PHI

LIPPI
NESUPREMECOURTDECI
SIONS

ENBANC

[
G.R.No.120295.June28,
1996.
]

JUANG.FRI
VALDO,
Pet
it
ioner
,v.COMMI
SSI
ONONELECTI
ONS,
andRAULR.LEE,
Respondent
s.

[
G.R.No.123755.June28,
1996.
]

RAULR.LEE,
Pet
it
ioner
,v.COMMI
SSI
ONONELECTI
ONSandJUANG.FRI
VALDO,
Respondent
s.

SYLLABUS

1.POLI TICALLAW; LOCALGOVERNMENTCODEOF1991; ELECTI ON; WHENTHEPRESCRI BED

QUALI FICATIONSHALLBEPOSSESSED.—Just iceDav idedepar tsfrom thev iewi nt he
ponenci aisthatSect i
on39oft heLocal GovernmentCodeof1991doesnotspeci fyt het i
me
whent heci ti
zenshiprequirementmustbemet , andt hatbei ngthecase, t
henitsuf ficest hat
cit
izenshi pbepossesseduponcommencementoft het erm oft heof fi
cei nvol
v ed.Sect i
on39
actual l
ypr escri
best hequalifi
cationsofelecti
vel ocal of fi
cialsandnott hoseofanel ectedlocal
official
.Theseadj ect i
vesar enotsy nonymous, ast heponenci aseemst osuggest ,thef i
rst
referst othenat ureoft heoffi
ce, whichrequir
est hepr ocessofv oti
ngbyt heel ectoratei nvolved;
whi lethesecondr eferstoav ictori
ouscandidatef oranel ect iv
eof fi
ce.Thesect i
on
unquest i
onablyreferst oel
ective—notel ect
ed—l ocal offi
ci al
s.ItfallsunderTi t
leTwoent i
tled
ELECTI VEOFFI CIALS; underChapt er1ent i
tl
edQual i
ficat i
onsandEl ection;andpar agraph( a)
thereofbegi nswi ththephr ases" Anelecti
velocal official,
"whi lepar agraphs( b)t o( f)thereof
speakofcandi dates.I
tisthusobv i
oust hatSect ion39r eferst onoot herthant hequalif
icati
ons
ofcandi datesforelecti
velocaloffi
cesandt heirelection.Hence, i
nnowaymayt hesecti
onbe
constr uedtomeant hatpossessionofqual ifi
cationsshoul dber eckonedf r
om t he
commencementoft heterm ofoffi
ceoft heel ectedcandi date.Itisnotatal ltr
uet hatSecti
on39
doesnotspeci fythetimewhent heci ti
zenshipr equirementmustbepossessed.Isubmi tthat
therequi rementmustbesat i
sfi
ed,ort hatPhili
ppi neci t
izenshi pmustbepossessed, notmer el
y
atthecommencementoft heterm, butatanear li
ertime, thel atestbeingelectiondayi t
self.
Section39i snotatal lambiguousnoruncer tainthati tmeantt histobe, asonebasi c
qualif
icationofanel ecti
velocaloff
icialisthathebe" AREGI STEREDVOTERI NTHEBARANGAY,
MUNI CIPALITY,CITYORPROVI NCE...WHEREHEI NTENDSTOVOTE. "Thissimpl ymeanst hat
hepossessesal lthequalif
icat
ionstoexer ciset herightofsuf frage.Thef undament al
qualif
icationfortheexerciseofthissov erei
gnr ightist hepossessi onofPhi l
ippineciti
zenship.
Nol esst hantheConst it
uti
onmakesi tthef i
rstqualificati
on.

2.ID. ;
ID.;I
D.; AVAILABLEREMEDI ESONQUESTI ONSOFI NELIGIBILI TYFORPUBLI COFFICE.—
Quowar rantoi snotthesol eremedyav ai
lablet oquest i
onacandi dat e’sineligibi
li
tyforpubli
c
office.Section78oft heOmni busEl ect i
onCodeal l
owst hefil
i
ngofapet it
iont odenydue
cour setoorcancel thecer ti
fi
cateofcandi dacyont hegroundt hatanymat erialrepresent
ation
cont ai
nedt her ei
nasr equiredbySect i
on74, isfalse.Secti
on74, int urn, r
equi r
est hattheperson
fi
lingt hecertifi
cateofcandi dacymustst atei nteralia,
thatheisel i
gi blefortheof f
ice,whi
ch
meanst hathehasal lthequal if
ications( i
ncl uding,ofcourse,fulf
il
lingt heci t
izenshi p
requirement )andnoneoft hedisqual i
fi
cationsaspr ov
idedbylaw.Thepet i
ti
onerunderSect ion
78maybef iledatanyt imenotl atert han25day sfrom thefi
li
ngoft hecer t
ifi
cateofcandi dacy.
Rul e25oft heRev i
sedCOMELECr ulesofpr ocedur eall
owsthef il
ingofapet iti
onf or
disqual i
fi
cationont hegr oundoff ailuretopossessal lt
hequalifi
cat i
onsofacandi dateas
prov i
dedbyt heConst it
utionorbyexi sti
ngl aws, "anydayafterthel astdayf orf i
li
ngof
cer t
ifi
catesofcandi dacybutnotl at erthant hedat eofprocl
amat ion. "cral
awv ir
tua1awl i
brary

3.ID.
;CITIZENSHIP; STEPSFORTHEREACQUI SI
TIONOFCI TIZENSHIPBYREPATRI ATION.—
Thestepst oreacquirePhili
ppi
neCiti
zenshi
pbyr epatriat
ionunderP.D.No.725ar e:(1)f
il
ingthe
appli
cation;(
2)actionbyt hecommittee;
and( 3)taki
ngoft heoat hofall
egianceifthe
appli
cationisapproved.Itisonl
yUPONTAKI NGTHEOATHOFALLEGI ANCEt hattheappli
cant
i
sdeemedi psojuretohav ereacqui
redPhil
i
ppi necit
izenship.Ift
hedecreehadi ntendedthe
oathtakingtoretr
oacttot hedateofthefi
li
ngoft heappl i
cation,
thenitshouldnothav e
expli
cit
lyprovi
dedot herwise.

4.I
D.;I
NTERNATI
ONALLAW; STATELESSNESS,CONSTRUED.—Stat
elessnessmaybeeit
herde
j
ure,whi
chist
hestat
usofi
ndiv
idual
sstr
ippedoft
hei
rnati
onal
i
tybythei
rformergov
ernment
wit
houthavingalloppor
tuni
tytoacquiredanother;ordefacto, whichist hest atusofi ndi
viduals
possessedofanat i
onal
it
ywhosecount r
ydoesnotgi vethem pr otecti
onout si detheirown
countr
y,andwhoar ecommonl y,al
beitimpr
ecisel
y ,r
eferr
edt oasr efugees( JORGER.COQUI A,
EtAl.
,Confl
ictofLawsCases, Mater
ialsandComment s,1995, ed.,290).UnderChapt erI,Ar t
icl
e
1oftheUnitedNat i
onsConventi
onRegar di
ngtheSt atusofSt atel
essPer sons( Phil
ippineTr eat
y
Seri
es,CompiledandAnnotatedbyHay deeB.Yor ac,vol
.II
I,363) ,
ast at
el essper soni sdefined
as"apersonwhoi snotconsi
deredasanat ionalbyanySt ateundert heoper ationofit sl
aw.

5.I
D. ;DECLARATI ONOFPRI NCI PLESANDSTATEPOLI CIES;DOCTRI NEOFPEOPLE’ S
SOVEREI GNTY, CONSTRUED.—Thedoct ri
neorpeopl e’
ssov er ei
gntyi sfoundedont he
pri
nciplesofdemocr acyandr epubl i
canism andr efersexclusiv el
ytot hesov ereigntyofthe
peopleoft hePhi li
ppines.Sect ion1ofAr t
icleIIofthe1987Const it
utionisquit eclearonthis.
Andt hePr eambl emakesi tclearwheni tsol emnlyopensi twi thacl ause" We, thesov er
eign
Fi
li
pinopeopl e..."Thus,thesov erei
gntyisanat t
ri
buteoft heFi l
i
pinopeopl easonepeopl e,one
body.Thatsov ereignpoweroft heFil
ipi
nopeopl ecannotbef ragment izedbyl ookingatitasthe
supremeaut horit
yoft hepeopl eofanyoft hepolit
icalsubdivisionst odet er
mi netheirown
desti
ny ;neit
hercanweconv ertandt r
eatev er
yfragmentast hewhol e.Insuchacase, t
hisCourt
wouldpr ovidet hef or
mulaf ort hedivi
sionanddest ructi
onoft heSt ateandr endert he
Governmenti neffecti
veandi nut il
e.

PUNO,
J.Concur
ri
ngOpi
nion:
chanr
ob1esv
irt
ual
1awl
i
brar
y

1.POLI TICALLAW; DECLARATI ONOFPRI NCI PLESANDSTATEPOLI CIES;SOVEREI GNTYOF

THEPEOPLE, CONSTRUED.—Thesov ereignt yofourpeopl eist hepr i
mar ypost ulateoft he
1987Const i
tuti
on.Fort hi
sr eason, itappear sast hef i
rstofpr i
nciplesandst atepol i
cies.Thus,
Sect i
on1ofAr ti
cleI Iofourf undament al l
awpr oclaimst hat[t]
hePhi li
ppinesi sademocr ati
c
andr epubli
canSt ate.Sov erei gnt yresidesi nt hepeopl eandal l governmentaut hor ityemanat es
from t hem."Thesamepr i
nci pleser vedast hebedr ockofour1973and1935Const itutions.[The
1987Const i
tuti
onaddedt hewor d"democr atic"int hestatementoft hepr i
nci ple.]Itisoneoft he
fewpr inci
pleswhoset ruthhasbeencher i
shedbyt heAmer icansassel f-
evident .Sect ion4,
Ar ti
cleI VoftheU. S.Const itut i
onmakesi tadut yoft heFeder al governmentt oguar ant eeto
ev eryst at
ea" republ icanf orm ofgov ernment .
"Wi thunder standablef ervor,theAmer ican
aut horiti
esimposedr epubl i
cani sm ast hecor nerstoneofour1935Const ituti
ont henbei ng
craf t
edbyi tsFi l
i
pi nof armer s.Bor neoutoft he1986peopl epowerEDSAr ev olution, our1987
Const i
tuti
onismor epeopl e-or iented.Thus, Sect i
on4ofAr ti
cleIIprovidesasast at epol icythat
thepr i
medut yoft heGov ernmenti s"toser veandpr ot
ectt hepeopl e."Sect i
on1, ArticleXIal so
prov i
dest hat...publ i
coff i
cer...mustatal l ti
mesbeaccount abletot hepeopl e... "Sect ions
15and16ofAr ticleXI IIdefinet her oleandr ightsofpeopl e’sorganizations.Sect i
on5( 2)of
Ar t
icleXVImandat est hat "[t]
hest ateshal l strengt hent hepat ri
ot icspiri
tandnat ionalist
consci ousnessoft hemi litary,andr espectf orpeopl e’sr i
ght si nt heper formanceoft heirdut y."
AndSect ion2ofAr ti
cleXVI Ipr ov idest hat" amendment st ot hisConst it
ut i
onmayl i
kewi sebe
direct lyproposedbyt hepeopl et hr oughi ni t
iative... "Allthesepr ov i
sionsandmor ear ei ntended
tobr eat hemor elifetot hesov er eignt yofourpeopl e.Tobesur e, thesov er
eignt yofourpeopl e
i
snotakabal i
sti
cpr i
ncipl ewhosedi mensi onsar ebur iedi nmy st ici
sm.I tsmet esandbounds
aref ami l
iartothef ramer sofourConst i
tutions.Theyknewt hati nitsbroadestsense,
sov er eigntyismeantt obesupr eme, thej ustsummi imper u, theabsol uterightt ogov ern.
For merDeanVi cent eSi ncost at est hatanessent i
al qual i
tyofsov erei
gnt yislegal omni pot ence,
viz:"Legal theoryest ablishescer t ainessent ialqual iti
esi nher enti nthenat ureofsov ereignt y.
Thef irstislegal omni pot ence.Thi smeanst hatt hesov ereigni sl egallyomni pot entandabsol ute
i
nr el ationtoot herl egal inst i
tutions.I thast hepowert odet er mi neexcl usivelyi tslegal
compet ence.Itspower sar eor igi nal,notder ivati
v e.I tisthesol ej udgeofwhati tshoul ddoat
anygi vent ime."Ci t
ingBar ker ,Pr inciplesofSoci al andPol i
tical Theor y,p.59( 1952ed. ),headds
thatamor eampl ifi
eddef initi
onofsov er
ei gnt yist hatof" af inal poweroff inal legal adjustment
ofal l l
egal issues."TheU. S.Supr emeCour texpr essedt hesamet houghti nthel andmar kcase
ofYi ckWov .Hopki ns,118U. S.356, wher ei theldt hat .
"..sov erei gntyitselfis, ofcour se, not
subj ectt olaw, foritist heaut horandsour ceofl aw; butinoursy stem, whilesov ereignpower s
aredel egatedt ot heagenci esofgov ernment ,sov er eigntyitsel fr emainswi tht hepeopl e,by
whom andf orwhom al l gov ernmentexi stsandact s."cralawv ir
tua1awl i
brary

2.ID. ;
ID.;REPRESENTATI VEDEMOCRACYDI STINGUI SHEDFROM PUREDEMOCRACY.—I nour
Const it
ution,thepeopl eest abl
ishedar epresentativ
edemocr acyasdi st
ingui shedf r
om apur e
democr acy.Just i
ceIsagani Cruzexpl ains."..Ar epublicisar epresentati
v egov ernment ,a
gov ernmentr unbyandf ort hepeopl e.Itisnotapur edemocr acywher et hepeopl egov ern
themsel v
esdir ect
ly.Theessenceofr epubl i
canism isrepresent ati
onandr enov ati
on,the
selectionbyt heci t
izenryofacor psofpubl i
cf uncti
onar i
eswhoder ivetheirmandat eforthe
peopl eandactont hei
rbehal f,ser vi
ngf oral i
mi tedper i
odonl y,aft
erwhi cht heyar ereplacedor
retained,attheopt ionoft heirpr i
ncipal.Obv iously,arepublicangov ernmenti sar esponsible
gov ernmentwhoseof fi
cialshol danddi schar getheirpositi
onasapubl i
ct rustandshal l
,
accor dingtotheConst i
tution,‘
atal l
timesbeaccount abletot hepeopl e’theyar eswor ntoserve.
Thepur poseofar epubli
cangov ernmenti tisal mostneedl esst ostate,i
st hepr omotionoft he
commonwel f
ar eaccordingt ot hewi llofthepeopl et hemsel ves."
cral
awv irt
ua1awl i
brary

3.I
D.;ELECTIONCASES; THECOURTSHOULDSTRI VETOALIGNTHEWI LLOFTHE
LEGISLATUREWI THTHEWI LLOFTHESOVEREI GNPEOPLE.—I nelect
ioncases,weshoul d
str
ivetoali
gnt hewil
lofthelegi
slatureasexpressedinit
slawwi ththewill
ofthesov er
eign
peopleasexpressedintheirbal
lots.Forl
awt oreign,i
tmustrespectthewilloft
hepeopl e.For
i
nt heeloquentproseofMr.JusticeLaurel
,.
"..anenf r
anchi
sedcitizeni
sapar ti
cleofpopular
sover
eigntyandistheult
imatesour
ceofestabli
shedaut hor
it
y."(Moyav.delFi
err
o,69Phil.199)
Thechoiceofthegov er
nedonwhoshallbetheirgovernormeritsthehi
ghestconsi
derat
ionby
al
lagenciesofgovernment.I
ncaseswherethesov er
eigntyofthepeopleisatst
ake,wemust
notonl
ybel egal
l
yrightbutal
sopoli
ti
cal
lycorrect
.Wecannotf ailbymakingthepeoplesucceed.

PANGANI
BAN,
J.:
chanr
ob1esv
irt
ual
1awl
i
brar
y

1.POLI TI CALLAW; CITI ZENSHI P; QUALI FICATI ONREQUI REDFORALLELECTI VELOCAL

OFFI CIALS.—TheLocal Gov ernmentCodeof1991[ Republ icActNo.7160]expr esslyr equi res
Philippineci tizenshi pasaqual ifi
cationf orel ectivel ocal offi
cials,incl udingthatofpr ovincial
gov ernor .Phi lippi neci tizenshi pisani ndi spensabl er equi rementf orhol di
nganel ect i
v epubl i
c
offi
ce, andt hepur poseoft heci ti
zenshi pqual ifi
cat ioni snoneot hert hant oensur et hatnoal i
en,
i
.e.,noper sonowi ngal legiancet oanot hernat ion, shal lgov ernourpeopl eandourcount ryora
unitoft erritoryt her eof .Now, anof fi
ci al begi nst ogov ernort odi schar gehisfunct i
onsonl yupon
hispr ocl amat ionandont hedayt hel awmandat eshi ster m ofof ficet obegi n.Thel awi ntended
CITIZENSHI Pt obeaqual i
ficationdi stinctf rom bei ngaVOTER, ev eni fbeingav ot erpr esumes
being, aci t
izenf i
rst.Ital sost andst or easont hatt hev oterr equirementwasi ncl
udedasanot her
qual i
ficat i
on( asi def rom " citi
zenshi p"), nott or eiterat etheneedf ornat ional
itybutt or equi rethat
theof f
icial ber egister edasav oterINTHEAREAORTERRI TORYheseekst ogov ern.i.e.,thelaw
states: "ar egi ster edv ot erint hebar angay ,muni cipal ity
, city,orpr ov i
nce...wher ehei nt endst o
beel ect ed. "Itshoul dbeemphasi zedt hatt heLocal Gov er nmentCoder equi
resanel ect i
v e
offi
ci al t
obear egister edv oter.Itdoesnotr equi rehi mt ov oteact ually.Hence, r
egi stration—
nott heact ual vot i
ng—i st hecor eoft his" qual i
ficat ion."Inot herwor ds, t
helaw’spur posei nthis
secondr equi rementi st oensur ethatt hepr ospect iveof f i
cial i
sact uallyregi
steredi nt hear eahe
seekst ogov ern—andnotany wher eel se.

2.I
D.;I
D.;
MANNERSOFREACQUISI
TIONUNDERPHI LI
PPINELAWS.—UnderPhil
ippi
nelaw,
ci
ti
zenshi
pmayber
eacqui
redbydi
rectactofCongr
ess,bynat
ural
i
zat
ionorbyr
epatr
iat
ion.

3.ID.;I
D.;REPATRI ATION;REQUI REMENTSTHEREOFARELESSTEDI OUSANDCUMBERSOME
COMPAREDTONATURALI ZATI ON.—Ther equir
ement sofr epat r
iat
ionunderP. D.No.725ar e
notdiff
iculttocompl ywit
h,norar etheytediousandcumber some.Inf act,
P.D.725i tself
requir
esv eryli
ttl
eofanappl icant,andev entherulesandr egulati
onstoi mplementthesai d
decreewer elefttothespecial commi tt
eet opromul gate.Thisisnotunusual si
nce,unlikein
natural
izati
onwher eanali
encov etsafir
st-t
imeent ryintoPhi l
ippi
nepol i
ti
cal l
if
e,i
nr epatri
ati
on
theapplicantisaf ormernatural-bornFil
i
pinowhoi smer elyseekingt oreacquirehi
spr evious
ci
ti
zenshi
p.

4.ID.; I
D. ;THELOCALGOVERNMENTCODEDOESNOTSPECI FYWHENSUCHQUALI FICATION
SHALLBEPOSSESSED.—UnderSec.39oft heLocal Gov ernmentCode, itwil
l benot edt hatthe
l
awdoesnotspeci f yanypar t
iculardateort i
mewhent hecandi dat emustpossessci ti
zenship,
unliket hatf orr esidence( whichmustconsi stofatleastoney ear ’
sr esidencyimmedi ately
preceedi ngt hedayofel ection)andage( atleastt
went ythreey earsofageonel ectionday ).
Evenf rom al i
teral( asdi st
inguishedf rom liberal
)construction, itshouldbenot edthatSect i
on
39oft heLocal Gov er nmentCodespeaksof" Quali
fi
cations"of‘ ELECTI VEOFFI CIALS’ ,notof
candi dates.Li ber ally,suchqual ifi
cationsunl essotherwiseexpr esslycondi ti
oned, asi nthecase
ofageandr esidence—shoul dt husbepossessedwhent he" elective[orelected]of fi
cial
"begi ns
togov ern, i
.e.,atthet i
mehei spr oclaimedandatt hest artofhi st erm.Sect i
on39, par.(a)
(t
her eof )speaksof" electi
velocal offi
cial"whi l
epar.(b)to( f)refert o"candidates."The
cit
izenshi prequi rementi ntheLocal Gov ernmentCodei stobepossessedbyanel ect i
veof f
icial
atthel at estasoft het imehei sproclaimedandatt hest artoft het erm ofof f
icetowhi chhehas
beenel ected.

5.STATUTORYCONSTRUCTI ON;REPEALOFLAW;BYSUBSEQUENTONES.—Lawsare,
repealedonl
ybysubsequentones[
Art
.7,Ci
vi
lCodeoft
hePhi
li
ppi
nes]andar
epeal
maybe
expressorimpl
i
ed.

6.ID.
;ID.;BYI
MPLI CATIONISNOTFAVORED; EXCEPTION.—I ti
sabasicrul
eofstatut
ory
constructi
onthatrepealsbyimplicat
ionarenotfav
ored.Animpli
edrepealwil
lnotbeall
owed
"unl
essi ti
sconvincingl
yandunambi guouslydemonstrat
edthatthet
wol awsareclear
ly
repugnantandpat entl
yinconsi
stentthatt
heycannotco-exi
st".

7.ID.;THELAW PRESUMESTHATTHELAW MAKI NG-

BODYI NTENDEDRI GHTANDJUSTI CETO
PREVAI L.—Incaseofdoubtinthei
nter
pret
ati
onorapplicat
ionoflaws,
iti
st obepr
esumed
thatthelawmakingbodyi
ntendedri
ghtandjust
icetoprevai
l
.[Art
.10,Ci
vilCodeoft
he
Phil
ippines)

8.CIVI
LLAW; RETROSPECTIVEOPERATI ONSOFSTATUTES; WHENEFFECTI VE.—Iti
struethat
underArt
.4oftheCivi
lCodeoft hePhil
i
ppines,
"(l
)awsshal
lhavenoretr
oacti
veeff
ect,
unless
thecontr
aryi
sprovi
ded."Butt
her ear
esett
ledexcepti
onstothi
sgeneralr
ule,
suchaswhent he
stat
utei
sCURATI VEorREMEDI ALinnatur
eorwheni tCREATESNEW RIGHTS.Accordi
ngt o
TOLENTI NO, cur ati
vest atut esar ethosewhi chunder t
aket ocur eerrorsandi rregul arit
ies,
therebyv ali
dat i
ngj udicialoradmi nistrativepr oceedi ngs, actsofpubl i
cof ficers, orpr ivat edeeds
andcont r
act swhi chot her wi sewoul dnotpr oducet heirintendedconsequencesbyr easonof
somest atutorydi sabili
tyorf ailuret ocompl ywi t
hsomet echni calrequirement .Theyoper at
eon
conditionsal readyexi sting, andar enecessar il
yr etroactivei noper ati
on.Agpal o, [Agpal o,
Statutor yConst ructi
on, 1990ed. ,pp.270- 271]ont heot herhand, say sthatcur ativest at utesare
"heali
ngact s...cur ingdef ect sandaddi ngt ot hemeansofenf or
cingexi stingobl igations...
(and)ar ei ntendedt osuppl ydef ects, abr i
dgesuper f
luiti
esi nexi sti
ngl aws, andcur bcer tainev i
l
s.
...Byt hei rverynat ure, curat ivest atut esar er etroacti
v e...( and)r eachbackt opastev entsto
correcter r
or sori r
regul ari
tiesandt or enderv alidandef fectiveat tempt edact swhi chwoul dbe
otherwi sei neffectivef orthepur poset hepar ti
esi ntended. "Ont heotherhand, remedi al or
procedur allaws, i.
e.,thosest atutesr elat i
ngt or emedi esormodesofpr ocedur e, whi chdonot
createnewort akeawayv est edr i
ght s, butonl yoper ateinf urtheranceoft her emedyor
confirmat i
onofsuchr ights, ordinarilydonotcomewi thinthel egal meani ngofar etrospect iv
e
l
aw, norwi thint hegener alrul eagai nstt her etrospect i
veoper ationofst atut es.

9.POLITICALLAW; OMNI BUSELECTI ONCODE; PROVI DEDREMEDYTOQUESTI ON

I
NELI GI
BILITYOFACANDI DATE.—Sect ion253oftheOmni busElecti
onCodegi v esanyvoter
,
presumabl yi
ncludi
ngt hedefeatedcandidate,t
heoppor tunit
ytoquestiontheELI GIBI
LITY(or
thedisl
oyalty
)ofacandi dates.Thisistheonlyprovisi
onoft heCodet hataut
hor i
zesar emedy
onhowt ocont estbeforetheCOMELECani ncumbent’sineli
gibil
i
tyari
singfr
om f ail
uretomeet
thequali
ficat
ionsenumer atedunderSec.39oft heLocal GovernmentCode.Suchr emedyof
QuoWar r
antocanbeav ai
ledof" wi
thintendaysafterproclamat i
on"ofthewinningcandidate.
Hence,itisonlyatsucht i
met hattheissueofineli
gibi
li
tymaybet akencognizanceofbyt he
Commi ssion.

