[ G. R. No. 45869. December 08, 1937 ] 65 Phil. 158
[ G. R. No. 45869. December 08, 1937 ]
CIRIACO V. CAMPOMANES, PETITIONER, VS. THE MUNICIPAL COUNCIL OF SARIAYA, TAYABAS, RESPONDENT. D E C I S I O N
LAUREL, J.: This an original action in this court for a writ of mandamus to compel the municipal council of Sariaya, Province of Tayabas, to appoint for the Frente Popular one inspector and one substitute inspector in each and every election precinct of the municipality aforesaid, for the elections scheduled to take place on the 14th of this month.
The facts are not disputed and are stated in the following stipulation submitted to this court by counsel for both parties:
“1. El recurrente Ciriaco V. Compomanes fue el candidato oficial del Partido Sakdalista para el cargo de Gobernador Provincial de Tayabas en las elecciones generates de junio de 1934.
“2. En dichas elecciones de 1934 el Partido Sakdalista, lo mismo que el Partido Nacionalista-Democratico Anti, presento en la Provincia de Tayabas un ticket completo para todos los cargos Insulares y provinciales, asi comom para todos los cargos municipales en Sariaya, Tayabas.
“3. Actualmente los candidatos para cargos provinciales del Frente Popular, con el cual se ha confundido el Partido para el cargo de Gobernador, y Honesto D. R. Manalo, Osmundo T. Cruz, Isaac Ballo y Felix Palacio para vocales.
“4. El Partido Frente Popular y el Partido Sakdalistano tienen candidates para cargos municipales en Sariaya,Tayabas, en las elecciones venideras.
“5. Fuera de los candidatos provinciales del Partido Nacionalista y del Frente Popular no existen otros candidatos para dichos cargos provinciales para las proximas elec-ciones; y fuera de los candidatos municipales del PartidoNacionalista y del Partido Reformista no existen otroscandidatos municipales en Sariaya, Tayabas.
“6. Los grupos politicos pula y puti, ambos ramifieacionesdel Partido Nacionalista, del Municipio de Sariaya estaban coaligados en las elecciones de 1934 y sus candidatos. municipales triunfaron en dichas elecciones en contra de loscandidatos del Partido Reformista y los candidatos del Partido Sakdalista.
“7. Los votoa obtenidos por cada uno de dichos Partidosen las elecciones de 1934 son los que constan en el ExhibitB del recurrente y en el adjunto Exhibit F del mismo recurrente.
“8. El Partido Liberal Reformista es un grupo puramentelocal en Sariaya, constituido desde el afio 1920 y desdeentonces hasta las ultimas elecciones generales de junio de 1934, siempre ha presentado un ticket completo paratodos los cargos municipales en el Municipio de Sariaya,Tayabas, bajo certificados de candidatura cuyo ejemplar teriores se acompana aqui como Anexo 1; no ha presentado para todos sus candidatoa en dichas elecciones y otras anen cualquiera eleceion candidates insulares o provinciales, ni tampoco candidatos municipales en otro cualquier municipio fuera de Sariaya.
“9. El Partido Sakdalista se constituyd en la Provineiade Tayabas el ano 1930, pero en el Municipio de Sariayasolamente en las elecciones de 1934 presento candidatos para cargos localesr.en el referido municipio.
“10. Los grupos politicos pula y puti han pertenecidosiempre al Partido Nacionalista Consolidado, luego al Partido Nacionalista Democratieo Anti y hoy al Partido Nacio-nalista.
“11. De los aflliados al Partido Liberal Reformista en la ultima eleceion presidencial, la mayor parte apoyo al candidato presidencial socialista, algunos al candidato presidencial del Partido Republicano y unos cuantos al candidato presidencial de la coalision anti-pro; y en otras elecciones pasadas a veces apoyaba a candidatos insulares Nacionalistas y a veces Democratas antis y pros.
“12. Que sumados los votos obtenidos por los candidatos del Partido Liberal Reformista en Sariaya desde el Presidente Municipal hasta el ultimo concejal en las eleceiones generates de junio de 1934, y sumados igualmente los votos obtenidos en Sariaya por los candidatos del Partido Sakdalista para cargos provinciales y municipales, el Partido Liberal Reformista ha obtenido mayor numero de votos que el Partido Sakdalista en el citado Munieipio de Sariaya.
“13. En 4 de octubre de 1937 (un dia antes de la sesion del Concejo Municipal de Sariaya) el representante debidamente autorizado del directorio nacional del Frente Popular sometio la propuesta de inspectores Exhibit A-l del recurrente, firmado por el Sr. Donato Magtibay, presidente local, y por el Sr. Dionisio C. Mayor, representante provincial.
