G.R. No.

181613 November 25, 2009

CARPIO, J.:

FACTS:
We grant Rosalinda A. Penera’s (Penera) motion for reconsideration of this Court’s Decision of
11 September 2009 (Decision).

The assailed Decision dismissed Penera’s petition and affirmed the Resolution dated 30 July
2008 of the COMELEC En Banc as well as the Resolution dated 24 July 2007 of the COMELEC
Second Division. The Decision disqualified Penera from running for the office of Mayor in Sta.
Monica, Surigao del Norte and declared that the Vice-Mayor should succeed Penera.

In support of her motion for reconsideration, Penera submits the following arguments:

1. Penera was not yet a candidate at the time of the incident under Section 11 of RA 8436 as
amended by Section 13 of RA 9369.

2. The petition for disqualification failed to submit convincing and substantial evidence against
Penera for violation of Section 80 of the Omnibus Election Code.

3. Penera never admitted the allegations of the petition for disqualification and has consistently
disputed the charge of premature campaigning.

4. The admission that Penera participated in a motorcade is not the same as admitting she
engaged in premature election campaigning.

Section 79(a) of the Omnibus Election Code defines a "candidate" as "any person aspiring for or
seeking an elective public office, who has filed a certificate of candidacy x x x." The second
sentence, third paragraph, Section 15 of RA 8436, as amended by Section 13 of RA 9369,
provides that "[a]ny person who files his certificate of candidacy within [the period for filing] shall
only be considered as a candidate at the start of the campaign period for which he filed his
certificate of candidacy." The immediately succeeding proviso in the same third paragraph
states that "unlawful acts or omissions applicable to a candidate shall take effect only upon the
start of the aforesaid campaign period." These two provisions determine the resolution of this
case.

The Decision states that "[w]hen the campaign period starts and [the person who filed his
certificate of candidacy] proceeds with his/her candidacy, his/her intent turning into actuality, we
can already consider his/her acts, after the filing of his/her COC and prior to the campaign
period, as the promotion of his/her election as a candidate, hence, constituting premature
campaigning, for which he/she may be disqualified."1
Under the Decision, a candidate may already be liable for premature campaigning after the filing
of the certificate of candidacy but even before the start of the campaign period. From the filing of
the certificate of candidacy, even long before the start of the campaign period, the Decision
considers the partisan political acts of a person so filing a certificate of candidacy "as the
promotion of his/her election as a candidate." Thus, such person can be disqualified for
premature campaigning for acts done before the start of the campaign period. In short, the
Decision considers a person who files a certificate of candidacy already a "candidate" even
before the start of the campaign period. lawphil

The assailed Decision is contrary to the clear intent and letter of the law.

The Decision reverses Lanot v. COMELEC,2 which held that a person who files a certificate of
candidacy is not a candidate until the start of the campaign period. In Lanot, this Court
explained:

Thus, the essential elements for violation of Section 80 of the Omnibus Election Code are: (1) a
person engages in an election campaign or partisan political activity; (2) the act is designed to
promote the election or defeat of a particular candidate or candidates; (3) the act is done
outside the campaign period.

The second element requires the existence of a "candidate." Under Section 79(a), a candidate
is one who "has filed a certificate of candidacy" to an elective public office. Unless one has filed
his certificate of candidacy, he is not a "candidate." The third element requires that the
campaign period has not started when the election campaign or partisan political activity is
committed.

Assuming that all candidates to a public office file their certificates of candidacy on the last day,
which under Section 75 of the Omnibus Election Code is the day before the start of the
campaign period, then no one can be prosecuted for violation of Section 80 for acts done prior
to such last day. Before such last day, there is no "particular candidate or candidates" to
campaign for or against. On the day immediately after the last day of filing, the campaign period
starts and Section 80 ceases to apply since Section 80 covers only acts done "outside" the
campaign period.

Thus, if all candidates file their certificates of candidacy on the last day, Section 80 may only
apply to acts done on such last day, which is before the start of the campaign period and after at
least one candidate has filed his certificate of candidacy. This is perhaps the reason why those
running for elective public office usually file their certificates of candidacy on the last day or
close to the last day.