10.ID.;ELECTIONS;
THERULEI STHEI NELIGIBILITYOFACANDI DATERECEI VINGMAJORI TY
VOTESDOESNOTENTI TLETHEELI GI
BLECANDI DATERECEI VINGTHENEXTHI GHEST
NUMBEROFVOTESTOBEDECLAREDELECTED.—" Therule,theref
ore,i
s:theinel
igi
bil
it
yofa
candidaterecei
vi
ngmajori
tyvot
esdoesnotent itl
et heeli
giblecandidatereceivi
ngthenex t
highestnumberofvotestobedeclar
edelected.Ami nori
tyordef eatedcandidatecannotbe
deemedel ectedtot
heoffi
ce.
"cr
alawv i
rt
ua1awl ibrary

11.I
D.;I
D.;ELECTORALLAWSSHOULDBELI BERALLYANDEQUI TABLYCONSTRUEDTOGI VE
FULLESTEFFECTTOTHEMANI FESTWI LLOFOURPEOPLE.—Thi sCour thast i
meandagai n
l
iber
all
yandequi t
ablyconstr
uedtheelector
allawsofourcount
rytogivef ul
lesteff
ecttothe
manif
estwillofourpeople,
fori
ncaseofdoubt ,
pol
it
ical
lawsmustbei nterpret
edtogi v
elif
e
andspir
itt
ot hepopularmandatefreel
yexpressedt
hroughtheball
ot.Otherwisestated,l
egal
niceti
esandt echnicalit
iescannotst andi nthewayoft hesov er eignwi ll
.Consi stent l
y,wehav e
held:...(L)awsgov erningel ect i
oncont est smustbel i
berallyconst r
uedt ot heendt hatt hewi l
l
ofthepeopl eint hechoi ceofpubl icof f
icialsmaynotbedef eat edbymer et echni cal object i
ons."
Inanyact ioninv olvi
ngt hepossi bili
tyofar ever salofthepopul arel ectoralchoi ce, thisCour t
mustexer tutmostef fortt or esolvet hei ssuesi namannert hatwoul dgi veef fectt ot hewi l
lof
themaj ority,f
ori ti
smer elysoundpubl i
cpol i
cyt ocauseel ect iveof f
icest obef i
lledbyt hose
whoar ethechoi ceoft hemaj orit
y.Tosuccessf ull
ychallengeawi nningcandi date’ s
qualif
icati
ons, t
hepet i
tionermustcl ear lydemonst ratethatt hei neli
gibil
ityissopat ently
antagonist i
ctoconst i
tutional andl egal principlest hatoverridingsuchi neligibil
it
yandt her eby
givi
ngef fecttot heappar entwi l
loft hepeopl e, woul dulti
mat elycr eat egreaterpr ej udicet ot he
verydemocr aticinsti
tutionsandj urist i
ct raditionst hatourConst i
tutionandl awssozeal ously
protectandpr omot e.Ther eal essenceofj ust i
cedoesnotemanat ef rom qui bblingov er
patchwor klegal technicalit
y .Itproceedsf or mt hespi ri
t’
sgutconsci ousnessoft hedy nami crole
oflawasabr ickintheul t
imat edev elopmentoft hesocial edi fi
ce.Thus, t
heCour tstruggl ed
againstandeschewedt heeasy ,l
egal istic,techni calandsomet i
meshar shanachr onismsoft he
l
awi nor dert oev okesubst antialjust i
cei nt hel argersocial cont extconsi stentwi t hFr i
valdo’ s
uniquesituat i
onappr oxi mat ingv ener abi l
ityinPhi l
i
ppinepol itical li
fe.

12.I
D. ;
INTERNATI ONALLAW; ASTATEDETERMI NESONLYTHOSEWHOAREI TSOWN
CITI
ZENS—NOTWHOARETHECI TI
ZENSOFOTHERCOUNTRI ES.—Si nceourcourtsar
e
chargedonlywi t
hthedut
yofthedeter
mi ni
ngwhoar ePhi
li
ppinenat
ionals,wecannotrul
eon
thel
egal questi
onofwhoareorwhoar enotAmericans.I
tisbasi
cinint
er nat
ionall
awthata
Stat
edet er
mi nesONLYthosewhoareitsowncit
izensnotwhoar et
heci ti
zensofother
countri
es.

DECISION

PANGANI
BAN,
J.:
Theult
imat
equesti
onposedbefor
ethi
sCour
tint
heset
wincasesi
s:Whoshoul
dbedecl
ared
ther
ight
ful
gover
norofSorsogon—

(i
)JuanG.Fr i
val
do, whounquestionabl
yobtainedthehi
ghestnumberofv ot
esinthr
ee
successiv
eelect
ionsbutwhowast wi
cedeclaredbythi
sCourttobedisqual
ifi
edtohol
dsuch
off
iceduet ohi
saliencit
izenshi
p,andwhonowcl aimst
ohav ere-
assumedhislostPhi
l
ippi
ne
ci
tizenshi
pthrur
epat r
iat
ion;

(
ii
)Raul R.Lee,whowasthesecondplacerinthecanvass,butwhoclai
msthatthevot
escasti
n
f
avorofFr i
valdoshoul
dbeconsi
deredv oi
d;thattheel
ectorat
eshouldbedeemedtohave
i
ntent
ionall
ythrownawaythei
rball
ots;andthatlegal
ly
,hesecuredthemostnumberofval
id
v
otes;or

(i
i
i)TheincumbentVi ce-
Gov ernor
,OscarG.Deri
,whoobv i
ouslywasnotvoteddi
rectl
ytothe
posi
ti
onofgov ernor,butwhoaccor di
ngtoprevai
li
ngjuri
sprudenceshoul
dtakeoverthesai
d
posti
nasmuchas, bytheineli
gibi
l
ityofFr
ival
do,a"per
manentv acancyi
nthecontest
edoffi
ce
hasoccurred"?

Inrul
ingforFri
val
do,theCourtl
aysdownnewdoct ri
nesonrepat
ri
ati
on,
clar
if
ies/
reit
erat
es/ampli
fi
esexist
ingj
urispr
udenceonci
ti
zenshi
pandelect
ions,
anduphol
ds
thesuperi
orit
yofsubstant
ial
justi
ceoverpurel
egali
sms.

G.
R.No.123755

Thisisaspecialci
vil
actionunderRules65and58oft heRulesofCourtforcer
ti
orariand
prel
iminaryi
njunct
iontor ev
iewandannulaResolut
ionoftherespondentCommi ssionon
El
ections(Comelec),Fi
rstDivi
sion,
1promulgat
edonDecember19, 19952andanot her
Resoluti
onoftheComel ecenbancpr omulgat
edFebruary23,19963deny i
ngpetit
ioner’
s
mot i
onforreconsi
derati
on.

TheFact
s
OnMar ch20, 1995,priv
at erespondentJuanG.Fr i
valdof il
edhisCerti
fi
cateofCandidacyforthe
offi
ceofGov ernorofSor sogoni ntheMay8, 1995el ections.OnMar ch23, 1995,pet
iti
onerRaul
R.Lee,anothercandidate,f i
l
edapet it
ion4wi t
ht heComel ecdocketedasSPANo.95- 028
prayi
ngthatFrival
do" bedi squali
fi
edfrom seekingorhol dinganypublicofficeorposit
ionby
reasonofnoty etbei
ngaci tizenofthePhili
ppines",andt hathi
sCer t
if
icat
eofCandi dacybe
cancell
ed.OnMay1, 1995, t
heSecondDi visi
onoft heComel ecpromulgatedaResol ut
ion5
granti
ngthepet i
ti
onwi ththef oll
owingdispositi
on6: jgc:chanr
obles.
com.ph

"WHEREFORE, thi
sDivisi
onresolvestoGRANTt hepeti
ti
onanddeclar
esthatrespondenti
s
DISQUALIFIEDtorunfortheOfficeofGovernorofSor
sogononthegroundthatheisNOTa
ci
tizenofthePhil
ippi
nes.Accordingl
y,r
espondent’
scert
if
icat
eofcandi
dacyiscancell
ed."
cral
aw
vi
rtua1awlibr
ary

TheMot ionforReconsiderat
ionfi
l
edbyFr i
val
doremai
nedunacteduponunt
ilaf
tertheMay8,
1995electi
ons.So, hi
scandidacycont
inuedandhewasv ot
edforduri
ngt
heelecti
onsheldon
saiddate.OnMay11, 1995,t
heComelecenbanc7af f
ir
medt heafor
ementi
onedResolut
ionof
theSecondDi vi
sion.

TheProvi
nci
alBoardofCanvasser
scompl etedthecanvassoft
heelect
ionret
urnsanda
Cert
if
icat
eofVotes8datedMay27, 1995wasi ssuedshowingt
hefoll
owingvotesobt
ainedby
thecandi
dat
esfortheposi
ti
onofGov ernorofSorsogon:

Ant
oni
oH.Escuder
o,Jr
.51,
060

JuanG.Fr
ival
do73,
440

Raul
R.Lee53,
304

I
sagani
P.Ocampo1,
925

OnJune9,
1995,
Leef
il
edi
nsai
dSPANo.95-
028,
a(suppl
ement
al)pet
it
ion9pr
ayi
ngf
orhi
s
pr
ocl
amat
ionast
hedul
y-
elect
edGov
ernorofSor
sogon.

Inanor der10datedJune21,1995,butpr
omulgatedaccor dingtothepet iti
on"onlyonJune29,
1995,"theComelecenbancdi r
ected"t
heProvi
ncialBoardofCanv assersofSor sogonto
reconveneforthepurposeofprocl
aimi
ngcandidateRaul Leeast hewi nninggubernator
ial
candidateintheprov
inceofSorsogononJune29, 1995... "Accordingly
,at8:30intheev eni
ng
ofJune30, 1995,Leewasproclai
medgov er
norofSor sogon.

OnJul y6,1995, Fri

valdofil
edwi ththeComel ecanewpet iti
on,11docket edasSPCNo.95- 317,
prayi
ngf ortheannul mentoft heJune30, 1995pr oclamat i
onofLeeandf orhisown
proclamation.Heal l
egedt hatonJune30, 1995, at2:00int heaf t
ernoon,het ookhisoathof
all
egianceasaci ti
zenofthePhi li
ppinesafter"hispet i
ti
onf orrepatri
ati
onunderP. D.725whi ch
hef i
l
edwi tht heSpecialCommi t
teeonNat urali
zat i
oni nSeptember1994hadbeengr anted."As
such, when"thesai dorder(datedJune21, 1995)( oftheComel ec)...wasr eleasedand
recei
v edbyFr iv
aldoonJune30, 1995at5: 30o’ clockintheev ening,therewasnomor elegal
i
mpedi menttot heproclamation(ofFrival
do)asgov ernor..."Int healter
native,heaverredthat
pursuanttot het wocasesofLabov .Comel ec,12t heVi ce-Governor—notLee—shoul doccupy
saidpositi
onofgov ernor.

OnDecember19, 1995,theComel ecFirstDi vi

sionpr omul
gat edt hehereinassail
edResoluti
on
13holdi
ngthatLee,"nothavinggar ner
edt hehi ghestnumberofv otes,
"wasnotl egall
yenti
tl
ed
tobeprocl
aimedasdul y-
electedgov ernor ;andt hatFri
val
do," havinggarneredthehighest
numberofvotes,and...hav i
ngr eacquiredhi sFi l
ipi
nocit
izenshi pbyrepatri
ati
ononJune30,
1995undertheprovi
sionsofPr esi
dentialDecr eeNo.725...( is)quali
fi
edtohol dtheoffi
ceof
gover
norofSorsogon";thus:jgc:chanr
obl es.com. ph

"PREMISESCONSI
DERED,
theCommi
ssi
on(
Fir
stDi
vi
sion)
,ther
efor
eRESOLVESt
oGRANTt
he
Peti
ti
on.

Consi
stentwit
hthedecisi
onsoftheSupremeCour t
,thepr
ocl
amati
onofRaul
R.Leeas
Gover
norofSorsogonisherebyorderedannull
ed,bei
ngcontr
aryt
olaw,
henothavi
nggar
ner
ed
thehi
ghestnumberofvotestowar r
anthisprocl
amat i
on.

Upont
hef
inal
i
tyoft
heannul
mentoft
hepr
ocl
amat
ionofRaul
R.Lee,
thePr
ovi
nci
alBoar
dof
Canvassersi
sdi r
ectedtoimmedi at
elyr
econv eneand,onthebasisofthecompl etedcanvass,
procl
aim pet
it
ionerJuanG.Frival
doast hedulyelectedGovernorofSorsogonhavinggarnered
thehi
ghestnumberofv otes,andhehav ingreacqui
redhisFil
i
pinociti
zenshipbyrepatr
iat
ionon
June30,1995undert heprov
isionsofPresidenti
alDecreeNo.725and, thus,qual
i
f i
edtohold
theoff
iceofGov er
norofSorsogon.

Conf
ormabl ywithSect
ion260oft heOmni busElect
ionCode( B.P.Bl
g.881),t
heCler
kofthe
Commi ssionisdi
rect
edtonoti
f yHisExcell
encythePr esi
dentofthePhil
ippi
nes,
andthe
Secr
etaryoftheSangguniangPanlalawiganoftheProv i
nceofSorsogonofthisr
esol
uti
on
i
mmedi atelyuponthedueimplement at
ionther
eof."
cralawvir
tua1awli
brary

OnDecember26,1995, Leefi
l
edamot ionforreconsiderati
onwhi chwasdeni edbytheComel ec
enbancini
tsResolut
ion14pr omul
gat edonFebr uary23, 1996.OnFebr uary26,1996,the
pr
esentpet
it
ionwasf i
led.Act
ingont heprayerforatempor ar
yr estrai
ningorder,t
hisCourt
i
ssuedonFebruary27,1996aResol uti
onwhi chint
eral i
adirectedt heparti
es" t
omai nt
ainthe
st
atusquoprevai
l
ingpr i
ortothef
il
ingoft hi
spet i
ti
on."cral
awv irtua1awl i
brar
y

TheI
ssuesi
nG.
R.No.123755

Peti
ti
onerLee’
s"posi
ti
ononthematt
erathandbr
ief
lybecapsul
i
zedi
nthef
oll
owi
ng
proposi
ti
ons"15:j
gc:
chanr
obl
es.
com.ph

"Fi
rst—Theiniti
ator
ypeti
ti
onbelowwassof ari
nsuff
ici
enti
nf or
m andsubstancet
owarr
ant
theexer
cisebytheCOMELECofi tsj
uri
sdi
cti
onwi t
htheresultt
hat,i
neff
ect,t
heCOMELEC
actedwit
houtjuri
sdi
cti
onintaki
ngcogni
zanceofanddecidingsaidpet
it
ion;

Second—Thejudi
cial
lydecl
areddisqual
i
ficat
ionofr
espondentwasaconti
nui
ngcondi
ti
onand
render
edhi
mineli
gibl
etorunfor,
tobeelectedtoandtoholdtheOff
iceofGov
ernor
;

Thir
d—Theal l
egedrepat
riat
ionofrespondentwasnei
therv
ali
dnori
stheef
fectt
hereof
ret
roact
iveast
ocurehisinel
igi
bil
i
tyandqual i
fyhi
mtoholdtheOf
fi
ceofGover
nor;and
Fourt
h—Cor r
ect
lyr
eadandappl
i
ed,theLaboDoctri
nefull
ysupportst
hev al
i
dit
yofpet
it
ioner
’s
procl
amat
ionasdul
yelect
edGover
norofSorsogon.
"cr
alawvir
tua1awli
brary

G.
R.No.120295

Thisi
sapet
iti
ont
oannul
thr
eeResolut
ionsoft
herespondentComelec,
thefi
rstt
woofwhi
ch
areal
soati
ssuei
nG.
R.No.123755,
asf ol
l
ows:
chanrob1esvi
rtual
1awlibr
ary

1.Resolut
ion16oftheSecondDivi
sion,
promul
gat
edonMay1, 1995,di
squal
i
fyi
ngFriv
aldo
fr
om runningforgover
norofSor
sogonintheMay8,1995el
ect
ions"onthegr
oundthatheisnot
acit
izenofthePhili
ppi
nes";

2.Resol
uti
on17oft
heComel
ecenbanc,
promul
gat
edonMay11,
1995;
and

3.Resol
uti
on18oft
heComel
ecenbanc,pr
omul
gat
edal
soonMay11,
1995suspendi
ngt
he
procl
amati
onof,
amongot
her
s,Fr
ival
do.

TheFact
sandt
heI
ssue

Thefact
softhi
scasear
eessentiall
ythesameast hosei
nG.R.No.123755.However
,Fr
ival
do
assai
lst
heabove-
menti
onedresoluti
onsonadif
ferentgr
ound:t
hatunderSecti
on78ofthe
OmnibusEl
ecti
onCode,whi
chisreproducedher
einunder
:j
gc:
chanr
obles.
com.ph

"Secti
on78.Pet it
iontodenyduecour seort
ocancelacer ti
ficat
eofcandi dacy.—Av eri
fied
peti
ti
onseeki ngtodenyduecour seortocancelacerti
ficateofcandi
dacymaybef i
ledbyany
personexclusivel
yont hegroundthatanymateri
alr
epresent ati
oncontainedther ei
nasr equir
ed
underSection74her eofisf
alse.Thepeti
ti
onmaybef il
edatanyt i
menotl at
ert hantwent y
-fi
ve
daysfrom thetimeoft hefi
l
ingofthecerti
fi
cateofcandidacyandshal lbedeci ded,af t
ernot i
ce
andhearing,notlatert
hanfift
eendaysbeforetheel
ection."(Emphasissuppl i
ed.)
t
heComel echadnojur
isdi
cti
ont
oissuesai
dResolut
ionsbecausetheywerenotrender
ed
"
withi
ntheper i
odal
l
owedbylaw",
i.
e.,
"notl
atert
hanfi
fteendaysbefor
etheelect
ion.
"cr
alaw
v
irt
ua1awl i
brary

Otherwi
sestated,Fri
val
docontendsthatt
hefail
ureoftheComel ectoactonthepet
it
ionfor
di
squalif
icat
ionwithi
ntheperi
odoff i
ft
eendayspriortotheelect
ionasprov
idedbyl
awi sa
j
urisdi
cti
onaldefectwhi
chrendersthesai
dResolutionsnull
andv oi
d.

ByResolut
iononMarch12,1996,t
heCourtconsol
idatedG.
R.Nos.120295and123755si
nce
theyar
einti
matel
yrel
atedi
ntheirf
act
ualenvi
ronmentandareident
ical
intheult
imat
equest
ion
rai
sed,v
iz.
,whoshoul
doccupytheposit
ionofgovernoroft
heprovi
nceofSorsogon.

OnMarch19,1995,t
heCour thear
doral
argumentfr
om t
hepar
ti
esandr
equi
redt
hem t
her
eaf
ter
t
ofi
lesimul
taneousl
ythei
rrespecti
vememoranda.

TheConsol
i
dat
ed

I
ssues

From t
heforegoingsubmissions,t
heconsol
i
dat
edi
ssuesmayber
est
atedas
fol
lows:
chanrob1esvir
tual1awl i
brar
y

1.Wastherepatr
iati
onofFri
val
dov ali
dandlegal
?Ifso,
diditseasonabl
ycur
ehi
slackof
ci
ti
zenshi
past oquali
fyhi
mt obepr ocl
aimedandtoholdtheOffi
ceofGover
nor
?Ifnot
,mayi
t
begiv
enretr
oacti
v eeff
ect
?Ifso,f
rom when?

2.I
sFri
val
do’s"
judici
all
ydecl
ared"disqual
if
icat
ionf
orl
ackofFi
li
pinoci
ti
zenshipacont
inui
ng
bart
ohisel
igi
bil
it
yt orunf
or,
beel ectedtoorholdt
hegover
nor
shipofSorsogon?
3.DidtherespondentComelechav
ejuri
sdi
cti
onoverthei
nit
iator
ypeti
tioni
nSPCNo.95-317
consideri
ngthatsai
dpeti
ti
onisnot"apr
e-pr
oclamat
ioncase,anelect
ionpr
otestoraquo
warrantocase"?

4.Wastheprocl
amat
ionofLee,
arunner
-upi
ntheel
ect
ion,
val
i
dandl
egal
inl
i
ghtofexi
sti
ng
j
uri
spr
udence?

5.DidtherespondentCommi ssi
ononElecti
onsexceedit
sjuri
sdi
cti
oninpromul gati
ngthe
assail
edResolutions,al
lofwhichprev
entedFriv
aldofr
om assumingthegovernorshi
pof
Sorsogon,consideri
ngthattheywerenotrenderedwi
thi
ntheperi
odreferr
edtoi nSecti
on78of
theOmni busElecti
onCode, vi
z.,
"notl
atert
hanfift
eendaysbefor
etheelect
ions"?

TheFi
rstI
ssue:
Fri
val
do’
sRepat
ri
ati
on

Theval
idi
tyandeff
ect
ivi
tyofFri
valdo’
srepat
riat
ionisthel
ismot
a,t
het
hreshol
dlegal
issuei
n
thi
scase.Al
ltheot
hermatter
sraisedaresecondarytothi
s.

TheLocal Gov
ernmentCodeof199119expr essl
yrequi
resPhi
li
ppi
necit
izenshi
pasa
quali
ficati
onforelecti
vel
ocal
off
ici
als,
incl
udingt
hatofprovi
nci
algov
ernor,
thus:
jgc:chanr
obles.com.
ph

"Sec.39.Qual
if
icati
ons.—(a)Anel ectiv
elocal offi
cial
mustbeaci t
izenofthePhi
lippi
nes;a
regi
steredvot
erinthebarangay,muni ci
pali
ty,cit
y,orprovi
nceor,inthecaseofamemberoft he
sangguniangpanlal
awigan,sangguniangpanlungsod, orsangguniangbayan, t
hedistr
ictwhere
heintendstobeelected;ar
esidentthereinforatleastone(1)yearimmedi atel
yprecedingthe
dayoft heel
ecti
on;andabletoreadandwr i
teFi l
ipi
nooranyot herlocall
anguageordi al
ect
.

(b)Candi
dat
esfort
heposit
ionofgov er
nor,vi
cegovernorormemberofthesangguniang
panlal
awi
gan,ormayor
,vi
cemay orormemberoft hesangguniangpanl
ungsodofhighly
urbani
zedci
ti
esmustbeatleasttwenty-
thr
ee(23)yearsofageonelect
ionday.
x x x

I
nasmuchasFr i
val
dohadbeendeclaredbythi
sCour t20asanon-ci
ti
zen,iti
sther
efore
i
ncumbentuponhimt oshowthathehasreacqui
redciti
zenshi
p;i
nfi
ne,thathepossessest
he
qual
i
ficat
ionspr
escr
ibedunderthesai
dstat
ute(R.A.7160).

UnderPhi li
ppinelaw, 21citi
zenshi
pmayber eacqui r
edbydi rectactofCongress,
by
natural
izati
onorbyr epatri
ati
on.Fr
ivaldot oldthisCour tinG. R.No.10465422anddur i
ngt he
oralargumenti nthiscaset hathetri
edt or esumehi sciti
zenshipbydirectactofCongress,but
thatthebillal
lowinghi mt odoso"fail
edt omat eriali
ze,notwithstandi
ngtheendorsementof
severalmember soft heHouseofRepr esent at
ives"due, accordingtohim,tothe"maneuversof
hispolit
icalri
vals.
"Int hesamecase, hisat temptatnat ural
izati
onwasr ej
ectedbythi
sCour t
becauseofj urisdi
cti
onal ,
substant
ialandpr ocedur aldefects.

Despi tehislackofPhi l
i
ppi neci t
izenshi p,Frivaldowasov erwhel mi ngl yelectedgov ernorbyt he
electorateofSor sogon, wi t
hamar gi
nof27, 000v otesint he1988el ect i
ons,57,000i n1992, and
20,000i n1995ov erthesameopponentRaul Lee.Twi ce,hewasj udi cial
lydeclaredanon-
Fil
ipi
noandt hust wicedi squal if
iedf rom hol dinganddi scharginghi spopul armandat e.Now, he
comest ousat hir
dt i
me, withaf reshv otefrom t hepeopl eofSor sogonandaf avorable
decisionf r
om theCommi ssiononEl ect i
onst oboot .Mor eover,henowboast sofhav ing
successf ull
ypassedt hrought het hir
dandl astmodeofr eacquiringci ti
zenship:byr epatriati
on
underP. D.No.725, withnol esst hant heSol i
citorGener al hi
msel f, whowast hepr i
meopposi ng
counsel inthepr eviouscaseshel ost,thi
st i
me, ascounsel f
orco- respondentComel ec,ar guing
thev ali
dit
yofhi scause( inaddi tiontohi sabl epr iv
atecounsel SixtoS.Br il
lantes,Jr.)
.Thathe
tookhi soathofal legianceundert hepr ovisionsofsai dDecr eeat2: 00p. m.onJune30, 1995i s
notdi sputed.Hence, hei nsistst hathe—notLee—shoul dhav ebeenpr oclaimedast hedul y -
electedgov ernorofSor sogonwhent hePr ov i
nci alBoardofCanv asser smetat8: 30p. m.ont he
saiddat esince,clearlyandunquest i
onabl y,hegar neredt hehighestnumberofv otesint he
electi
onsandsi nceatt hatt i
me, heal readyr eacqui r
edhisci ti
zenshi p.

