18. mitmug v comelec

7/21/2019 18. Mitmug v Comelec

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["V#6$% S&'()* +,)+) '. +(+&1 petitioner1 s. C,++SS,* ,*

$'$C(,*S1 +&*CP)' 3,)4 ,5 C)*V)SS$4S ,5 '&+3)-3))3),1 ')*), $'

S&41 and )(& )+3) ))')*(1 respondents." 5eb 0$n 3an7.4. *o.

06280-89 $ C S , *

3$'',S'',1 :.;

(he t<rno<t o= oters d<ring the +ay 2 ele7tion in '<>ba-3ayabao1 'anao del

S<r1 ?as abnor>ally lo?. )s a res<lt1 seeral petitions ?ere @led seeAing the

de7laration o= =ail<re o= ele7tion in pre7in7ts ?here less than 2B o= the ele7torate

>anaged to 7ast their otes. 3<t a spe7ial ele7tion ?as ordered in pre7in7ts ?here

no oting a7t<ally tooA pla7e. (he Co>>ission on $le7tions DC,+$'$CE r<led that

=or as long as the pre7in7ts =<n7tioned and 7ond<7ted a7t<al oting d<ring ele7tion

day1 lo? oter t<rno<t ?o<ld not F<sti=y a de7laration o= =ail<re o= ele7tion. Ge are

no? 7alled <pon to reie? this r<ling.

Petitioner S&'()* +,)+) '. +(+& and priate respondent )(& )+3)

))')*( ?ere a>ong the 7andidates =or the >ayoralty position o= '<>ba-

3ayabao d<ring the >ay 2 ele7tion. (here ?ere siHty-seen D68E pre7in7ts in

the ><ni7ipality.

)s ?as hereto=ore stated1 oter t<rno<t ?as rather lo?1 parti7<larly in =orty-nine

D"E pre7in7ts ?here the aerage oter t<rno<t ?as 22.261 i.e.1 only 21990 o<t o=

1#90 registered oters therein 7ast their otes. 5ie DBE o= these pre7in7ts did not

7ond<7t a7t<al oting at all.

ConseI<ently1 C,+$'$C ordered the holding o= a spe7ial ele7tion on 90 +ay 2 in

the @e DBE pre7in7ts ?hi7h =ailed to =<n7tion d<ring ele7tion day. ,n 90 :<ly 2

another spe7ial ele7tion ?as held =or a siHth pre7in7t. 2

n the interi>1 petitioner @led a petition seeAing the ann<l>ent o= the spe7ial

ele7tion 7ond<7ted on 90 +ay 2 alleging ario<s irreg<larities s<7h as the

alteration1 ta>pering and s<bstit<tion o= ballots. 3<t on 9 :<ly 21 C,+$'$C

7onsidered the petition >oot sin7e the otes in the s<bFe7t pre7in7ts ?ere already

7o<nted. 9

,ther petitions seeAing the de7laration o= =ail<re o= ele7tion in so>e or all pre7in7ts

o= '<>ba-3ayabao ?ere also @led ?ith C,+$'$C by other >ayoralty 7andidates1 to?it;

. SP) *o. 2-92"; ,n 6 :<ne 21 priate respondent at< a>ba agalangit

@led an <rgent petition praying =or the holding o= a spe7ial ele7tion in Pre7in7t *o.

22-) alleging therein that ?hen the ballot boH ?as opened1 ballots ?ere already torn

to pie7es. ,n " :<ly 21 the petition ?as granted and a spe7ial ele7tion =or

pre7in7t *o. 22-) ?as set =or 2B :<ly 2. "



2. SP) *o. 2-996; ,n 6 :<ne 21 at< $lias )bd<sala>1 another >ayoralty

7andidate1 @led a petition to de7lare =ail<re o= ele7tion in t?enty-nine D2E >ore

pre7in7ts as a res<lt o= alleged ta>pering o= ballots B and 7l<stering o= pre7in7ts. 6

,n 6 :<ly 21 the petition ?as dis>issed. C,+$'$C r<led that there ><st be a

sit<ation ?here there is absol<te inability to ote be=ore a =ail<re o= ele7tion 7an be

de7lared. 8 Sin7e oting ?as a7t<ally 7ond<7ted in the 7ontested pre7in7ts1 there?as no basis =or the petition.

