Political Law Review

Course Outline
Laws on Suffrage

I. General Principles

A. Definition
1. Suffrage
2. Election
a. Regular
b. Special
B. Election Period, Section 9, Article IX-C, Constitution
C. Postponement of Election, Section 5, Omnibus Election Code
D. Failure of Elections, Section 6, Omnibus Election Code

II. Voters: Qualification and Registration

A. Qualifications, Section 1, Article V, Constitution, Section 9, Republic

Act 8189
Makalintal vs. COMELEC, G. R. No. 157013, 3 July 2003
Kabataan Party-List vs. COMELECT, G.R. No. 221318, 16 December 2015
B. Disqualifications, Section 111, Republic Act No. 8189
C. Inclusion and Exclusion Proceedings, Sections 33-35, Republic Act,
8189
Canicosa vs. COMELEC, G. R. No. 120318, 5 December 1997
D. Illiterate and Disabled Voters, Section 14, Republic Act 8189
E. Annulment of Book of Voters, Section 39, Republic Act 8189
Ututalum vs. COMELEC, G.R. No. 84843-44 January 22, 1990

III. Political Parties

A. Constitutional Provisions
1. Section 2 (5), Article IX-C, Constitution
2. Section 7, Article IX-C, Constitution
3. Section 8, Article IX-C, Constitution
4. Section 5 (2), Article VI, Constitution

B. Statute
1. Party List Law, R.A. 7941
Banat vs. COMELEC, G.R. No. 179271, 21 April 2009
Ang Ladlad vs. COMELEC, G.R. No. 190582, 8 April 2010
ATONG PAGLAUM, INC., vs. Comelec, G.R. No. 203766, 2 April 2013

IV. Candidates, Certificates of Candidacy

A. Deadline for filing, Section 7, Republic Act 7166; Section 15, Republic
Act 9369
B. Prohibition Against Multiple Candidacies, Section 73, Omnibus Election
Code
C. Forms, Section 73-74, Omnibus Election Code
Engle vs. COMELEC, G.R. NO. 215995, 19 January 2016
D. Effect of Filing, Section 66, Omnibus Election Code, Section 14, R.A.
9006, Section 15, Republic Act 9369
PNOC vs. NLRC, 222 SCRA 831
Quinto vs. COMELEC, G.R. No. 189698, 22 February 2010

E. Death, Disqualification or Withdrawal of Candidate, Section 77, BP 881

Luna vs. COMELEC, G. R. No. 165983, 24 April 2007
Loreto Go vs. COMELEC, G. R. No. 147741, 10 May 2001

F. Disqualifications, Section 12, 68, Omnibus Election Code,

Section 40, Local Government Code

Jalosjos vs. Cardno, G.R. No. 193237, 9 October 2012

Amora vs. COMELEC, G.R. No. 192280, 25 January 2011
Villaber vs. COMELEC, G.R. No. 148326, 15 November 2001
Lopez vs. COMELEC, G. R. No. 182701, 23 July 2008
Labao vs. COMELEC, G.R. No. 212615, 19 July 2016
Albania vs. COMELEC, G. R. No. 226792, 6 June 2017

G. Disqualifications of Candidates, Sections 68, 69, 78, Omnibus Election

Code
Codilla vs. COMELEC, G.R. No. 150605, 10 December 2004
Blanco vs. COMELEC, G. R. 180164, 17 June 2008
Fernandez vs. HRET, G. R. No. 187478, 21 December 2009
Maquiling vs. Comelec, G.R. No. 195649, 16 April 2013
Arnado vs. COMELEC, G.R. NO. 210614, 18 August 2015
Tanada vs. HRET, GR 217012 March 1, 2016
Poe vs. COMELEC, G.R. NO. 221697, 8 March 2016
Diambrang vs. COMELEC, G.R. NO. 201809, 11 October 2016
Dimapilis vs. COMELEC, G. R. No. 227158, 18 April 2017

H. Procedure for Disqualification, Sections 5 and 7, Republic Act 6646,

Section 69, Omnibus Election Code
Loong vs. COMELEC 216 SCRA 760
Abelle vs. Larrazabal, 180 SCRA 509