Encontr
ari
o,Leear
guesthatFr
ival
do’
srepat
ri
ati
oni
stai
ntedwi
thser
iousdef
ect
s,whi
chwe
shal
lnowdiscussi
nser
iati
m.
Fir
st,Leetellsust hatP. D.No.725had" beenef f
ect i
velyrepeal ed",assertingthat"then
PresidentCor azonAqui noexercisi
ngl egisl
ativepower sundert heTr ansitoryPr ovi
sionsofthe
1987Const itution, f
orbadet hegrantofci ti
zenshipbyPr esident i
alDecreeorExecut ive
I
ssuancesast hesameposesaser i
ousandcont entiousi ssueofpol icywhi cht hepresent
government ,int heexerciseofpr udenceandsounddi scretion, shouldbestl eav etothe
j
udgmentoft hef i
rstCongr essundert he1987Const it
ution" ,
addi ngt hatinhermemor andum
datedMar ch27, 1987t othemember soft heSpeci alCommi tteeonNat ur al
izat
ionconst i
tut
ed
forpurposesofPr esidentialDecreeNo.725, PresidentAqui nodi r
ectedt hem " t
oceaseand
desistfrom under takinganyandal l
proceedi ngswi thinyourf unctionalar eaofr esponsibi
li
tyas
defi
nedunderLet terofInstruct
ions(LOI )No.270dat edApr il11, 1975, asamended. "23

Thismemor andum dat edMar ch27, 198724cannotbyanyst retchoflegal hermeneut i

csbe
construedasal awsanct ioningoraut hori
zingar epealofP. D.No.725.Lawsar er
epealedonly
bysubsequentones25andar epeal maybeexpr essori mplied.Itisobv i
oust hatnoexpr ess
repealwasmadebecauset henPr esi
dentAqui noinhermemor andum —basedont hecopy
furni
shedusbyLee—di dnotcat egori
call
yand/ orimpliedlystatet hatP.D.725wasbei ng
repealedorwasbei ngr ender edwi thoutanylegal ef
fect.Infact ,
shedi dnotev enment i
onit
specifi
callybyit
snumberort ext.Ont heotherhand, iti
sabasi cr ul
eofst atutoryconstruct
ion
thatrepealsbyimpl i
cationar enotf avored.Ani mpli
edr epeal willnotbeallowed" unlessitis
convincinglyandunambi guousl ydemonst rat
edt hatthetwol awsar eclearl
yr epugnantand
patentlyinconsi
stentthatt heycannotco- exist
."26

Thememor andum oft henPr esi

dentAqui nocannotev enber egardedasal egislati
veenact ment,
fornotev erypronouncementoft heChi efExecut iv
eev enundert heTr ansit
oryPr ovisionsoft he
1987Const i
tutioncannorshoul dber egar dedasanexer ciseofherl aw- maki ngpower s.Atbest ,
i
tcouldbet reatedasanexecut i
vepol icyaddr essedt otheSpeci alCommi t
teet ohal tthe
acceptanceandpr ocessingofappl icationsf orrepatri
ati
onpendi ngwhat ever"judgmentt hef i
rst
Congressundert he1987Const i
tution"mi ghtmake.I notherwor ds,theformerPr esidentdi dnot
repealP.D.725butl eftittothef i
rstCongr ess—oncecr eat ed—t odeal witht hemat t
er.Ifshe
hadintendedt orepeal suchl aw,sheshoul dhav eunequi vocallysaidsoi nsteadofr eferr
ingt he
mat t
ertoCongr ess.Thef actisshecar efull
ycouchedherpr esi
dent i
al i
ssuancei nter mst hat
clear
lyindicatedt heintentionof"thepr esentgov ernment, i
nt heexer ciseofpr udenceand
sounddi screti
on"t oleav ethemat terofr epeal t
othenewCongr ess.Anyot herinterpretationof
thesaidPr esidentialMemor andum, suchasi snowbei ngpr of f
eredtot heCour tbyLee, woul d
visi
tunmi ti
gatedv i
olencenotonl yuponst atutoryconstr
uct i
onbutoncommonsenseaswel l.

Second.Leeal
soarguesthat"
seri
ouscongeni
tal
irr
egul
ari
ti
esfl
awedtherepat
ri
ati
on
proceedi
ngs,
"asser
ti
ngthatFr
ival
do’
sappli
cat
ionther
eforwas"
fil
edonJune29,1995...(
and)
wasappr ovedi njustonedayoronJune30, 1995... "
,which"prevent edajudici
ousr eviewand
evaluat
ionoft hemer it
st hereof.
"Frivaldocounterst hathefi
ledhi sappl i
cati
onforr epatri
ati
on
withtheOf f
iceoft hePr esi
dentinMal acañangPal aceonAugust17, 1994.Thisisconf i
rmedby
theSoli
citorGener al
.Howev er,
theSpeci alCommi tt
eewasr eact i
vatedonl yonJune8, 1995,
whenpr esumabl ythesai dCommi tt
eest art
edpr ocessinghisappl i
cat i
on.OnJune29, 1995, he
fi
ll
edupandr e-submi t
tedt heFORM t hattheCommi tt
eerequired.Undert hesecircumst ances,i
t
couldnotbesai dt hattherewas" indecenthaste"int heprocessingofhi sappli
cation.

AnentLee’schar
get hatthe"suddenr econsti
tutionoftheSpeci alCommitteeonNaturali
zati
on
wasintendedsolel
yf orthepersonali
nt er
estofr espondent,
"27t heSoli
cit
orGeneralexplai
ned
duri
ngtheoralargumentonMar ch19, 1996thatsuchal legati
oni ssi
mplybaselessasthere
weremanyot herswhoappl iedandwer econsi deredforrepatr
iati
on,ali
stofwhom was
submit
tedbyhi mtot hisCourt,t
hroughaMani festat
ion28f i
l
edonApr i
l3,1996.

Ont hebasi soft hepar ties’submi ssions, wear econv incedt hatt hepr esumpt ionofr egular i
tyin
theper formanceofof f
icialdutyandt hepr esumpt ionofl egal ityint her epatri
at i
onofFr i
valdo
havenotbeensuccessf ull
yrebut t
edbyLee.Themer ef actt hatt hepr oceedingswer espeeded
upisbyi t
selfnotagr oundt oconcl udethatsuchpr oceedi ngswer enecessar i
lyt ainted.Af terall
,
therequi r
ement sofr epat r
iati
onunderP. D.No.725ar enotdi fficultt ocompl ywi th,norar et hey
tedi
ousandcumber some.I nf act,P.D.72529i t
selfrequi resv erylittleofanappl icant ,andev en
therulesandr egulationst oimpl ementt hesai ddecr eewer elef ttot heSpeci al Commi t
teet o
promul gate.Thisi snotunusual si
nce, unlikei nnatural i
zat i
onwher eanal iencov etsaf ir
st -
time
entryintoPhi l
ippinepol iti
cal l
i
f e,i
nr epatri
at i
ont heappl icanti saf or mernat ural-bor nFi l
ipino
whoi smer el
yseeki ngt or eacqui r
ehi sprev iousciti
zenshi p.I nt hecaseofFr ivaldo, hewas
undoubt edlyanat ur al-
bor nciti
zenwhoopenl yandf aithful l
yser vedhi scount r
yandhi spr ovince
pri
ort ohisnat urali
zat i
oni ntheUni t
edSt at es—anat uralizat i
onhei nsistswasmadenecessar y
onlyt oescapet hei roncl utchesofadi ctator shi
pheabhor redandcoul dnoti nconsci ence
embr ace—andwho, afterthef allofthedi ctatorandt her e-est abli
shmentofdemocr aticspace,
wast ednot i
mei nr eturningtohi scount ryofbi r
thtoof f
eroncemor ehi st al
entandser vicest o
hispeopl e.

Sot oo,thefactthatt
enot herper sons,
ascertifi
edtobyt heSoli
citorGeneral
,weregranted
repatri
ationarguesconv i
nci
ngl yandconclusiv
elyagainsttheexistenceoffavor
it
ism
vehement l
yposit
edbyRaul Lee.Atanyr at
e,anycontestont helegali
tyofFri
val
do’srepatri
ati
on
shouldhav ebeenpur suedbef oretheCommi tteeit
sel
f,and,fail
i
ngt here,
intheOffi
ceoft he
President,pur
suanttot hedoct r
ineofexhaustionofadmi ni
strat
iveremedies.
Third.Leef urthercont endst hatassumi ngt heassailedr epatri
ati
ontobev ali
d,nevert
helessit
couldonl ybeef fecti
v easat2: 00p.m.ofJune30, 1995wher eastheciti
zenshi
pqual i
fi
cation
prescribedbyt heLocal GovernmentCode" mustexistont hedateofhiselecti
on,ifnotwhent he
certi
ficateofcandi dacyi sfi
led, "ci
ti
ngourdeci si
oninG. R.10465430whi chheldthat"botht he
Local Gov er
nmentCodeandt heConst i
tuti
onrequiret hatonlyPhili
ppi
neciti
zenscanr unandbe
electedtoPubl icoffice."Obv iously,howev er,
thiswasamer eobiterastheonlyissueinsai d
casewaswhet herFr i
v aldo’
snat ur
aliz
ationwasv al
idornot—andNOTt heeffecti
vedate
thereof.Sincet heCour thel
dhi snat ural
izati
ont obei nvali
d, t
hentheissueofwhenanaspi rant
forpubl i
cof f
iceshoul dbeaci t
izenwasNOTr esolvedatal l
bytheCour t
.Whichquest i
onwe
shallnowdi rect l
yr ul
eon.

UnderSec.39oftheLocal
Gov
ernmentCode,
"(a)
nel
ect
ivel
ocal
off
ici
almustbe:
chanr
ob1es
vi
rt
ual1awlibr
ary

*aci
ti
zenoft
hePhi
l
ippi
nes;

*aregist
eredv
oteri
nthebar
angay
,muni
cipal
i
ty,
cit
y,orpr
ovi
nce...wher
ehei
ntendst
obe
el
ected;

*ar
esi
dentt
her
einf
oratl
eastone(
1)y
eari
mmedi
atel
ypr
ecedi
ngt
hedayoft
heel
ect
ion;

*abl
etor
eadandwr
it
eFi
l
ipi
nooranyot
herl
ocal
languageordi
alect
."
cral
awv
irt
ua1awl
i
brar
y

*Inaddi
ti
on,
"candi
datesf
ortheposi
ti
onofgov
ernor...mustbeatl
eastt
went
y-t
hree(
23)
year
sofageonelect
ionday.
"cr
alawvi
rt
ua1awl
ibr
ary

From t
heabov e,i
twil
lbenotedthatthel
awdoesnotspeci fyanyparti
cul
ardat
eortimewhen
thecandidatemustpossessci
ti
zenship,
unlikethatf
orresi
dence(whichmustconsistofat
l
eastoney ear’
sresi
dencyimmediatel
yprecedingthedayofelect
ion)andage(
atleasttwent
y
threeyearsofageonelect
ionday).
Phi l
ippi neci ti
zenshi pi sani ndi spensabl er equi rementf orhol dinganel ectivepubl icof fice, 31
andt hepur poseoft heci tizenshi pqual ifi
cat i
oni snoneot hert hant oensur et hatnoal ien, i
.e.,no
per sonowi ngal legi ancet oanot hernat ion, shal lgov er nourpeopl eandourcount r
yorauni tof
territor yt her eof .Now, anof ficialbeginst ogov ernort odi schar gehi sf unctionsonl yuponhi s
procl amat ionandont hedayt helawmandat eshi st erm ofof fi
cet obegi n.Si nceFr ivaldor e-
assumedhi sci tizenshi ponJune30, 1995—t hev eryday32t het erm ofof ficeofgov er nor( and
otherel ect i
v eof f i
cial s)began—hewast her efor eal readyqual ifiedt obepr ocl ai
med, t
ohol d
suchof fi
ceandt odi schar get hef uncti
onsandr esponsi bilit
iest her eofasofsai ddat e.I nshor t,
att hatt ime, hewasal readyqual ifi
edt ogov ernhi snat i
v eSor sogon.Thi sist hel i
ber al
i
nt erpr et ationt hatshoul dgi vespi ri
t,l
if
eandmeani ngt oourl awonqual ifi
cat i
onsconsi st ent
wi t
ht hepur posef orwhi chsuchl awwasenact ed.Sot oo, evenf rom al i
teral (asdi st i
ngui shed
from l iber al )const ruct i
on, itshoul dbenot edt hatSect i
on39oft heLocal Gov ernmentCode
speaksof" Qual i
f i
cat ions"of" ELECTI VEOFFI CI ALS" ,notofcandi dat es.Whyt henshoul dsuch
qual ificat ionber equi redatt het i
meofel ect i
onoratt het imeoft hef il
i
ngoft hecer tif
icat esof
candi daci es, asLeei nsi sts?Li terall
y,suchqual i
fications—unl essot herwiseexpr essl y
condi tioned, asi nt hecaseofageandr esidence—shoul dt husbepossessedwhent he" elective
[orel ect ed]of f
icial"begi nst ogov ern, i
.e.,att het i
mehei spr ocl aimedandatt hest artofhi s
term —i nt hiscase, onJune30, 1995.Par aphr asingt hi sCour t’
sr uli
ngi nVasquezv .GiapandLi
SengGi ap&Sons, 33i fthepur poseoft heci tizenshi pr equi rementi st oensur et hatourpeopl e
andcount rydonotendupbei nggov ernedbyal iens, i
.e., personsowi ngal legi ancet oanot her
nat i
on, thatai m orpur posewoul dnotbet hwar tedbuti nst eadachi ev edbyconst ruingt he
citi
zenshi pqual i
f i
cat ionasappl yi
ngt ot het imeofpr ocl amat i
onoft heel ect edof f
icial andatt he
star tofhi st erm.

Butper hapst hemor ediffi

cultobjecti
onwast heoner aisedduri
ngt heoral ar
gument34t ot he
effectthattheciti
zenshi pqualif
icati
onshouldbepossessedatt het i
met hecandidate( orfor
thatmat tertheelectedof fi
cial
)regist
eredasav oter.Afteral
l
,Section39, apartfr
om requiring
theof f
ici
al t
obeaci ti
zen, al
sospeci f
iesasanotheritem ofqual
ifi
cation,thathebea" r
egistered
voter.
"And, underthel aw35a" voter"mustbeaci ti
zenoft hePhil
ippines.Sot her
efore,Fri
v al
do
couldnothav ebeenav oter—muchl essav al
idl
yregisteredone—i fhewasnotaci t
izenatt he
ti
meofsuchr egi
strati
on.

Theanswert othisproblem againliesindiscer ni

ngt hepur poseoft herequirement .I
fthel aw
i
ntendedt hecit
izenshi pqualif
icat
iont obepossessedpr i
ort oel
ectionconsi stentwiththe
requir
ementofbei ngar egi
steredv oter,t
heni twoul dnothav emadeci tizenshipaSEPARATE
qualif
icat
ion.Thel awabhor sar edundancy .Itthereforestandstor easont hatthelawi ntended
CITIZENSHI Ptobeaqual if
icati
ondi sti
nctfrom bei ngaVOTER, evenifbei ngav oterpresumes
beingacitizenfir
st .I
talsostandst oreasont hatt hev ot
errequir
ementwasi ncludedasanot her
qualif
icat
ion(asidef r
om "citi
zenship"),nottor ei
teratetheneedf ornationali
tybutt orequirethat
theof f
icialber egisteredasav oterINTHEAREAORTERRI TORYheseekst ogov er
n,i.e.
,thelaw
stat
es: "ar egisteredv oteri
nt hebar angay,muni cipali
ty,ci
ty ,
orprov i
nce...wher eheintendst o
beelect ed."Itshoul dbeemphasi zedt hattheLocal GovernmentCoder equi
resanelect i
ve
offi
cialtobear egisteredvoter.I
tdoesnotr equir ehimt ov oteactually.Hence,regi
strati
on—
nottheact ual v
oting—i sthecoreoft his"
qualificati
on."Inot herwor ds, t
helaw’
spur posei nthi
s
secondr equirementi stoensuret hatthepr ospect i
veoff i
cialisactuall
yr egi
ster
edint hear eahe
seekst ogov ern—andnotany whereel se.

Befor
ethisCourt,Fr
ival
dohasrepeatedl
yemphasized—andLeehasnotdisput
ed—t hathe
"wasandisar egi
ster
edv ot
erofSorsogon,andhi
sregi
str
ati
onasav ot
erhasbeensustai
nedas
val
idbyjudi
cialdecl
arat
ion...I
nfact,hecasthi
svotei
nhispreci
nctonMay8,1995.
"36

Sotoo,duri
ngt
heor alargument ,hiscounselst
eadfast
lymaintainedthat"Mr.Fri
val
dohas
al
way sbeenar
egi st
eredv oterofSorsogon.Hehasv ot
edin1987, 1988,1992, t
henhevoted
againi
n1995.I
nf act,hi
sel i
gibi
li
tyasav oterwasquesti
oned,butthecourtdismissed(
sic)hi
s
el
igi
bil
it
yasavoterandhewasal lowedtov ot
easinfact,
hev otedinallt
hepr evi
ousel
ecti
ons
i
ncludi
ngonMay8, 1995.37

I
tist
huscl
eart
hatFr
ival
doi
sar
egi
ster
edv
oteri
nthepr
ovi
ncewher
ehei
ntendedt
obeel
ect
ed.

Thereisy etanot herr easonwhyt hepr i

mei ssueofci t
izenshipshoul dber eckonedf rom t he
dateofpr ocl amat ion, notnecessar i
lythedat eofelect i
onordat eoff i
li
ngoft hecer t
ifi
cateof
candidacy.Sect i
on253oft heOmni busEl ect i
onCode38gi v
esanyv oter,pr
esumabl yincluding
thedefeatedcandi dat e,theoppor t
unitytoquest i
ont heELI GI BI
LITY( orthedisl
oy alt
y)ofa
candidate.Thi sist heonl ypr ov isi
onoft heCodet hataut horizesar emedyonhowt ocont est
beforetheComel ecani ncumbent ’
sineligibil
ityari
singf rom f ai
l
uret omeett hequal if
ications
enumer atedunderSec.39oft heLocal Gov ernmentCode.Suchr emedyofQuoWar rantocanbe
avail
edof" withint enday saf terpr oclamat ion"ofthewi nningcandi date.Hence,itisonl yatsuch
ti
met hatt hei ssueofi neligi
bi li
tymaybet akencogni zanceofbyt heCommi ssi
on.Andsi nce, at
theverymomentofLee’ spr ocl amat i
on( 8:30p. m.,June30, 1995) ,JuanG.Fr iv
aldowasal ready
andindubi tablyaci ti
zen, hav i
ngt akenhi soat hofal legianceear l
ierintheafternoonoft hesame
day,thenheshoul dhav ebeent hecandi dat epr ocl
aimedasheunquest i
onablygar neredt he
highestnumberofv otesi nthei mmedi atelypr ecedingel ecti
onsandsuchoat hhadal ready
curedhispr evious" j
udiciall
y-decl ared"alienage.Hence, atsucht i
me, hewasnol ongeri neligibl
e.
Butt
oremoveall
doubtsonthi
simpor
tantissue,
wealsohol
dthattherepat
ri
ati
onofFr
ival
do
RETROACTEDtothedateoft
hefi
li
ngofhisappli
cat
iononAugust17,1994.

I
tistr
uethatundert
heCivi
lCodeoft
hePhi
li
ppi
nes,39"(l
)awsshallhav
enor et
roacti
veeff
ect
,
unl
essthecontr
aryi
sprovi
ded.
"Butt
her
earesett
ledexcept
ions40t ot
hisgener
al r
ule,
suchas
whenthestat
uteisCURATI
VEorREMEDIALinnat
ureorwheni tCREATESNEW RI GHTS.

Accordi ngtoTol entino, 41cur at

ivest atutesar ethosewhi chunder taket ocur eerrorsand
i
rregular i
ti
es,therebyv alidati
ngj udicialoradmi nistrati
vepr oceedings, actsofpubl icof f
icer
s,or
pri
vatedeedsandcont ractswhi chot herwi sewoul dnotpr oducet heirintendedconsequences
byreasonofsomest atut orydisabili
tyorf ail
uretocompl ywi t
hsomet echnical r
equirement.
Theyoper ateoncondi tionsal readyex i
sting, andar enecessar il
yretroactiveinoper ati
on.Agpalo,
42ont heot herhand, say sthatcur ativest atutesar e"heal i
ngact s...cur ingdef ectsandaddi ng
tothemeansofenf orci ngexi sti
ngobl i
gat ions...( and)ar eintendedt osuppl ydefects,abri
dge
superfluiti
esinexi sti
ngl aws, andcur bcer tainevils...Byt heirverynat ur
e, curati
vest at
utesare
retr
oact ive...(and)r eachbackt opastev ent stocor recter r
orsori r
regulariti
esandt or ender
vali
dandef fecti
veat tempt edact swhi chwoul dbeot herwisei neff
ect i
vef orthepur poset he
parti
esi ntended."cralawv i
rt
ua1awl ibrary

Ont heotherhand,r
emedial
orprocedurall
aws,i.
e.,thosestatutesrelat
ingtoremediesor
modesofpr ocedure,whi
chdonotcreatenewort akeawayv estedright
s,butonlyoperatein
furt
heranceoftheremedyorconfi
rmationofsuchrights,or
di nari
l
ydonotcomewi thinthelegal
meaningofar etr
ospecti
vel
aw,norwithint
hegener alrul
eagai nsttheretr
ospecti
veoper at
ionof
stat
utes.43

Ar eadingofP. D.725i mmedi atel

yshowst hatitcreatesanewr i
ght, andal soprovidesf oranew
remedy ,ther
ebyf ill
ingcertainv oi
dsi nourl aws.Thus, i
nitspreambl e, P.D.725expr essly
recognizesthepl ightof" manyFi li
pinowomen( who)hadl ostthei
rPhi l
ippineciti
zenshipby
mar ri
aget oaliens"andwhocoul dnot ,undertheexi st
inglaw( C.
A.No.63, asamended)av ail
of
repatri
ati
onunt i
l"afterthedeat hoft hei
rhusbandsort het er
minati
onoft heirmarit
alstat us"
andwhocoul dneitherbebenef it
edbyt he1973Const i
tuti
on’snewpr ovisionall
owi ng"aFi lipi
no
womanwhomar ri
esanal i
ent oretainherPhi l
ippi
neci ti
zenship..."because" suchpr ovisionof
thenewConst i
tuti
ondoesnotappl yt oFil
ipinowomenwhohadmar riedal iensbeforesai d
constit
utiontookef fect.
"Thus, P.D.725gr antedanewr i
ghttothesewomen—t her i
ghtt or e-
acquireFili
pinoci t
izenshipev endur ingtheirmar i
talcovertur
e,whichr ightdi dnotexistpr iorto
P.D.725.Ont heot herhand, saidstat ut
eal soprovidedanewr emedyandanewr i
ghti nfav orof
other"natur
al bor
nFilipi
noswho( had)l
osttheirPhi
li
ppineci
ti
zenshipbutnowdesiretore-
acquirePhil
ippinecit
izenship"
, becausepr i
ortothepromulgat
ionofP.D.725suchformer
Fi
lipi
noswoul dhav ehadt ounder gothetedi
ousandcumber somepr ocessofnatur
ali
zati
on,but
withtheadv entofP.D.725t heycoul dnowr e-acqui
rethei
rPhil
ippi
neciti
zenshi
punderthe
si
mpl i
fiedprocedureofr epatr
iation.

TheSol
i
cit
orGener
al44ar
gues:
j
gc:
chanr
obl
es.
com.
ph

"Bythei
rver
ynature,curati
vestatut
esareret
roact
ive,
(DBPv .CA,96SCRA342) ,si
ncetheyar
e
i
ntendedtosupplydefects,abr
idgesuperf
lui
ti
esinexi
sti
nglaws( DelCast
il
lov.Secur
it
iesand
ExchangeCommi ssi
on, 96Phil
.119)andcurbcertai
nevil
s(Santosv.Duata,14SCRA1041).

Inthi
scase, P.D.No.725wasenact edt ocurethedef ectint
heexisti
ngnat ur
ali
zat
ionlaw,
specif
icall
yC.A.No.63wher einmar r
iedFil
ipi
nowomenar eall
owedt orepatr
iat
eonl yuponthe
deathoft hei
rhusbands,andnatural-
bornFili
pinoswhol ostthei
rcit
izenshi
pbynatur al
izat
ion
andot hercausesfacedthediffi
cult
yofunder goingtherigi
dproceduresofC.A.63f or
reacquisi
tionofFil
i
pinocit
izenshipbynatural
ization.

Presi
dent
ial
DecreeNo.725provi
dedar emedyfortheafor
ement
ionedlegal
aberr
ati
onsand
thusi
tsprov
isi
onsareconsi
deredessenti
all
yremedial
andcur
ati
ve."
cral
awv i
rt
ua1awli
brar
y

Inli
ghtoft hef or egoing,andpr escindingf r
om t hewor dingoft hepr eambl e, i
ti sunar guablet hat
thelegislativ eintentwaspr ecisel
yt ogivet hest atuteretroact iveoper ation."(A)r etr
ospect ive
operationi sgi vent oast atuteoramendmentwher ethei ntentt hatitshoul dsooper ateclear l
y
appearsf rom aconsi der ati
onoft heactasawhol e,orfrom t het ermst hereof ."45Iti sobvious
totheCour tthatt hestat utewasmeantt o"reachback"t oev entsandt r
ansact i
onsnot
otherwisecov eredbypr evai l
i
ngl awandj urisprudence.Andi nasmuchasi thasbeenhel dthat
cit
izenshipi sapol i
ti
cal andci v i
lri
ghtequal lyasi mpor tantast hef reedom ofspeech, li
bert
yof
abode, ther i
ghtagai nstunr easonabl esearchesandsei zuresandot herguar ant eesenshr i
nedi n
theBillofRi ghts, t
herefor ethel egisl
ativeintentt ogiver etrospect iveoper ationt oP. D.725must
begi v
ent hef ullesteffectpossi bl
e."(I)
thasbeensai dt hatar emedi al statutemustbeso
construedast omakei teffectt heev i
dentpur posef orwhi chi twasenact ed, sot hatifthe
reasonoft hest atuteext endst opastt ransact ions, aswel last ot hosei nthef uture,thenitwi ll
besoappl i
edal thought hest at ut
edoesnoti nt ermssodi r
ect ,unlesst odosowoul di mpair
somev est edr ightorv iolatesomeconst it
ut i
onal guarant y.
"46Thi sisal lt
hemor etrueofP. D.
725,whi
chdidnotspeci
fyanyr
est
ri
cti
onsonordel
i
mitorqual
i
fyt
her
ightofr
epat
ri
ati
on
grant
edther
ein.