9. SPC *o. 2-96#; ,n 20 :<ne 21 priate respondent @led another petition1 this

ti>e seeAing to eH7l<de =ro> the 7o<nting the ballots 7ast in siH D6E pre7in7ts on the

gro<nd that the integrity o= the ballot boHes therein ?as iolated. # )gain1 on "

:<ly 21 C,+$'$C 7onsidered the petition >oot1 as the iss<e raised therein ?as

related to that o= SP) *o. 2-9 ?hi7h on :<ly 2 ?as already set aside as

>oot.

". SP) *o. 2-9"8; ,n :<ly 21 at< 3agato Jhalid 'onta1 a =o<rth >ayoralty

7andidate1 @led a petition ?hi7h in the >ain so<ght the de7laration o= =ail<re o=ele7tion in all siHty-seen D68E pre7in7ts o= '<>ba-3ayabao1 'anao del S<r1 on the

gro<nd o= >assie disen=ran7hise>ent o= oters. 0 ,n :<ly 21 C,+$'$C

dis>issed the petition1 r<ling that the allegations therein did not s<pport a 7ase o=

=ail<re o= ele7tion.

,n # :<ly 21 petitioner @led a >otion to interene in these =o<r D"E petitions. 2

3<t C,+$'$C treated the sa>e as a >otion =or re7onsideration and pro>ptly

denied it 7onsidering that <nder the C,+$'$C 4<les o= Pro7ed<re s<7h >otion ?as

prohibited pleading. 9

(herea=ter1 a ne? board o= $le7tion nspe7tors ?as =or>ed to 7ond<7t the spe7ialele7tion set =or 2B :<ly 2. Petitioner i>p<gned the 7reation o= this 3oard.

*eertheless1 on 90 :<ly 21 the ne? 3oard 7onened and began the 7anassing

o= otes. 5inally1 on 9 :<ly 21 priate respondent ?as pro7lai>ed the d<ly

ele7ted +ayor o= '<>ba-3ayabao1 'anao del S<r.

,n 9 )<g<st 21 petitioner instit<ted the instant pro7eedings seeAing the

de7laration o= =ail<re o= ele7tion in =orty-nine D"E pre7in7ts ?here less than a

I<arter o= the ele7torate ?ere able to 7ast their otes. e also prayed =or the

iss<an7e o= a te>porary restraining order to enFoin priate respondent =ro>

ass<>ing oK7e.

,n 0 )<g<st 21 petitioner lodged an ele7tion protest ?ith the 4egional trial

Co<rt o= 'anao del S<r disp<ting the res<lt not only o= so>e b<t all the pre7in7ts o=

'<>ba-3ayabao1 del S<r. "

4espondents1 on the other hand1 assert that ?ith the @ling o= an ele7tion protest1

petitioner is already dee>ed to hae abandoned the instant petition.



t >ay be noted that ?hen petitioner @led his ele7tion protest ?ith the 4egional (rial

Co<rt o= 'anao del S<r1 he in=or>ed the trial 7o<rt o= the penden7y o= these

pro7eedings. Paragraph 9 o= his protest states L[(%hat on )<g<st 91 21 yo<r

protestant @led a Petition =or Certiorari ?ith the S<pre>e Co<rt . . . do7Aeted as .4.

