Tolentino vs.

COMELEC- kring zamora group 3

Jan 21 2004 Parties: - Petitioners: Arturo Tolentino, Arturo Mojica - espon!ents: "#M$%$", alp& ecto, 'regorio (onasan - Ponente: "arpio

Background: T&is is a petition )or pro&i*ition to set asi!e t&e "#M$%$"+s can!i!ates electe! as -enators in t&e Ma. 14 2001 elections/

esolutions ,&ic& proclaime! o))icial an! )inal t&e 13

Facts of the Case 0n 1e* 2001, a -enate seat )or a term e2piring on June 30 2004 ,as 3acate! ,4 t&e appointment o) t&en -en/ 'uingona as 5P o) t&e P0/ T&e -enate t&en a!opte! esolution 674 ,c: 18 certi)ie! t&e e2istence o) a 3acanc. in t&e -enate 9 28 calle! t&e "#M$%$" to )ill up t&e sai! 3acanc. t&roug& a special election to *e &el! simultaneousl. ,4 t&e regular election on Ma. 14 2001, an! 38 !eclare! t&e senatorial can!i!ate garnering t&e 13 t& &ig&est num*er o) 3otes s&all ser3e onl. )or t&e une2pire! term o) )ormer -en/ 'uingona/ Acc!g to t&e -enate, t&is esolutn is )or t&e :gui!ance; 9 :implementatn; o) t&e "#M$%$", 9t&at it &a! <# !iscretion to alter t&e sai! proce!ure/ <o*o!. )ile! a certi)icate o) can!i!ac. to )ill t&e position o) senator to ser3e t&e une2pire! 3.r term in t&e special electn/ All t&e senatorial can!i!ates )ile! t&e certi)icates o) can!i!ac. )or t&e 12 regular -enate seats ,4 a =.r term eac&/ "#M$%$" !istri*ute! nation,i!e o))icial !ocuments >eg 5oter 0n)o -&eet, %ist o) "an!i!ates, -ample ?allot8/ T&e %ist o) "an!i!ates @0@ <#T pro3i!e 2 !i))erent categories o) -enate seats to *e 3ote!, namel. t&e 12 regular =.ear term seats 9 t&e single 3-.ear term seat/ <or !i! t&e *allots pro3i!e a separate space )or t&e can!i!ate to *e 3ote! in t&e special election 9 instea! pro3i!e! 13 spaces )or 13 senatorial seats/ Ait&out an. "#M$%$" resolution4notice on t&e time, place 9 manner o) t&e special election, t&e special election ,as &el! on t&e sc&e!ule! Ma. 14 2001 regular elections/ A single can3assing o) 3otes )or a single list o) senatorial can!i!ates ,as also !one/ Petitioners assaile! t&e manner *. ,&ic& t&e special election ,as con!ucte! )or 3iolating t&e prece!ents set *. t&e 1BC1 9 1BCC special elections, *ot& o) ,c ,ere &el! simultaneousl. 9 .et !istinctl. ,4 t&e regular general elections/ T&us, t&e. pra. t&at t&e "ourt !eclare t&at 18 <# special elections ,ere &el! 9 t&at 28 "omelec+s esolutions t&at proclaim t&e -enatorial can!i!ate ,&o o*taine! t&e 13t& &ig&est 6 o) 3otes as a !ul. electe! *e !eclare! <D%%95#0@ Issue/s Procedural Issues: 18 A#< t&e "ourt &as no juris!iction o3er t&e matter *ec respon!ents sa. it is a quo arranto !roceeding >a procee!ing ,c !etermines t&e rig&t o) a pu*lic o))icer in t&e e2ercise o) &is o))ice 9 to oust &im )rom it i) &is claim is not ,ell-)oun!e!8, ,&ere onl. t&e -enate $lectoral Tri*unal can ser3e as ju!ge/ 28 A#< t&e petition is M##T 38 A#< t&e petitioner &a3e locus stan!i "u#stantive Issue: A#< a special election to )ill a 3acant 3-.r term -enate seat ,as 3ali!l. &el! on Ma. 14 2001, !espite t&e lack o) a :call; )or suc& an election 9 )or lack o) notice )rom "#M$%$" $atio %ecidendi T&e petition (A- <# M$ 0T/ Procedural Issues: 18 E$-, t&e "ourt can properl. e2ercise juris!iction *ec ,&at t&e petitioners are Fuestioning &ere is t&e 3ali!it. o) t&e special election in ,c (onasan ,as electe!, <#T &is rig&t in t&e e2ercise o) &is o))ice as -enator/ (is election is merel. inci!ental to t&e petitioner+s case o) action/ 28 Alt&oug& t&e petition ma. *e moot, it is no *ar )or t&e "ourt to !eci!e on its resolution *ec t&e Fuestion o) t&e 3ali!it. o) a special election is likel. to *e repeate! 38 E$-, t&e "ourt s&all *e li*eral in appl.ing its rule o) locus stan!i *ec t&e issues raise! are o) transcen!ental signi)icance 9 paramount importance to t&e people, )or it in3ol3es t&e people+s rig&t )or su))rage/