Atthi
spoint
,av al
idquest
ionmayberaised:
Howcant heretr
oacti
vi
tyofP.D.725benef
it
Fri
val
doconsideri
ngthatsai
dlawwasenactedonJune5, 1975,whi
leFri
val
dolosthi
sFil
ipi
no
ci
ti
zenshi
pmuchl ater
,onJanuary20,
1983,andappl
i
edf orrepat
ri
ati
onevenlater
,onAugust17,
1994?

Whi leiti st ruet hatt hel awwasal readyi nef fectatthet i

met hatFr i
v al
dobecameanAmer ican
citi
zen, nev ert heless, itisnotonl yt hel awitself(P.D.725)whi chist obegi venr etroact i
veef f
ect,
butev ent her epat r
iationgr ant edundersai dlawt oFr ival
doonJune30, 1995i st obedeemedt o
hav er etroact edt othedat eofhi sappl icati
ont herefor, August17, 1994.Ther easonf ort hi
si s
simpl yt hati f, asi nt hiscase, i
twast heintentoft hel egislativeaut horitythatt hel awshoul d
appl ytopastev ent s—i .e.,situationsandt r
ansact i
onsexi stingev enbef orethel awcamei nto
being—i nor dert obenef itthegr eat estnumberoff ormerFi l
ipinospossi blether ebyenabl i
ng
them t oenj oyandexer ciset heconst it
utionallyguarant eedr ightofci t
izenship, andsuch
l
egi slativei nt ent i
oni st obegi vent hef ul
lestef f
ectandexpr ession, thent herei sal lt
hemor e
reasont ohav et hel awappl yinar etroactiveorr et
rospect i
vemannert osi t
uations, event sand
transact i
onssubsequentt othepassageofsuchl aw.Thati s, therepat r i
ati
ongr ant edt oFr i
v al
do
onJune30, 1995canandshoul dbemadet otakeef fectasofdat eofhi sappl icat ion.Asear li
er
ment i
oned, ther ei snot hi ngi nt helawt hatwoul dbart hisorwoul dshowacont rar yintent i
onon
thepar toft hel egi slativeaut hor i
ty;andt her eisnoshowi ngt hatdamageorpr ej udi cet oany one,
orany thingunj ustori njur i
ouswoul dr esultfrom giving; r
et r
oact i
vityt ohi srepat riation.Nei ther
hasLeeshownt hatt herewi llresul ttheimpai rmentofanycont r
act ual obli
gation, disturbanceof
anyv est edr ightorbr eachofsomeconst it
utionalguar ant y.

BeingaformerFi
li
pinowhohasserv edt
hepeoplerepeat
edly
,Fr
ival
dodeservesali
beral
i
nterpr
etat
ionofPhi
lippi
nelawsandwhateverdef
ectstherewer
einhisnat
ionali
tyshoul
dnow
bedeemedmoot edbyhi sr
epatr
iat
ion.

Anotherar gumentforr etr

oacti
vi
tytothedat eoff i
l
ingist hatitwoul dpreventprej
udiceto
applicant
s.IfP.D.725wer enottobegiv enret
roactiveeffect,andt heSpecialCommi ttee
decidesnott oact,i
.e.,todel
aytheprocessingofappl icationsf oranysubstanti
allengthoftime,
thent heformerFil
ipinoswhomaybest atel
ess,asFr i
valdo—hav i
ngalreadyrenouncedhi s
Amer i
canciti
zenship—was, maybepr ejudi
cedf orcausesout sidethei
rcontrol
.Thisshouldnot
be.Incaseofdoubti ntheinter
pret
ati
onorappl i
cationofl aws, i
tistobepr esumedt hatthelaw
maki
ngbodyi
ntendedr
ightandj
ust
icet
opr
evai
l
.47

Andasexper iencewi ll
show, t
heSpeci alCommi tteewasablet oprocess, actuponandgr ant
appli
cati
onsf orrepatri
at i
onwi t
hinrelati
vel
yshor tspansoftimeaf terthesamewer efi
led.48
Thefactthatsuchi nterregnawer erelati
vel
yinsi gnifi
cantminimizesthel ikelihoodofprejudice
tothegov er
nmentasar esultofgivi
ngr etr
oact ivi
tytorepat
riati
on.Besi des, tothemi ndoft he
Court,
dir
ectpr ej
udi cetot hegovernmenti spossi bleonlywhereaper son’sr epatri
ati
onhast he
eff
ectofwi pi
ngoutal iabil
it
yofhist othegov er nmentarisi
nginconnect i
onwi thorasar esult
ofhisbeinganal ien,andaccr ui
ngonl yduringt hei nt
err
egnum bet weenappl icati
onand
approval
,asituationthati snotpresentinthei nstantcase.

Andi ti
sbutrightandj ustthatthemandat eofthepeopl
e,al
r eadytwi
cef r
ustrated,
shouldnow
prevail
.Underthecircumst ances,ther
eisnothi
ngunjustoriniqui
tousintreati
ngFrival
do’
s
repatri
ati
onashav i
ngbecomeef f
ecti
veasofthedateofhisapplicat
ion,i
.e.,
onAugust17, 1994.
Thisbeingso, al
lquestionsabouthi spossessi
onofthenationali
tyquali
fi
cation—whet herat
thedateofpr ocl
amat i
on( June30, 1995)orthedateofel
ection(May8, 1995)ordat eoffi
li
ng
hiscerti
fi
cateofcandidacy( Mar ch20,1995)wouldbecomemoot .

Basedont heforegoing,anyquesti
onregardi
ngFriv
aldo’sstat
usasaregist
eredvot
erwould
alsobedeemedset t
led.Inasmuchashei sconsi
deredashav i
ngbeenrepatr
iat
ed—i .
e.,
his
Fil
ipi
nocit
izenshiprestored—asofAugust17, 1994,hisprevi
ousr
egist
rati
onasav ot
eris
l
ikewisedeemedv al
idatedasofsaiddate.

I
tisnotdisputedt hatonJanuar y20, 1983FrivaldobecameanAmer ican.Wouldt heret
roacti
vi
ty
ofhisrepatr
iati
onnotef fecti
velygivehim dualciti
zenship,whichunderSec.40oft heLocal
Gov er
nmentCodewoul ddisquali
fyhim" fr
om runningf oranyelecti
velocalposit
ion?"49We
answerthisquestioni nthenegative,asthereiscogentr easont oholdthatFri
valdowasr eal
ly
STATELESSatt hetimehet ooksai doathofallegianceandev enbeforethat,
whenher anfor
governorin1988.Inhi sComment ,Fri
valdowrotet hathe"hadl ongrenouncedandhadl ong
abandonedhi sAmer icanciti
zenship—l ongbef oreMay8, 1995.Atbest,Fri
valdowasst atel
ess
i
nt heint
erim —whenheabandonedandr enouncedhi sUSci ti
zenshipbutbeforehewas
repatr
iat
edtohi sFili
pinociti
zenship.
"50

Ont
hispoi
nt,
wequot
efr
om t
heassai
l
edResol
uti
ondat
edDecember19,
1995:
51
"BythelawsoftheUni t
edSt ates,peti
ti
onerFri
val
dolosthi
sAmeri
canciti
zenshi
pwhenhet ook
hisoathofal
legiancetot hePhili
ppineGovernmentwhenheranf
orGov er
norin1988,i
n1992,
andin1995.Ever ycer
ti
ficateofcandidacycontai
nsanoathofal
l
egiancetothePhil
i
ppine
Government.
"cralawvir
tua1awl ibrar
y

Thesefactualf
indi
ngsthatFr
ivaldohasl
osthisfor
eignnat
ional
i
tyl
ongbeforetheel
ecti
onsof
1995hav enotbeeneff
ecti
vel
yr ebut
tedbyLee.Fur
thermor
e,iti
sbasict
hatsuchfi
ndi
ngsofthe
Commi ssionar
econclusi
veupont hi
sCourt
,absentanyshowingofcapr
ici
ousnessor
arbi
tr
ari
nessorabuse.52

TheSecondI
ssue:
IsLackofCi
ti
zenshi
p

aCont
inui
ngDi
squal
i
ficat
ion?

Leecont endst hattheMay1, 1995Resol uti

on53oft heComel ecSecondDi vi
sioninSPANo.95-
028asaf fi
rmedi ntot obyComel ecEnBanci nitsResoluti
onofMay11, 1995" becamef i
naland
executor yaft
erfive( 5)daysoronMay17, 1995, norestrainingorderhav ingbeeni ssuedbythis
Honor ableCour t
."54Hence, beforeLee" waspr oclai
medast heelectedgov ernoronJune30,
1995, therewasal readyaf inalandex ecutoryjudgmentdi squal i
fyi
ng"Frivaldo.Leeaddst hat
thisCour t’
stwor ul
ings( whichFr i
valdonowconcedeswer elegall
y"cor r
ect")declari
ngFrival
do
anal i
enhav ealsobecomef inalandexecut orywaybef oret he1995el ections,andt hese"j
udici
al
pronouncement sofhi spoliti
calstatusasanAmer icancitizenabsol utel
yandf orallt
ime
disqualif
ied(him)fr om runningfor,andhol di
nganypubl i
cof ficeinthePhi l
ippines.
"cral
aw
virt
ua1awl ibr
ar y

Wedonotagr
ee.

Itshoul
dbenot edthatourf
ir
str ul
i
ngi nG.
R.No.87193di squal
i
fyi
ngFr i
val
dowasr enderedin
connecti
onwi t
hthe1988electionswhilet
hatinG.R.No.104654wasi nconnect
ionwi t
ht he
1992electi
ons.Thathewasdi squali
fi
edforsuchelect
ionsisfi
nalandcannolongerbe
changed.InthewordsoftherespondentCommi ssion(SecondDiv
ision)i
nit
sassailed
Resolut
ion:55
"Therecordsshowt hattheHonor abl
eSupr emeCour thaddeci dedthatFrivaldowasnota
Fil
ipi
noci t
izenandt husdi squali
fi
edf orthepur poseoft he1988and1992el ecti
ons.However,
thereisnor ecordofany‘ finalj
udgment ’ofthedi squali
fi
cati
onofFr ival
doasacandi dat
eforthe
May8, 1995el ecti
ons.Whatt heCommi ssionsai dinit
sOr derofJune21, 1995(implemented
onJune30, 1995),direct
ingt heproclamationofRaul R.Lee,wast hatFriv
aldowasnotaFi lipi
no
cit
izen‘havingbeendecl aredbyt heSupr emeCour tinit
sOr derdatedMar ch25, 1995,nota
cit
izenofthePhi li
ppines.’Thisdeclarati
onoft heSupr emeCour t
,howev er,wasinconnecti
on
withthe1992el ections."
cralawv i
rtua1awl i
brary

Indeed,decisi
onsdeclar
ingtheacquisi
ti
onordeni
alofci
tizenshi
pcannotgovernaper son’
s
futur
est at
uswi t
hfinal
it
y.Thisi
sbecauseapersonmaysubsequent l
yreacqui
re,orforthat
mat t
erlose,hi
sciti
zenshipunderanyofthemodesrecognizedbylawforthepurpose.Hence,
in
Leev .Commi ssi
onerofImmi gr
ati
on,56weheld:j
gc:
chanrobles.
com.ph

"Everyt
imethecit
izenshi
pofapersoni
smateri
alorindi
spensableinaj
udicialoradmi
nist
rat
ive
case,whatevert
hecor r
espondi
ngcour
toradmini
strat
iveauthor
it
ydecidestherei
nastosuch
cit
izenshi
pisgenerall
ynotconsi
der
edresj
udi
cata,henceithastobethreshedoutagai
nand
again,astheoccasiondemands.
"

TheThi
rdI
ssue:
Comel
ec’
sJur
isdi
cti
on

Ov
erThePet
it
ioni
nSPCNo.95-
317

Leealsoav ersthatrespondentComel echadnoj ur

isdicti
ont oentert
ainthepeti
tioninSPCNo.
95-317becauset heonly"possibletypesofpr oceedingst hatmaybeent ert
ainedbyt he
Comel ecareapr e-pr
oclamat ioncase, anelecti
onpr otestoraquowar r
antocase."Again,Lee
remindsust hathewaspr oclaimedonJune30, 1995butt hatFri
val
dof i
l
edSPCNo.95- 317
questi
oninghi s(Lee’
s)proclamat iononlyonJul y6,1995—" beyondthe5-dayreglementary
peri
od."Hence, accordi
ngt ohi m,Fri
valdo’s"recour
sewast ofil
eeit
heranelecti
onpr ot
estora
quowar rantoaction.
"cral
awv ir
tua1awl i
brary

Thisargumentisnotmerit
orious.TheConstit
uti
on57hasgi v
entheComel ecamplepowerto
"exer
ciseexcl
usiv
eorigi
naljuri
sdict
ionoveral
lcontestsrel
ati
ngtotheelecti
ons,r
etur
nsand
quali
fi
cati
onsofallel
ect
ive...provi
ncial
...offi
cial
s."I
nsteadofdwell
i
ngatl engt
hont he
vari
ouspeti
tionsthatComel ec,i
ntheexerci
seofitsconsti
tut
ional
pr er
ogati
ves,mayent er
tai
n,
suff
icei
ttosayt hatthisCourthasinvari
abl
yrecogni
zedtheCommi ssi
on’sauthori
tyt
ohearand
deci
depeti
tionsf orannulmentofproclamat
ions—ofwhi chSPCNo.95- 317obviousl
yisone.
58Thus,i
nMent angv .COMELEC, 59wer ul
ed:j
gc:
chanrobl
es.com.ph

"Thepet i
ti
onerar guest hataft erprocl
amat i
onandassumpt ionofoffice,apr e-proclamat i
on
controversyisnol ongerv i
abl e.Indeed,weareawar eofcasesholdingt hatpr e-proclamation
controversiesmaynol ongerbeent er
tai
nedbyt heCOMELECaf t
erthewi nni
ngcandi datehas
beenpr oclaimed.(citi
ngGal lar dov.Rimando,187SCRA463; Sal
vacionv .COMELEC, 170SCRA
513;Casimi rov.COMELEC, 171SCRA468. )Thisrul
e,however,i
spremi sedonanassumpt i
on
thatthepr oclamationisnopr oclamat i
onatallandtheproclai
medcandi date’sassumpt i
onof
offi
cecannotdepr i
v etheCOMELECoft hepowert omakesuchdecl ar at
ionofnul li
ty.(ci
ti
ng
Aguam v .COMELEC, 23SCRA883; Agbayaniv.COMELEC, 186SCRA484. )
"

TheCour thowevercauti
onedt hatsuchpowertoannulapr
ocl
amationmust"bedonewithinten
(10)daysfoll
owi
ngt heproclamation.
"InasmuchasFri
val
do’
speti
ti
onwasfil
edonlysix(6)days
afterLee’
sprocl
amat i
on,thereisnoquestiont
hatt
heComeleccorr
ectl
yacquir
edjur
isdi
cti
on
overthesame.

TheFour
thI
ssue:
WasLee’
sPr
ocl
amat
ionVal
i
d?

Fri
valdoassai
l
stheval
idit
yoftheLeeprocl
amat
ion.Weuphol
dhi
mfort
hef
oll
owi
ng
reasons:
chanr
ob1esvi
rtual1awli
brar
y

Fir
st.ToparaphrasethisCour
tinLabov.COMELEC, 60"t
hefactr
emai
nst
hathe(Lee)wasnot
thechoiceofthesover ei
gnwi
ll
,"andinAquinov.COMELEC,
61Leeis"
asecondplacer
,...j
ust
that
,asecondpl acer
."cral
awvi
rtua1awli
brary

I
nspi
teofthis,
Leeanchor
shiscl
aimtothegover
norshi
ponthepr
onouncementoft
hisCour
tin
t
heaf
oresaidLabo62case,asf
oll
ows:
jgc:
chanr
obles.
com.
ph

"Ther
ulewoul
dhavebeendi f
fer
enti
ftheelect
orat
efull
yawar
einfactandinl
awofa
candi
date’
sdi
squal
i
ficat
ionsoastobringsuchawarenesswi
thi
nthereal
m ofnot
ori
ety
,woul
d
nonethelesscastt
heirv
ot esi
nfavoroftheinel
igiblecandidate.Insuchcase, t
heelectorat
e
maybesai dtohavewaivedtheval
idi
tyandef f
icacyoftheirvotesbynot or
iouslymisapplyi
ng
thei
rfranchiseort
hrowingawaytheirvotes,
inwhi chcase, t
heeligi
blecandidateobtai
ningthe
nexthighernumberofvot esmaybedeemedel ected.
"cral
awv ir
tua1awlibr
ar y

Butsuchhol
dingi
squal
i
fiedbyt
henextpar
agr
aph,
thus:
j
gc:
chanr
obl
es.
com.
ph

"Butthisisnott hesi
tuati
onobtaini
ngint heinstantdi
spute.I
thasnotbeenshown, andnone
wasal leged, thatpeti
ti
onerLabowasnot oriouslyknownasani nel
igi
blecandidat
e,muchl ess
theelector ateashav i
ngknownofsuchf act.Ont hecont
rary,peti
ti
onerLabowasev enall
owed
bynol esst hantheComel ecit
selfi
nitsresoluti
ondatedMay10, 1992t obevotedfortheof f
ice
oftheci tymay orasit
sresoluti
ondatedMay9, 1992denyingduecour setopeti
ti
onerLabo’s
cert
if
icat eofcandi dacyhadnoty etbecomef inalandsubjecttothefinalout
comeoft his
case.
" cralawv i
rt
ua1awlibrar
y

Thelast-
quotedparagraphi nLabo,unfort
unatelyf
orLee, i
stherulingappropr
iatei
nt hi
scase
becauseFriv
aldowasi n1995i nanident
icalsit
uat
ionasLabowasi n1992whent heComel ec’
s
cancel
lat
ionofhiscerti
ficateofcandidacywasnoty etf
inalonelecti
ondayast herewasi nbot
h
casesapendingmot ionf orreconsi
derat
ion,forwhichreasonComel eci
ssuedan(omni bus)
resol
uti
ondeclari
ngthatFr ival
do(li
keLaboin1992)andsev eral
ot herscansti
ll
bev otedfori
n
theMay8, 1995elect
ion, asinfact,
hewas.

Furthermore,therehasbeennosuf fi
cientev idencepr esentedt oshowt hatt heel ector
ateof
Sorsogonwas" ful
lyawar einfactandi nl aw"ofFr ivaldo’sall
egeddi squalif
icati
onast o"bri
ng
suchawar enesswi thintherealm ofnot or i
ety;"i
notherwor ds,thatthev otersint enti
onall
y
wast edthei
rballotsknowi ngthat,inspiteoft hei
rvot i
ngf orhim, hewasi neli
gible.IfLabohas
anyr el
evanceatal l
,itisthatt
hev ice-gov ernor—andnotLee—shoul dbepr oclaimed, si
ncein
l
osingt heelecti
on,Leewas, t
opar aphr aseLaboagai n,"obvi
ouslynott hechoi ceoft hepeople"
ofSor sogon.Thisist heemphat i
ct eachingofLabo: jgc:chanrobles.com. ph

"
Therule,
ther
efore,i
s:theineli
gibi
l
ityofacandidat
ereceiv
ingmajori
tyvotesdoesnotent i
tl
e
t
heeli
gibl
ecandidaterecei
v i
ngthenexthighestnumberofv ot
estobedecl aredel
ected.A
minor
it
yordefeatedcandidatecannotbedeemedel ectedtotheoff
ice.
"cr
al awvir
tua1awli
brar
y
Second.Aswehav eearl
ierdecl
aredFri
valdot
ohaveseasonabl
yre-
acquiredhisci
ti
zenshi
pand
i
nasmuchasheobt ainedthehighestnumberofvot
esinthe1995elect
ions,he—notLee—
shoul
dbepr ocl
aimed.Hence,Lee’spr
oclamat
ionwaspatent
lyer
roneousandshouldnowbe
corr
ected.

TheFi
ft
hIssue:
IsSect
ion7Boft
he

El
ect
ionCodeMandat
ory
?

I
nG. R.No.120295.Fri
valdoclaimst hatt
heassail
edResol
uti
onoftheComelec( Second
Division)datedMay1,1995andt heconfir
matoryenbancResol
uti
onofMay11, 1995
disqual i
fyi
nghimforwantofci ti
zenshipshoul
dbeannull
edbecausetheywererenderedbeyond
thef i
fteen(15)dayper
iodpr escri
bedbySect i
on78oftheOmnibusElect
ionCodewhi chreads
asf ollows:j
gc:
chanr
obles.com.ph

"Secti
on78.Pet it
iontodenyduecour seort
ocancelacer ti
ficat
eofcandi dacy.—Av eri
fied
peti
ti
onseeki ngtodenyduecour seortocancelacerti
ficateofcandi
dacymaybef i
ledbyany
personexclusivel
yont hegroundthatanymateri
alr
epresent ati
oncontainedther ei
nasr equired
underSection74her eofisf
alse.Thepeti
ti
onmaybef il
edatanyt i
menotl at
ert hantwent y
-fi
v e
daysfrom thetimeoft hefi
l
ingofthecerti
fi
cateofcandidacyandshal lbedeci dedaf ternotice
andhearing,notlatert
hanfift
eendaysbeforetheel
ection."(Emphasissuppl i
ed.)

Thisclaimi snowmootandacademi cinasmuchast heseresoluti

onsaredeemedsuper seded
bythesubsequentonesi ssuedbyt heCommi ssion(Fi
rstDiv
ision)onDecember19, 1995,
affi
rmedenbanc63onFebr uary23,1996,whichbothupheldhi sel
ecti
on.Atanyr at
e,i
tis
obvioust hatSect
ion78ismer el
ydirect
oryasSection6ofR. A.No.6646authorizesthe
Commi ssiontotr
yanddecidepetit
ionsfordi
squalifi
cati
onsevenaf t
ertheelect
ions,
thus:j
gc:chanrobl
es.com.
ph

"SEC.6.EffectofDisqualif
icat
ionCase.—Anycandi dat
ewhohasbeendecl aredbyfinal
j
udgmentt obedisqualif
iedshallnotbev otedfor,andthevotescastforhim shal
lnotbe
counted.Ifforanyreasonacandi dateisnotdeclar edbyfi
naljudgmentbeforeanelectiontobe
disqual
if
iedandhei sv otedforandr eceiv
est hewinningnumberofv otesinsuchelecti
on,the
CourtorCommi ssi
onshal lconti
nuewi ththetri
alandhearingoftheact i
on,i
nquir
yorpr ot
est
and,uponmotionofthecomplai
nantoranyi
nterv
enor,
mayduringthependencythereoforder
thesuspensi
onoftheprocl
amationofsuchcandi
datewhenev
ertheevidenceofhisguil
tis
str
ong."(
Emphasissuppli
ed)

Ref
utat
ionof

Mr
.Just
iceDav
ide’
sDi
ssent

Inhisdi ssent ingopi nion,theest eemedMr .Justi

ceHi l
ari
oG.Dav ide, Jr.arguest hatPr esi dent
Aqui no’smemor andum dat edMar ch27, 1987shoul dbev iewedasasuspensi on( notar epeal
,
asur gedbyLee)ofP. D.725.Butwhet heritdecreesasuspensi onorar epeal i
sapur el
y
academi cdi stincti
onbecauset hesaidi ssuancei snotast at
utethatcanamendorabr ogat ean
existinglaw.Theexi stenceandsubsi stenceofP. D.725wer erecogni zedi nthef i
rstFr i
v aldo
case; 64v iz,"(u)nderCANo.63asamendedbyCANo.473andP. D.No.725, Philippine
citi
zenshi pmay ber eacqui redby...r epat ri
ati
on."Heal socontendst hatbyal lowi ngFr ivaldoto
registerandt or emai nasar egisteredv oter,t
heComel ecandi nef fectthisCour tabet teda
"mocker y"ofourt wopr eviousj udgment sdeclari
nghi m anon-cit
izen.Wedonotseesuch
abet ti
ngormocker y .Ther etroactivi
tyofhi srepatri
ati
on,asdiscussedear lier
,legal l
ycur ed
what everdef ectst her emayhav ebeeni nhi sregi
strati
onasav oterfort hepurposeoft he1995
elections.Suchr etroact i
vi
tydi dnotchangehi sdisqual
ifi
cati
onsin1988and1992, whichwer e
thesubj ect sofsuchpr evi
ousr ulings.

Mr .JusticeDav ideal sobel ievest hatQuoWar rantoisnott hesol er emedyt oquest i

ont he
i
nel i
gibil
ityofacandi dat e,ci t
ingt heComel ec’saut hor i
tyunderSect ion78oft heOmni bus
ElectionCodeal lowi ngt hedeni alofacer ti
fi
cat eofcandi dacyont hegr oundofaf alsemat erial
represent ati
ont her einasr equi redbySect i
on74.Ci ti
ngLoong, het henst ateshi sdisagr eement
withourhol dingt hatSect i
on78i smer elydirect ory
.Wer eallyhav enoquar rel.Ourpoi ntist hat
Frivaldowasi ner rorinhi scl aimi nG. R.No.120295t hattheComel ecResol utionspr omul gated
onMay1, 1995andMay11, 1995wer ei nvalidbecauset heywer ei ssued" notl atert hanf ift
een
day sbef oretheel ect ion"aspr escribedbySect ion78.I ndismi ssingt hepet i
tioni nG. R.No.
120295, wehol dt hatt heComel ecdi dnotcommi tgr aveabuseofdi scr et
ionbecause" Sect i
on6
ofR. A.6646aut hor izest heComel ectot ryanddeci dedi squalificationsev enaf terthe
elections."Inspiteofhi sdi sagr eementwi t
husont hispoint, i
.e.,thatSect ion78" ismer ely
directory",wenot et hatj ustl i
keus, Mr .JusticeDav i
denonet helessv otest o"DI SMI SSG. R.No.
120295. "Oneot herpoi nt.Loong, asquot edint hedi ssent,teachest hatapet itiontodenydue
cour seunderSect i
on78mustbef il
edwi t
hint he25- dayper iodpr escr ibedt herein.Thepr esent
casehowev erdealswit
htheperi
odduringwhichtheComelecmaydeci desuchpetit
ion.Andwe
holdthati
tmaybedeci dedevenaft
erthef i
ft
eendayperi
odment ionedi
nSecti
on78.Her e,we
rul
ethatadecisionpromulgat
edbytheComel ecevenaft
ertheelecti
onsisval
i
dbutLoonghel d
thatapeti
ti
onf i
ledbeyondthe25-
dayperiodisoutoft
ime.Therei snoi
nconsi
stencynor
confl
ict
.

