Penav .HRET
G. R.No.123037 Mar ch21,1997 FACTS: • Pena and Abueg we r er i v al sf ort he Congr es s i onal seati n Pal awan dur i ng t heMa May8,1995 el ect i ons. Appar e nt l y ,Abuegwaspr oc l ai me dwi nne r . • OnMa May22,Pe nafil edape t i t i on wi t h AD CAUTELAM nd t he HRET, c l ai mi ng t hat t he el ect i ons i nt he 2 di st ri ctofPal awan wer et ai nt edwi t h massi vef raud, wi de spr e adv ot e b ng,i nt i mi dat i onandt e r r or i sm ‐ uyi and ot herseri ous i rr egul ari t i es comm mmi t t ed bef ore, duri ngandaf t ert hevot i ng,andduri ngt hecount i ng ofv ot esandt hepr eparat i on ofel ect i on r et urnsand cert i ficat esofc anvasswh whi ch affect ed t heresul t sof t hee l e ct i o n. • Becauseoft hesei rr egul ari t i es,Penast at ed t hathe l o s tt hee l e c t i o nb ya l mo s t7 kv o t e s .Het he na s sa i l e d Abueg’ spr ocl ama t i on. • Abuegfil edan answerand amo mot i ont odi s mi s son June23,av er r i ngt hatt heHRET hasnotacqui r ed j ur i s di ct i on ov e r t he pe t i t i on, t he s ame be i ng i nsuffic ffi ci enti nf or m and subst ance.I n ess ence,t he mot i on t odi smi mi ssanchorsi t schal l engeon t hef act t ha tt h epe t i t i o nf ai l e dt oa l l e g et hepr e c i nc t swh whe r e t hema massi vef r aud and di senf r anchi seme mentofvot er s occurr ed,nordi di tpoi ntouthow manyvot eswoul d begai ne dbyt hepr ot es t antasar es ul toft hes ame . • Pena l at er submi t t ed a l i st ofspec i fic cont es t ed pr ec i nct s on Jul y 10, or 17 days af t er Abueg ’ s answer . • I n Oct ober ,t he HRET r ul ed t hat whi l ei t had j ur i s di ct i onov e rt hepe t i t i on,ast hes ol ej udg eofal l cont es t s r el at i ng t o t he el ect i on r et ur ns and qual i fica t i ons of t he memb mber s of t he House of Re pr e s e nt a t i v e s ,t he s ai d pe t i t i o n,ho we v e r ,f a i l st o s t a t eac aus eo fa c t i o n,a ndi st he r e f o r e ,i ns uffic i e nt i nf o r ma nds ubs t a nc e ,me r i t i ngi t sdi s m mi i s s a l . • Penafil edapet i t i onf orc er t i orar iwi t ht heSC.
I SSUE: WO WON t heHRET commi mmi t t e d GAOD i n di s mi ss i ng Pe na’ s pe t i t i o n ad cuat f orl ack ofsubst ance( whi ch Pena el am l at e rc ur e d) ?NO. HELD: • Pena’ s peti t i on l acki ng subst ance, di sm mi i ss al proper A pe r usaloft he pe t i t i on e v e al s Ad Cuat el am,r t hat pet i t i oner ma makes no speci fic ment i on of t he pre ci nct s wher e wi despre ad el ect i on, f r aud and
i r r e g ul ar i t i e soc c ur r e d.Thi si saf at a lo mi mi s s i o n,asi t g o e si nt ot h ev e r ys ubs t a nc eo ft hepr o t e s t . Thepr es cr i pt i on t hatt hepe t i t i on mus tbesuffic i e nt i nf or m andsubst anceme meanst hatt hepet i t i onmust be mo r et han me r el yr he t or i cal .I ft he al l e gat i ons cont ai ned t her ei n ar e unsupport ed by ev en t he f a i nt e s twhi s pe ro fa ut ho r i t yi nf a c tand l a w,t he n t he r ei snoo t he rc o ur s et ha nt odi s m mi i s st hepe t i t i o n, ot her wi se ,t he assump mpt i on of an el ect ed publ i c offic ffici almay ,andwi l lal waysbehel dupbypet i t i ons o ft hi ss or tbyt hel o si ngc andi da t e . Thedef e cti nt hei ns t antcasear i s esf r om t hef ai l ur e t o al l ege t he cont es t ed pre ci nct s. On Onl y a bare a l l e g at i o no f“ ma ss i v ef r a ud,wi de s pr e a di nt i mi da t i o n and t err ori sm and ot her seri ous i rr egul ari t i es, ” wi t hout speci fic at i on and subs t ant i at i on ofwher e and how t heseoccurr encest ook pl ace,appear si n t hepe t i t i o n We . e cannotal W l ow an el ect i on pr ot est based on such fli msy aver ment st o pr osper , o t he r wi s e ,t hewh who l ee l e c t i o n pr o c e s swi l lde t e r i o r a t e i nt o an endl es s st r eam of c r abs pul l i ng at each ot her ,raci ngt odi semb mbarkf r om t hewat er .
