Garvida vs. Sales GR No. 124893 April 18, 1997 Facts: Garvida applied for registratio as !e!

!"er a d voter of t#e $atip% a g $a"ataa of &ara ga' Sa (ore )o, &a g%i, *locos Norte. +#e &oard of ,lectio +ellers, #o-ever, de ied #er applicatio o t#e gro% d t#at petitio er, -#o -as t#e t-e t'.o e 'ears a d te /101 !o t#s old, e2ceeded t#e age li!it for !e!"ers#ip i t#e $atip% a g $a"ataa as laid do- i Sectio 3 3"4 of 567,(,5 Resol%tio No. 2824. April 1998, Garvida filed a petitio for i cl%sio as registered 9a"ataa g !e!"er a d voter -it# t#e 75+5. 75+5 fo% d Garvida as :%alified a d ordered #er registratio . &oard of ,lectio +ellers appealed to t#e R+5. +#e presidi g ;%dge i #i"ited #i!self d%e to #is close associatio -it# Garvida.Garvida filed #er certificate of ca didac' for t#e positio of 5#air!a of S$. ,lectio 6fficer Rios disapproved t#e certificate d%e to #er age. <#e appealed to 567,(,5 Regio al =irector Asperi , #e allo-ed Garvida to r% .Rios i for!ed Garvida of #er i eligi"ilit' a d gave #er 24 #o%rs to e2plai -#' #er certificate s#o%ld ot "e disapproved. Sales, a rival ca didate for 5#air!a , filed -it# 567,(,5 e "a c a ptitio for de ial or ca cellatio of Garvida>s certificate for falsel' represe ti g #er age :%alificatio i #er certificate of ca didac'. 567,(,5 e "a c iss%ed a order to s%spe d t#e procla!atio of Garvida i t#e eve t s#e -o i t#e electio . Garvida -o "' 2 votes /78.781. +#e &oard of ,lectio +ellers did ot proclai! #er as t#e -i er. S#e -as s%"se:%e tl' proclai!ed t#e -i er, "%t -it#o%t pre;%dice to a ' f%rt#er actio "' t#e 567,(,5 or a ' ot#er i terested part'. Garvida ra i t#e ?a!"a'a g ?ederas'o g !ga Sa gg% ia g $a"ataa for t#e !% icipalit' of &a g%i, *locos Norte. S#e -o as A%ditor a d -as proclai!ed o e of t#e elected officials of t#e ?ederas'o . *ss%e: <#et#er s#e -as :%alified to r% as a elective official of t#e S$ @eld: Garvida is i eligi"le for t#e 1998 electio s. +#e $atip% a g $a"ataa -as origi all' created "' ?reside tial =ecree No. 884 i 197A as t#e $a"ataa g &ara ga', a "ara ga' 'o%t# orga i)atio co!posed of all reside ts of t#e "ara ga' -#o -ere at least 1A 'ears "%t less t#a 18 'ears of age.

* 1983, &atas ?a!"a sa &lg. 337, t#e t#e (ocal Gover !e t 5ode, raised t#e !a2i!%! age of t#e $a"ataa g &ara ga' !e!"ers fro! Bless t#a 18 'ears of ageB to B ot !ore t#a 21 'ears of age.B C der Sectio 424 of t#e (ocal Gover !e t 5ode, a !e!"er of t#e $atip% a g $a"ataa !%st "e: /a1 a Filipi o citi)e D /"1 a act%al reside t of t#e "ara ga' for at least si2 !o t#sD /c1 1A "%t ot !ore t#a 21 'ears of ageD a d /d1 d%l' registered i t#e list of t#e Sa gg% ia g $a"ataa or i t#e official "ara ga' list. Sectio 428 of t#e 5ode re:%ires t#at a elective official of t#e Sa gg% ia g $a"ataa !%st "e: /a1 a Filipi o citi)e D /"1 a :%alified voter i t#e $atip% a g $a"ataa D /c1 a reside t of t#e "ara ga' at least o e /11 'ear i!!ediatel' precedi g t#e electio D /d1 at least 1A 'ears "%t ot !ore t#a 21 'ears of age o t#e da' of #is electio D /e1 a"le to read a d -riteD a d /f1 !%st ot #ave "ee co victed of a ' cri!e i volvi g !oral t%rpit%de. +#e ge eral r%le is t#at a elective official of t#e Sa gg% ia g $a"ataa !%st ot "e !ore t#a 21 'ears of age o t#e da' of #is electio . +#e o l' e2ceptio is -#e t#e official reac#es t#e age of 21 'ears d%ri g #is i c%!"e c'. Sectio 423 3"4 of t#e 5ode allo-s #i! to serve t#e re!ai i g portio of t#e ter! for -#ic# #e -as elected. Accordi g to Se ator ?i!e tel, t#e 'o%t# leader !%st #ave B"ee elected prior to #is 21st "irt#da'.B +#e re:%ire!e t t#at a ca didate possess t#e age :%alificatio is fo% ded o p%"lic polic' a d if #e lac9s t#e age o t#e da' of t#e electio , #e ca "e declared i eligi"le. * t#e case at "ar, petitio er -as "or o E% e 11, 1974. 6 7arc# 18, 1998, t#e da' s#e registered as voter for t#e 7a' 8, 1998 S$ electio s, petitio er -as t-e t'.o e /211 'ears a d i e /91 !o t#s old. 6 t#e da' of t#e electio s, s#e -as 21 'ears, 11 !o t#s a d A da's old. <#e s#e ass%!ed office o E% e 1, 1998, s#e -as 21 'ears, 11 !o t#s a d 20 da's old a d -as !erel' te /101 da's a-a' fro! t%r i g 22 'ears old. ?etitio er !a' #ave :%alified as a !e!"er of t#e $atip% a g $a"ataa "%t defi itel', petitio er -as over t#e age li!it for elective S$ officials set "' Sectio 428 of t#e (ocal Gover !e t 5ode a d Sectio s 3 3"4 a d 8 of 5o!elec Resol%tio No. 2824. S#e -as i eligi"le to r% as ca didate for t#e 7a' 8, 1998 Sa gg% ia g $a"ataa electio s.