that provided under Section 78 of the Code. But
Section 7 of Rep. Act No. 6646 also makes the effects referred to in Section 6
applicable to disqualification cases filed under Section 78 of the Code. Nowhere in
Section 6 and 7 Rep. Act. No 6646 is mentioned made of the period within which
these disqualification cases may be filed. This is because there are provisions in the
Code which supply the periods within which a petition relating to disqualification of
candidates must be filed, such as Section 78, already discussed, and Section 253 on
petitions for quo warranto.
Thus, if a person qualified to file a petition to disqualification a certain candidate
fails to file the petition within the 25-day period prescribed by Section 78 of the
Code for whatever reasons, the election laws do not leave him completely helpless
as he has another chance to raise the disqualification of the candidate by filing a
petition forquo warranto within ten (10) days from the proclamation of the results of
the election, as provided under Section 253 of the Code. Section 1 Rule 21 of the
Comelec Rules of procedure similarly provides that any voter contesting the election
of any regional, provincial or city official on the ground of ineligibility or of disloyalty
to the Republic of the Philippines may file a petition for quo warranto with the
Electoral Contest Adjudication Department. The petition may be filed within ten
(10)days from the date the respondent is proclaimed (Section 2).
It is true that the discovery of false representation as to material facts required to
be stated in a certificate of candidacy, under Section 74 of the Code, may be made
only after the lapse of the 25-day period prescribed by Section 78 of the Code,
through no fault of the person who discovers such misrepresentations and who
would want the disqualification of the candidate committing the misrepresentations.
It would seem, therefore, that there could indeed be a gap between the time of the
discovery of the misrepresentation, (when the discovery is made after the 25-day
period under Sec. 78 of the Code has lapsed) and the time when the proclamation
of the results of the election is made. During this so-called "gap" the would-be
petitioner (who would seek the disqualification of the candidate) is left with nothing
to do except to wait for the proclamation of the results, so that he could avail of a
remedy against the misrepresenting candidate, that is, by filing a petition for quo
warranto against him. Respondent Commission sees this "gap" in what it calls a
procedural gap which, according to it, it unnecessary and should be remedied.
In sum, tha case filed by private respondent Ututalum beyond the 25-day period
(from the filing by petitioner Loong of the questioned certificate of candidacy)
prescribed by Section 78 of the Code. It follows that the dismissal of said petition for
disqualification is warranted. Further it would appear that we cannot treat such as a
petition for quo warranto (Section 253 of the Code) for when it was filed with the

respondent Commission, no proclamation of election results had as yet been made,

it was premature.
G.R. No. 120295. June 28, 1996]
JUAN G. FRIVALDO, petitioner, vs. COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS, and RAUL
R. LEE, respondents.
[G.R. No. 123755. June 28, 1996]
RAUL R. LEE, petitioner, vs. COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS and JUAN G.
FRIVALDO, respondents.
On March 20, 1995, private respondent Juan G. Frivaldo filed his Certificate of
Candidacy for the office of Governor of Sorsogon in the May 8, 1995 elections. On
March 23, 1995, petitioner Raul R. Lee, another candidate, filed a petition with the
Comelec praying that Frivaldo "be disqualified from seeking or holding any public
office or position by reason of not yet being a citizen of the Philippines," and that his
Certificate of Candidacy be cancelled. On May 1, 1995, the Second Division of the
Comelec promulgated a Resolution granting the petition.
The Motion for Reconsideration filed by Frivaldo remained unacted upon until after
the May 8, 1995 elections. So, his candidacy continued and he was voted for during
the elections held on said date. On May 11, 1995, the Comelec en banc affirmed the
aforementioned Resolution of the Second Division.
The Provincial Board of Canvassers completed the canvass of the election returns
and a Certificate of Votes was issued showing the following votes obtained by the
candidates for the position of Governor of Sorsogon: Antonio H. Escudero, Jr. 51,060,
Juan G. Frivaldo 73,440, RaulR.Lee 53,304, Isagani P. Ocampo 1,925
On June 9, 1995, Lee filed a (supplemental) petition praying for his proclamation as
the duly-elected Governor of Sorsogon.
In an orderdated June 21, 1995, but promulgated according to the petition "only on
June 29, 1995," the Comelec en bane directed "the Provincial Board of Canvassers
of Sorsogon to reconvene for the purpose of proclaiming candidate Raul Lee as the
winning gubernatorial candidate in the province of Sorsogon on June 29,1995 x x x."
Accordingly, at 8:30 in the evening of June 30,1995, Lee was proclaimed governor of
Sorsogon.
Frivaldo filed with the Comelec a new petition praying for the annulment of the June
30, 1995 proclamation of Lee and for his own proclamation. He alleged that on June
30, 1995, at 2:00 in the afternoon, he took his oath of allegiance as a citizen of the
Philippines after "his petition for repatriation under P.D. 725 which he filed with the
Special Committee on Naturalization in September 1994 had been granted." As
such, when "the said order (dated June 21, 1995) (of the Comelec) x x x was
released and received by Frivaldo on June 30, 1995 at 5:30 o'clock in the evening,
there was no more legal impediment to the proclamation (of Frivaldo) as governor x
x x." In the alternative, he averred that pursuant to the two cases of Labo vs.
Comelec, the Vice-Governor not Lee should occupy said position of governor.