• Subst ant i al ame mendme ment s ma may be al l owed but must be wi t hi n t i me per i od ( 10 days af t er wi nner ’ spr ocl amat i on) TheCour thasal r eadyr ul e di n JokerP .Ar r oyo hat subst ant i al ame mendme ment st o t he v s. HRET ,t prot estmaybeal l owedonl ywi wi t hi nt hesame meper i od f o rfil i ngt hee l e c t i o n pr o t e s t ,whi c h,unde r Rul e16 oft heHR HRET Rul esofProcedurei st en ( 10)days af t ert hepr ocl ama mati on oft hewi wi nner . • Excepti ont ol i beralconst ructi on Whi l ei ti sc onceded t hats t at ut espr ov i di ngf or e l e c t i o nc ont e s t sar et obel i be r a l l yco ns t r ue dt ot he e ndt ha tt hewi wi l lo ft hepe o pl ei nt hec ho i c eofpubl i c offic ffic er s may not be def ea t e d by me r et e c hni ca l quest i ons, t he rul el i kewi se st ands, t hat i n an el ect i on prot est ,t he prot est ant mu must st and or f al lupon t hei ssueshehad r ai sed i n hi sor i gi nal or ame mended pl eadi ng fil ed pri or t ot he l apse of t hestatutoryperi od f orfil i ngthepr otest . Admi t t e dl y ,t he r ul ei s we l l es t abl i shed t hat t he powert oannulan el ect i on shoul dbeexer ci sedwi t h t he gre at estcare as i ti nvol ves t he f r ee and f ai r e x pr e s s i o no ft hepo pul a rwi wi l l .I ti sonl yi ne x t r e me me ca se s of f r aud and under ci r cums mst ances whi ch demo monst rat et ot hef ul l estdegr eeaf undame ment aland want on di sr e gar d of t he l aw t hat el e ct i ons ar e annul l ed,andthenonl ywheni tbecome mesi mpossi bl e t ot a kea nyo t h ers t e p.
Bi nce,Jr .v.COMELEC
G. R.Nos.11162425 Mar ch9,1995
cont empt ,anddi r ect edt hePBC t opr ocl ai mt het rue wi nne r .
FACTS: nce and Mac u wer e Sangg uni ang Panl al awi ga n • Bi candi dat esi nPangasi nanduri ngt he1992el ect i ons.
at ert ur ne dt ot he l eg al i t y oft he PBC’ s • The case l grant i ng oft he pet i t i on f or t he corr ect i on oft he Tayugand SM SOVs.Mi c uc l ai mst hathi spe t i t i ons f orcorr ect i on wer eval i dunderSect i on 6,Rul e27of t heCOMELEC Rul esofPr oc edur e.