"u#stantive Issue: E$-, a special election to )ill a 3acant 3-.r term -enate seat ,as 3ali!l. &el! on Ma. 14 2001/ Alt&oug& "#M$%$" @0@ <#T "#MP%E ,4 t&e reFuirements o) A ==4C, eit&er strictl. or su*stantiall., it !oes <#T in3ali!ate t&e special election/ A(EG A8 ?ec alt&oug& no calls )or special election ,ere ma!e *. "#M$%$", -ec 2 o) A ==4C, as amen!e! *. A H1== alrea!. pro3i!es t&at in case o) 3acanc. in t&e -enate, t&e special election to )ill suc& 3acanc. s&all *e &el! simultaneousl. ,4 t&e ne2t succee!ing regular election/ T&e la, alrea!. c&arges t&e 3oters ,4 kno,le!ge o) t&is statutor. notice 9 "#M$%$"+s )ailure to gi3e a!!itional notice !i! not negate t&e calling o) suc& special election, muc& less in3ali!ate it/ ?8 Moreo3er, t&ere is no proo) t&at t&e "#M$%$"+s )ailure to gi3e a )ormal notice o) t&e #))ice to *e )ille! 9 t&e manner o) !etermining t&e ,inner in t&e special election actuall. misle! 3oters 9 t&ere*. c&ange! t&e results o) t&e election/ A)ter all, t&e 3oters can *e !ul. noti)ie! t&roug& ot&er sources suc& as me!ia reports 9 election propagan!a !uring t&e campaign/ "8 #ur election la,s @# <#T reFuire t&at a separate !ocumentation or can3assing o) 3otes *e ma!e )or a special election/ "#M$%$" acte! ,4in its constitutional po,ers ,&en it c&ose to a*an!on t&e prece!ents o) t&e 1BC1 91BCC special elections 9 instea! a!opte! t&e -enate+s esolution 74 ,c s&all a,ar! to t&e senatorial can!i!ate garnering t&e 13t& &ig&est num*er o) 3otes, t&e une2pire! -enate term o) -en/ 'uingona/ T&e "ourt s&all not inter)ere/
note: t&e -enate >t&roug& oco+s suggestion8, in esolution 74 )elt t&at gi3ing t&e 3.ear term to t&e can!i!ate ,4 t&e 13 t& &ig&est num*er o) 3otes ,as *eing practical 9 economical8

0n )ine, t&e "ourt is loat&e to annul elections !espite certain irregularities unless it is impossi*le to !istinguis& ,c la,s are la,)ul 9 ,c are not/ T&is is to ackno,le!ge t&e )act t&at su))rage is one )orm o) people+s !irect participation in go3ernment, 9 it is t&us in!ispensa*le in a !emocratic societ. like ours/ ***REMINDER to COMELEC*** : the Court however, reminded the COMELEC to not take chances anymore in future e ections! COMELEC reminded to ne"t time, com# y strict y w$ a the re%uirements of the aw re&ardin& 'oth re&u ar ( s#ecia e ections! &!!endi'(

1) Punos Dissenting Opinion (joined by Davide, Vitug, Ynares-Santiage & Tinga)