There is no dispute that Eusebio’s acts of election campaigning or partisan political activities
were committed outside of the campaign period. The only question is whether Eusebio, who
filed his certificate of candidacy on 29 December 2003, was a "candidate" when he committed
those acts before the start of the campaign period on 24 March 2004.

Section 11 of Republic Act No. 8436 ("RA 8436") moved the deadline for the filing of certificates
of candidacy to 120 days before election day. Thus, the original deadline was moved from 23
March 2004 to 2 January 2004, or 81 days earlier. The crucial question is: did this change in the
deadline for filing the certificate of candidacy make one who filed his certificate of candidacy
before 2 January 2004 immediately liable for violation of Section 80 if he engaged in election
campaign or partisan political activities prior to the start of the campaign period on 24 March
2004?

Section 11 of RA 8436 provides:

SECTION 11. Official Ballot. – The Commission shall prescribe the size and form of the official
ballot which shall contain the titles of the positions to be filled and/or the propositions to be
voted upon in an initiative, referendum or plebiscite. Under each position, the names of
candidates shall be arranged alphabetically by surname and uniformly printed using the same
type size. A fixed space where the chairman of the Board of Election Inspectors shall affix
his/her signature to authenticate the official ballot shall be provided.

Both sides of the ballots may be used when necessary.

For this purpose, the deadline for the filing of certificate of candidacy/petition for registration/
manifestation to participate in the election shall not be later than one hundred twenty (120) days
before the elections: Provided, That, any elective official, whether national or local, running for
any office other than the one which he/she is holding in a permanent capacity, except for
president and vice-president, shall be deemed resigned only upon the start of the campaign
period corresponding to the position for which he/she is running: Provided, further, That,
unlawful acts or omissions applicable to a candidate shall take effect upon the start of the
aforesaid campaign period: Provided, finally, That, for purposes of the May 11, 1998 elections,
the deadline for filing of the certificate of candidacy for the positions of President, Vice-
President, Senators and candidates under the party-list system as well as petitions for
registration and/or manifestation to participate in the party-list system shall be on February 9,
1998 while the deadline for the filing of certificate of candidacy for other positions shall be on
March 27, 1998.

The official ballots shall be printed by the National Printing Office and/or the Bangko Sentral ng
Pilipinas at the price comparable with that of private printers under proper security measures
which the Commission shall adopt. The Commission may contract the services of private
printers upon certification by the National Printing Office/Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas that it
cannot meet the printing requirements. Accredited political parties and deputized citizens’ arms
of the Commission may assign watchers in the printing, storage and distribution of official
ballots.

To prevent the use of fake ballots, the Commission through the Committee shall ensure that the
serial number on the ballot stub shall be printed in magnetic ink that shall be easily detectable
by inexpensive hardware and shall be impossible to reproduce on a photocopying machine, and
that identification marks, magnetic strips, bar codes and other technical and security markings,
are provided on the ballot.

The official ballots shall be printed and distributed to each city/municipality at the rate of one (1)
ballot for every registered voter with a provision of additional four (4) ballots per precinct.
Under Section 11 of RA 8436, the only purpose for the early filing of certificates of candidacy is
to give ample time for the printing of official ballots. This is clear from the following deliberations
of the Bicameral Conference Committee:

SENATOR GONZALES. Okay. Then, how about the campaign period, would it be the same[,]
uniform for local and national officials?

THE CHAIRMAN (REP. TANJUATCO). Personally, I would agree to retaining it at the present
periods.

SENATOR GONZALES. But the moment one files a certificate of candidacy, he’s already a
candidate, and there are many prohibited acts on the part of candidate.

THE CHAIRMAN (REP. TANJUATCO). Unless we. . . .

SENATOR GONZALES. And you cannot say that the campaign period has not yet began (sic).

THE CHAIRMAN (REP. TANJUATCO). If we don’t provide that the filing of the certificate will not
bring about one’s being a candidate.

SENATOR GONZALES. If that’s a fact, the law cannot change a fact.