“14. El Partido Liberal Reformista en la misma fecha 4 de octubre, 1937, sometid la propuesta Exhibit A del recurrente, firmada por el Presidente del Partido Liberal Reformista.'
“15. El dia 2 de octubre, 1937, el Partido Nacionalista sometio la propuesta Exhibit A-2 del recurrente firmada por su representante debidamente autorizado.
“16. El acta Exhibit C del recurrente es copia exacta del aeta del Concejo recurrido nombrando inspectores.
“17. Las partes tambien convienen en que se admitan como prueba los affidavits que cualquiera de las partes quiera someter sobre si existe o no confabulaci6n entre el Frente Popular y el grupo Liberal Reformists.”
The right of the Partido NadoTwlista to two inspectors of election in each and every election precinct of the municipality of Sariaya is not denied. Neither is there any dispute regarding the appointment of said inspectors at the instance of the duly authorized representative of that party (Exhibit A-2). Although it appears from resolution No. 92, series of 1937, of the municipal council of Sariaya, Tayabas (Exhibit C), that the inspectors were appointed for a local political organization (Pula-Puti) of the Partido Nacionalista, it appears from the foregoing stipulation of facts (par. 6) that this political organization was a local branch of the Partido Nacionalista in Sariaya. The conflict arises between the Partido Liberal Reformista to which the municipal council gave an inspector and a substitute inspector of election and the Frente Popular which claims a better right thereto. It is not denied that the Frente Popular is a “political party” within the definition of paragraph (h) of section 417 of the Election Law. Upon the other hand, it is admitted in paragraph 8 of the above stipulation that the Partido Liberal Reformista “es un grupo puramente local en Sariaya, constituido desde el ano 1920 y desde entonces hasta las ultimas elecciones generales de junio de 1934, siempre ha presentado un ticket complete para todos los cargos municipales en el Municipip de Sariaya, Tayabas, bajo certificados de candidatura cuyo ejemplar para todos sus candidatos en dichas elecciones y otras anteriores se acompafia aqui como Anexo 1; no ha presentado en cualquiera eleccion candidatos insulares o provinciales, ni tampoco candidatos municipales en otro cualquier municipio fuera de Sariaya.”
The question presented is: Which political organization is entitled to recognition as an opposition party with respect to the appointment of an inspector and a substitute inspector of election, the Frente Popular or the Partido Liberal Reformista?
Section 417 of the Election Law, prior to its amendment by Commonwealth Act No. 233, recognizes the legal personality of political aggroupments for election purposes, and the right to propose inspectors of election. A “political group” is there denned. The amendatory section of Commonweaith Act No. 233 no longer accords this recognition and has eliminated the definition of this term. The evident purpose of the law is to foster and encourage the formation of political parties inspired by high political ideals of government. In case, therefore, of antagonism or conflict between a political party whose claim to national character is not denied and a mere political group, the claim of the former, as an opposition party, to an inspector of election under section 417 of the Election Law, as amended, must prevail over that of the latter” That such is the intention of the legislature is, furthermore, inferable from paragraph (f) of the same section.
Counsel for the respondent municipal council of Sariaya invokes the ruling laid down by this court in the case of Municipal Board of the City of Manila and Mendoza vs. Agustin (36 Off. Gaz., 1335), as authority in support of the action taken by the said municipal council of Sariaya granting an inspector and a substitute inspector of election to the partido Liberal Reformista. Our ruling in that case is necessarily predicated upon the facts related in the decision of the Court of Appeals and its application should not be extended beyond its ratio decidendi or the legal propositions therein decided. Our decision in that case did not pass upon the character of the political organizations which were parties to the controversy or were involved therein. That point was not then before us. On the contrary, the political character of such organizations appears to have been conceded, and in that connection this court was careful to observe:
“While in the oral argument of counsel for both parties there has been a mutual denial of the existence of the one and the other party, we find from the relation of facts of the decisions of the Court of First Instance of Manila and of the Court of Appeals that the existence of the contending parties here, within the definition of paragraph (h) of section 417 of the Election Law as amended, is not controverted and we cannot properly inject our finding into the record.”
In view of the foregoing, the writ prayed for is hereby granted, and the municipal council of Sariaya is hereby ordered to meet within forty-eight hours from notice of this decision, to revoke the appointments of inspectors and substitute inspectors of election for the Partido Liberal Reformista and forthwith to appoint an inspector and a substitute inspector of election for the Frente Popular in each and every precinct of the municipality of Sariaya, Tayabas, such new appointments to be made m accordance with the proposal of the duly authorized representative of the Frente Popular in the province or municipality aforementioned. Without costs. So ordered.
Avancena, C. J., Villa-Real, Abad Santos, Diaz, and Concepcion, JJ., concur.