On December 19, 1995, the Comelec First Division promulgated the herein assailed
Resolution holding that Lee, "not having garnered the highest number of votes,"
was not legally entitled to be proclaimed as duly-elected governor; and that
Frivaldo, "having garnered the highest number of votes, and having reacquired his
Filipino citizenship by repatriation on June 30, 1995 under the provisions of
Presidential Decree No. 725 is qualified to hold the office of governor of Sorsogon".
Issues: 1. Is Frivaldo's "judicially declared" disqualification for lack of
Filipino citizenship a continuing bar to his eligibility to run for, be elected
to or hold the governorship of Sorsogon NO!
2. Was the proclamation of Lee, a runner-up in the election, valid and legal
in light of existing jurisprudence? -NO!
Held:
1.)It should be noted that our first ruling in G.R. No. 87193 disqualifying Frivaldo was
rendered in connection with the 1988 elections while that in G.R. No. 104654 was in
connection with the 1992 elections. That he was disqualified for such elections is
final and can no longer be changed.
Indeed, decisions declaring the acquisition or denial of citizenship cannot
govern a person's future status with finality. This is because a person may
subsequently reacquire, or for that matter lose, his citizenship under any
of the modes recognized by law for the purpose.
"Everytime the citizenship of a person is material or indispensable in a judicial or
administrative case, whatever the corresponding court or administrative authority
decides therein as to such citizenship is generally not considered res judicata,
hence it has to be threshed out again and again, as the occasion demands."
2.) Frivaldo assails the validity of the Lee proclamation. We uphold him for the
following reasons:
First. To paraphrase this Court in Labo vs. COMELEC, "the fact remains that he
(Lee) was not the choice of the sovereign will," and in Aquino vs. COMELEC,
Lee is "a second placer, just that, a second placer."
"The rule, therefore, is: the ineligibility of a candidate receiving majority
votes does not entitle the eligible candidate receiving the next highest
number of votes to be declared elected. A minority or defeated candidate
cannot be deemed elected to the office."
Second. As we have earlier declared Frivaldo to have seasonably re-acquired
his citizenship and inasmuch as he obtained the highest number of votes
in the 1995 elections, henot Lee should be proclaimed. Hence, Lee's
proclamation was patently erroneous and should now be corrected.
==================================================
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CONCLUSION OF THE COURT

