ELECTION LAW SYLLABUS (2016-17)

I. Election and Suffrage

1. Definition
2. History
3. Readings: Moya v. Del Fierro, 69 Phil. 199 (1930)
Badelles v. Cabili, G.R. No.L-29333, 27 February 1969
Dissenting Opinion of Justice Puno in Tolentino v.
COMELEC, G.R. No. 148334, 21 January 2004, 465
PHIL 385-476

II. Commission on Elections

1. History
2. Composition
3. Qualifications
4. Powers and Functions (1987 Constitution, Omnibus Election Code)
5. Field Offices
6. Readings:
The Omnibus Election Code;
Purisima v. Salanga, 15 SCRA 704 (1965)
Cauton v. COMELEC, 19 SCRA 911
Roque v. COMELEC, G.R. No. 188456, 10 September
2009 (see ponencia and separate concurring opinion of
CJ Puno) and 10 February 2010 (Motion for
Reconsideration)
Arroyo v. DOJ and Comelec, G.R. No. 199082, 18
September 2012 and 23 July 2013
Ongsioko Reyes v. Comelec, G.R. No. 207264, 25 June
2013 and 22 October 2013

III. Voters
1. Qualifications for suffrage
2. Disqualifications
3. Local Absentee Voters
4. Overseas Absentee Voters
5. Detainee, PWDs, IPs, Media
6. Readings:
The Omnibus Election Code (Sec. 118)
E.O. No. 157 (Local Absentee Voting Law)
R.A. No. 7166 (Sec. 12)
RA No. 10380 (Local Absentee Voting for Media)
R.A. No. 9189 (Overseas Absentee Voting Act of 2003),
as amended by R.A. No. 10590 aka "The Overseas
Voting Act of 2013.
Macalintal v. COMELEC, G.R. No. 157013, July 10, 2003
People v. Corral, 62 Phil. 945 (1936)

IV. Registration of Voters

1. Qualification of Voters
2. Disqualifications
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3. Election Registration Board

4. Deactivation, Reactivation, Cancellation
5. Inclusion and Exclusion Proceedings ; Jurisdiction
6. Readings: Omnibus Election Code
R.A. No. 8189 (The Voters Registration Act of 1996)
Yra v. Abano, G.R. No. 30187, 15 November 1928
Akbayan Youth v. COMELEC, G.R. No. 147066, 26
March 2001
Kabataan Party-list v. Comelec, G.R. No. 221318, 16
December 2015

V. Candidates
1. Qualifications
2. Disqualifications
3. Certificate of Candidacy
4. Nuisance Candidate
5. Readings: Article XI (Secs. 63-78), Omnibus Election Code
Section 40, R.A. No. 7160
RA No. 10742 aka Sangguniang Kabataan Reform Act of
2015
Poe-Llamanzares v. Commission on Elections, G.R. Nos.
221697 & 221698-700, 08 March 2016
Maquiling v. Comelec (G.R. No. 195649, April 16, 2013)
Arnado v. Comelec, G.R. No. 210164, 18 August 2015
Caballero v. Commission on Elections, G.R. No. 209835,
22 September 2015
Frivaldo v. Comelec, G.R. No. 120295, 28 June 1996
Mercado v. Manzano, G.R. No. 135083, 26 May 1999
Villaber v. COMELEC, G.R. No. 148326, 15 November
2001
Lonzanida v. COMELEC, G.R. No. 135150, 28 July 1999
Abundo v. COMELEC, G.R. No. 201716, 08 January
2013
Marquez v. COMELEC, 243 SCRA 538
Dela Cruz v. COMELEC, G.R. No. 192221, 13 November
2012
Atty. Risos-Vidal v. Comelec and Estrada, G.R. No.
206666, January 21, 2015)
Aratea vs. COMELEC, 683 SCRA 1 (2012)
Jalosjos vs. COMELEC, 683 SCRA 1 (2012)
Quinto vs. COMELEC, 606 SCRA 258, December 1,
2009
Quinto vs. COMELEC, 613 SCRA 385, Feb. 22, 2010
Mendoza vs. COMELEC, G.R. No. 191084, March 25,
2010
Socrates vs. COMELEC, 391 SCRA 457, Nov. 12, 2002
Pamatong v. Commission on Elections, G.R. No. 161872,
April 13, 2004|
Timbol v. Commission on Elections, G.R. No. 206004
(Resolution), [February 24, 2015])
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Rulloda v. Commission on Elections, G.R. No. 154198,

[January 20, 2003], 443 PHIL 649-656
Federico v. Commission on Elections, G.R. No. 199612,
[January 22, 2013], 702 PHIL 68-92
Engle v. Commission on Elections, G.R. No. 215995,
[January 19, 2016]

VI. Campaign, Election Propaganda, etc.

1. Concept, Campaign
2. Campaign Period; Election Period
3. Lawful election propaganda (4)
4. Prohibited election propaganda (4)
5. Prohibited contributions (8)
6. Lawful expenditures; Limitations on Expenses
7. Statement of Contributions and Expenses
8. Readings: Fair Elections Act of 2007 (R.A. No. 9006)
R.A. No. 7166, Secs. 13 & 14
Chavez v. COMELEC, G.R. No. 162777, 31 August 2007
Penera v. COMELEC, G.R. No. 181614, 11 September
2009 and 25 November 2009
SWS v. COMELEC, G.R. No. 147571, 05 May 2001
GMA Network Inc. v. Comelec, G.R. No. 205357, 02
September 2014
Emilio Ramon E.R. P. Ejercito v. Comelec, G.R. No.
212398, 25 November 2014
The Diocese of Bacolod v. Comelec, G.R. No. 205728, 21
January 2015
1-UTAK v. Comelec, G.R. No. 206020, 14 April 2015