Mr.Just i
ceDav i
dealsodisagreeswi ththeCourt’
sholdi
ngthat ,giv
ent heuniquef act ual
cir
cumst ancesofFrival
do,repatri
ati
onmaybegi venret
roactiv
eef fect.Hear guest hatsuch
ret
roactivi
ty"di
l
utes"ourholdinginthef ir
stFri
val
docase.Butt hef i
rst(andev ent hesecond
Fri
valdo)decisi
ondidnotdi r
ectlyinvolverepat
ri
ati
onasamodeofacqui ri
ngci ti
zenshi p.Ifwe
mayr epeat,t
hereisnoquest i
ont hatFrival
dowasnotaFi li
pinof orpurposesofdet ermi ninghi
s
quali
ficat
ionsinthe1988and1992el ecti
ons.Thati
ssettl
ed.Buthi ssuper veningr epatriati
on
haschangedhi spolit
icalst
atus—noti n1988or1992, butonlyint he1995el ections.

Ourlear nedcol l
eagueal sodi sput esourhol dingthatFr
ivaldowasst atelesspriortohis
repatri
ation,say i
ngt hat"inf
ormal renunciationorabandonmenti snotagr oundt olose
Amer icanci t
izenship."Sinceourcour t
sar echargedonlywi ththedutyoft hedetermini ngwho
arePhi l
ippinenat i
onal s,
wecannotr uleont helegalquestionofwhoar eorwhoar enot
Amer icans.Itisbasici ninternational l
awt hataSt at
edet erminesONLYt hosewhoar ei t
sown
cit
izens—notwhoar ethecitizensofot hercountri
es.65Thei ssuehereis:theComel ecmadea
fi
ndingoff actt hatFr i
valdowasst atel
essandsuchf i
ndinghasnotbeenshownbyLeet obe
arbit
raryorwhi msical.Thus,f ol
lowi ngset t
ledcaselaw,suchf i
ndingi
sbi ndingandf inal.

Thedi ssent i
ngopi ni
onal sosubmi t
sthatLeewhol ostbychasmicmar ginstoFr i
val
doi nall
threepr evi
ousel ecti
ons, shouldbedecl ar
edwi nnerbecause"Fri
val
do’si nel
igi
bili
tyforbeingan
Amer icanwaspubl i
clyknown. "Fir
st,t
hereisabsol ut
elynoempiri
calevidencef orsuch"public"
knowl edge.Second, eveni ft
hereis,suchknowl edgecanbet r
uepostf actoonlyoft helasttwo
previousel ecti
ons.Thi rd,eventheComel ecandnowt hisCourtwere/
ar estil
ldeli
berati
ngonhi s
nationalit
ybef ore,duringandaf terthe1995elections.Howthencant her ebesuch" publi
c"
knowl edge?

Mr.Justi
ceDav i
desubmi t
sthatSection39oft heLocal Gover
nmentCoder eferstothe
qual
if
icati
onsofel ect
ivelocalof
fi
cials,i
.e.
,candi
dates,andnotelect
edoff
icials,andthatthe
ci
ti
zenshipquali
ficati
on[underpar.(a)ofthatsecti
on]mustbepossessedbycandi dates,not
merelyatthecommencementoft heterm,butbyelecti
ondayatt helat
est
.Weseei tdiffer
ent
ly.
Sect
ion39, par
.(a)thereofspeaksof" el
ecti
velocaloff
icial
"whil
epar.(
b)to(f)referto
"candidat
es."Ifthequalifi
cati
onsunderpar.(a)wereint
endedt oapplyto"candidates"andnot
elect
edof f
icials,
thelegisl
aturewouldhavesaidso, i
nst
eadofdi f
fer
entiati
ngpar .(
a)from the
restofthepar agraphs.Secondly
,ifCongr
esshadmeantt hatthecit
izenshipqualif
icati
on
shouldbepossessedatel ecti
ondayorpriorthereto,
itwouldhavespecifi
callystatedsuch
detail
,thesamewayi tdidinpars.(b)t
o(f)forotherqual
if
icat
ionsofcandi datesforgovernor
,
may or,et
c.

Mr .JusticeDav i
deal soquest i
onst hegi v
ingofr etr
oacti
veeffectt oFrivaldo’
srepatri
ationon
thegr ound, amongot hers,thatthel awspecifi
cal l
yprovi
dest hatitisonlyaf t
ertakingtheoath
ofallegiancet hatappl i
cantsshal lbedeemedt ohav ereacquiredPhi li
ppineciti
zenship.Wedo
notquest i
onwhatt hepr
ov i
sionst ates.Wehol dhowev erthatthepr ovi
sionshouldbe
under st
oodt hus: t
hataftertakingt heoat hofall
egiancetheappl icantisdeemedt ohav e
reacquiredPhi lippinecit
izenship,whi chreacquisit
ion(orrepatri
ation)isdeemedf orall
purposesandi ntentstohav eretroact edtothedat eofhisapplicationtherefor
.

Inanyevent,our"
sotoo"ar gumentregardi
ngtheli
teralmeani
ngoft heword"el
ecti
ve"i
n
refer
encetoSection39oft heLocalAuthor
ityCode,aswellasregardi
ngMr.Justi
ceDavide’
s
thesist
hattheverywordingsofP.D.725suggestnon- r
etr
oacti
vit
y,wereal
readytakenuprat
her
extensi
vel
yearli
erinthi
sDeci si
on.

Mr.Just
iceDav
idecapshispaperwit
haclari
oncal
l:"
ThisCourtmustbethefi
rsttoupholdthe
Rul
eofLaw."Weagree—wemustal lf
oll
owtherul
eoflaw.Butthati
sNOTt heissuehere.The
i
ssueishowshouldthel
awbei nt
erpr
etedandappl
iedinthi
scasesoitcanbefollowed,
soi t
canrul
e!

Atbalance,thequest ionreallyboi l
sdownt oachoi ceofphi losophyandper ceptionofhowt o
i
nterpretandappl ylawsr elati
ngt oelecti
ons:li
teralorli
ber al;theletterort hespi ri
t;thenaked
provi
sionori t
sul ti
mat epurpose; legalsyl
l
ogism orsubst antialj
ust i
ce;inisolationori nthe
contextofsoci alconditi
ons;har shlyagai
nstorgent lyinfav oroft hev oters’obv i
ouschoi ce.In
applyi
ngelectionl aws,itwouldbef arbett
ertoerrinf avorofpopul arsov ereigntyt hantobe
ri
ghtincompl exbutl itt
leunder stoodlegali
sms.Indeed, toi nfli
ctat hri
cer ejectedcandi date
upont heelectorateofSor sogonwoul dconsti
tuteunmi tigatedj udicialt
y r
annyandan
unacceptableassaul tupont hisCour t’
sconscience.

EPI
LOGUE
Insum, wer ulethatt heci t
izenshi pr equirementi nt heLocal Gov ernmentCodei st obe
possessedbyanel ect i
v eof fi
cial atthelat estasoft het imehei spr oclai
medandatt hest artof
theterm ofofficet owhi chhehasbeenel ected.Wef urtherhol dP. D.No.725t obei nf ullf
orce
andef f
ectupt ot hepr esent ,nothav ingbeensuspendedorr epeal edexpr esslynori mpl i
edlyat
anytime, andFr i
v aldo’ sr epatr i
ationbyv irtuether eoft ohav ebeenpr oper l
ygr ant edandt hus
vali
dandef f
ective.Mor eov er,byr easonoft her emedi alorcur ativ enat ureoft hel awgr anting
him anewr i
ghtt or esumehi spol it
icalstat usandt hel egislativei ntentbehi ndi t,aswel lashi s
uniquesi t
uati
onofhav ingbeenf orcedt ogi veuphi sci ti
zenshi pandpol i
t i
cal aspi rationashi s
meansofescapi ngar egimeheabhor r
ed, hisrepatriationi stobegi venr etroact i
v eef fectasof
thedateofhi sappl icat i
ont her efor,duringt hependencyofwhi chhewasst ateless, hehav ing
givenuphi sU.S.nat i
onal it
y.Thus, incont empl ationofl aw, hepossessedt hev it
al requi rement
ofFili
pinociti
zenshi pasoft hest artofthet erm ofof fi
ceofgov ernor ,andshoul dhav ebeen
proclai
medi nsteadofLee.Fur thermor e, sincehi sreacqui siti
onofci ti
zenshi pr etroact edt o
August17, 1994, hi
sr egistrationasav ot erofSor sogoni sdeemedt ohav ebeenv alidat edasof
saiddat easwel l.Thef oregoi ng,ofcour se, arepr eciselyconsi st entwi t
hourhol dingt hatlackof
theciti
zenshipr equi rementi snotacont inuingdi sabi li
tyordi squal i
ficati
ont or unf orandhol d
publi
cof fi
ce.Andonceagai n, weemphasi zeher einourpr ev i
ousr uli
ngsr ecogni zingt he
Comel ec’sauthor it
yandj urisdictiont ohearanddeci depet iti
onsf orannul mentof
proclamat i
ons.

Thi
sCour thast i
meandagai nli
berall
yandequi t
ablyconst ruedtheelectorall
awsofourcountr
y
togiv
ef ull
estef f
ectt othemanifestwill
ofourpeopl e, 66forincaseofdoubt ,poli
ti
callaws
mustbei nterpretedtogi v
elif
eandspi ri
ttothepopul armandat efreel
yexpr essedthrought
he
bal
lot.Otherwisest ated,l
egalni
cetiesandtechnicali
tiescannotstandi nthewayoft he
sover
eignwi l
l.Consi stent
ly,
wehav eheld:j
gc:chanrobles.com.ph

"...(
L)awsgover
ningel
ecti
oncontest
smustbel
iber
allyconst
ruedt
ot heendthatthewil
loft
he
peopleint
hechoiceofpubl
icof
fi
cial
smaynotbedefeatedbymeretechni
calobjecti
ons
(Cit
ati
onsomit
ted).
"67

Thel awandt hecourtsmustaccor dFrival

doev erypossibl
epr ot
ection,
defenseandr ef
uge,i
n
deferencetothepopul arwil
l.Indeed,thisCourthasrepeatedlystressedtheimportanceof
givi
ngef f
ecttothesov erei
gnwi llinordertoensurethesur v
ivalofourdemocr acy.I
nanyaction
i
nv olvi
ngthepossibil
i
tyofar eversalofthepopularelector
alchoice,thi
sCourtmustexer t
utmostef f
orttoresol
v etheissuesi namannert hatwouldgiveeffecttothewillofthemajor
ity
,
foritismerelysoundpubl i
cpol i
cyt ocauseelectiveoffi
cestobef il
ledbythosewhoar ethe
choi
ceoft hemaj ori
ty.Tosuccessf ull
ychallengeawi nningcandi dat
e’squalifi
cat i
ons,the
peti
ti
onermustcl earlydemonst rat
et hattheinel
igi
bil
ityissopat entl
yant agonistic68to
consti
tut
ionalandlegal princi
plesthatov er
ri
dingsuchi neli
gibil
i
tyandt herebygi vi
ngeffectt
o
theapparentwil
loft hepeopl e,wouldultimatel
ycreategr eaterprej
udicetot hev erydemocrat
ic
i
nsti
tuti
onsandj uri
stictraditi
onsthatourConst i
tuti
onandl awssozeal ouslypr otectand
promote.Inthi
sunder t
aking,Leehasmi ser
ablyfai
led.

InFrivaldo’ scase, itwoul dhav ebeent echni cal l

yeasyt of indf aultwi thhiscause.TheCour t
couldhav eref usedt ogr antr etr oact ivit
yt ot heef f
ect sofhi sr epatr i
at i
onandhol dhi m st i
ll
i
neligibleduet ohi sf ailur etoshowhi scitizenshi patt het imeher egi steredasav ot erbef or
et he
1995el ections.Or ,itcoul dhav edi sput edt hef actual findingsoft heComel ect hathewas
statelessatt het imeofr epat riat i
onandt hushol dhi sconsequentdual citizenshi pasa
disqual i
fication" from r unni ngf oranyel ect ivelocal posi tion. "Butt her eal essenceofj ustice
doesnotemanat ef rom qui bbl ingsov erpat chwor kl egal techni cality.Itpr oceedsf rom t he
spiri
t’sgutconsci ousnessoft hedy nami cr ol eofl awasabr i
cki nt heul ti
mat edev elopmentof
thesoci al edifice.Thus, theCour tst ruggl edagai nstandeschewedt heeasy ,l
egal ist i
c, technical
andsomet i
meshar shanachr oni smsoft hel awi nor dert oev okesubst ant ialjust i
cei nthel arger
social cont extconsi stentwi thFr ivaldo’ suni quesi tuat i
onappr oximat ingv ener abil
ityi n
Phili
ppi nepol it i
cal l
ife.Concededl y
, hesoughtAmer icanci tizenshi ponl ytoescapet hecl utches
ofthedi ctator ship.Att hi sst age, wecannotser iousl yent ertai nanydoubtabouthi sl oy altyand
dedicat i
ont ot hiscount ry.Att hef i
rstoppor tunity,her et urnedt ot hi sland, andsoughtt oser ve
hispeopl eoncemor e.Thepeopl eofSor sogonov erwhel mi ngl yv ot edf orhi mt hreet imes.He
tookanoat hofal legiancet ot hi sRepubl icev erytimehef iledhi scer tifi
cat eofcandi dacyand
duringhi sf ailednat ural i
zat i
onbi d.Andl eti tnotbeov er l
ooked, hisdemonst rat edt enaci t
yand
sheerdet ermi nat i
ont or e-assumehi snat i
onal i
tyofbi rthdespi tesev eral l
egal set -backsspeak
mor el oudl y,i
nspi ri
t.inf actandi nt rutht hananyl egal techni calit
y ,ofhi sconsumi ngi ntention
andbur ningdesi ret or e- embr acehi snat ivePhi l
ippi nesev ennowatt her ipeol dageof81y ears.
Suchl oy altytoandl ov eofcount ryaswel l asnobi li
tyofpur posecannotbel ostont hisCour tof
j
ust i
ceandequi ty.Mor t alsofl essermet tl
ewoul dhav egi venup.Af teral l
,Fr i
v aldowasassur ed
ofal ifeofeaseandpl ent yasaci ti
zenoft hemostpower ful count ryi nthewor ld.Butheopt ed,
nay, single-mi ndedl yi nsi stedonr etur ningt oandser vingoncemor ehi sst ruggl i
ngbutbel oved
l
andofbi rth.Het her efor edeser v esev eryl i
ber al i
nter pr etationoft hel awwhi chcanbeappl i
ed
i
nhi sf av or.Andi nt hef inal anal y sis,ov erandabov eFr ivaldohi msel f.thei ndomi t
abl epeopl eof
Sorsogonmostcer tainlydeser v et obegov er nedbyal eaderoft hei rov erwhel mi ngchoi ce.

WHEREFORE,
inconsi
der
ati
onoft
hef
oregoi
ng:
chanr
ob1esv
irt
ual
1awl
i
brar
y

(
1)Thepet
it
ioni
nG.
R.No.123755i
sher
ebyDI
SMI
SSED.Theassai
l
edResol
uti
onsoft
he
r
espondentCommi
ssi
onar
eAFFI
RMED.

(2)Thepeti
ti
oni
nG.R.No.120295i
sal
soDI
SMI
SSEDf
orbei
ngmootandacademi
c.I
nany
event,
ithasnomer
it
.

Nocost
s.

SOORDERED.

Fr
anci
sco,
Her
mosi
sima,
Jr.andTor
res,
JJ.
,concur
.

Nar
vasa,
C.J.andMendoza,
J.,
tooknopar
t.

Padi
l
la,
Regal
ado,
Romer
oandBel
l
osi
l
lo,
JJ.
,pr
ohacv
ice.

Mel
o,Vi
tugandKapunan,
JJ.
,concuri
nther
esul
t.

Separ
ateOpi
nions

DAVI
DE,
JR.
,J.
,di
ssent
ing:
chanr
ob1esv
irt
ual
1awl
i
brar
y

Aft
erdeliber
ati
ngont her
e-f
ormul
atedissuesandtheconcl
usi
onsreachedbymydi
sti
ngui
shed
col
league,Mr.Just
iceArt
emioV.Panganiban,
Ifi
ndmy sel
funabl
etojoi
nhim.
I

Iagreewi t
hpetiti
onerLeethatFriv
aldo’
srepatri
ati
onwasv oid,butnotont hegroundt hat
PresidentCorazonC.Aquino’s27Mar ch1987memor andum "effecti
vel
yr epealed"P.D.No.725.
Inmyv i
ew,thesaidmemor andum onlysuspendedt heimpl ement ati
onoft helatt
erdecr eeby
divesti
ngtheSpecialCommi tteeonNatural
izati
onofi tsauthori
tyt ofur
theractongr antsof
cit
izenshipunderLOINo.270, asamended; P.D.No.836, asamended; P.D.No.1379; and"any
otherrelat
edlaws, or
ders,
issuancesandrulesandr egulati
ons."Ar eadi
ngoft hel astparagraph
ofthememor andum canleadt onootherconclusi
on,thus:chanrob1esv ir
tual1awl ibrary

Inviewoft heforegoi
ng,youasChairmanandmember softheSpeci alCommi t
teeon
Nat ur
ali
zation,
areherebydir
ectedtoceaseanddesi stfr
om under t
akinganyandal l
proceedingswithinyourf
unctional
areaofresponsibil
i
ty,asdefi
nedi nLetterofInstruct
ionNo
270dat edApr i
l11,1975asamended, Presi
denti
alDecreeNo836dat edDecember3.1975, as
amended, andPr esi
denti
alDecreeNo1379dat edMay17, 1978,rel
at i
vetothegr antof
cit
izenshipunderthesaidlaws,andanyotherrel
atedlaws, or
ders.issuancesandr ulesand
regulat
ions.(Emphasissuppli
ed)

Iti
sself-
ev i
dentthattheunder scoredclausecanonl yrefertothoser elat
edt oLOINo.270, P.D.
No.836, andP. D.No.1379.Ther ei snodoubti nmymi ndt hatP.D.No.725i sonesuch" rel
ated
l
aw"asi tinvolvesthereacquisit
ionofPhi l
ippineciti
zenshipbyr epat r
iati
onanddesi gnatesthe
SpecialCommi t
teeonNat ur
alizationcreatedunderLOINo.270t or eceiveandacton( i.
e.,
approveordi sapprove)appl
icationsundert hesaiddecr ee.ThepowerofPr esi
dentAquinot o
suspendt heseissuancesbyv irt
ueoft he27Mar ch1987memor andum isbey ondquestion
consideri
ngt hatunderSecti
on6, Arti
cleXVIIIofthe1987Const itut
ion,sheexer ci
sedlegisl
ativ
e
powerunt il
theCongr essestablishedthereinconv enedont hefourt
hMondayofJul y1987.

Idisagreewi ththev iewexpr essedint heponenci athatthememor andum of27Mar ch1987

wasmer elyadecl arationof"executivepolicy,"andnotanexer ciseoflegislat
ivepower .LOINo.
270, P.D.No.836, P.D.No.1379and" anyot herr elat
edl aws,"suchasP. D.No.725, wer eissued
byPr esidentFerdinandE.Mar cosi ntheexer ciseofhi slegislativepower s—notexecut i
ve
power .Thesel awsr elatetotheacqui sit
ion(bynat ural
izati
on)andr eacquisit
ion(byrepat r
ati
on)
ofPhi l
ippineciti
zenshi p,andinlightofSect i
ons1( 4)and3, ArticleIVofthe1987Const i
tuti
on
(naturali
zati
onandr eacqui si
ti
onofPhi l
i
ppineci ti
zenshi pshal lbei naccor dancewithlaw) ,i
tis
i
ndubi tablethatthesesubj ectsar eamat terofl egisl
ativeprer ogat i
ve.Inthesamev ein,the
creat
ionoft
heSpecialCommitt
eeonNat ur
ali
zat
ionbyLOINo.270andtheconfermentoft
he
powertoacceptandactonappl
icat
ionsunderP.
D.No.725areclear
lyl
egi
slat
iveact
s.

Accordingly,
therevocati
onoft heceaseanddesi storderandt her eact
ivat
ionorrev
ivalofthe
Commi tteecanbedoneonl ybylegisl
ativ
efiat
,i.
e.,byCongr ess,sincethePresi
denthadlong
l
osthisaut hori
tytoexerci
se" l
egisl
ati
vepower .
"ConsideringthatCongr esshasnotseeni tfi
tto
doso, t
hePr esi
dentcannot,intheex er
ciseofexecutivepower ,l
ifttheceaseanddesistorder
norreactiv
ate/r
econstit
ute/revi
vetheCommi t
tee.Amul toforti
ori,theCommi tt
eecannotv al
idl
y
acceptFrival
do’sappli
cati
onf orrepatr
iat
ionandappr oveit.

I
I

Evenassumi ngarguendot hatFr ival

do’sr epat
riati
onisv al
id,itdidnotcurehisl
ackof
ci
tizenship.
"Idepar tf
rom thev i
ewi ntheponenci athatSection39oft heLocalGov ernment
Codeof1991doesnotspeci f
yt hetimewhent heci t
izenshipr equi
rementmustbemet ,andthat
beingthecase, thenitsuff
icest hatcit
izenshipbepossesseduponcommencementoft heterm
oftheof fi
ceinvolved;t
heref ore,sinceFr i
valdo"re-
assumed"hi sPhili
ppi
neciti
zenshipat2:00
p.
m.on30June1995andt het erm ofof fi
ceofGov ernorcommencedat12: 00noonoft hatday,
hehad, therefor
e,compliedwi ththecitizenshiprequirement.

Inthef ir
stplace,Sect i
on39act uall
ypr escri
best hequal if
icat
ionsofel ect
ivelocal off
icial
sand
nott hoseofanel ect edlocal offici
al.Theseadj ect
ivesar enotsy nonymous, astheponenci a
seemst osuggest .Thef irstr
ef erstot henat ureoftheof f
ice,
whi chrequiresthepr ocessof
votingbyt heelectorat ei
nv ol
v ed; whil
et hesecondr eferstoav i
ct or
iouscandidatef oran
electiveoffi
ce.Thesect i
onunquest ionabl yreferstoel ect
ive—notel ect
ed—l ocal offi
cials.I
t
fall
sunderTi tl
eTwoent i
t l
edELECTI VEOFFI CIALS;underChapt er1ent i
tl
edQual i
f i
cationsand
Election;andparagr aph( a)ther eofbegi nswi t
ht hephr ase"Anel ect
ivelocaloffi
cial,
"whi l
e
paragr aphs(b)to( f
)t hereofspeakofcandi dates.Itreadsasf ollows:chanrob1esv i
rt
ual 1aw
l
ibrary

SEC39Qual if
icat
ions—(a)Anelecti
vel
ocaloffi
cial
mustbeaci ti
zenofthePhil
i
ppines;a
regi
ster
edv ot
erinthebar
angay,munici
pal
it
y,cit
y,orprovi
nceor,i
nthecaseofamemberoft he
sangguniangpanlal
awi
gan,sangguni
angpanlungsod,orsangguni
angbayan,t
hedistr
ictwher
e
heint
endstobeelected;
aresidentt
her
einf
oratleastone(
1)yeari
mmedi at
elypr
ecedi
ngthe
dayoftheel
ect
ion;andabletoreadandwri
teFi
li
pinooranyot
herlocal
languageordi
alect
.

(b)Candi
dat
esfort
heposit
ionofgov er
nor,vi
cegovernorormemberofthesangguniang
panlal
awi
gan,ormayor
,vi
cemay orormemberoft hesangguniangpanl
ungsodofhighly
urbani
zedci
ti
esmustbeatleasttwenty-
thr
ee(23)yearsofageonelect
ionday.

(c)Candi
dat
esfortheposit
ionofmay
ororvi
cemay orofi
ndependentcomponentci
ti
es
componentci
ti
es,ormunici
pali
ti
esmustbeatl
easttwent
y-one(21)year
sofageonelect
ion
day.

(d)Candi
dat
esfortheposi
ti
onofmemberoft
hesangguni
angpanlungsodorsangguni
ang
bayanmustbeatleastei
ght
een(18)y
ear
sofageonelect
ionday
.

(
e)Candi
dat
esfortheposi
ti
onofpunongbar
angayormemberoft
hesangguni
angbar
angay
mustbeatl
eastei
ghteen(
18)y
earsofageonelect
ionday
.

(
f)Candidat
esforthesangguni
angkabat
aanmustbeatleastf
if
teen(
15)year
sofagebutnot
morethantwenty
-one(21)year
sofageonelect
ionday(
Emphasissuppl
i
ed)

Itisthusobvioust hatSection39ref
erstonoot hert
hanthequal
if
icat
ionsofcandi
datesfor
electi
velocaloffi
cesandt hei
rel
ecti
on.Hence,innowaymayt hesecti
onbeconstruedtomean
thatpossessionofqual if
icati
onsshoul
dber eckonedfr
om thecommencementoft heter
m of
officeoftheelectedcandi dat
e.