*o. 06280 assailing the alidity o= the pro7la>ation o= the herein protestee. . . .L

B $idently1 petitioner did not intend to abandon his re7o<rse ?ith this Co<rt. ,nthe 7ontrary1 he intended to p<rs<e it. Ghere only an ele7tion protest eH ab<ndante

ad 7a<tela is @led1 the Co<rt retains F<risdi7tion to hear the petition seeAing to ann<l

an ele7tion. 6

(he >ain iss<e is ?hether respondent C,+$'$C a7ted ?ith grae ab<se o=

dis7retion a>o<nting to la7A o= F<risdi7tion in denying >ot< proprio and ?itho<t d<e

noti7e and hearing the petitions seeAing to de7lare a =ail<re o= ele7tion in so>e or

all o= the pre7in7ts in '<>ba-3ayabao1 'anao del S<r. )=ter all1 petitioner arg<es1 he

has >eritorio<s gro<nds in s<pport thereto1 iz.1 the >assie disen=ran7hise>ent o=

oters d<e to alleged terroris> and <nla?=<l 7l<stering o= pre7in7ts1 ?hi7h C,+$'$C

sho<ld hae at least heard be=ore rendering its F<dg>ent.

n7identally1 a petition to ann<l an ele7tion is not a pre-pro7la>ation 7ontroersy.

ConseI<ently1 the pro7la>ation o= a ?inning 7andidate together ?ith his

s<bseI<ent ass<>ption o= oK7e is not an i>pedi>ent to the prose7<tion o= the

7ase to its logi7al 7on7l<sion. 8

&nder the C,+$'$C 4<les o= Pro7ed<re1 ?ithin t?enty-=o<r D2"E ho<rs =ro> the @ling

o= a eri@ed petition to de7lare a =ail<re to ele7t1 noti7es to all interested parties

indi7ating therein the date o= hearing sho<ld be sered thro<gh the =astest >eans

aailable. # (he hearing o= the 7ase ?ill also be s<>>ary in nat<re.

3ased on the =oregoing1 the 7lear intent o= the la? is that a petition o= this nat<re

><st be a7ted <pon ?ith dispat7h only a=ter hearing thereon shall hae been

7ond<7ted. Sin7e C,+$'$C denied the other petitions 20 ?hi7h so<ght to in7l<de

=orty-three D"9E >ore pre7in7ts in a spe7ial ele7tion ?itho<t 7ond<7ting any hearing1

it ?o<ld appear then that there indeed >ight hae been grae ab<se o= dis7retion in

denying the petitions.

o?eer1 a 7loser eHa>ination o= the C,+$'$C 4<les o= Pro7ed<re1 parti7<larly Se7.

21 4<le 261 thereo= ?hi7h ?as li=ted =ro> Se7. 61 3.P. ##1 other?ise Ano?n as the

,>nib<s $le7tion Code o= the Philippines1 indi7ates other?ise. t reads ----

Se7. 2. 5ail<re o= ele7tion. =1 on a77o<nt o= =or7e >aFe<re1 iolen7e1 terroris>1

=ra<d or other analogo<s 7a<ses the ele7tion in any pre7in7t has not been held on

the date @Hed1 or had been s<spended be=ore the ho<r @Hed by la? =or the 7losing

o= the oting1 or a=ter the oting and d<ring the preparation and the trans>ission o=

the ele7tion ret<rns or in the 7<stody o= 7anass thereo=1 s<7h ele7tion res<lts in a

=ail<re to ele7t1 and in any o= s<7h 7ases the =ail<re or s<spension o= ele7tion ?o<ld

aMe7t the res<lt o= the ele7tion1 the Co>>ission shall1 on the basis o= a eri@ed



petition by any interested party and a=ter d<e noti7e and hearing1 7all =or the

holding or 7ontin<ation o= the ele7tion not held1 s<spended or ?hi7h res<lted in a

=ail<re to ele7t on a date reasonably 7lose to the date o= the ele7tion not held1

s<spended or ?hi7h res<lted in a =ail<re to ele7t b<t not later than thirty D90E days

a=ter the 7essation o= the 7a<se o= s<7h postpone>ent or s<spension o= the ele7tion

or =ail<re to ele7t.