In sum, we rule that the citizenship requirement in the Local Government

Code is to be possessed by an elective official at the latest as of the time
he is proclaimed and at the start of the term of office to which he has been
elected. We further hold P.D. No. 725 to be in full force and effect up to the present,
not having been suspended or repealed expressly nor impliedly at any time, and
Frivaldo's repatriation by virtue thereof to have been properly granted and thus
valid and effective. Moreover, by reason of the remedial or curative nature of the
law granting him a new right to resume his political status and the legislative intent
behind it, as well as his unique situation of having been forced to give up his
citizenship and political aspiration as his means of escaping a regime he abhorred,
his repatriation is to be given retroactive effect as of the date of his application
therefor, during the pendency of which he was stateless, he having given ' up his U.
S. nationality.
Thus, in contemplation of law, he possessed the vital requirement of Filipino
citizenship as of the start of the term of office of governor, and should
have been proclaimed instead of Lee. Furthermore, since his reacquisition
of citizenship retroacted to August 17, 1994, his registration as a voter of
Sorsogon is deemed to have been validated as of said date as well. The
foregoing, of course, are precisely consistent with our holding that lack of the
citizenship requirement is not a continuing disability or disqualification to
run for and hold public office. And once again, we emphasize herein our
previous rulings recognizing the Comelec's authority and jurisdiction to hear and
decide petitions for annulment of proclamations.
This Court has time and again liberally and equitably construed the
electoral laws of our country to give fullest effect to the manifest will of
our people, for in case of doubt, political laws must be interpreted to give
life and spirit to the popular mandate freely expressed through the ballot.
Otherwise stated, legal niceties and technicalities cannot stand in the way
of the sovereign will. Consistently, we have held:
"x x x (L)aws governing election contests must be liberally construed to the end
that the will of the people in the choice of public officials may not be defeated by
mere technical objections (citations omitted)."
The law and the courts must accord Frivaldo every possible protection, defense and
refuge, in deference to the popular will. Indeed, this Court has repeatedly stressed
the importance of giving effect to the sovereign will in order to ensure the
survival of our democracy. In any action involving the possibility of a
reversal of the popular electoral choice, this Court must exert utmost
effort to resolve the issues in a manner that would give effect to the will
of the majority, for it is merely sound public policy to cause elective offices
to be filled by those who are the choice of the majority. To successfully
challenge a winning candidate's qualifications, the petitioner must clearly
demonstrate that the ineligibility is so patently antagonistic to constitutional and
legal principles that overriding such ineligibility and thereby giving effect to the
apparent will of the people, would ultimately create greater prejudice to the very

democratic institutions and juristic traditions that our Constitution and laws so
zealously protect and promote. In this undertaking, Lee has miserably failed.
In Frivaldo's case, it would have been technically easy to find fault with his cause.
The Court could have refused to grant retroactivity to the effects of his
repatriation and hold him still ineligible due to his failure to show his
citizenship at the time he registered as a voter before the 1995 elections.
Or, it could have disputed the factual findings of the Comelec that he was
stateless at the time of repatriation and thus hold his consequent dual
citizenship as a disqualification "from running for any elective local
position." But the real essence of justice does not emanate from
quibblings over patchwork legal technicality. It proceeds from the spirit's
gut consciousness of the dynamic role of law as a brick in the ultimate
development of the social edifice. Thus, the Court struggled against and
eschewed the easy, legalistic, technical and sometimes harsh anachronisms of the
law in order to evoke substantial justice in the larger social context consistent with
Frivaldo's unique situation approximating venerability in Philippine political life.
Concededly, he sought American citizenship only to escape the clutches of
the dictatorship. At this stage, we cannot seriously entertain any doubt
about his loyalty and dedication to this country. At the first opportunity,
he returned to this land, and sought to serve his people once more. The
people of Sorsogon overwhelmingly voted for him three times. He took an
oath of allegiance to this Republic every time he filed his certificate of
candidacy and during his failed naturalization bid. And let it not be
overlooked, his demonstrated tenacity and sheer determination to re-assume his
nationality of birth despite several legal set-backs speak more loudly, in
spirit, in fact and in truth than any legal technicality, of his consuming
intention and burning desire to re-embrace his native Philippines even
now at the ripe old age of 81 years. Such loyalty to and love of country as well
as nobility of purpose cannot be lost on this Court of justice and equity. Mortals of
lesser mettle would have given up. After all, Frivaldo was assured of a life of ease
and plenty as a citizen of the most powerful country in the world. But he opted, nay,
single-mindedly insisted on returning to and serving once more his struggling but
beloved land of birth. He therefore deserves every liberal interpretation of
the law which can be applied in his favor. And in the final analysis, over
and above Frivaldo himself, the indomitable people of Sorsogon most
certainly deserve to be governed by a leader of their overwhelming
choice.