Foranot her,i
tisnotatallt
ruethatSecti
on39doesnotspeci f
yt het i
mewhent hecit
izenship
requirementmustbepossessed.Isubmi tt
hatt herequirementmustbesat i
sfi
ed,orthat
Phil
ippineciti
zenshipmustbepossessed, notmer elyatt hecommencementoft heterm, butat
anear li
erti
me, thelat
estbeingelect
iondayitself
.Section39i snotatal lambiguousnor
uncertainthatitmeantthi
st obe,asonebasicqual i
ficationofanel ecti
velocaloff
ici
alisthathe
be"AREGI STEREDVOTERI NTHEBARANGAY, MUNI CIPALITY,CI TYORPROVI NCE...WHERE
HEI NTENDSTOVOTE. "Thissimplymeanst hathepossessesal l thequal i
fi
cati
onstoexer ci
se
therightofsuffrage.Thefundamentalquali
fi
cationfort heexerciseoft hissoverei
gnr i
ghtisthe
possessi
onofPhi
li
ppineci
ti
zenshi
p.Nolesst
hantheConsti
tut
ionmakesitt
hef i
rst
qual
ifi
cat
ion,
asSecti
on1,Art
icl
eVt her
eofpr
ovi
des:
chanr
ob1esv i
rt
ual1awli
brary

Secti
on1.Suff
ragemaybeexer cisedbyallci
ti
zensofthePhil
ippi
nesnotother
wisedisqual
i
fied
bylaw,whoareatleastei
ght
eeny ear
sofage,andwhoshallhaveresi
dedinthePhil
i
ppinesfor
atl
eastoneyearandintheplacewher ei
ntheyproposetovoteforatl
eastsi
xmonths
i
mmedi at
elypr
ecedingtheel
ection...(Emphasissuppl
ied)

AndSect
ion117oftheOmni busEl
ect
ionCodeofthePhil
i
ppi
nes(BPBl
g881)expr
essl
y
pr
ovi
desforthequal
if
icat
ionsofavot
er.Thus:
chanr
ob1esvi
rt
ual
1awli
brar
y

SEC.117.Quali
ficationsofavoter
.—Ev er
yci t
izenofthePhil
i
ppines,notother
wisedi
squali
fi
ed
bylaw,ei
ghteeny earsofageorov er
,whoshal lhaveresi
dedi
nthePhi l
ippi
nesforoneyearand
i
nt heci
tyormuni cipali
tywher
einheproposest ovoteforatl
eastsixmonthsimmediatel
y
precedi
ngtheelection,maybear egi
ster
edv oter.(
Emphasissuppli
ed)

Iti
sundi sput edt hatthisCour ttwicev oidedFr i
v aldo’sel ect i
onasGov ernori nt he1988and
1992el ecti
onsont hegr oundt hatf orlackofPhi li
ppineci tizenship—hebei nganat urali
zed
cit
izenoft heUni tedSt atesofAmer ica—hewasDI SQUALI FIEDt obeel ect edassuchandt o
serv et heposi ti
on( Fri
v aldov .Commi ssiononEl ecti
ons, 174SCRA245[ 1989] ,Republ icoft he
Philippi nesv .Del aRosa, 232SCRA785[ 1994] ).Thi sdi squal i
fi
cati
oni nexor ablynul li
fi
ed
Fri
v aldo’ sregi strati
onasav oteranddecl aredi tv oidabi nitio.Ourj udgment sther einwer eself-
execut oryandnof ur
theract ,e.g.,aCOMELECor dert ocancel hi
sregi strationasav oterort he
phy sical dest ruct i
onofhi sv oter ’
scer t
if
icate,wasnecessar yforthei neffect i
v i
ty.Thus, hewas
neverconsi der edar egi ster edv oterf ortheel ectionsofMay1992, andMay1995, ast hereisno
showi ngt hatFr i
v al
dor egi ster edanewasav oterf orthel atterelections.Ev enifhedi d—i n
obv iousdef ianceofhi sdecr eeddi squal i
ficati
on—t hisdi dnotmakehi m aFi l
ipinoci ti
zen,hence
i
twasequal lyv oi dabini ti
o.Thathef il
edhi scer tifi
cat eofcandi dacyf ort he1995el ecti
onsand
wasev enal lowedt ov ot et her einwer eofnomoment .Nei t
heractmadehi m aFi l
i
pinoci ti
zennor
null
if i
edt hejudgment soft hisCour t.Ont hecont rary, saidact smadeamocker yofour
j
udgment s.Fort heCour tnowt ov ali
dateFr ivaldo’ sregi st r
ationasav oterdespi tethe
j
udgment sofdi squali
ficat ioni stomodi fythesai djudgment sbymaki ngt heiref f
ect i
vit
yand
enfor ceabi li
tydependentonaCOMELECor dercancel l
inghi sregistrationasav oter,oront he
phy sical dest ruct i
onofhi scer tifi
cat eofr egistrationasav ot erwhich, ofcour se, wasnev erour
i
ntent ion.Mor eov er,
tosanct i
onFr ivaldo’sregist rati
onasav oterwoul dbet osacr ifi
ce
subst ancei nf av oroffor m( t
hepi eceofpapert hati st hebookofv ot ersorl i
stofv otersor
vot
er’
sID)
,andabett
heCOMELEC’
sincompet
encei
nfai
l
ingt
ocancel
Fri
val
do’
sregi
str
ati
on
andal
lowi
nghimtovote.

Thesecondr easonintheponenci
aast owhyt heciti
zenshi
pdisqualif
icat
ionshouldbe
reckonednotfrom t
hedateoftheel ect
ionnort hefi
li
ngofthecerti
ficateofcandidacy,butf
rom
thedateofproclamati
on,i
sthattheonl yavai
lableremedytoquestiont heinel
i
gibil
i
ty(or
disl
oyalt
y)ofacandidatei
sapet i
tionforquowar rantowhich,
underSect ion253oft he
Omni busEl
ectionCode,maybef i
ledonl ywit
hintenday sfr
om proclamationandnotear l
ier
.

Ibegt
odi
ff
er.

Clearl
y,quowar r
antoi snotthesoler emedyav ai l
abl et
oquest i
onacandi date’sineligibil
it
yf or
publi
cof f
ice.Section78oft heOmni busEl ectionCodeal lowst hefili
ngofapet it
iont odenydue
coursetoorcancel thecertifi
cateofcandi dacyont hegroundt hatanymat eri
al r
epr esentation
contai
nedt herein,asrequiredbySect ion74, i
sf alse.Section74, i
nt urn,requi r
est hatt heper son
fi
li
ngthecer tif
icateofcandi dacymustst ate,i
nteral ia,
thathei seligibl
ef ortheof fice, which
meanst hathehasal lthequal i
fi
cati
ons( including, ofcourse,fulf
ill
i
ngt heci t
izenship
requi
rement )andnoneoft hedi squal
ificati
onsaspr ovi
dedbyl aw.Thepet i
ti
onunderSect ion78
maybef i
ledatanyt i
menotl at
erthan25day sfrom t hefil
ingoft hecer ti
ficateofcandi dacy .
Thesect i
onr eadsi nfull
asf oll
ows:chanr ob1esv i
rtual1awl i
brary

SEC78Pet i
ti
ontodenyduecour setoorcancel acerti
fi
cat
eofcandidacy.—Av erif
iedpeti
ti
on
seeki
ngtodenyduecour seort ocancelacerti
fi
cateofcandidacymaybef il
edbyanyper son
excl
usiv
elyont hegroundt hatanymat er
ialr
epresentati
oncontai
nedtherei
nasr equir
edunder
Secti
on74her eofisfalseThepet i
ti
onmaybef i
ledatanytimenotlatert
hant wenty-
fi
vedays
fr
om thet i
meoft hefil
i
ngoft hecerti
fi
cateofcandidacyandshallbedecided,aft
erduenotice
andhearing.notl
aterthanf i
ft
eenday sbeforet
heel ecti
on.

Thi
sremedywasrecognizedinLoongv.Commissi
ononEl
ect
ions(
216SCRA760.768[
1992]
),
wheret
hisCour
thel
d:chanrob1esvi
rt
ual1awl
ibrar
y

Thus,i
fapersonqual
if
iedtofil
eapet i
ti
ontodi
squali
fyacer
tai
ncandi
datefai
l
stof i
let
he
pet
iti
onwithi
nthe25-
dayperiodprescri
bedbySecti
on78oftheCodeforwhatev
erreasons,
the
el
ecti
onlawsdonotleavehim completel
yhel
plessashehasanot
herchancetorai
sethe
disqualif
icationoft hecandi datebyf il
ingapet i
tionforquowarrantowithi
nt en(10)daysfrom
thepr oclamat ionoft her esultsoft heel ecti
on,aspr ovi
dedunderSect i
on253oft heCode
Section1, Rule21oft heComel ecRul esofPr oceduresimil
arl
yprovidesthatanyv ot
er
contestingt heel ect
ionofanyr egional,provincialorcit
yoff
ici
alont hegroundofineli
gibil
i
tyor
ofdisloyal t
ytot heRepubl i
coft hePhilippinesmayf i
leapeti
ti
onf orquowar rant
owi t
ht he
ElectoralCont estAdj udicationDepar tmentThepet i
tionmaybef i
ledwithinten(10)daysf r
om
thedat et herespondenti spr oclai
med( Section2) .

Li
kewi se,Rul
e25oft heRev i
sedCOMELECRul esofProcedureall
owsthefil
ingofapeti
ti
onf or
disqual i
fi
cati
onont hegroundoffail
uretopossessal
lthequali
fi
cati
onsofacandidat
eas
providedbyt heConst i
tut
ionorbyexist
inglaws,"
anydayaftert
helastdayforfi
l
ingof
certi
ficatesofcandidacybutnotlat
erthanthedateofprocl
amation.
"Secti
ons1and3t hereof
provide:chanrob1esvir
tual1awli
brary

Rul
e25—Di
squal
i
ficat
ionofCandi
dat
es.

SECTION1.GroundsforDi
squal
if
icat
ion.—Anycandidat
ewhodoesnotpossessal lthe
qual
ifi
cati
onsofacandi
dateasprovi
dedf orbyt
heConsti
tut
ionorbyexi
sti
nglaworwho
commi t
sanyactdecl
aredbylawtobegr oundsf
ordi
squali
fi
cati
onmaybedi squal
i
fiedfr
om
cont
inuingasacandi
date.

x x x

SECTI
ON3.PeriodtoFil
ePetit
ion.—Thepeti
ti
onshal
lbefi
ledanydayaf
tert
hel
astdayf
or
fi
l
ingofcer
ti
fi
catesofcandi
dacybutnotl
atert
hanthedat
eofprocl
amati
on.

Whil
etheval
i
dityofthi
srul
einsof
arasitconcer
nspeti
ti
onsf
ordisqual
i
f i
cat
ionont
hegr
oundof
l
ackofall
quali
fi
cati
onsmaybedoubtful,
itsi
nval
idi
tyi
snoti
nissuehere.

I
nthisconnecti
on,i
twoul
dseem appr
opriat
etotakeupthel
asti
ssuegrappl
edwit
hint
he
ponenci
a,vi
z.,
isSecti
on78oft
heOmni busElect
ionCodemandat
ory?Theansweri
sprov
ided
i
nLoong.

Weal sodonotfindmeri
tinthecontent
ionofrespondentCommissionthati
nt heli
ghtofthe
provi
sionsofSecti
ons6and7ofRepActNo6646, apeti
ti
ontodenyduecour setoorcancela
cert
if
icateofcandi
dacymaybef i
ledevenbeyondthe25-dayper
iodprescri
bedbySect i
on78of
theCode, asl
ongasiti
sfil
edwithinareasonabl
etimefrom t
hediscoveryoft
hei nel
igi
bil
i
ty.

Sect
ions6and7ofRep.ActNo.6646ar
eher
ere-
quot
ed:
chanr
ob1esv
irt
ual
1awl
i
brar
y

SEC.6.Ef fectofDisqualifi
cati
oncase.—Anycandi datewhohasbeendecl aredbyfinal
j
udgmentt obedisqualif
iedshallnotbev otedfor,andthev otescastf orhim shallnotbe
count ed.Ifforanyreasonacandi dateisnotdeclar edbyfinaljudgmentbef oreanelectiontobe
disqualif
iedandhei sv otedforandr eceiv
est hewinningnumberofv otesinsuchel ecti
on,the
Cour torCommi ssi
onshal lconti
nuewi ththetri
alandhear ingoftheact i
on, i
nqui
ryorpr ot
est
and, uponmot i
onoft hecompl ai
nantoranyi nter
venor ,maydur i
ngt hependencyt her eoforder
thesuspensi onoft
hepr oclamationofsuchcandi datewhenev ertheev idenceofhisgui l
tis
strong.

SEC.7.Pet
iti
ont oDenyDueCour seToorCancelaCert
if
icat
eofCandidacy
.—Thepr ocedur
e
herei
nabov
epr ovidedshal
lappl
yt opet
it
ionst
odenyduecour set
oorcancelacer
ti
fi
cateof
candi
dacyaspr ovidedi
nSecti
on78ofBat asPambansaBlg.881.

Itwil
lbenotedthatnothi
ngi nSections6or7modi fi
esoralt
ersthe25-dayperi
odprescri
bedby
Secti
on78oft heCodef orfil
ingtheappropri
ateacti
ontocancelacerti
fi
cat
eofcandidacyon
accountofanyfalserepresentat
ionmadet herei
n.Onthecontr
ary,sai
dSecti
on7affi
rmsand
rei
ter
atesSecti
on78oft heCode.

Wenot ethatSection6r efersonlyt ot

heeffectsofadisquali
fi
cati
oncasewhi chmaybebased
ongroundsot herthanthatpr ovidedunderSection78oftheCode.ButSect ion7ofRep.ActNo.
6646alsomakest heeffectsreferredtoi
nSect ion6appli
cabletodisquali
ficati
oncasesfil
ed
underSection78oft heCode.Nowher ei
nSect i
ons6and7ofRep.ActNo.6646i smention
madeoft heper i
odwi t
hinwhi cht hesedi
squalifi
cat
ioncasesmaybef i
led.Thisisbecausethere
areprovi
sionsintheCodewhi chsupplytheperiodswit
hinwhichapet i
tionr el
ati
ngto
di
squali
fi
cat i
onofcandi datesmustbef i
l
ed, suchasSection78,al
readydi scussed,
andSect i
on
253onpet
it
ionsf
orquowar
rant
o.

Ithendi sagreewitht heassev erati

onintheponenciathatSection78i smer elydirectory
becauseSect i
on6ofR. A.No.6646aut hori
zestheCOMELECt ot ryanddeci depet it
ionsfor
disquali
f i
cati
onev enaf terel
ections.IsubmitthatSecti
on6r eferstodisqual i
fi
cationsunder
Sections12and68oft heOmni busEl ect
ionCodeandconsequent lymodi f
iesSect ion72t her
eof
.
Assuch, thepropercour tortheCOMELECar egrant
edt heauthorit
ytocont inuehear ingthe
caseaf tertheelection,anddur i
ngt hependencyofthecase, suspendt hepr oclamat i
onoft he
vi
ctor i
ouscandi date,iftheevidenceagainsthimisstrong.Sections12, 68,and72oft heCode
provide:chanrob1esv irt
ual1awl i
brar
y

SEC.12.Disqualifi
cati
ons.—Anyper sonwhohasbeendecl aredbycompet entauthor
it
yinsane
ori
ncompet ent,orhasbeensent encedbyf i
nalj
udgmentf orsubver
sion,
insurrecti
on,r
ebell
i
on
orforanyoffensef orwhichhehasbeensent encedtoapenal tyofmorethanei ght
eenmont hs
orforacri
mei nv ol
v i
ngmor alt
urpi
tude,shal
lbedisqual
i
fiedtobeacandi dateandt oholdany
off
ice,unl
esshehasbeengi v
enplenarypardonorgrant
edamnest y
.

Thedisquali
fi
cationst
obeacandidatehereinprovi
dedshall
bedeemedr emovedupon
decl
arati
onbycompet entaut
hori
tythatsaidinsani
tyori
ncompetencehadbeenremovedor
aft
ertheexpirat
ionofaperi
odoffiveyearsfrom hi
sserv
iceofsentence,
unl
esswit
hinthe
sameper i
odheagai nbecomesdisqual
if
ied

x x x

SEC.68.Di squalifi
cat
ions.—Anycandi datewho, i
nanact i
onorpr otestinwhichhei sapartyis
declaredbyf i
nal deci
sionofacompet entcour tguil
tyof ,orfoundbyt heCommi ssionofhav i
ng
(a)givenmoneyorot hermat er
ialconsiderationtoinf l
uence, i
nduceorcor ruptthev oter
sor
publicof ficial
sper for
mi ngelectoralfunctions;(b)commi ttedactsoft er
ror
ism toenhancehi s
candidacy ;(c)spentinhi selecti
oncampai gnanamounti nexcessoft hatall
owedbyt hisCode;
(d)solicited, r
ecei v
edormadeanycont ri
but i
onpr ohibitedunderSect i
ons89, 95,96, 97and104;
or(e)v iolatedanyofSect ions80, 83,85, 86and261, paragraphsd,e, k,
v,andcc, sub-
paragraph6, shallbedisqualifi
edfrom cont inuingasacandi date,orifhehasbeenel ected,
from
holdingt heof f
ice.Anyper sonwhoi saper manentr esidentoforani mmi granttoaf orei
gn
count
ryshal
lnotbequali
fi
edtorunforanyelecti
veoff
iceunderthisCode,unl
esssai
dperson
haswaivedhi
sstat
usasper manentresi
dentorimmigrantofaforeigncount
ryi
naccordance
wit
htheresi
dencerequi
rementprovi
dedforintheel
ectionl
aws.(Sec.251971EC)

SEC.72.Ef f
ectsofdi
squali
fi
cat
ioncasesandpri
ori
ty.—TheCommi ssi
onandthecourtsshall
gi
vepr i
orit
ytocasesofdisqual
i
ficat
ionbyr
easonofv i
olat
ionoft
hisActtotheendthatafinal
deci
sionshallberender
ednotlatert
hansevendaysbeforetheel
ecti
oninwhichthe
di
squalif
icati
onissought
.

Anycandi dat
ewhohasbeendecl aredbyfi
nal j
udgmentt obedi squal
if
iedshallnotbev ot
edfor
,
andt hevotescastforhi
m shal
lnotbecounted.Nev er
theless,i
fforanyreason,acandidatei
s
notdeclaredbyfinalj
udgmentbeforeanel
ectiontobedi squali
fi
edandhei sv ot
edf orand
recei
v esthewinningnumberofvotesi
nsuchel ect
ion,hi
sv iol
ati
onofthepr ovi
sionsofthe
precedingsecti
onsshallnotpr
eventhi
sproclamationandassumpt i
ontoof fi
ce.

I
II

Sti
llassumi ngt hatther epatri
ati
oni sv al
id,Iam notper suadedbyt heargument sinsuppor tof
thethesisthatFr ival
do’ srepatr
iationmaybegi venr etr
oactiveef f
ect ,assuchgoesagai nstthe
spir
itandlet t
erofP. D.No.725.Thespi r
itadherestot heprinciplet hatacquisit
ionorr e-
acquisit
ionofPhi l
ippineciti
zenshi pisnotar ight,butamer epr ivi
lege.Bef oretheadv entofP. D.
No.725, onlyt hefollowingcoul dappl yforrepatri
ation:(a)Army ,Nav y,
orAi rCorpsdeser ters;
and( b)awomanwhol osthercitizenshipbyr easonofhermar ri
aget oanal i
enaf t
ert hedeat h
ofherspouse( Secti
on2[ 2],C.
A.No.63) .P.D.No.725expandedt histoincludeFi l
i
pi nowomen
whol osttheirPhi l
ippineciti
zenshi pbymar r
iagetoal i
ensev enbef orethedeat hoft hei rali
en
husbands, orthet ermi nati
onoft heirmar it
alstatusandt onat ural-bor nFi
lipinocit
izenswho
l
ostt hei
rPhi l
ippineci ti
zenshipbutsubsequent lydesiredtor eacqui rethelatter
.

Turningnowtothelett
eroft
helaw,P.D.No.725expr
esslyprov
idest
hatrepatr
iati
ontakes
eff
ectonlyaft
ertaki
ngtheoathofal
legi
ancetotheRepubli
cofthePhi
li
ppines,thus:
chanr
ob1es
vi
rtual1awli
brar
y
...mayr eacqui
rePhil
i
ppi necit
izenshi
p...byapplyi
ngwiththeSpecialCommi t
teeon
Natural
izati
oncreat
edbyLet terofInst
ruct
ionNo.270,and,i
fthei
rappl i
cati
onsar eappr
oved,
taki
ngthenecessaryoat hofall
egiancetotheRepubli
cofthePhil
ippines,AFTERWHI CHTHEY
SHALLBEDEEMEDTOHAVEREACQUI REDPHILIPPINECITI
ZENSHI P.(it
ali
cizat
ionand
capit
ali
zationsuppl
i
edf oremphasi s)

Clear
lythen,thest epstor eacquir
ePhi l
i
ppinecit
izenshi
pbyr epatri
ati
onunderthedecr eeare:(1)
fi
li
ngtheappl i
cat i
on; (
2)act i
onbyt hecommi tt
ee;and(3)takingoftheoathofallegianceifthe
appli
cationisappr oved.ItisonlyUPONTAKI NGTHEOATHOFALLEGI ANCEt hatt heappl
icant
i
sdeemedi psoj uretohav ereacquiredPhi
lippi
neciti
zenship.Ift
hedecreehadint endedthe
oathtakingtor etr
oactt othedateoft hefi
l
ingoft heappli
cation,
thenitshoul
dnothav e
expli
cit
lyprovidedot herwise.

Thistheoryint heponenci alikewi sedil

utesthisCour t
’spronouncementi nt hef i
r stFrival
docase
thatwhatr eacqui siti
onofFili
pinoci t
izenshiprequir
esi sanact"formallyrejecting[ t
he]adopt ed
stateandr eaffir
mi ng...all
egi ancet othePhili
ppines."Thatactmeantnot hingl esst hantaking
oftheoat hofal legiancetotheRepubl i
coft hePhili
ppines.Ifwenowt aket hisrev i
sionof
doctri
net oitslogi calend,
theni twoul dalsomeant hatifFri
val
dohadchosenandr eacqui r
ed
Phil
ippinecitizenshi pbynaturali
zationort hr
oughCongr essi
onalacti
on, suchwoul dretroactto
thefil
i
ngoft hepet i
ti
onfornat urali
zati
onort hebill
grant i
nghim Phil
i
ppi neci t
izenshi p.Thisisa
propositi
onwhi chbot hthefirstandsecondFr i
valdocasessoundl yrejected.

Theot
herreasonadducedi
ntheponenciainsuppor
toftheproposi
ti
ont
hatP.
D.No.725canbe
gi
venr
etr
oactiveef
fecti
sit
sall
egedcurati
veorremedi
alnature.

Agai
n,Idi
sagree.I
nthefi
rstpl
ace,bynostr
etchoflegalher
meneuti
csmayP.D.No.725be
char
acter
izedasacurat
iveorremedial
stat
ute:
chanrob1esvi
rt
ual1awl
ibr
ary

Curati
veorr
emedialstatut
esar eheal
ingacts.Theyarer emedialbycuringdef
ect sandadding
tothemeansofenforcingexist
ingobl
igati
ons.Ther ul
einr egardtocurati
vestatutesi
sthatif
thethi
ngomitt
edorfailedtobedone, andwhichconstitutesthedefectsoughtt oberemovedor
madeharmless,i
ssomet hingthelegi
slat
uremi ghthavedispensedwi t
hbyapr evi
ousstat
ute,i
t
maydosobyasubsequentone.
Curati
vest atutesareintendedtosupplydefect
s,abridgesuper fl
uit
iesinexisti
ngl aws,andcur
b
certai
nev il
s.Theyar eintendedtoenableapersont ocarr
yi ntoeffectt
hatwhi cht heyhave
designedandi nt
ended, buthasfail
edofexpectedlegalconsequencebyr easonofsome
statut
or ydisabil
i
tyorirregular
it
yinthei
rownact i
on.Theymakev ali
dthatwhi ch,beforethe
enactmentoft hestatute,wasinval
id.(
RUBENE.AGPALO, StatutoryConstructi
on, Seconded.
[1990],270-271,Cit
ationsomi tt
ed).

P.D.No.725pr ovi
desf orther eacquisi
ti
onofPhi li
ppineciti
zenshiplostt
hr ought hemarri
ageof
aFi l
i
pinatoanal ienandt hroughnat urali
zati
oninaf orei
gncount r
yofnat ural
-bornFil
i
pino
ci
tizens.I
tinvolvesthent hesubst antiv
e,naypr i
mor di
al,
rightofciti
zenship.Tot hoseforwhom
i
tisintended,itmeans, inreality,
theacqui si
ti
onof" anewr ight,
"astheponenci acannotbut
concede.Theref ore,i
tmaynotbesai dtomer elyremedyorcur eadefectconsi deri
ngthatone
whohasl ostPhi li
ppineciti
zenshi pdoesnothav et heri
ghttor eacquir
eit.Asear li
erst
ated,t
he
Const i
tut
ionprov i
desthatci t
izenship,oncelost,mayonl yber eacquir
edint hemannerpr ovi
ded
bylaw.Mor eov er,i
thasalsobeenobser vedthat:
chanrob1esv irt
ual1awl i
brary

Theideaisi
mpli
citf
rom manyofthecasesthatremedi
alst
atut
esarestat
utesrel
ati
ngto
procedur
eandnotsubstant
iver
ights.(
Sut
herl
and,St
atut
oryConst
ruct
ion,
Vol.3,Thi
rded.
[
1943],§5704at74,Ci
tati
onsomi t
ted)
.

I
fwegrantfort
hesakeofar gument
,howev er
,thatP.D.No.725isacurat
iveorr
emedi
alst
atut
e,
i
twouldbeaninexcusabl
eerrort
ogiveitaretr
oactiveeff
ectsi
nceitexpl
i
citl
ypr
ovi
dest
hedate
ofi
tseff
ect
ivi
ty.Thus:
chanr
ob1esvi
rtual1awlibrar
y

Thi
sDecr
eeshal
ltakeef
fecti
mmedi
atel
y.

