REVIEWER: ELECTION LAW

 E L E C T I O N  L A W

QUALIFICATIONS OF CANDIDATES

Other Eligibities

  1. Non-suffering from any term limitations

Conditions to render ineligible based on the 3-term limit rule:

  1. That the official concerned has been elected for 3 consecutive terms in the same local government post; and

  2. That he has fully served 3 consecutive years.

(Summary of jurisprudence on the 3-term) 

Note: Interruption means the elective official may run again for another term

  1. Succession – not a full term

  2. Assumption of higher office - interruption

  3. Winning in a recall election – interruption

  4. Loses in an election protest – interruption

  5. Conversion to a city – not an interruption

  6. Preventive suspended – not an interruption

  7. Loses election protest only after his term ends – not an interruption


  1. Non-suffering from any accessory penalty of disqualification

    

  • Perpetual disqualification, whether absolute or special, imposed as an accessory penalty for conviction of a crime is a vice of ineligibility, not as disqualification.

Issue – eligibilities or qualifications Petition to deny de course

Issue – Disqualification enumerated – Petition for disqualifications

Disqualification – the elective candidates did something wrong

Fugitive (Disqualification at the same time Ineligibility because Accessory Penalty)

Residency

Who will replace? 

Petition to Disqualify - Rule on succession shall apply not necessarily the one who file. Because it produces vacancy.

Petition to deny due course – replaced by the Second Placer (the one who filed it)

In case the defect is Both – the petitioner has the option to file. (Chua v. COMELEC)

the one who will replace is the second placer. Because the person still has the ineligibility and the election does not cure it.

Common ground or basis:

  1. Foreigner

  2. Not Resident

  3. Fugitive

The vice of ineligibility is not cured by an election.   

Doctrine of Condonation, applicable only: (abandoned as of 10 November 2015 - prospectively)

  1. Administrative case, x criminal case; 

  2. By elective official, x not appointive; and

  3. Same electorate position.  



Petition for Disqualification

Petition to Cancel COC

GROUNDS



SUBSTITUTION



EFFECT

COC is valid, the person is still considered as candidate


REPLACEMENT

Attained finality BEFORE election

  • The SECOND-PLACER

Attained finality AFTER election

GR. When COC is valid, rule on succession. (Doctrine of Rejection of the Second Placer)

ETRs. 

  1. COC is valid but congressional candidate (district representative) – call for a special election

  2. COC is void – SECOND-PLACER

But the ground use affects the candidate’s eligibility (Petition to deny due course)

The SECOND-PLACER regardless whether the cancellation of COC attained finality BEFORE or AFTER election.


How about after proclamation?











If the judgment for disqualification is still unresolved or has not yet attained its finality before election:

  1. The case shall continue and should not be dismissed even after the election.

Etr. When the respondent has already been proclaimed.

Side Note: After the proclamation usually days after the proclaimed winner will assume his office, thus, the COMELEC has to dismiss the case since the jurisdiction of electoral tribunal begins (HRET/SET) begins.

  1. If the evidence of guilt is strong, the COMELEC may order suspension of the proclamation upon motion.


Remedies BEFORE proclamation

  1. Petition to deny due course to or cancellation of COC for false material representation.

  • 5/25 Rule: within 5 days from the last day for filing of COC but not later than 25 days from the time of filing of the COC subject of the petition

  • In case of a substitute candidate (SC), within 5 days from the time the SC filed his COC

  1. Petition to declare a nuisance candidate to cancel his COC

  • Within 5 days from the last day for filing of COC

  • In case of SC, within 5 days from the time the substitute candidate filed his COC

  • If initiated by the COMELEC motu proprio, at any time before the election.


  1. Petition for disqualification

  • After last day of filing of COCs but not later than the date of proclamation


  1. Motion for Suspension of Proclamation


  • While a petition for disqualification or petition for cancellation of COC is pending, when the evidence of guilt is strong.


  1. Petition/motion to postpone election

  • At any time before election when there is violence, terrorism, loss or destruction of election paraphernalia or records, force majeure, or other analogous cases.


  1. Petition to declare failure of election

  • After election when there was failure elect or suspension would affect the result of election but before election.

  • May be filed for a particular precinct

  • It is granted only when the voting population in the precinct would affect the result of election. 


  1. Pre-proclamation controversy

  • After election but before proclamation when there is illegal composition or illegal proceedings of the Board of Canvasser (BOC)

  • Grounds: (2) fraud/mistake in filing of number of votes in a particular precinct (di na raw nangyayare dahil sa electronic election) (5) When there is manifest error in the certificate of canvass

  • BOC composed of [in city]: (1) the chairman is election officer; (2) superintendent of the school; and (3) city treasurer.

  • This remedy may be directly lodge before the COMELEC

  • Illegal proceedings – in resolution making in how BOC shall proceed with their duty

Remedies AFTER proclamation

  1. Election Protest

  • within 10 days from proclamation for:

COMELEC: Regional, provincial, city

RTC: Municipal

MTC: Barangay 

  • within 30 days from proclamation for SET

  • within 15 days from June 30 or from proclamation, whichever occurs later, for HRET

  1. Petition for Quo Warranto

  • within 10 days from proclamation for:

COMELEC: Regional, provincial, city

RTC: Municipal

MTC: Barangay 

  • within 10 days from proclamation for SET

  • within 15 days from June 30 or from proclamation, whichever occurs later, for HRET

grounds: (1) Ineligibility or lack of qualifications; or (2) disloyalty to the republic


Petition for Quo Warranto

Election Protest

Grounds

(1) Ineligibility or lack of qualifications; or 

(2) disloyalty to the republic

Frauds or irregularities in the casting and counting of ballots or in the preparation of the returns

Purpose

To un-sit the person who is ineligible to the position who is disloyal to the ROP

To determine/know who really won the election 

Replacement

Rule on Succession

The protester, if he obtained the highest votes after the recount



  1. Petition to annul election and proclamation

  • At any time, even beyond the prescribed period, if the qualification for the office was subsequently lost.

  • It can be filed even though the candidate already assumed or the term of office is about to end.

  • CASE: the winner lost one of his qualifications to the position such as he acquired naturalization in foreign country



Source: Lecture of Atty. Enan Flores, Political Law Professor/Reviewer

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