I. Effect of Disqualification Case, Section 6, Republic Act 6646

Ortega vs. COMELEC, 211 SCRA 297
Aznar vs. COMELEC, 185 SCRA 703
J. Substitution, Section 77, Omnibus Election Code
Villanueva vs. COMELEC, 140 SCRA 352

V. Campaign, Election Propaganda, Contributions and Expenses

A. Election campaign or partisan political activity, Sections 79-80, BP 881

Section 15 of RA 8436, as amended by Section 13 of RA 9369
Penera vs. COMELEC, G. R. No. 181613, 25 November 2009
Lanot vs. COMELEC, G. r. No. 164858, 16 November 2006
B. Lawful Election Propaganda, Section 82, BP 881
Diocese of Bacolod vs. COMELEC, G.R. No. 205728, 21 January 2015
Rappler vs. Bautista, G. R. No. 222702, 5 April 2016

C. Prohibited Election Propaganda, Section 85, BP 881

D. Prohibited Contributions, Sections 95-97, BP 881
E. Lawful Expenditure, Sections 100-102, BP 881
F. Statements of Contributions and Expenses, Section 14, R. A. 7166
Maturan vs. COMELEC, G.R. No. 227155, 28 March 2017

VI. Canvass and Proclamation

A. Canvassing by Provincial, City, district and Municipal board of

Canvassers, Section 28-29, R. A. 7166
B. Congress as Board of Canvassers for President and Vice-President,
Section 30, R. A. 7166
C. COMELEC, en banc as National Board of Canvassers for Senatorial
Elections, Section 30, R. A. 7166
Pimentel vs. COMELEC, G. R. No. 178413, 13 March 2008
D. Procedure, Section 227, Omnibus Election Code
Section 225, BP 881
Section 25, R. A. 6646
Section 232, BP 881
E. Proclamation
Baterina vs. COMELEC, 205 SCRA 1

VII. Pre-proclamation Controversy

A. Definition, Section 241, BP 881

Section 15, R. A. 7166
B. Comelec Jurisdiction
Olfato vs. COMELEC, 103 SCRA 741
C. Issues which may be Raised, Section 243, B. P. 881
Sections 233-236, BP 881
Lagumbay vs. COMELEC, 16 SCRA 175
Dumayas vs. COMELEC, G. R. No. 141952-53, 20 April 2001
D. Procedure, Sections 244-245, BP 881
Sections 17-22, R. A. 7166
Castromayor vs. COMELEC, 250 SCRA 298
Sanchez vs. COMELEC, 153 SCRA 67

VIII. ELECTION CONTESTS

A. Jurisdiction
1. Supreme Court, Section 4, Article VII of the Constitution
2. Senate Electoral Tribunal, Section 17, Article VI of Constitution
3. House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal, Section 17, Article VI of
Constitution
4. COMELEC, Section 2(2), Article IX-C of the Constitution, Section 245,
Omnibus Election Code
5. Regional Trial Court, Section 2 (2) Article IX-C of the Constitution;
Section 251, Omnibus election Code
6. Metropolitan Trial Court, Municipal Circuit Trial Court, and Municipal
Trial Court Section 252, Omnibus election Code
7. Board of Election Supervisors--- Sangguniang Kabataan
Veloria vs. COMELEC, G.R. NO.94771, 29 July 1992

B. Election Protest
1. Requisites
2. Period for Filing
3. Procedure
Rosal vs. COMELEC, G.R. No. 168253, 16 March 2007
C. Quo Warranto
1. Requisites
Frivaldo vs. COMELEC, 174 SCRA 245
Loong vs. COMELEC, 216 SCRA 760
2. Elective vs. Appointive Office

D. Execution pending Appeal

Navarosa vs. COMELEC, G. R. No. 157957, 18 September 2003

F. Award of Damages, Section 259, BP 881

IX. Election Offenses

Section 261, 265, BP 881

Aquino vs. COMELEC, G.R. NO. 211789, 17 March 2015

People vs. Reyes 247 SCRA 328
COMELEC vs. Romillo, 158 SCRA 716
Cordora vs. Tambunting, G.R. No. 176947, 19 February 2009