2 Sambarani v Comelec

Sambarani v Comelec September 15, 2004 (I included in this digest all the issues provided in the case but the only signifcant issue in relation to the topic on hold over! is the third issue" #han$s  % 

&acts' In the the 15 uly uly 20 2002 02 Sync Synchr hron oni) i)ed ed *ara *arang ngay ay and and Sang Sanggu guni nian ang g +aba +abata taan an lection lections s (electio (elections%, ns%, -olala -olala Sambaran Sambaranii (Sambara (Sambarani%, ni%, amal .iraato .iraato (.iraato%, (.iraato%, Samera Samera /bubac /bubacar ar (/buba (/bubacar car%, %, .acab .acabigu igung ng .ascar .ascara a (.asca (.ascara% ra% and /li /liasg asgar ar ayondong (ayondong% ran or reelection reelection as punong as punong barangay  in  in their respective respective barang barangays ays,, namely namely'' 3ccide 3ccidenta ntall inu$, inu$, -indo -indolon lonan an .oriat .oriatao ao Sarip Sarip,, #alub, alub, e6 umbacaingud, umbacaingud, and #ataya6an #ataya6an South (fve (fve barangays%, all in #amparan, #amparan, anao del Sur" ue to a ailure o elections in eleven barangays in anao del Sur, the C3.C issued iss ued 7esolut esolution ion o" o" 5489 5489 settin setting g speci special al electi election ons s on 1: /ugus /ugustt 2002 2002 in the a;ected barangays in anao anao del del Sur including the fve barangays" barangays" 3n 14 /ugust 2002, /cting lection 3urisdiction in 1" enying the prayer to call or another special election in barangays 3ccidental inu$, -indolonan .oriatao Sarip, #alub, e6 umbacaingud (sub>ect barangays%G 2" irecting the IA to proceed 6ith the appointment o the barangay captains, barangay $aga6ads, S+ chairmen and S+ $aga6ads in the sub>ect barangaysG :"

ot declaring the petitioners as the rightul incumbent barangay chairmen o their oect barangaysG :"

ot declaring the petitioners as the rightul incumbent barangay chairmen o their oect barangays ailed because 3 .aulay did not use the voters list used during the 2001 /7.. elections" either did .aulay segregate and eDclude those voters 6hose ?oters 7egistration 7ecords (?77s% 6ere not among those 500 ?77s bearing serial numbers 00098501 to 0009@00 allocated and released to #amparan" &inally, .aulay did not delete rom the certifed list o  candidates the name o dis=ualifed candidate Candidato .anding" -etitioners contend that C3.Cs reusal to call another special election conMicts 6ith established >urisprudence, specifcally the ruling in $as"er v. Commission on Elections"E  #he Solicitor Aeneral supports the C3.Cs stance that a special election can be held only 6ithin thirty days ater the cause o postponement or ailure o election has ceased" #he Solicitor Aeneral also maintains that the IA has the po6er to appoint and fll vacancies in the concerned elective barangay and S+ oective o  holding ree, orderly, honest, peaceul and credible elections" E8  #he unctions o the C3.C under the Constitution are essentially eDecutive and administrative in nature" It is elementary in administrative la6 that courts 6ill not interere in matters 6hich are addressed to the sound discretion o government agencies entrusted 6ith the regulation o activities coming under the special technical $no6ledge and training o such agencies" E@ #he authority given to C3.C to declare a ailure o elections and to call or special elections alls under its administrative unction" E9  #he mar$ed trend in our la6s has been to grant the C3.C ample latitude so it can more e;ectively perorm its duty in saeguarding the sanctity o our elections" *ut 6hat i, as in this case, the C3.C reuses to hold elections due to operational, logistical and fnancial problemsN id the C3.C gravely abuse its discretion in reusing to conduct a second special *arangay and S+ elections in the sub>ect barangaysN either the candidates nor the voters o the a;ected barangays caused the ailure o the special elections" #he C3.Cs o6n acting election o