Doneintheci
tyofMani
l
a,t
his5t
hdayofJune,
int
hey
earofOurLor
d,ni
net
eenhundr
edand
sevent
yfiv
e.

Nevert
heless,
ift
heretr
oacti
vi
tyistorelat
eonlytothereacqui
sit
ionofPhil
i
ppi
necit
izenshi
p,
thennothi
ngther
einsupport
ssucht heory
,forasthedecreeit
sel
funequiv
ocal
lypr
ov i
des,i
tis
onlyaf
tertaki
ngtheoathofall
egi
ancet otheRepubli
cofthePhil
ippi
nesthatt
heappli
cantis
DEEMEDTOHAVEREACQUI REDPHI LIPPINECITI
ZENSHI P.
I
V

Assumi ngy etagai n,forthesakeofar gument , t

hatt akingt heoat hofal legi ancer etroact edt o
thedat eofFr ivaldo’sappl icati
onf orr epat ri
ati
on, thesamecoul dnotbesai dinsof arasi t
concer nedt heUni tedSt atesofAmer i
ca, ofwhi chhewasaci ti
zen.Forundert hel awsoft he
UnitedSt atesofAmer i
ca,Fr i
valdor emai nedanAmer icannat i
onal untilher enouncedhi s
cit
izenshipandal l
egiancet heretoat2: 00p. m.on30June1995, whenhet ookhi soat hof
all
egiancet otheRepubl icoft hePhi lippines.Sect ion401oft heNat ionalityActof1940oft he
UnitedSt atesofAmer i
capr ovidest hataper sonwhoi sanat ional oftheUni t
edSt atesof
Amer ica,whet herbybi rt
hornat uralization,loseshi snat ionali
tyby ,i
nt eral ia,
"(b)Taki nganoat h
ormaki nganaf f
irmat ionorot herf ormal declarati
onofal legi
ancet oaf or eignst at e(SIDNEY
KANSAS, U. S.Immi grati
onExcl usionandDepor tationandCi ti
zenshi poft heUni tedSt atesof
Amer ica.Thi r
ded. , [
1948]341- 342) .I tfoll
owst hent hatonel ectiondayandunt i
lt hehouroft he
commencementoft hetermf orwhi chhewasel ected—noonof30June1995asperSect ion
43oft heLocal Gov ernmentCode—Fr i
valdopossesseddual cit
izenshi p, viz.,
(a)asan
Amer icanci ti
zen, and( b)asaFi li
pinoci t
izent hrought headopt i
onoft het heoryt hattheef fects
ofhist akingt heoat hofal legiancewer eretrospect ive.Hence, hewasdi squal if
iedt or unf or
Gov er
norf oryetanot herreason: possessi onofdual citi
zenship,inaccor dancewi t hSect ion
40(d)oft heLocal Gov er
nmentCode.

Theasser t
ioni ntheponenciathatFri
valdomaybeconsi deredSTATELESSont hebasisofhi
s
claimt hathe" hadlongrenouncedandhadl ongabandonedhi sAmer i
canci
ti
zenshi
p—l ong
befor eMay8, 1985"—isunt enabl
e,forthefoll
owi
ngr easons:fi
rst
,iti
sbasedonFri
valdo’
s
unpr oven,self-
servi
ngallegati
on;second,inf
ormalrenunciat
ionorabandonmentisnotaground
toloseAmer icanciti
zenship;andthi
rd,simplyput
,neverdidthestatusofaSTATELESSperson
attacht oFriv
al do.

Stat
elessnessmaybeeit
herdejur
e,whi
chisthestat
usofindi
vi
dual
sstri
ppedoftheir
nati
onali
tybythei
rfor
mergover
nmentwithouthav
inganopport
uni
tytoacqui
reanother;
orde
fact
o,whichisthestatusofi
ndiv
idual
spossessedofanat
ional
it
ywhosecount rydoesnotgive
them pr
otecti
onoutsidethei
rowncountry,
andwhoarecommonl y,
albei
timprecisel
y,r
eferr
ed
toasrefugees(JORGER.COQUI A,EtAl.
,Conf
li
ctofLawsCases,Materi
alsandComment s.
1995ed.,290)

Speci
fical
ly
, underChapt er1,Art
icl
e1oft heUnitedNationsConventi
onRegardingtheStat
usof
Stat
elessPer sons(Phili
ppineTreat
y;Series,Compil
edandAnnotatedbyHay deeBYor ac,v
ol.I
II
,
363),astat
elessper sonisdefinedas" apersonwhoisnotconsideredasanat i
onalbyanyState
undertheoper ati
onofi t
slaw."Howev er,i
thasnotbeenshownt hattheUni
tedSt at
esof
Americaeverceasedt oconsiderFri
valdoitsnat
ionalatanyti
mebef or
ehetookhi soathof
al
legi
ancet ot heRepublicofthePhili
ppineson30June1995.

VI

Fi
nally,Ifindi t-inor dertoalsoexpr essmyv iewont heconcurringopi nionofMr .Just i
ce
ReynatoS.Puno.Iam absol utelyhappyt oj oinhimi nhisstat
ementt hat"[t]hesov ereigntyofour
peoplei sthepr imar ypostulateoft he1987Const i
tuti
on"andthatt hesai dConst itutionis" more
people-or iented, ""bor ne[asitis]outoft he1986peopl epowerEDSAr evoluti
on. "Iwoul dev en
gofurtherbysay ingt hatthisConst itut
ioni spro-
God( Preamble) ,
pr o-people( ArticleII,Sections
1,3,4,5, 9, 15, 16; Ar t
icl
eXI ,SectionI ;
ArticleXII
.Sections1,6, Ar
ticleXI I
I,Sections1, 11, 15,16.
18;ArticleXVI , Sect ions5( 2),6)
, pro-Fi
li
pino( Art
icl
eXI I
,Secti
ons1, 2.10, 11,12, 14.Ar t
icleXIV,
Secti
ons1, 4(2) ,13; Arti
cleXVI ,Sect i
on11) ,pro-
poor( Art
icl
eII.Sect i
ons9, 10,18, 21; Ar t
icl
eXII,
Secti
ons1, 2(3) ;ArticleXIII
,Sections1, 3, 4,5,6,7,9,10,11,13),pro-li
fe(Ar ti
cleI I
, Section12) ,
andpr o-fami ly( Ar t
icleII
,Sect i
on12; Arti
cleXV) .

Nev ert
heless,Icannotbewit
hhi mincar r
yingoutthepr i
ncipl
eofsov erei
gnt
ybey ondwhatI
perceivetobet hereasonabl
econstitut
ionalparameters.Thedoctrineofpeople’
ssov er
eignt
yis
foundedont hepri
ncipl
esofdemocr acyandr epubl
icanism andrefersexcl
usiv
elytothe
sovereigntyofthepeopleofthePhil
ippines.Secti
on1ofAr ti
cleI
Iisquitecl
earont hi
s,
thus:chanrob1esv i
rt
ual1awlibr
ary

SECTI
ON1ThePhili
ppi
nesisademocrat
icandr
epubli
canSt
ateSov
erei
gnt
yresi
desi
nthe
peopl
eandal
lgov
ernmentaut
hori
tyemanat
esfr
om them.
AndthePreambl
emakesitcl
earwhenitsol
emnl
yopensi
twit
haclause"We,t
hesov
erei
gn
Fi
li
pinopeopl
e...
"Thus,
thi
ssover
eignt
yisanat
tri
but
eoft
heFil
i
pinopeopl
easonepeopl
e,
onebody.

Thatsov ereignpoweroft heFi li

pinopeopl ecannotbef ragment izedbyl ooki ngati tast he
supr emeaut horityoft hepeopl eofanyoft hepol it
icalsubdi visionst odet er minet heirown
dest i
ny ;nei t
hercanweconv ertandt reatev eryfragmentast hewhol e.Insuchacase, t
hisCour t
woul dpr ovidet hef ormul afort hedi visionanddest ructi
onoft heSt ateandr endert he
Gov er nmenti neffect i
veandi nut i
le.Toi ll
ust ratet heev il
,wemayconsi dert heenf orcementof
l
awsort hepur suitofanat ional policybyt heexecut ivebranchoft hegov er nment ,orthe
execut i
onofaj udgmentbyt hecour ts.Ift hesear eopposedbyt heov erwhel mingmaj orit
yoft he
peopl eofacer tainpr ov ince,orev enamuni cipality,i
twoul dnecessar il
yf ol lowt hatt helaw,
national policy,orj udgmentmustnotbeenf orced, implement ed, orexecut edi nthesai d
prov inceormuni cipal i
ty .Mor econcr etely,if,forinst ance, thev astmaj orityoft hepeopl eof
Bat anesr i
sepubl i
cl yandt akeupar msagai nstt heGov ernmentf orthepur poseofr emov ing
from t heal legiancet ot hesai dGov ernmentori t
sl aws, thet erritoryoft heRepubl i
coft he
Philippinesoranypar tthereof ,oranybodyofl and, nav al,orot herar medf or ces,ordepr ivingthe
ChiefExecut iveort heLegi slature, whol lyorpar tial
ly,ofanyoft heirpower sorpr erogatives,then
thosewhodi dso—andwhi char ecomposedoft hev astmaj or i
tyoft hepeopl eofBat anes—a
politi
cal subdi vision—cannotbepr osecut edf ororbehel dgui lt
yofr ebel lioni nv iol
ationof
Ar t
icle134oft heRev isedPenal Codebecauseoft hedoct rineofpeopl es’ sov ereignty.Indeed,
theexpansi onoft hedoct ri
neofsov er eigntybyi nvest i
ngupont hepeopl eofamer epol i
tical
subdi v i
siont hatwhi cht heConst itutionpl acesi nt heent ir
eFi lipinopeopl e, maybedi sastroust o
theNat ion.

Soi tisinthiscasei fwef ol

lowthethesi sintheconcurringopi ni
on.Thus,si mplybecause
Friv
aldohadobt ainedamar gi
nof20, 000v otesov erhi
scl osestri
val,Lee,
i.e.,
av astmajor
it
yof
thev otersofSor sogonhadexpr essedt heirsovereignwillfortheformer,t
hent hisCourtmust
yiel
dt othatwi l
landmust ,t
heref
ore,allowt obesetasi de, f
orFriv
aldo,notjustthelawson
qualifi
cationsofcandi datesandelectiveoffici
alsandnat urali
zati
onandr eacquisiti
onof
Phili
ppineci t
izenship,buteventhefinal andbindingdecisionsoft hi
sCour taffecti
nghim.

Thi
sCourtmustbethefi
rstt
ouphol
dtheRul
eofLaw.Iv
otet
hent
oDI
SMI
SSG.
R.No.120295
andGRANTG.R.No.123755.
PUNO,
J.,
concur
ri
ng:
chanr
ob1esv
irt
ual
1awl
i
brar
y

Iconcurwit
hthepath-
breakingponenci
aofMr.Justi
cePangani
banwhichispro-
peopl
eand
pier
cesthemyopiaofl
egalism.Upholdi
ngthesover
eignwil
loft
hepeoplewhichi
sthebe-al
l
andtheend-al
lofr
epubli
canism,itr
estsonafoundat
ionthatwi
l
lendur
et i
meandi t
stempest.

Thesov ereigntyofourpeopl eisthepr i

mar
ypost ulateofthe1987Const i
tuti
on.Fort hi
sr eason,
i
tappear sast hef i
rsti
nourdecl arat
ionofpri
nciplesandst atepolicies.Thus, section1of
Ar t
icleIIofourf undament all
awpr oclai
msthat"[t]
hePhi li
ppinesisademocr at i
candr epublican
Stat e.Sovereigntyresi
desi nthepeopleandallgov ernmentaut hor
ityemanat esf rom t hem. "The
samepr i
ncipleservedast hebedrockofour1973and1935Const ituti
ons.1I tisoneoft hef ew
principleswhoset rut
hhasbeencher i
shedbytheAmer i
cansassel f-evi
dent.Sect ion4, Arti
cleIV
oft heU. S.Const i
tuti
onmakesi tadut yoft
heFeder algovernmentt oguar anteet oev erystatea
"republicanf orm ofgovernment .
"Withunderst
andabl efervor,theAmer i
canaut hor i
ti
esi mposed
republ i
canism ast hecornerstoneofour1935Const itut
ionthenbei ngcraftedbyi tsFi l
ipi
no
framer s.2

Borneoutoft he1986peopl epowerEDSAr ev olut

ion,our1987Const i
tuti
onismor epeopl e-
ori
ented.Thus, section4ofAr ti
cleI Iprovidesasast atepolicythatthepr imedut yoft he
Governmenti s"toser veandpr otectthepeopl e."Secti
on1, Arti
cleXIal soprovidest hat."..
publi
cof f
icers...mustatal lt
imesbeaccount abletot hepeople... "Secti
ons15and16of
Arti
cleXII
Idef i
net heroleandr i
ght sofpeopl e’
sor ganizati
ons.Sect i
on5( 2)ofArticleXVI
mandat esthat"[t]
hest ateshallstrengthent hepat ri
oticspir
itandnat i
onali
stconsci ousnessof
themi l
i
tary,andr espectforpeopl e’sri
ght sint heperformanceoft heirduty.
"AndSect ion2of
Arti
cleXVIIprov i
dest hat"amendment st othisConst it
ut i
onmayl i
kewi sebedirectlyproposed
bythepeopl ethroughi ni
tiat
ive... "All
t hesepr ovisi
onsandmor earei nt
endedt obr eathemor e
l
ifetothesov ereigntyofourpeopl e.

Tobesur e,t
hesov ereigntyofourpeopl eisnotakabal ist
icpri
nciplewhosedi mensi onsar e
buri
edinmy stici
sm.I t
smet esandboundsar ef ami l
iartotheframer sofourConst i
tuti
ons.They
knewthatini t
sbr oadestsense, sov er
eigntyismeantt obesupr eme, t
hej ussummi imper u,
the
absol
uterighttogov ern.3FormerDeanVi centeSi nco4st atesthatanessent ialquali
tyof
sover
eigntyislegal omni pot
ence, v
iz:"Legal t
heor yestabli
shescer t
ainessent i
alquali
t i
es
i
nherentinthenat ureofsov ereignt
y .Thef i
rstisl egalomni pot
ence.Thismeanst hatthe
sover
eignislegallyomni pot
entandabsol uteinr elati
ont ootherlegali
nstitut
ions.Ithast he
powertodet ermineexcl usivel
yitslegalcompet ence.Itspower sar eori
ginal,
notder ivati
ve.Iti
s
thesolejudgeofwhati tshoul ddoatanygi v entime. "5Ci t
ingBar ker,6headdst hatamor e
amplifi
eddefi
niti
onofsov ereigntyisthatof" afinal poweroff inallegaladj
ustmentofal l
legal
i
ssues."TheU.S.Supr emeCour texpressedt hesamet houghtinthel andmarkcaseofYi ckWov .
Hopkins,7wherei theldthat."..sov erei
gntyi t
selfis,ofcour se,notsubjecttolaw,foriti
sthe
authorandsourceofl aw; butinoursy stem,whi lesov erei
gnpower saredelegatedtothe
agenciesofgovernment ,sov ereignt
yi t
selfremai nswi ththepeopl e,bywhom andf orwhom al
l
governmentexistsandact s.
"cralawv i
rtua1awl ibrary

I
nourConst
itut
ion,t
hepeopleest
abli
shedar epr
esent
ati
vedemocr
acyasdi
sti
ngui
shedf
rom a
pur
edemocracy.Just
iceI
saganiCruzexpl
ains:8

"
x x x

Ar epubli
cisar epresentati
vegov er
nment ,agovernmentrunbyandf orthepeopl e.Itisnota
puredemocr acywher ethepeopl egov ernt hemselvesdir
ectly.Theessenceofr epubl i
canism is
representati
onandr enov ati
on, t
hesel ecti
onbyt heciti
zenryofacor psofpubl i
cf unctionaries
whoder ivetheirmandat efrom thepeopl eandactont heirbehalf,servingforalimi t
edper iod
only,aft
erwhi cht heyarer eplacedorr etained,attheopti
onoft heirpr i
ncipal
.Obv iously,a
republi
cangov ernmenti sar esponsiblegov er
nmentwhoseof fi
cialshol danddischar gethei r
positi
onasapubl i
ct r
ustandshal l,
accor dingtotheConst i
tuti
on, ‘
atall t
imesbeaccount abl eto
thepeople’ t
heyar eswor ntoser ve.Thepur poseofarepublicangov ernmenti ti
sal most
needlesst ostat e,
isthepr omot ionoft hecommonwel f
areaccor dingtot hewillofthepeopl e
themselves."cralawv ir
tua1awl ibrary

Iappr eciatethev i
gorousdissentofMr .Just i
ceDav i
de.Iagr eet hatsovereigntyisindi visibl
ebut
i
tneednotal way sbeexer cisedbyt hepeopl etogether,allthet i
me.9Fort hisreason, the
Const it
utionandourl awspr ovidewhent heent i
reelectorateoronl ysomeoft hem canel ect
thosewhomakeourl awsandt hosewhoexecut eourlaws.Thus, t
heent i
reelector atev otesf or
oursenat orsbutonl yourdi stri
ctelectorat esv ot
ef orourcongr essmen, onlyourpr ov incial
electoratesv otef orthemember sofourpr ov i
ncialboards, onlyourci t
yelectoratesv otef orour
citycounci l
or s,andonl yourmuni cipalelectoratesv oteforourcounci l
ors.Also.theent i
re
electoratev otesf orourPresi dentandVi ce-Presidentbutonl yourpr ovi
ncialel
ect orat esv otefor
ourgov ernors,onlyourci t
yel ectoratesv otef orourmay ors,andonl yourmuni ci
pal electorates
votef orourmay ors.Bydefininganddel i
mi t
ingthecl assesofv oterswhocanexer ciset he
sov erei
gnt yoft hepeopl einagi v
enel ection, i
tcannotbecl aimedt hatsaidsov ereignt yhas
beenf r
agment ed.
Iti
smyr espect fulsubmi ssiont hatthei ssuei nt hecaseatbari snotwhet herthepeopl eof
Sorsogonshoul dbegi vent herighttodef ythel awbyal l
owingFr ival
dot ositast hei
rgov ernor.
Rather, t
hei ssueis: whet herthewi l
loft hev otersofSor sogoncl earlychoosingFr i
valdoas
governoroughtt obegi venadeci si
vev alueconsi deringtheuncer taintyofthel awonwhena
candidateoughtt osat i
sf ythequal i
ficationofci ti
zenship.Theuncer tai
ntyoflawand
j
urisprudence, bothher eandabr oad,ont hisl egal i
ssuecannotbedeni ed.IntheUni tedSt ates,
10t herear etwo( 2)pr i
nci palschoolsoft houghtont hemat ter.Oneespousest heviewt hata
candidatemustpossesst hequal i
fi
cationsf orof f
iceatthetimeofhi select
ion.Theot her
venturest hev i
ewt hatt hecandi dateshoul dsat isfythequalif
icationsatt hetimeheassumes
thepower soft heof fi
ce.Iam unawar eofanyPhi li
ppinedecisiont hathassquar elyresolvedthis
dif
ficultquest i
onofl aw.Theponenci aofMr .Just i
cePangani banadher edtot hesecondschool
ofthoughtwhi leMr .Just iceDav i
dedi ssent s.

Iemphasi zethehonest -
to-goodnessdiff
erenceininterpr
eti
ngourl awont hemat terforthi
sis
vi
tal t
odispelthef earofMr .Just
iceDavidethatmyopi ni
oncanbr ingaboutilleff
ecttot he
State.Mr.JusticeDav i
de’sfearisbasedont heassumpt i
ont hatFrival
docont i
nuest obe
disquali
fi
edandwecannotal lowhimt ositasgovernorwithouttransgressingthel aw.Idonot
concedet hisassumpt i
onf orasstressedabove,courtshavebeenshar pl
ydi v
idedbyt hismind
bogglingissue.Giventhisschism, Idonotseehowwecander ogat eonthesov er
eigntyofthe
peoplebyaccor di
ngmor ewei ghttothevotesofthepeopleofSor sogon.

Mr .JusticeDav i
dewar nsthatshoul dthepeopl eofBat anesst agearebell
ion,wecannot
prosecut et hem " becauseoft hedoct r
ineofpeopl e’
ssov erei
gnty.
"Withduer espect,theanalogy
i
snotappr opriate.I nhishy potheti
calcase, rebell
ionisconcededl yacr ime,aviolat
ionofAr t
icl
e
134oft heRev isedPenal Code, anoffenseagai nstt hesov er
eignt
yofourpeopl e.Inthecaseat
bar, i
tcannotbehel dwi t
hcer ti
tudethatt hepeopl eofSor sogonviol
atedthelawbyv oti
ngfor
Fri
v al
doasgov ernor .Fri
valdo’snamewasi nthelistofcandi datesall
owedbyCOMELECt orun
forgov ernor .Att hatt i
met oo, Fri
val
dowast aki
ngal lstepst oestabli
shhisFili
pinociti
zenship.
Andev enourj urisprudencehasnotset t
ledt heissuewhenacandi dateshouldpossesst he
qual i
fi
cationofci tizenship.Sincethemeani ngoft hel awi sarguablethenandnow, Icannot
i
magi nehowi twi l
lbedi sastrousfortheSt ateifwet i
l
tt hebalanceint hecaseatbari nfavorof
thepeopl eofSor sogon.

Insum,Irespectf
ull
ysubmitthatthesover
eignwi
llofourpeopleshouldberesol
utoryofthe
caseatbarwhichisoneofitskind,unpr
ecedent
edinourpolit
icalhi
story
.Forthr
ee( 3)t
imes,
Fri
val
doranoft heprovi
nceofSorsogon.Fortwo(2)ti
mes,hewasdi squali
fi
edont hegroundof
cit
izenship.Thepeopl eofSor sogonv otedf orhim ast heirgovernordespitehisdisqualifi
cation.
Thepeopl eneverwaf f
ledintheirsuppor tforFr i
valdo.In1988, t
heygav ehim awi nningmar gin
of27,000; in1992, theygav ehim awi nningspr eadof57, 000; i
n1995, hepost edamar ginof
20,000.Cl earl
ythen, Fri
valdoistheov erwhel mingchoi ceoft hepeopleofSor sogon.I nelection
cases,weshoul dst ri
vetoal i
gnthewi llofthel egislatureasexpr essedinitslawwi ththewi llof
thesov ereignpeopl easexpr essedint heirballots.Forl awt orei
gn, i
tmustr espectthewi llof
thepeopl e.Forint heeloquentpr oseofMr .Just i
ceLaur el,
.
"..anenf ranchi
sedci t
izeni sa
parti
cleofpopul arsov ereigntyandist heul t
imat esour ceofest abli
shedaut horit
y.’
’11The
choiceoft hegovernedonwhoshal lbet heirgov ernormer i
tsthehighestconsi der
ationbyal l
agenciesofgov ernment .Incaseswher ethesov ereigntyoft hepeopleisatst ake,wemustnot
onlybel egallyri
ghtbutal sopol i
ti
call
ycor rect.Wecannotf ailbymaki ngthepeopl esucceed.

Endnot
es:

1.ComposedofPres.Comm.Regal
adoE.Maambong,ponente;
Comm.Gr
aduaci
onA.
R.
Clar
aval
l
,concur
ri
ng,andComm.Juli
oF.Desami
to,
dissent
ing.

2.I
nSPCNo.95-
317,
ent
it
ledJuanG.Fr
ival
do,
Pet
it
ioner
,v.Raul
R.Lee,
respondent
;rol
l
o,pp.
110-
129.

3.SignedbyChai rmanBer nardoP.Par do,

Comms.Regal adoE.Maambong, RemediosA.
Salazar-
Fernando,ManoloB.Gor ospeandTer esi
taDy-
LiacoFlores.Chai
rmanPardocerti
fi
ed
that"Commi ssi
onerJulioF.Desami t
owasonof f
ici
alt
ravelatthetimeofthedel
i
berati
onand
resoluti
onofthiscase.Howev er
,theCommi ssionhasreservedtoComm.Desami totheri
ghtto
submi tadi
ssent i
ngopinion."Roll
o,pp.159-171.

4.Rol
l
o,pp.46-
49.

5.Roll
o,pp.50-55.TheSecondDivi
sionwascomposedofPres.Comm.Remedi
osA.Sal
azar
-
Fernando,ponente;Comm.Teresi
taDy-Li
acoFl
ores,
concur
ri
ng,andComm.Manol
oB.Gorospe
("
onof f
ici
albusiness"
).
6.Frival
dowasnat urali
zedasanAmer icanci t
izenonJanuar y20, 1983.InG.R.No.87193,
Fri
valdov .Commi ssiononEl ecti
ons, 174SCRA245( June23, 1989) ,t
heSupr emeCour t,
by
reasonofsuchnat urali
zation,declaredFr i
valdo" notaci ti
zenoft hePhi l
i
ppinesandt herefore
DISQUALI FIEDf rom ser vi
ngasGov ernoroft hePr ovinceofSor sogon."OnFebr uary28, 1992,
theRegi onalTrialCour tofMani l
agr antedthepet i
ti
onf ornat urali
zati
onofFr ival
do.Howev er,
theSupr emeCour tinG. R.No.104654, Republicoft hePhi li
ppinesv .Del aRosa,EtAl.,232
SCRA785( June6, 1994) ,overturnedt hisgrant,andFr i
v aldowas" declarednotaciti
zenoft he
Phil
ippines"andor deredtov acatehisof fi
ce.Ont hebasi soft hislat
terSupremeCour truli
ng,
theComel ecdisqualifi
edFr i
valdoinSPANo.95- 028.