ng t he c anva ss i ng of t he COCs f or t he 10 • Duri t h muni c i pa l i t i e so ft he 6 Di s t r i c t ,Mi c uo bj e c t e dt o t hei ncl usi on oft heCOC ofSan Qui nt i n,cl ai mi ng t ha ti tc o nt ai ne df a l s es t at e me nt s .
nt ual l y ,Bi nce’ spr ocl amat i on was affir med,but • Eve on Mi cu’ sMFR t ot he en banc,wasse ta si de and de c l a r e dnul la ndv oi d.
cu l at erse cur eda r esol ut i on f r om t heCOMELEC • Mi di r ect i ng t he Provi nci al Board of Canvasser st he corr ectnumberofvot esf r om t hemuni ci pal i t yofSan Qui nt i n. l e ,Mi c ufil e ds e v e r a lpe t i t i o nsf o rc or r e c t i o n • Meanwhi o ft heSt a t e me nt sofVo t e s( SOVs )f o ra l l e g e de r r o r s t h i no t he rmuni c i pal i t i e soft he6 di s t r i c t( T a yugand San Mi guel ) .Not et hatt heerr or swer ecommi t t edby t heMuni ci palBoar dofCanvass er s( MBCs) . er , af t er canvass i ng t he COCs f or t he 10 • Howev muni ci pal i t i es,i tt urns outBi nce garner ed 27, 370 v ot e sag ai ns tMi c u’ s27, 369 ora ma r gi n of1 v ot e. Bi ncewasnotye tprocl ai medatt hi st i mebecauseof t heabse nceofaut hori t yf r om t heCOMELEC.
nc eappe a l e dt ot heSC i nas pe c i a lc i v i la c t i o nf o r • Bi c er t i or ar i .
I SSUE: WON t he COMELEC c ommi t t ed GAOD i n nul l i f yi ng Bi nc e ’ spr o c l a ma t i o n.NO HELD: • COMELEC act edwi t hi ni t sj uri sdi ct i on Res pondentCOMELEC di dnotac twi t hGAOD i n annul l i ng t he pr ocl amat i on of pet i t i oner Al f onso Bi nce,Jr .and i n di r ect i ng t he Pr ovi nci alBoard of Canvas se r s ofPangas i nan t o or der t he MBCs of Tayug and San Mi gue lt o ma ke t he ne ces sar y cor r ec t i onsi nt heSOVsandCOCs. Nul l i ficat i on was j us t i fied as t he basi s was a mat hemat i caler r orc ommi t t edbyt heMBCsi nt he c omput at i on ofv ot es . The COMELEC cannot be f aul t edf orsubsequent l yannul l i ngt hepr ocl amat i on ofpe t i t i onerBi nce on accountofa mat hemat i cal er r ori naddi t i on,commi t t edbyt heMBCs.
heCOMELEC e n bancpr omul gat e da • OnJune29,t r esol ut i on di r ect i ng t he PBC t o cont i nue wi t ht he pr ov i nci al canv ass and pr oc l ai m t he wi nni ng candi dat es. hePBC act ed on Mi cu’ spet i t i onsf or • On June24,t cor r ec t i on oft he SOVs f orTay ug and San Mi guel . Bi nce appe al e d, cl ai mi ng t hat t he PBC had no j ur i s di ct i on.