THE CHAIRMAN (REP. TANJUATCO). No, but if we can provide that the filing of the certificate
of candidacy will not result in that official vacating his position, we can also provide that insofar
he is concerned, election period or his being a candidate will not yet commence. Because here,
the reason why we are doing an early filing is to afford enough time to prepare this machine
readable ballots.

So, with the manifestations from the Commission on Elections, Mr. Chairman, the House Panel
will withdraw its proposal and will agree to the 120-day period provided in the Senate version.

THE CHAIRMAN (SENATOR FERNAN). Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

xxxx

SENATOR GONZALES. How about prohibition against campaigning or doing partisan acts
which apply immediately upon being a candidate?

THE CHAIRMAN (REP. TANJUATCO). Again, since the intention of this provision is just to
afford the Comelec enough time to print the ballots, this provision does not intend to change the
campaign periods as presently, or rather election periods as presently fixed by existing law.

THE ACTING CHAIRMAN (SEN. FERNAN). So, it should be subject to the other prohibition.

THE CHAIRMAN (REP. TANJUATCO). That’s right.

THE CHAIRMAN (REP. TANJUATCO). In other words, actually, there would be no conflict
anymore because we are talking about the 120-day period before election as the last day of
filing a certificate of candidacy, election period starts 120 days also. So that is election period
already. But he will still not be considered as a candidate.

Thus, because of the early deadline of 2 January 2004 for purposes of printing of official ballots,
Eusebio filed his certificate of candidacy on 29 December 2003. Congress, however, never
intended the filing of a certificate of candidacy before 2 January 2004 to make the person filing
to become immediately a "candidate" for purposes other than the printing of ballots. This
legislative intent prevents the immediate application of Section 80 of the Omnibus Election Code
to those filing to meet the early deadline. The clear intention of Congress was to preserve the
"election periods as x x x fixed by existing law" prior to RA 8436 and that one who files to meet
the early deadline "will still not be considered as a candidate."3 (Emphasis in the original)

Lanot was decided on the ground that one who files a certificate of candidacy is not a candidate
until the start of the campaign period. This ground was based on the deliberations of the
legislators who explained the intent of the provisions of RA 8436, which laid the legal framework
for an automated election system. There was no express provision in the original RA 8436
stating that one who files a certificate of candidacy is not a candidate until the start of the
campaign period.

When Congress amended RA 8436, Congress decided to expressly incorporate the Lanot
doctrine into law, realizing that Lanot merely relied on the deliberations of Congress in holding
that —

The clear intention of Congress was to preserve the "election periods as x x x fixed by existing
law" prior to RA 8436 and that one who files to meet the early deadline "will still not be
considered as a candidate."4 (Emphasis supplied)

Congress wanted to insure that no person filing a certificate of candidacy under the early
deadline required by the automated election system would be disqualified or penalized for any
partisan political act done before the start of the campaign period. Thus, in enacting RA 9369,
Congress expressly wrote the Lanot doctrine into the second sentence, third paragraph of the
amended Section 15 of RA 8436, thus:

xxx

For this purpose, the Commission shall set the deadline for the filing of certificate of
candidacy/petition for registration/manifestation to participate in the election. Any person who
files his certificate of candidacy within this period shall only be considered as a candidate at the
start of the campaign period for which he filed his certificate of candidacy: Provided, That,
unlawful acts or omissions applicable to a candidate shall take effect only upon the start of the
aforesaid campaign period: Provided, finally, That any person holding a public appointive office
or position, including active members of the armed forces, and officers and employees in
government-owned or -controlled corporations, shall be considered ipso facto resigned from
his/her office and must vacate the same at the start of the day of the filing of his/her certificate of
candidacy. (Boldfacing and underlining supplied)

Congress elevated the Lanot doctrine into a statute by specifically inserting it as the second
sentence of the third paragraph of the amended Section 15 of RA 8436, which cannot be
annulled by this Court except on the sole ground of its unconstitutionality. The Decision cannot
reverse Lanot without repealing this second sentence, because to reverse Lanot would mean
repealing this second sentence.