3e=ore C,+$'$C 7an a7t on a eri@ed petition seeAing to de7lare a =ail<re o=

ele7tion1 t?o D2E 7onditions ><st 7on7<r; @rst1 no oting has taAen pla7e in the

pre7in7t or pre7in7ts on the date @Hed by la? or1 een i= there ?as oting1 the

ele7tion neertheless res<lts in =ail<re to ele7tN and1 se7ond1 the otes not 7ast

?o<ld aMe7t the res<lt o= the ele7tion. 2

n the 7ase be=ore <s1 it is ind<bitable that the otes not 7ast ?ill de@nitely aMe7t

the o<t7o>e o= the ele7tion. 3<t1 the @rst reI<isite is >issing1 i.e.1 that no a7t<al

oting tooA pla7e1 or een i= there is1 the res<lts thereon ?ill be tanta>o<nt to a

=ail<re to ele7t. Sin7e a7t<al oting and ele7tion by the registered oters in theI<estioned pre7in7ts hae taAen pla7e1 the res<lts thereo= 7annot be

disregarded and eH7l<ded. 22 C,+$'$C there=ore did not 7o>>it any ab<se o=

dis7retion1 ><7h less grae1 in denying the petitions o<tright. (here ?as no basis =or

the petitions sin7e the =a7ts alleged therein did not 7onstit<te s<K7ient gro<nds to

?arrant the relie= so<ght. 5or1 the lang<age o= the la? eHpressly reI<ires the

7on7<rren7e o= these 7onditions to F<sti=y the 7alling o= a spe7ial ele7tion. 29

ndeed1 the =a7t that a eri@ed petition is @led does not a<to>ati7ally >ean that a

hearing on the 7ase ?ill be held be=ore C,+$'$C ?ill a7t on it. (he eri@ed petition

><st still sho? on its =a7e that the 7onditions to de7lare a =ail<re to ele7t arepresent. n the absen7e thereo=1 the petition ><st be denied o<tright.

Considering that there is no 7on7<rren7e o= the t?o D2E 7onditions in the petitions

seeAing to de7lare =ail<re o= ele7tion in =orty-three D"9E >ore1 pre7in7ts1 there is no

>ore need to re7eie eiden7e on alleged ele7tion irreg<larities.

nstead1 the I<estion o= ?hether there hae been terroris> and other irreg<larities

is better entilated in an ele7tion 7ontest. these irreg<larities >ay not as a r<le be

inoAed to de7lare a =ail<re o= ele7tion and to disen=ran7hise>ent the ele7torate

thro<gh the >isdeeds o= a relatie =e?. 2" ,ther?ise1 ele7tions ?ill neer be

7arried o<t ?ith the res<ltant disen=ran7hise>ent o= inno7ent oters as losers ?illal?ays 7ry =ra<d and terroris>.

(here 7an be =ail<re o= ele7tion in a politi7al <nit i= the ?ill o= the >aFority has been

de@led and 7annot be as7ertained. 3<t1 i= it 7an be deter>ined1 it ><st be a77orded

respe7t. )=ter all1 there is no proision in o<r ele7tion la?s ?hi7h reI<ires that a

>aFority o= registered oters ><st 7ast their otes. )ll the la? reI<ires is that a

?inning 7andidate ><st be ele7ted by a pl<rality o= alid otes1 regardless o= the



a7t<al n<>ber o= ballots 7ast. 2B (h<s1 een i= less than 2B o= the ele7torate in

the I<estioned pre7in7ts 7ast their otes1 the sa>e ><st still be respe7ted. (here is

pri>a =a7ie sho?ing that priate respondent ?as ele7ted thro<gh a pl<rality o= alid

otes o= a alid 7onstit<en7y.

G$4$5,4$1 there being no grae ab<se o= dis7retion1 the Petition =or Certiorari isS+SS$.

S, ,4$4$.

18. mitmug v comelec

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