Cocofed v. Comelec

COCOFED v. COMELEC (2013) Petitioners:  COCOFED-Philippine Coconut Producers Federtion! "nc. Respondents:  Co##ission on Elections Topic: Con$ress SUMMARY: Prt%-lists #ust su&#it  list o' 'ive no#inees &e'ore the COMELEC. Otherise! the% ould &e disuli'ied 'ro# prticiptin$ in the elections! s ht hppened to petitioner  COCOFED in this cse. FACTS: •

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Petitioner is n or$ni*tion nd sectorl prt% hose #e#&ership co#es 'ro# the pesnt pesnt sector! sector! prticul prticulrl% rl% the coconut coconut 'r#ers 'r#ers nd produce producers. rs. On M% 2+! 2012! 2012! COCOFED COCOFED #ni'ested #ni'ested ith the COMELEC COMELEC its intent intent to prticip prticipte te in the prt%-list prt%-list elections o' M% 13! 2013 nd su&#itted the n#es o' onl% to no#inees. On ,ove# ,ove#&e &err ! 2012 2012!! the COMEL COMELEC EC cnce cncelle lled d COCOF COCOFED EDs s re$ist re$istr rtio tion n nd nd ccredittion s  prt%-list or$ni*tion on severl $rounds. ,ot&l%! the Concurrin$ Opin Opinio ion n o' Co## Co##is issi sion oner er Chri Christ sti in n Li# Li# cite cited! d! s ddi dditi tion onl l $rou $round nd!! tht tht sinc since e COCOFED su&#itted onl% to no#inees! then it 'iled to co#pl% ith /ection  o'  epu&lic ct ct () ,o. +1 tht reuires the prt% to su&#it to COMELEC COMELEC  list o' not less thn 'ive no#inees. COCOFED uestioned uestioned the COMELECs cncelltion o' its re$istrtion nd ccredittion ccredittion &e'ore the /upre#e Court. "ts petition s eventull% consolidted ith other petitions tht 'or#ed the &sis 'or the  Atong Paglaum decision. "n its Decision in  Atong Paglaum ! the Court re#nded ll the petitions to the COMELEC to deter#ine their co#plince ith the ne pr#eters nd $uidelines set &% the Court in tht cse. On M% 10! 2013! the COMELEC issued its ssiled resolution! #intinin$ its erlier  rulin$ cncellin$ COCOFEDs re$istrtion nd ccredittion 'or its 'ilure to co#pl% ith the reuire#ent o' /ection  o'  ,o. +1! i.e.! to su&#it  list o' not less thn 'ive no#inees. COCOFED #oved 'or reconsidertion reconsidertion onl% to ithdr its #otion lter. "nsted! on M% 20! 20! 2013 2013!! COCOFE COCOFED D 'iled 'iled  Manifestation with Urgent Request to Admit Additional  Nominees ith the COMELEC. On M% 2! 2013! the COMELEC issued  resolution declrin$ the cncelltion o'  COCOFEDs ccredittion 'inl nd e4ecutor%.

ISSUE/S: •

5o, the petition is lred% #oot nd cde#ic since COCOFED onl% received 0.367 o'  the totl nu#&er o' votes cst in the prt%-list elections (less thn 27) o ,O. ,O. 8he 8he vli vlidi dit% t% o' the the COME COMELE LEC Cs s reso resolu luti tion on!! cnc cncel elli lin$ n$ COCO COCOFE FED Ds s re$istrtion! re#ins  ver% live issue tht is not dependent on the outco#e o'  the electi election ons. s. 9nde 9nderr /ecti /ection on  o'  ,o. +1 +1!!  prt% prt%-lis -listt $roup $roup lred lred% %

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re$istered :need not re$ister ne; 'or purposes o' ever% su&seuent election! &ut onl% needs to 'ile  #ni'esttion o' intent to prticipte ith the COMELEC.   'indin$ tht the COMELEC $rvel% &used its discretion in cncellin$ COCOFE COCOFED Ds s re$ist re$istrt rtio ion n ould ould entit entitle le it! i' it is so #inde #inded! d! to prti prticip cipte te in su&seuent elections ithout need o' under$oin$ re$istrtion proceedin$s ne. 5o, the COMELEC $rvel% &used its discretion in issuin$ the ssiled resolution cncellin$ COCOFEDs re$istrtion o ,O. Filure Filure to su&#it the list o' 'ive no#inees &e'ore the election election rrnts the cncelltion o' its re$istrtion. o First! the ln$u$e o' /ection  o'  ,o. +1 does not onl% use the ord :shll; in connection ith the reuire#ent o' su&#ittin$  list o' no#inees< it uses this #ndtor% ter# in con=unction ith the nu#&er o' n#es to &e su&#itted tht is couched ne$tivel%! i.e.! :not less thn 'ive.; 8he use o' these ter#s to$e to$eth ther er is  pli plin n indi indic cti tion on o' le$i le$isl slt tiv ive e inte intent nt to #>e #>e the the stt sttut utor or% % reuire#ent #ndtor% 'or the prt% to undert>e. o /econd! hile COCOFEDs COCOFEDs 'ilure to su&#it  co#plete list o' no#inees #% not hve &een #on$ the $rounds cited &% the COMELEC in erlier cncellin$ its re$istrtion! this is not su''icient to support  'indin$ o' $rve &use o' discretion. o 8hird! the 'ct tht  prt%-list $roup is entitled to no #ore thn three sets in Con$ress! re$rdless o' the nu#&er o' votes it #% $rner! does not render  /ection  o'  ,o. +1 per#issive in nture. 8he pu&liction o' the list o'  no#inees does not onl% serve s the rec>onin$ period o' certin re#edies nd procedu procedures res under under the resoluti resolution. on. Most i#portn i#portntl% tl%!! the reuired reuired pu&lic pu&liction tion stis'ie stis'ies s the peoples peoples constitut constitution ionll ri$ht ri$ht to in'or#ti in'or#tion on on #tters #tters o' pu&lic pu&lic concern. 8he need 'or su&#ission o' the co#plete list reuired &% l &eco#es ll the #ore i#portnt in  prt%-list election to pprise the electorte o' the individuls &ehind the prt% the% re votin$ 'or. o Fourth! e cnnot discern n% vlid reson h%  prt%-list $roup cnnot co#pl% ith the sttutor% reuire#ent. o Fi'th! hile under the 6th pr#eter in  Atong Paglaum! the Court sid tht the disuli'iction o' so#e o' the no#inees shll not result in the disuli'iction o'  the prt%-list $roup ?provided tht the% hve t lest one no#inee ho re#ins uli'ied!? the Court in no % uthori*ed  prt%-list $roup@s ine4cus&le ine4cus&le 'ilure! i' not outri$ht re'usl! to co#pl% ith the cler letter o' the l on the su&#ission o' t lest 'ive no#inees.

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