Professional Documents
Culture Documents
G.R. No. 244274 - Norman Cordero Marquez,: en Banc
G.R. No. 244274 - Norman Cordero Marquez,: en Banc
Promulgated:
September 3, 201~
_,,,,,,.
x---------------------------------------------------------------------
SEPARATE OPINION
LEONEN, J.:
I concur that the property test should not be the only ground to
disqualify a candidate for public office or be the sole basis to declare him or
her a nuisance candidate.
Aside from enumerating the qua Ii I-I cations of candidates for public
office, the Omnibus Election Code likewise specifics the circumstances that
will render a person disqualified from running for public office. Sections 12
and 68 of the Omnibus Election Code state:
and 104; or (e) violated any olScctiom; 80, 83, 85, 86 and 261, paragraphs
cl, e, k, v, and cc, sub-paragraph (1, shall be disqualified from continuing as
a candidate, or if he has been elected. from holding the office. Any person
who is a permanent resident or or an immigrant to a roreign country shall
not be qualified to run f'or any elective office under this Code, unless said
person has waived his status as permanent resident or immigrant or a
foreign country in :1ccurd:mce with the residence requirement provided for
in the election laws.
Nowhere in the Omnibus Election Code does it say that the lack of
financial capacity to hit the carnpflign trail is one (I) or the established
disqualifications.
I
122 Phil. t 12 ( I%5)
1
!Per Curi~m. Ln ~s:,11:: 1.
Id.at 415.
776Phil. 758(199l)lPrr i iiui11TIL:1. 1,. i-,11 ibmi
623 Phil 628 (2009) f Pc:· .I. Lc(1na1 d(•~ I k l :1•;\1 ,'..I ::1 l L111c I.
Sepm-ate Opinion 3, Ci.R. No. 244274
In Reverend Pcunatong, this Court did not say that it was solely the
lack of financial capacity to nm a nationwide campaign that would classify a
candidate as a nuisance. Instcad, i l re Ierred to the parameters contained in
the Omnibus Election Code to cktc·rrnir11'.· vvhether one w~1s a bona fide or a #
nuisance candidate. A'
5
Id. at 655.
6
624 Phil. 50 (2010) [Per J Villarnma, Ir. L11 ll<1n1 i-
ld. at 72--73.
470 Phil. 711 (2004) [Per .I. Ti11g,1, F11 ll<1lll:I
9
Id.at 719.
Separate Opinion -I G.R. No. 244274
10
As I emphasized in my conct11-ring cllld dissenting opinion in Atong
Paglaum, Inc. v. Commission on lJc:c:uo;1s, 11 our ckrnocrntic and republican
state is based on effecti vc rcp1TscnU1liun. Thus, the electorate's choices
must be protected and respected:
n
••
I appreciate the ponenciu ·,\' dewi !eel cliscussion on the history of the
requirement of capable of repc1ition yet cv~tcl ing review as <lll exception to
the general rule on mootness. I ' l-lo,, ,~1·, l dis<1grce with the liberal use of
1
(:,
James Madison, a lawyer and the fourth president or the United States
of America, acknowledged the hindin~ !'orcc of judicial prcceclence, 20 but
also recognized its limi lat ion. He said: "That cases may occur which
transcend all authority of prec~dent~; must be admitted, but they form
exceptions which will speak for tl1en1selves and must justify thernselves." 21
2
° CALEIJ NELSON, STAR!' D1-:,·1s1s 1\NIJ 1)1 ,-1,i;,,;:1:,,1,1 Y Ll:l\!INlc!Jli'., l'l,HTIJl:NTS, :n VIRGINIA LAW
/
REVIEW, 10-14 (2001).
21
9 JAMES MADISON, WRITIN,,S lJI .l/\f\11 c; M.\l ll\! Jtl 1•13 ((i/\lLl.!\IW I lllN I l:U., 1831 ). Reprinting the
0
In l'vlcC11/lod1 v. /l,f,11·_1•/(111d, the sa1nc: nll;thuci ,1,,:s :ilsu usl:d. ChicfJu~:t1cc Marshall concluded that
the formation of a national bank was a n1:cl':,.-:,1ry :11,d pruper i:xcrci~c or powers c.,pressly given to
Congress. This conclusion was a:rc:.cl:1· :·c<1c::-,L~-I b:,, hicr Justice M.irslrnl! !cl yc,irs earlier in United
States v. Fisher, yet there w,1s ,tlso 1w 11ll',1tiui, ,J:·.,:11<'11 prL'vi11u:, c,1se in 1-/c( '11/lnch.
23
Id. at 670.
Separate Opinion () Ci.R. No. 244274
The least this Court can do to c.1cknowkdge their heroism, and to instill the
idea that our sovereignty reside'.-.: Ill ot1r l·'ili1)ino peopk, is to draw from our
24
9 U.S. 61 (1809)
/
25
Thomas R. Lee, Sturc J),._,,·;s1s u, /l,.,1u11,,1. /',1·.. ,,,,111\' Fru111 1l1e l.-ruuu/111,\:, l·,-,.,1 tu 1/,,._, Rd1nq11isl
Court, 52 Vi\Nlll:IZllllT l.1\W R1v11·1.\· o•i·: (11.· 1_c:<1q) 1.11111.:.: ll11i1,•dS1111,,.1 1· Oevc•,111.r, () U.S. 61
(1809).
26
Id. citing Unit eel ,',Imes 1·. /Jc1\'1111.1·. ,i 1 ' • ' · ' : , :,; :
27
Arthur L. Goodhart. ( 'ase iu 1:·11,1:)wu,' c1n.! .L1:,1·,c·c1. I_., Cu1rn11.1 L. IZI
Lu11· VII\\ 173. 180 ( I '!JO).
28
218 U.S. 205, 212, 30 Sup. Ct. (i2 I. !i1 l ( I lJ I 1) \.
2
'J Arthur L. Goodhart, Case La11" in L11,,~l,u"' '"'"' ,1.•1,·1·/,·,1, I~ C<>i,N!.11 I. !{IVIIW 173. IXO (1930)
citing Hertz v. Woodman. 21 S ll :-; 20) ·: 1., '.() ',1q1 ( '1 (,21. !,22 ( I lJ I())
30
91 Kan. 468,475, 138 Pac. !i2\ (127 ( i 1\ 1 11.
" Arthur L. Goodhart, Cusc !.,Ill' i11 J.,1:.:J.u1cl u1:d . 1:11,:rirn, I~ C( Jl!.c ! 11 I. IZI Vil II' 173, 181 ( 1930)
i:iting71111r11s/un1•.Fi·i1~.CJll(<111 •l(1~ .17··, l>!I',, ,,':i l,'7(1!/l,IJ
Separate Opinion 7 Ci.R. No. 244274
own jurisprudence. I am certain that, with respect to our own needs, we are
wiser than our former colonizers.
"-
/ Associate Justice
~ f , t 0. :\RICIIET.\
, ::.·<( .-r c·:}urt En Banc
:,,i;:r,111l' C11urt