The assailed Decision, however, in reversing Lanot does not claim that this second sentence or
any portion of Section 15 of RA 8436, as amended by RA 9369, is unconstitutional. In fact, the
Decision considers the entire Section 15 good law. Thus, the Decision is self-contradictory —
reversing Lanot but maintaining the constitutionality of the second sentence, which embodies
the Lanot doctrine. In so doing, the Decision is irreconcilably in conflict with the clear intent and
letter of the second sentence, third paragraph, Section 15 of RA 8436, as amended by RA
9369.

In enacting RA 9369, Congress even further clarified the first proviso in the third paragraph of
Section 15 of RA 8436. The original provision in RA 8436 states —

x x x Provided, further, That, unlawful acts or omissions applicable to a candidate shall take
effect upon the start of the aforesaid campaign period, x x x.

In RA 9369, Congress inserted the word "only" so that the first proviso now reads —

x x x Provided, That, unlawful acts or omissions applicable to a candidate shall take effect only
upon the start of the aforesaid campaign period x x x. (Emphasis supplied)

Thus, Congress not only reiterated but also strengthened its mandatory directive that election
offenses can be committed by a candidate "only" upon the start of the campaign period. This
clearly means that before the start of the campaign period, such election offenses cannot be so
committed.

When the applicable provisions of RA 8436, as amended by RA 9369, are read together, these
provisions of law do not consider Penera a candidate for purposes other than the printing of
ballots, until the start of the campaign period. There is absolutely no room for any other
interpretation.

We quote with approval the Dissenting Opinion of Justice Antonio T. Carpio:

x x x The definition of a "candidate" in Section 79(a) of the Omnibus Election Code should be
read together with the amended Section 15 of RA 8436. A "‘candidate’ refers to any person
aspiring for or seeking an elective public office, who has filed a certificate of candidacy by
himself or through an accredited political party, aggroupment or coalition of parties." However, it
is no longer enough to merely file a certificate of candidacy for a person to be considered a
candidate because "any person who files his certificate of candidacy within [the filing] period
shall only be considered a candidate at the start of the campaign period for which he filed his
certificate of candidacy." Any person may thus file a certificate of candidacy on any day within
the prescribed period for filing a certificate of candidacy yet that person shall be considered a
candidate, for purposes of determining one’s possible violations of election laws, only during the
campaign period. Indeed, there is no "election campaign" or "partisan political activity" designed
to promote the election or defeat of a particular candidate or candidates to public office simply
because there is no "candidate" to speak of prior to the start of the campaign period. Therefore,
despite the filing of her certificate of candidacy, the law does not consider Penera a candidate at
the time of the questioned motorcade which was conducted a day before the start of the
campaign period. x x x

The campaign period for local officials began on 30 March 2007 and ended on 12 May 2007.
Penera filed her certificate of candidacy on 29 March 2007. Penera was thus a candidate on 29
March 2009 only for purposes of printing the ballots. On 29 March 2007, the law still did not
consider Penera a candidate for purposes other than the printing of ballots. Acts committed by
Penera prior to 30 March 2007, the date when she became a "candidate," even if constituting
election campaigning or partisan political activities, are not punishable under Section 80 of the
Omnibus Election Code. Such acts are within the realm of a citizen’s protected freedom of
expression. Acts committed by Penera within the campaign period are not covered by Section
80 as Section 80 punishes only acts outside the campaign period.5

The assailed Decision gives a specious reason in explaining away the first proviso in the third
paragraph, the amended Section 15 of RA 8436 that election offenses applicable to candidates
take effect only upon the start of the campaign period. The Decision states that:

x x x [T]he line in Section 15 of Republic Act No. 8436, as amended, which provides that "any
unlawful act or omission applicable to a candidate shall take effect only upon the start of the
campaign period," does not mean that the acts constituting premature campaigning can only be
committed, for which the offender may be disqualified, during the campaign period. Contrary to
the pronouncement in the dissent, nowhere in said proviso was it stated that campaigning
before the start of the campaign period is lawful, such that the offender may freely carry out the
same with impunity.