• Subsequent l yt he PBC fil ed a pet i t i on wi t h t he COMELEC s ee ki ng a defini t i v er ul i ng as t o who s ho ul d bepr o c l a i me d.Appa r e nt l y ,i ft hec or r e c t i o ns f ort he SOVsofTay ugand SM wer et obei ncl uded, Emi l i anoMi cuwoul dgai npl ur al i t yby72vot es. • The COMELEC r es ol v ed t he PBC t o pr oc l ai m t he wi nni ngc andi dat eont hebas i soft hec ompl e t edand c o r r e c t e dCe r t i fic a t e so fCa nv a s s. eronJul y21,Bi ncewasproc l ai medwi nner . • Howev cu fil ed an Ur ge ntMot i on f orCont emptand t o • Mi AnnulPr oc l ama t i on,and Ame nde d Ur ge ntPe t i t i on f orCont emptand AnnulPr ocl amat i on,al l egi ngt hat t he PBC defie dt he di r ec t i v eoft he COMELEC.The COMELEC hel dt heoffi hop l ai edBi ncei
• Ast ot i mel i nessofMi cu’ spet i t i onsf orcor r ect i on The pe t i t i ons t o cor r ec t ma ni f e s t er r or s wer e fil ed on t i me, t hat i s, bef or e t he pet i t i oner ’ s procl amat i on on Jul y21,1992.Thepet i t i on oft he MBC ofSanMi guelwasfil edonJune4,1992,whi l e t hatoft heMBC ofTayugwasfil edonJune5,1992. St i l l ,pr i v at er e s po nde nt ’ spe t i t i o n wa sfil e dwi t ht he MBC ofTa yugand San Mi gue lonJune10and 11, 1992,r e s p e c t i v e l y .I ti s de fini t e l y we l lwi t hi nt he per i od r eq ui r ed by Sect i on 6, Rul e 27 of t he COMELEC Rul e s of Pr oc edur e . Sec. 6 cl ear l y provi dest hatt hepet i t i on f orcor r ecti on may be fil edatany t i mebef oreprocl amat i on ofawi nner . •
Whati ft he pet i t i ons f orc or r ect i on wer e fil ed outof t . t i me ?Noeffec Ass umi ng f or t he sake ofar gume nt t hat t he pe t i t i o n wa sfil e do uto ft i me ,t hi si nc i de nta l o newi l l nott hwartt hepr operdet ermi nat i on and r esol ut i on of t he i nst ant cas e on subst ant i al gr ounds.
Adher ence t oat echni cal i t yt hat woul d put a
st amp of val i di t y on a pal pabl y voi d procl amat i on, wi t h t he i nevi t abl e r esul t of f r ust r at i ng t he peopl e’ s wi l l cannot be count enanced. Adj udi cat i on of cases on subst ant i ve meri t sand noton t echni cal i t i eshas beenconsi st ent l yobser vedbyt heCour t . We l l s e t t l e di st he doct r i ne t hat el e ct i on c ont e s t s i nvol ve publ i c i nt er est , and t echni cal i t i es and pr oceduralbarri er sshoul dnotbeal l owedt ostandi f t heyconst i t ut ean obst acl etot hedet ermi nat i on of t het r uewi l lo ft hee l e c t o r a t ei nt hec ho i c eo ft he i r el ect i ve offici al s.And al so set t l ed i st he rul et hat l aws governi ng el ect i on cont est s mustbe l i ber al l y const ruedt ot heendt hatt hewi l loft hepeopl emay no tbede f e a t e dbyme r et e c hni c a lo bj e c t i o ns .
• Was al l owi ng t he cor r ect i on of mat hemat i cal er r orsproper?YES I tdoesnoti nvol vet heopeni ngofbal l otboxes; nei t her does i ti nvol ve t he exami nat i on and/or appr eci at i on of bal l ot s. The corr ect i on sought by r es pondent si s cor r e c t i o no f mani f e s t mi s t ak es i n Ce r t ai nl y ,t hi sonl ycal l sf ora mat hemat i caladdi t i on. mer e cl eri calactofr eflect i ng t he t rue and corr ect v ot es r e c ei v ed by t he candi dat e s.I nt hi s case ,t he mani f es t err or s onl y sought pr oper and di l i gent addi t i onoft hevot esi nTayugandSanMi guel . Conse quent l y , by a mar gi n of 72 v ot es , Mi cu i ndi sput abl y won. Bi nce’ s pr oc l amat i on and ass umpt i on i nt o publ i c office was t her ef or e flawed f r om t hebegi nni ng,t hesamehavi ngbeenbasedi na f aul t yt abul at i o n.