VII. Political Party; Party-List Organization

1. Definitions: PP, PLO
2. Groups which cannot be registered as political parties
3. Grounds for cancellation of registration
4. Registration; Manifestation to participate in the party-list system
5. Refusal and/or cancellation of registration
6. Nomination of party-list nominees
7. Qualifications of party-list nominees
8. Manner of Voting; Number; Raffle
9. Readings: Veterans Federation Party v. COMELEC, G.R. No.
136781, 06 October 2000
Ang Bagong Bayani v. COMELEC, G.R. No. 147589, 26
June 2001
Barangay Association for National Advancement and
Transparency (BANAT) v. Commission on Elections, G.R.
No. 179271, 179295, [April 21, 2009], 604 PHIL 131-184)
Atong Paglaum v. COMELEC, G.R. No. 203766, 02 April
2013
Palparan v. HRET, G.R. No. 189506, 11 February 2012
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VIII. Automated Elections

1. History
2. Automated Election System
3. Paper-based Election System
4. Minimum System Capabilities
5. Continuity Plan
6. Advisory Council; Joint Congressional Oversight Committee
7. National Board of Canvassers
8. Readings: R.A. No. 9369
Roque v. COMELEC, G.R. No. 188456, 10 September
2009
Capalla v. COMELEC, G.R. No. 201112, 13 June 2012

IX. Recall
1. Grounds
2. Procedure
3. Readings: R.A. No 7160, Secs. 69-74
R.A. No. 9244
COMELEC Resolution No. 7505
Garcia v. COMELEC, 227 SCRA 100
Claudio v. COMELEC, 331 SCRA 388
Goh v. Bayron, G.R. No. 212584, [November 25, 2014])

X. Failure of Elections, Postponement of Elections, Special Elections

1. Grounds
2. Call of Special Elections
3. Readings: OEC, Article I, Secs. 6-7
Sison v. COMELEC, G.R. No. 134096, 03 March 1999
Ampatuan v. COMELEC, 375 SCRA 503

XI. Election Offenses

1. Vote-buying, vote-selling, electoral sabotage, etc.
2. Persons criminally liable
3. Penalties
4. Prosecution
5. Prescription
6. Jurisdiction
7. Readings: OEC, Article CCII, Secs. 261-268
R.A. No. 9369
People v. Ferrer, 54 O.G. 1348
Mappala v. Nunez, 240 SCRA 600
People v. Bayona, 181 Phil. 186
Lozano v. Yorac, G.R. No. 94521, 94626, 28 October
1991
Ong v. Martinez, G.R. No. 87743, 21 August 1990
Regalado v. COMELEC, G.R. No. 115962, 15 February
2000
Aquino v. Commission on Elections, G.R. Nos. 211789-
90, 17 March 2015
COMELEC v. Tagle, 397 SCRA 618 (2003)
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Tapispisan v. Court of Appeals, G.R. No. 157950, [June 8,

2005], 498 PHIL 733-751
Causing v. Commission on Elections, G.R. No. 199139,
09 September 2014

XII. Election Adjudication System

1. Jurisdiction of Municipal Trial Courts
2. Jurisdiction of Regional Trial Courts
3. Jurisdiction of COMELEC
4. Procedure in election contests: Courts, COMELEC
5. Procedure in HRET, SET, PET
6. Readings: Article IX (c), Sec. 2, 1987 Constitution
Article XXI, Secs. 249-252, OEC
2010 Rules of Procedure in Election Contests
Rules of Procedure in Election Contests Before the
Courts Involving Elective Municipal and Barangay
Officials;
COMELEC Resolution No. 8804
COMELEC Resolution No.9164
Jalosjos v. COMELEC, G.R. No. 192474, 26 June 2012
Lokin v. COMELEC, G.R. No. 179431-321, 22 June 2010
Pimentel III v. COMELEC, G.R. No. 178413, 13 March
2008
Tan v. COMELEC, G.R. Nos. 166143-47, 166891, 20
November 2006

XIII. Appeal and Other Election Issues

1. Quo Warranto
2. Substitution
3. Withdrawal of COC
4. Execution of Pending Appeal
5. Appeal fee/Filing fee
6. Readings: Secs. 73, 76, 253, OEC
COMELEC Resolution No. 9518
Dumayas v. COMELEC v. 357 SCRA 358
Miranda v. Abaya, G.R. No. 136351, 28 July 1999
Luna v. COMELEC, G.R. No. 165983, 24 April 2007
Cerafica v. Commission on Elections, G.R. No. 205136,
02 December 2014
Loreto-Go v. COMELEC, G.R. No. 147741, 10 May 2001
Divinagracia v. COMELEC, G.R. Nos. 186007 & 186016,
27 July 2009
Santos v. COMELEC, G.R. No. 155618, 26 March 2003
Navarosa v. COMELEC, G.R. No. 157957, 18 September
2003