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LawPhilippines:CaseDigest:Jalosjosv.COMELEC

G.R.No.205033:June18,2013
ROMEOG.JALOSJOS,Petitioner,vs.THECOMMISSIONONELECTIONS,MARIAISABELLE
G.CLIMACOSALAZAR,ROELB.NATIVIDAD,ARTURON.ONRUBIA,AHMADNARZADK.
SAMPANG,JOSEL.LOBREGAT,ADELANTEZAMBOANGAPARTY,ANDELBERTC.
ATILANO,Respondents.
PERLASBERNABE,J.:
FACTS:
OnNovember16,2001,theCourtpromulgateditsDecisionconvictingpetitionerbyfinal
judgment.Consequently,hewassentencedtosuffertheprincipalpenaltiesofreclusionperpetua
andreclusiontemporalforeachcount,respectively,whichcarriedtheaccessorypenaltyof
perpetualabsolutedisqualificationpursuanttoArticle41oftheRevisedPenalCode.OnApril30,
2007,thenPresidentGloriaMacapagalArroyoissuedanordercommutinghisprisontermto
sixteen(16)years,three(3)monthsandthree(3)days.
OnApril26,2012,petitionerappliedtoregisterasavoterinZamboangaCity.However,becauseof
hispreviousconviction,hisapplicationwasdeniedbytheActingCityElectionOfficerofthe
ElectionRegistrationBoard(ERB),promptinghimtofileaPetitionforInclusioninthePermanent
ListofVotersbeforetheMunicipalTrialCourtinCitiesofZamboangaCity.Pendingresolutionof
thesame,hefiledaCoConOctober5,2012,seekingtorunasmayorforZamboangaCityinthe
upcominglocalelectionsscheduledonMay13,2013.InhisCoC,petitionerstated,interalia,thathe
iseligibleforthesaidofficeandthatheisaregisteredvoterofBarangayTetuan,ZamboangaCity.
OnOctober18,2012,theMTCCdeniedhisPetitionforInclusiononaccountofhisperpetual
absolutedisqualificationwhichineffect,deprivedhimoftherighttovoteinanyelection.Such
denialwasaffirmedbytheRegionalTrialCourtinitsOrderwhich,pursuanttoSection138ofBatas
PambansaBilang881,asamended,otherwiseknownasthe"OmnibusElectionCode"(OEC),was
immediatelyfinalandexecutory.
TheCOMELECEnBancissuedmotuproprioResolutionNo.9613onJanuary15,2013,resolving
"toCANCELandDENYduecoursetheCertificateofCandidacyfiledbyRomeoG.Jalosjosas
MayorofZamboangaCityintheMay13,2013NationalandLocalElections"duetohisperpetual
absolutedisqualificationaswellashisfailuretocomplywiththevoterregistrationrequirement.
ISSUES:
(a)WhetherornottheCOMELECEnBancactedbeyonditsjurisdictionwhenitissuedmotu
proprioResolutionNo.9613andinsodoing,violatedpetitioner'srighttodueprocess
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(b)Whetherornotpetitioner'sperpetualabsolutedisqualificationtorunforelectiveofficehad
alreadybeenremovedbySection40(a)ofRepublicActNo.7160,otherwiseknownasthe"Local
GovernmentCodeof1991"(LGC).
HELD:Decisionoftheappellatecourtisaffirmed.
POLITICALLAW:cancellationofCertificateofCandidacy
TheCOMELECEnBancdidnotexerciseitsquasijudicialfunctionswhenitissuedResolutionNo.
9613asitdidnotassumejurisdictionoveranypendingpetitionorresolveanyelectioncasebefore
itoranyofitsdivisions.Rather,itmerelyperformeditsdutytoenforceandadministerelectionlaws
incancellingpetitioner'sCoConthebasisofhisperpetualabsolutedisqualification,thefactof
whichhadalreadybeenestablishedbyhisfinalconviction.Inthisregard,theCOMELECEn
Bancwasexercisingitsadministrativefunctions,dispensingwiththeneedforamotionfor
reconsiderationofadivisionrulingunderSection3,ArticleIXCoftheConstitution,thesamebeing
requiredonlyinquasijudicialproceedings.
Thedenialofduecoursetoand/orcancellationofone'sCoCgenerallynecessitatestheexerciseof
theCOMELEC'squasijudicialfunctionscommencedthroughapetitionbasedoneitherSections
12or78oftheOEC,orSection40oftheLGC,whenthegroundsthereforarerenderedconclusive
onaccountoffinalandexecutoryjudgmentsaswhenacandidate'sdisqualificationtorunforpublic
officeisbasedonafinalconviction.
ThereisalsonoviolationofproceduraldueprocesssincetheCOMELECEnBancwouldbeacting
inapurelyadministrativemanner.
POLITICALLAW:righttorunforelectiveoffice
Thepetitionerwassentencedtosuffertheprincipalpenaltiesofreclusionperpetuaandreclusion
temporalwhich,pursuanttoArticle41oftheRPC,carriedwithittheaccessorypenaltyof
perpetualabsolutedisqualificationandinturn,pursuanttoArticle30oftheRPC,disqualifiedhimto
runforelectiveoffice.Asdiscussed,Section40(a)oftheLGCwouldnotapplytocaseswhereina
penalprovisionsuchasArticle41inthiscasedirectlyandspecificallyprohibitstheconvictfrom
runningforelectiveoffice.Hence,despitethelapseoftwo(2)yearsfrompetitioner'sserviceofhis
commutedprisonterm,heremainsboundtosuffertheaccessorypenaltyofperpetualabsolute
disqualificationwhichconsequently,disqualifieshimtorunasmayorforZamboangaCity.
Itiswelltonotethattheuseoftheword"perpetual"intheaforementionedaccessorypenalty
connotesalifetimerestrictionandinthisrespect,doesnotdependonthelengthoftheprisonterm,
whichisimposedasitsprincipalpenalty.InstructiveonthispointistheCourt'srulinginLacunav.
Abes,wheretheCourtexplainedthemeaningoftheterm"perpetual"asappliedtothepenaltyof
disqualificationtorunforpublicoffice.
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Theaccessorypenaltyoftemporaryabsolutedisqualificationdisqualifiedtheconvictforpublic
officeandfortherighttovote,suchdisqualificationtolastonlyduringthetermofthesentence
(Article27,paragraph3,&Article30,RevisedPenalCode)that,inthecaseofAbes,wouldhave
expiredon13October1961.
Butthisdoesnotholdtruewithrespecttotheotheraccessorypenaltyofperpetualspecial
disqualificationfortheexerciseoftherightofsuffrage.Thisaccessorypenaltydeprivestheconvict
oftherighttovoteortobeelectedtoorholdpublicofficeperpetually,asdistinguishedfrom
temporaryspecialdisqualification,whichlastsduringthetermofthesentence.
PetitionforreviewoncertiorariisDISMISSED.

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