7.SignedbyChair
manBer nar
doP.Par
doandt hesixincumbentcommi ssi
oners,namel
y,
RegaladoE.Maambong, Remedi
osA.Sal
azar-
Fernando,ManoloB.Gorospe, Gr
aduaci
onA.
Reyes-Cl
arav
all
,Jul
ioF.Desamit
oandTeresi
taDy-Li
acoFlores;r
oll
o,pp.56-57.

8.Rol
l
o,p.60.

9.Rol
l
o,pp.61-
67.

10.Roll
o,pp.86-
87.TheComelecconsi
der
edt hevotescastf
orFri
valdoas"
str
ayvot
es",and
thusLeewasheldashavinggarner
edthe"
highestnumberofvotes.
"cral
awvi
rt
ua1awli
brary

11.Rol
l
o,pp.88-
97.Thi
sist
hef
orer
unneroft
hepr
esentcase.

12.211SCRA297(
Jul
y3,
1992)and176SCRA1(
August1,
1989)
.

13.Rol
l
o,pp.110-
128.

14.Rol
l
o,pp.159-
170.

15.Rol
l
o,pp.16-
17;
pet
it
ion,
pp.14-
15.
16.Rol
l
o,pp.10-
15.Thi
sist
hesamer
esol
uti
onr
efer
redt
oinf
oot
not
eno.5.

17.Rol
l
o,pp.16-
17.Thi
sist
hesamer
esol
uti
onr
efer
redt
oinf
oot
not
eno.7.

18.Rol
l
o,pp.18-
21.Thi
sissi
gnedal
sobyt
heChai
rmanandt
hesi
xot
herComel
ec
Commissi
oners.

19.Republ
i
cActNo.7160.

20.Seef
oot
not
eno.6,
supr
a.

21.Indebunki ngFri
v al
do’scl
aim ofcit
izenshi
p,thi
sCour ti
nG.R.No.87193, supr
a,p.254,
observedt hat
"(i)
fhe( Fri
val
do)reall
ywant edtodisavowhisAmer i
canciti
zenshipandreacqui
re
Phili
ppineciti
zenship,pet
iti
onershouldhav edonesoi naccor
dancewi t
hthel awsofourcount
ry.
UnderC. A.No.63asamendedbyC. A.No.473andP. D.725,Phi
li
ppinecit
izenshi
pmaybe
reacquiredbydirectactofCongress,bynat ur
ali
zati
on,orbyrepat
riat
ion.
"cral
awv i
rt
ua1aw
l
ibrary

22.Supr
a,p.794.

23.Pet
it
ion,
p.27;
rol
l
o,p.29.

24.Thef
ull
textofsai
dmemor
andum r
eadsasf
oll
ows:
j
gc:
chanr
obl
es.
com.
ph

"
MEMORANDUM

"
TO:
TheSol
i
cit
orGener
al
TheUnder
secr
etar
yofFor
eignAf
fai
rs

TheDi
rect
or-
Gener
al

Nat
ional
Int
ell
i
genceCoor
dinat
ingAgency

Thepreviousadmi nist
rat
ion’
spracticeofgr ant
ingcit
izenshi
pbyPr esi
denti
alDecreeorany
otherexecut i
veissuance,andtheder iv
ativ
eadmi nist
rati
veauthori
tyther
eof,posesaserious
andcont entiousissueofpoli
cywhi cht hepresentgovernment,i
ntheexerciseofprudenceand
sounddiscr eti
on,shouldbestleavet othejudgmentoft hefi
rstCongressunderthe1987
Constit
ution.

Inviewoft heforegoi
ng,youasChairmanandmember soft heSpeci alCommi tt
eeon
Nat ur
ali
zation,
areherebydir
ectedtoceaseanddesi stfrom undertakinganyandal l
proceedingswithinyourf
unctional
areaofresponsibil
i
ty,asdef i
nedi nLetterofInstr
uct
ionsNo.
270dat edApr i
l11,1975,asamended,Presi
dent i
alDecreeNo.836dat edDecember3, 1975,
as
amended, andPr esi
denti
alDecreeNo.1379dat edMay17, 1978, r
elati
v et
ot hegrantof
cit
izenshipunderthesaidlaws,andanyotherrelat
edlaws, orders,i
ssuancesandr ul
esand
regulat
ions.

(
Sgd.
)Cor
azonC.Aqui
no

Mani
l
a,Mar
ch27,
1987.
"

25.Ar
t.7,
Civ
ilCodeoft
hePhi
l
ippi
nes.

26.Cf
.Ty
,Et
.Al
.v.Tr
ampe,
EtAl
.,
G.R.No.117577(
December1,
1995)
.

27.Pet
it
ion,
p.28;
rol
l
op.30.
28.Theaf
oresai
dMani
fest
ati
onr
eadsasf
oll
ows:

"
M ANIFESTATION

TheSoli
cit
orGener
al,asChair
manoft heSpeci
alCommi tt
eeonNatur
ali
zat
ion,hereby
manif
eststhatt
hefol
lowingpersonshavebeenrepat
riat
edbyvi
rt
ueofPresident
ialDecr
eeNo.
725,
sinceJune8,1995:chanr
ob1esvir
tual
1awlibrar
y

1.JuanGal
l
anosaFr
ival
doR-
000900

2.Manuel
Rey
esSanchez901

3.Ma.Nel
l
yDessal
l
aTY902

4.Ter
ryHer
rer
aand

Ant
oni
oChi
ng903

5.Rober
toSal
asBenedi
cto904

6.Wi
nthr
opSant
osLi
wag905

7.Samuel
M.Buy
co906

8.Josel
i
toHol
ganzaRui
z907
9.Samuel
Vil
l
anuev
a908

10.JuanLeonar
doCol
l
as,
Jr.909

11.Fel
i
cil
daOt
il
laSacnanas-
Chua910"

29.Thet
extofP.
D.725i
srepr
oducedbel
ow:
j
gc:
chanr
obl
es.
com.
ph

"
PRESI
DENTI
ALDECREENo.725

PROVIDI
NGFORREPATRI
ATI
ONOFFILI
PINOWOMENWHOHADLOSTTHEIRPHI
LIPPI
NE
CI
TIZENSHI
PBYMARRIAGETOALI
ENSANDOFNATURALBORNFI
LIPI
NOS.

WHEREAS,t
her
ear
emanyFi
l
ipi
nowomenwhohadl
ostt
hei
rPhi
l
ippi
neci
ti
zenshi
pbymar
ri
age
t
oali
ens;

WHEREAS, whil
et henewConsti
tut
ionall
owsaFilipi
nowomanwhomar ri
esanali
entoret
ain
herPhil
ippi
necit
izenshi
punl
essbyheractoromi ssi
on,shei
sdeemedunderthel
awtohave
renouncedherPhili
ppi
neci
ti
zenshi
p,suchprovi
sionoft
henewConstit
uti
ondoesnotappl
yto
Fil
ipi
nowomenwhohadmar r
iedal
iensbefor
esaidconsti
tut
iont
ookeff
ect;

WHEREAS, theexi st
inglaw(C.A.No.63,asamended)allowstherepatr
iati
onofFi
li
pinowomen
wholosttheircit
izenshi
pbyr easonofthei
rmarriagetoali
ensonl
yafterthedeat
hoft hei
r
husbandsort heterminati
onoft hei
rmari
talst
atus;and

WHEREAS,t
herearenat
uralbor
nFi l
ipi
noswhohav
elostt
hei
rPhi
l
ippi
neci
ti
zenshi
pbutnow
desi
ret
ore-
acqui
rePhil
i
ppineci
tizenshi
p;
Now, THEREFORE, I,FERDINANDE.MARCOS, Presidentoft hePhi
li
ppines, byvir
tueoft he
powersi nmev estedbyt heConst ituti
on,doher ebydecr eeandor derthat:(1)Fil
ipinowomen
wholostt hei
rPhi l
ippinecit
izenshi
pbymar ri
aget oaliens;and(2)naturalbor nFil
ipinoswho
havelostt heirPhi li
ppineciti
zenshipmayr eacquirePhi l
ippineci
ti
zenshipt hroughr epatri
ati
onby
appl
yingwi ththeSpeci alCommi tteeonNat ur
ali
zat i
oncr eatedbyLetterofI nst
ruct i
onsNo.270,
and,i
ft heirappl icati
onsar eapprov ed,t
akingt henecessar yoathofallegiancet otheRepubl icof
thePhilippines, afterwhicht heyshallbedeemedt ohav ereacqui
redPhi l
i
ppi necitizenshi
p.The
Commi ssiononI mmi gr
ati
onandDepor t
ationshall t
hereuponcancel thei
rcer ti
fi
cat eof
regi
stration.

Theaforesai
dSpecial
Committ
eeisher
ebyauthor
izedt
opromulgat
erul
esandregul
ati
onsand
prescr
ibetheappr
opri
atef
ormsandtherequi
redf
eesfort
heeff
ecti
veimpl
ementati
onofthi
s
Decree.

Thi
sDecr
eeshal
ltakeef
fecti
mmedi
atel
y.

DoneintheCi t
yofManil
a,t
his5thdayofJune,
int
hey
earofOurLor
d,ni
net
eenhundr
edand
sevent
y-f
ive.
"cral
awvi
rt
ua1awlibrar
y

30.Seef
oot
not
eno.6,
supr
a.

31.Cf
.Labo,
Jr.v
.Comel
ec,
211SCRA297(
Jul
y3,
1992)
.

32."Theterm ofoffi
ceofalllocal
elect
iveof
fi
cial
sel
ect
edaftert
heeffect
ivi
tyoft
hisCodeshal
l
bethree(3)years,star
ti
ngfrom noonofJune30,1992orsuchdateasmaybepr ovi
dedforby
l
aw, ...
"Sec.43, LocalGov
ernmentCode.

33.96Phi
l
.447,
453(
1955)
.

34.Thef
oll
owingareexcerpt
sfrom thetranscr
iptofst
enogr
aphi
cnot
esoft
heor
alar
gument
hel
donMar ch19,
1996:jgc:
chanrobl
es.com.ph
"JUSTICEPANGANI
BAN:Mr.Counsel
,i
tisy
ourposi
ti
ont
hent
hatt
hecandi
dat
eshoul
dbea
cit
izenatt
heti
meofpr
ocl
amation?

ATTY.BRILLANTES:Yes,YourHonor,i
tisr
equir
edthathemustbeaci
ti
zenatt
heti
meof
procl
amationandnotonlyt
hat,atthet
imethatheassumestheof
fi
cehemusthav
ethe
conti
nui
ngqualif
icat
ionasacit
izen.

JUSTI
CEPANGANI BAN:Shoul
dthatnotbereckonedf
rom t
het
imeoff
il
ingofcer
ti
fi
cat
eof
candi
dacyoratl
eastt
hedayoftheelect
ion?

ATTY.BRI LLANTES: Yes, YourHonor ,t

her earepositi
onst akenthatitshoul dbereckonedf r
om
thedateofcer t
ifi
cateofcandi dacyasi nt hecaseofqual i
ficat
ionforBatasangPambansa
befor
eunderB. P.53—i tsay sthatf orpurposesofr esi
dencei tmustber eckoned...f r
om the
ti
meoft hef i
lingoft hecer ti
fi
cate,forpur posesofage, from theti
meoft hedat eoftheelecti
on.
Butwhenwegoov eral l
thepr ov i
sionsofl awundercur rentlaws,YourHonor ,t
hereisno
quali
fi
cati
onr equi r
ementi nsofarasci t
izenshipisconcer n(ed)astowhen, astowheny ou
shouldbeaci ti
zenoft hePhi li
ppinesandwesayt hatifther ei
snopr ovi
sionunderanyexi st
ing
l
awwhi chr equiresthaty ouhav etobeaci ti
zenofthePhi l
i
ppinesont hedat eofthef i
li
ngoron
thedateofel ectiontheni thast obeequi tablyint
erpretedtomeant hatifyouar ealr
eady
quali
fi
edatt het imet hattheof fi
cei ssupposedt obeassumedt heny oushoul dbeallowedt o
assumet heof fice.

JUSTI
CEPANGANIBAN:Isi
tnotalsot
ruet
hatundertheLocalAut
onomyCodethecandi
dat
e
shoul
dal
sobearegi
ster
edvoterandt
obearegist
eredvoteronemustbeaci
ti
zen?

ATTY.BRI LLANTES:Yes,YourHonor ,i
nf act
,Mr .Fri
valdohasalwaysbeenaregisteredvoterof
Sorsogon.Hehasv otedi
n1987, 1988,1992,thenhev otedagainin1995.I
nfact
, hiseli
gibi
li
ty
asav oterwasquesti
onedbutt heCour tdismissed(sic)hi
seligi
bil
it
yasav ot
erandhewas
al
lowedt ov ot
easinfact
,hev otedinalltheprev i
ouselect
ionsincl
udingonMay8, 1995.

JUSTI
CEPANGANI BAN: Butt
hefactt
hathevoteddoesnotmakehi
m aci
ti
zen.Thef
acti
s,he
wasdecl
arednotacit
izenbythi
sCourtt
wice.
ATTY.BRILLANTES: Thatistr
ue,YourHonor,weadmi tthathehasbeent wicedeclarednot
ci
ti
zenandweadmi ttheruli
ngoftheSupremeCour tiscorrectbutthefacti
s,YourHonor ,
the
matterofhiseli
gibi
l
itytov ot
easbeingar egi
ster
edv oterwasl i
kewisequesti
onedbef or
ethe
j
udiciar
y.Therewasar uli
ngbytheMunici
pal Cour
t,therewasar ul
i
ngbyt heRegionalTri
al
Courtandhewassust ainedasav al
idvot
er,sohevot ed.

JUSTICEPANGANIBAN:Irai
sedthi
squesti
oninconnecti
onwi t
hyourcont
ent
ionthat
ci
ti
zenshi
pshoul
dbedeterminedasoftheti
meofproclamationandnotasoftheti
meoft
he
el
ecti
onoratt
hetimeofthefil
i
ngofthecert
if
icat
eofcandidacy.

ATTY.BRI
LLANTES:
Thati
str
ue,
YourHonor
.

JUSTICEPANGANI BAN:Andisi
tyourcont
enti
onthatundert
helaw,
part
icul
arl
ytheLocal
AutonomyCode, t
helawdoesnotspeci
fywhenci
tizenshi
pshoul
dbepossessedbythe
candidat
e,i
sthatnotcor
rect
?

ATTY.BRI
LLANTES:
Thati
sri
ght
,YourHonor
,ther
eisnoexpr
esspr
ovi
sion.

JUSTI
CEPANGANI BAN:Iam al
soaski
ngy out
hatundert
heLocalAut
onomyCodethe
candi
dateforgov
ernororforot
herl
ocalposi
ti
onsshoul
dbeav ot
erandtobeavot
eronemust
beaciti
zen?

ATTY.BRILLANTES:Thati
sri
ght
,YourHonor
,butt
hefactofvot
ingi
snotanissueher
ebecause
hewasall
owedt ovoteandhedi
dinfactv
oteandi
nfact,hewasaregi
ster
edvoter
."(
TSN.
March19.1996.
)

35.Secti
on117, BatasPambansaBlg.881,
other
wiseknownas" TheOmnibusElect
ionCodeof
thePhil
i
ppines",asamended,prov
idesfort
hevari
ousqual
if
icat
ionsofvot
ers,oneofwhichi
s
Fil
ipi
nocit
izenship.
36.Comment
,p.11;
rol
l
o,p.259.

37.Seef
oot
not
eno.33.

38Sect
ion253r
eadsasf
oll
ows:
j
gc:
chanr
obl
es.
com.
ph

"Sect
ion253.Pet i
ti
onf orquowarranto.—Anyv ot
ercont
esti
ngtheelecti
onofanymemberof
theCongress,regi
onal,provi
nci
al,orcit
yoff
iceronthegr
oundofineli
gibi
li
tyorofdisl
oyal
tyt
o
theRepubli
coft hePhilippi
nesshallf
il
easwor npeti
ti
onforquowarrantowiththeCommissi
on
withi
ntenday saftert
hepr ocl
amat i
onoftheresul
tsofel
ecti
on.(
Art.XIV,Sec.60,BP697;Ar
t.
XVIII
,Sec.189,par.2,1978EC).

Anyv otercontesti
ngtheel ecti
onofanymuni ci
pal orbar angayoffi
ceront hegroundof
i
neli
gibili
tyorofdisloyalt
ytot heRepubl
icofthePhi l
ippinesshallfil
easwor npet i
tionf orquo
warrantowit htheregi
onal tr
ialcour
tormetropol
itanormuni cipaltr
ial
cour t
,respecti
v ely,
wit
hin
tendaysaf tertheproclamationoftheresul
tsoftheel ect i
on.(
Ar t
.XVII
I,Sec.189, par.2,1978
EC).
"cralawv ir
tua1awl i
brary

39.Ar
t.4,
NewCi vi
lCode.Seeal
soGal
lardov.Borr
omeo,
161SCRA500(
May25,
1988)
,and
Nil
ov.CourtofAppeal
s,128SCRA519(Apri
l2,1984)
.

40.Tol
ent
ino,Commentari
esandJur
ispr
udenceont
heCi
vi
lCodeoft
hePhi
l
ippi
nes,
Vol
.I,
1990
ed.
,p.23stat
es:j
gc:
chanr
obles.
com.
ph

"Exceptionst oRule.—Statutescanbegivenret
roacti
veeff
ecti
nt hefol
l
owingcases:(
1)when
thelawi tselfsoexpressl
ypr ovi
des,(
2)incaseofremedial
stat
utes,(
3)incaseofcur
ati
ve
statutes,(4)incaseoflawsi nt
erpret
ingot
hers,
and( 5)i
ncaseoflawscreati
ngnew
ri
ght s.
"cralawvir
tua1awlibrary

41.I
d.,
p.25.
42.Agpal
o,St
atut
oryConst
ruct
ion,
1990ed.
,pp.270-
271.

43.73Am Jur2d,
sec.354,
p.489,
cit
edi
nCast
rov
.Sagal
es,
94Phi
l
.208,
210(
1953)
.

44.Memor
andum,
p.9.

45.73Am Jur2d,
Sec.351,
p.488.

46.73Am Jur2d,
Sec.354,
p.490;
under
scor
ingsuppl
i
ed.

47.Ar
t.10,
Civ
ilCodeoft
hePhi
l
ippi
nes.

48.Basedont he"CorrectedCompli
ance"datedMay16,1996fi
l
edbySoli
cit
orGeneral
,i
t
appearsthat
,excludi
ngt hecaseofFri
val
do,thel
ongesti
nter
valbet
weendateoff
il
ingofan
appl
icati
onforrepatr
iati
onanditsapprovalwasthr
eemonthsandtenday
s;theswift
estact
ion
wasasame- dayapprov al.

49."
SEC.40.Di
squal
if
icat
ions.—Thefol
l
owingpersonsar
edi
squal
i
fiedf
rom r
unni
ngf
orany
el
ecti
vel
ocalposi
ti
on:
chanrob1esvi
rt
ual1awl
ibr
ary

x x x

(
d)Thosewi
thdual
cit
izenshi
p;"

50.P.11;
rol
l
o,p.259.
51.r
esol
uti
on,
p.12;
rol
l
o,p.121.

52.Cf
.Navar
rov
.Commi ssi
ononEl
ecti
ons,228SCRA596(December17,
1993)
;Ar
aov
.
Commissi
ononElect
ions,210SCRA290(June23,1992)
.

53.Thedi
sposi
ti
vepor
ti
onofsai
dResol
uti
onr
eads:
j
gc:
chanr
obl
es.
com.
ph

"WHEREFORE, thi
sDivisionresolvest
oGRANTt hepetit
ionanddeclar
esthatr
espondentis
DISQUALIFIEDtorunfort heoffi
ceofPr ov
inci
alGovernorofSorsogononthegroundthathei
s
notacit
izenofthePhilippines.Accor
dingl
yrespondent’
scerti
fi
cateofcandi
dacyis
cancel
l
ed."cral
awv i
rt
ua1awl i
brary

54.Pet
it
ion,
p.19;
rol
l
o,p.21.

55.Resol
uti
onpr
omul
gat
edonDecember19,
1995,
p.7;
rol
l
o,p.116.

56.42SCRA561,565(December20,
1971)
,ci
ti
ngMyYaLi
mv.Commi
ssi
onerofI
mmi
grat
ion,
L
-
21289,Oct
ober4,1971.

57.Ar
t.I
X,Sec.2.

58SPCNo.95-317isent
it
led"
Annul
mentofPr
ocl
amat
ion"andcont
ainst
hef
oll
owi
ng
pr
ayer
:j
gc:
chanrobl
es.
com.ph

"WHEREFORE,i
tismostrespect
ful
l
ypray
edofthi
sHonorabl
eCommissi
ont hataf
terduenoti
ce
andhear
inganOder(
sic)/Resol
uti
on/
Decisi
onbei
ssuedasfol
l
ows:
chanrob1esvir
tual1aw
l
ibr
ary
a)Annul
l
ing/sett
ingasidet
he30June1995pr ocl
amat
ionofr
espondentast
hedul
yel
ect
ion
(si
c),
GovernorofSorsogonforbei
ngcont
rar
yt ol
aw;

b)Or
der
ingt
hepr
ocl
amat
ionoft
hepet
it
ionerasdul
yel
ect
edgov
ernorofSor
sogon;

x x x

59.229SCRA66,
674(
Febr
uar
y4,
1994)
.

60.211SCRA297,
309(
Jul
y3,
1992)
.

61.G.
R.No.120265,
Sept
ember18,
1995.

62.Supr
a,atp.312.

63.Seef
oot
not
es2and3.

64.174SCRA245,
254(
June23,
1959)
.

65.Sal
ongaandYap,
Publ
i
cInt
ernat
ional
Law,
1966ed.
,p.239.

66.InEspiñosav .Aquino,(
Elect
oralCaseNo.9, SenateElector
alTri
bunal [
SET])
,theelecti
onof
thelat
eSenat orBenignoS.Aquino,Jr.wasuphel d,
despitehisnotbeingoft her
equi r
edageon
thedayoft heelecti
on,alt
houghhecel ebratedhisthirt
y-f
if
thbirt
hdaybef or
ehisproclamat i
on.
Muchl at
er,in1990,thisCourtheldi
nAznarv .Comel ec(185SCRA703, May25, 1990)thateven
i
fEmi l
io"Lito"Osmeñahel danAlienCertifi
cateofRegi st
rati
onasanAmer icancit
izen,hewas
sti
ll
notdisqualif
iedfrom occupyi
ngt helocalelecti
vepostofgov er
nor ,
sincesuchcer ti
fi
cate
didnotpr ecludehisbeing"sti
l
laFilipino.
"Thehol di
nginAqui nowassubsequent l
ynul l
if
iedby
theadopt i
onoft he1987Const it
ution( Ar
t.VI,Sec.3),whichspeci fi
edt hattheagequal i
fi
cat i
on
mustbepossessedont hedayoftheel ecti
ons, andnotont hedayoft hepr oclamat i
onoft he
winner sbytheboar dofcanvassers.Ont heot herhand, Sec.40ofRepubl i
cActNo.7160( Local
Gov ernmentCodeof1991)whi chtookef f
ectonJanuar y1,1992, providest hatthosewi thdual
cit
izenshipar edisqual
if
iedfr
om runni ngforanyel ecti
velocal posi
ti
on, andef fect
ivelyoverturns
ther ul
inginAznar .Butthepoi
ntist hattotheext entpossibl
e, andunlesst hereexistprov i
sions
tothecont rary,
thelawshav ealway sbeeni nt
erpretedtogi v
ef ull
esteffecttot hepoliti
calwi l
l
.

67.Beni
tov
.Commi
ssi
ononEl
ect
ions,
235SCRA436,
442(
August17,
1994)
.

68.Thi
sant
agoni
sm wascl
ear
lypr
esenti
nthet
woear
li
ercasesi
nvol
vi
ngFr
ival
do.Seef
oot
not
e
no.6.

PUNO,
J.,
concur
ri
ng:
chanr
ob1esv
irt
ual
1awl
i
brar
y

1.The1987Const
it
uti
onaddedt
hewor
d"democr
ati
c"i
nthest
atementoft
hepr
inci
ple.

2.Sect
ion24(
a)oft
heTy dings-McDuf
fieLawwhichaut
hori
zedt
heFi
li
pinopeopl
etodrafta
Consti
tut
ioni
n1934requir
edt hatt
he"const
it
uti
onfor
mulat
edanddr
aftedshal
lberepubl
icani
n
for
m.’’

ThisCourthasobser v
edt hatevenbeforetheTydi
ngs-McDuffieLaw,thePhil
i
ppineBil
l andthe
JonesLawhav e."..ext endedthepower sofarepubli
canform ofgovernmentmodeledaf t
er
thatoft
heUni t
edSt atest othePhili
ppi
nes."Roav.Coll
ectorofCustoms,23Phil.315,340
[
1992],Severi
nov .Gov .General,16Phil
.366,383[1910]
,USv .Bull
,15Phil
.7,27[1910].

3.WordsandPhr
ases,
Vol
.39A.
,p.68ci
ti
ngCher
okeeNat
ionv
.Sout
her
nKan.R.Co.
,33F.900,
906.

4.Deanoft
heUPCol
l
egeofLaw;
lat
erPr
esi
dentofU.
P.,
andDel
egat
etot
he1971
Const
it
uti
onal
Conv
ent
ion.

5.Si
nco,
Phi
l
ippi
nePol
i
tical
Law,
Pri
nci
plesandConcept
s,1954,
ed.
,p.22.

6.Bar
ker
,Pr
inci
plesofSoci
alandPol
i
tical
Theor
y,p.59(
1952ed.
).

7.118US356.

8.Cr
uz,
Phi
l
ippi
nePol
i
tical
Law,
p.49,
[1991ed.
]

9.Si
nco,
op.ci
t.
,pp.23-
24.

10.3AM JUR2d889-
890;
63AM JUR2d653;
67CSJ926.

11.Moy
av.del
Fier
ro,
69Phi
l
.199