T&e electorate s&oul! &a3e *een in)orme! o) t&e time, place 9 manner o) con!uct o) t&e Ma. 14 2001 special election )or t&e single senatorial seat )or t&e une2pire! term o) 5P 'uingona/ T&e cases o) Tolentino, D<0@#, ?lo Dmpar A!iong 9 (assan all !eepene! t&e !octrine t&at a meaning)ul e2ercise o) t&e rig&t o) su))rage in a genuinel. )ree, or!erl.9&onest election is pre!icate! upon an infor)ed electorate/ T&e cases o) ?ince 9 ?enito also teac& us t&at correct ascertainment o) t&e ,ill o) t&e people is eFuall. necessar./ 0n not allo,ing t&e 3oter to separatel. in!icate t&e can!i!ate &e 3ote! )or t&e 3.r senatorial term, t&e 3oter ,as !epri3e! o) &is rig&t to make an in)orme! ju!gment *ase! on &is o,n reasons93aluations/ T&us, &is true ,ill in t&e special election ,as not ascertaine!/ 0t is t&e ponencia+s argument t&at A ==4C, as amen!e! *. A H1== alrea!. pro3i!es t&at in case o) 3acanc. in t&e -enate, t&e special election to )ill suc& 3acanc. s&all *e &el! simultaneousl. ,4 t&e ne2t succee!ing regular election/ (o,e3er, t&is is <#T t&e intention o) t&e sai! la,s, )or t&e. still reFuire t&at t&e "#M$%$" issue an o))icial notice o) call o) special elections/ %ike,ise, neit&er A ==4C nor A H1== contemplates t&e integration o) t&e special election into t&e regular election ,&ere*. can!i!ates ,&o )ile! certi)icates o) can!i!ac. )or t&e regular elections also automaticall. stan! as can!i!ates in t&e special election/ T&e #mni*us $lection "o!e is clear t&at a can!i!ate can run )or onl. 1 position in an election/ T&e ponencia like,ise cites t&e @uFuette case to len! support to its t&esis t&at statutor. notice su))ices/ 0n @uFuette, it ,as &el! t&at in t&e a*sence o) an o))icial notice o) t&e special election man!ate! *. la, to *e &el! simultaneousl. ,4 t&e regular election, t&ere s&oul! *e actual notice o) t&e electorate, as pro3en *. t&e 3oting o) a signi)icant percentage o) t&e electorate/ 0n t&e case at *ar &o,e3er, t&e num*er o) 3otes cast )or t&e special election cannot *e ascertaine! as t&e *allot !i! not in!icate separatel. t&e 3otes )or special election/ T&us, t&ere is neit&er o))icial notice nor proo) o) actual notice/ T&e -enate+s o*ser3ation t&at t&e proce!ure )or t&e special election t&at it a!opte! ,oul! *e lost costl. )or t&e go3t as t&e *allots nee! not *e printe! separatel. !oes not justi). t&e manner o) t&e Ma. 14 2001 special election/ Ae cannot *argain t&e electorate+s )un!amental rig&t to 3ote intelligentl. ,4 o) t&e coin o) con3enience/ ?esi!es, e3en ,4 t&e -enate o*ser3ation, t&e regular *allot &a! to *e mo!i)ie! an.,a., to inclu!e a 13t& space/

eliance on A ==4C as amen!e! *. A H1== is $ #<$#D-, )or un!er it, it is t&e "#M$%$" an! <#T t&e -enate ,c is suppose! to call 9 &ol! special elections in case o) 3acanc./ T&e -enate &as <# P#A$ to impose on t&e "#M$%$" t&e proce!ure )or t&e special election/ 0n )ine, t&e ponencia+s ruling ,ill not onl. *e a step *ack in time *ut also constitute a )all in t&e nation+s rise to !emocrac./ 1ree elections !oes not onl. mean t&at t&e 3oter is not p&.sicall. restraine! )rom going to t&e polling *oot& *ut also t&at t&e 3oter is unrestraine! *. t&e *on!age o) ignorance/ 28 *+,* - *+,, elections: 0n t&e 1BC1 9 1BCC elections, ,c ,ere suppose! to ser3e as mo!els )or special elections: a8 a separate space ,as pro3i!e! in t&e o))icial *allot )or senatorial can!i!ates running )or t&e 2.r term, *8 can!i!ates )or t&e single -enate term o) 2 .rs )ile! separate 9 !istinct certi)icates o) can!i!ac., c8 tall.ing 9 can3assing ,ere separate! )or t&e regular9special elections/