As previously established, a person, after filing his/her COC but prior to his/her becoming a
candidate (thus, prior to the start of the campaign period), can already commit the acts
described under Section 79(b) of the Omnibus Election Code as election campaign or partisan
political activity, However, only after said person officially becomes a candidate, at the
beginning of the campaign period, can said acts be given effect as premature campaigning
under Section 80 of the Omnibus Election Code. Only after said person officially becomes a
candidate, at the start of the campaign period, can his/her disqualification be sought for acts
constituting premature campaigning. Obviously, it is only at the start of the campaign period,
when the person officially becomes a candidate, that the undue and iniquitous advantages of
his/her prior acts, constituting premature campaigning, shall accrue to his/her benefit.
Compared to the other candidates who are only about to begin their election campaign, a
candidate who had previously engaged in premature campaigning already enjoys an unfair
headstart in promoting his/her candidacy.6 (Emphasis supplied)
It is a basic principle of law that any act is lawful unless expressly declared unlawful by law. This
is specially true to expression or speech, which Congress cannot outlaw except on very narrow
grounds involving clear, present and imminent danger to the State. The mere fact that the law
does not declare an act unlawful ipso facto means that the act is lawful. Thus, there is no need
for Congress to declare in Section 15 of RA 8436, as amended by RA 9369, that political
partisan activities before the start of the campaign period are lawful. It is sufficient for Congress
to state that "any unlawful act or omission applicable to a candidate shall take effect only upon
the start of the campaign period." The only inescapable and logical result is that the same acts,
if done before the start of the campaign period, are lawful.

In layman’s language, this means that a candidate is liable for an election offense only for acts
done during the campaign period, not before. The law is clear as daylight — any election
offense that may be committed by a candidate under any election law cannot be committed
before the start of the campaign period. In ruling that Penera is liable for premature
campaigning for partisan political acts before the start of the campaigning, the assailed Decision
ignores the clear and express provision of the law.

The Decision rationalizes that a candidate who commits premature campaigning can be
disqualified or prosecuted only after the start of the campaign period. This is not what the law
says. What the law says is "any unlawful act or omission applicable to a candidate shall take
effect only upon the start of the campaign period." The plain meaning of this provision is that the
effective date when partisan political acts become unlawful as to a candidate is when the
campaign period starts. Before the start of the campaign period, the same partisan political acts
are lawful.

The law does not state, as the assailed Decision asserts, that partisan political acts done by a
candidate before the campaign period are unlawful, but may be prosecuted only upon the start
of the campaign period. Neither does the law state that partisan political acts done by a
candidate before the campaign period are temporarily lawful, but becomes unlawful upon the
start of the campaign period. This is clearly not the language of the law. Besides, such a law as
envisioned in the Decision, which defines a criminal act and curtails freedom of expression and
speech, would be void for vagueness.

Congress has laid down the law — a candidate is liable for election offenses only upon the start
of the campaign period. This Court has no power to ignore the clear and express mandate of
the law that "any person who files his certificate of candidacy within [the filing] period shall only
be considered a candidate at the start of the campaign period for which he filed his certificate of
candidacy." Neither can this Court turn a blind eye to the express and clear language of the law
that "any unlawful act or omission applicable to a candidate shall take effect only upon the start
of the campaign period."

The forum for examining the wisdom of the law, and enacting remedial measures, is not this
Court but the Legislature. This Court has no recourse but to apply a law that is as clear, concise
and express as the second sentence, and its immediately succeeding proviso, as written in the
third paragraph of Section 15 of RA 8436, as amended by RA 9369.
WHEREFORE, we GRANT petitioner Rosalinda A. Penera’s Motion for Reconsideration. We
SET ASIDE the Decision of this Court in G.R. No. 181613 promulgated on 11 September 2009,
as well as the Resolutions dated 24 July 2007 and 30 January 2008 of the COMELEC Second
Division and the COMELEC En Banc, respectively, in SPA No. 07-224. Rosalinda A. Penera
shall continue as Mayor of Sta. Monica, Surigao del Norte.

SO ORDERED.