7/31/2016 GracePoevsCOMELEC,2016(GR221697)PhilippineJurisprudence

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Foundlings are NaturalBorn Bar2016

Filipino Citizens (Grace Poe vs

COMELEC, 2016)

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GracePoevsCOMELEC
PoliticalLaw
(CaseDigest:GR221697,GR221698700March8,2016)
LaborLaw
Facts: CivilLaw
TaxationLaw
InherCOCforpresidencyfortheMay2016elections,GracePoe CommercialLaw
declaredthatsheisanaturalborncitizenandthatherresidencein CriminalLaw
thePhilippinesuptothedaybefore9May2016wouldbe10years RemedialLaw
and11monthscountedfrom24May2005. LegalandJudicialEthics

May24,2005wasthedayshecametothePhilippinesafter CC
decidingtostayinthePHforgood.Beforethathowever,andeven
afterwards,shehasbeengoingtoandfrobetweenUSand
Philippines.Shewasbornin1968,foundasnewborninfantin
PhilippineLawsand
Iloilo,andwaslegallyadopted.SheimmigratedtotheUSin1991
JurisprudenceinDigital
andwasnaturalizedasAmericancitizenin2001.OnJuly18,
EtherbyTheBaris
2006,theBIgrantedherpetitiondeclaringthatshehadreacquired
licensedunderaCreative
herFilipinocitizenshipunderRA9225.Sheregisteredasavoter
CommonsAttribution
andobtainedanewPhilippinepassport.In2010,beforeassuming
NonCommercial4.0
herpostasanappointedchairpersonoftheMTRCB,she
InternationalLicense.
renouncedherAmericancitizenshiptosatisfytheRA9225
requirement.Fromthenon,shestoppedusingherAmerican
PostsviaEmail
passport.

PetitionswerefiledbeforetheCOMELECtodenyorcancelher EmailAddress
candidacyonthegroundparticularly,amongothers,thatshe
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7/31/2016 GracePoevsCOMELEC,2016(GR221697)PhilippineJurisprudence

cannotbeconsideredanaturalbornFilipinocitizensinceshe
Subscribe
cannotprovethatherbiologicalparentsoreitherofthemwere
Filipinos.TheCOMELECenbanccancelledhercandidacyonthe
groundthatsheisinwantofcitizenshipandresidence
requirements,andthatshecommittedmaterialmisrepresentations
inherCOC.

Oncertiorari,theSCreversedtherulingandheld(96votes)that
PoeisqualifiedasacandidateforPresidency.Threejustices,
however,abstainedtovoteonthenaturalborncitizenshipissue.

Issue1:W/NtheCOMELEChasjurisdictiontoruleontheissueof
qualificationsofcandidates(ReadDissent)

Held:

No.ArticleIXC,Sec2oftheConstitutionprovidesforthepowers
andfunctionsoftheCOMELEC,anddecidingonthequalifications
orlackthereofofacandidateisnotoneamongthem.

Incontrast,theConstitutionprovidesthatonlytheSETandHRET
tribunalshavesolejurisdictionovertheelectioncontests,returns,
andqualificationsoftheirrespectivemembers,whereasoverthe
PresidentandVicePresident,onlytheSCenbanchassole
jurisdiction.Asforthequalificationsofcandidatesforsuch
positions,theConstitutionissilent.Thereissimplynoauthorized
proceedingindeterminingtheineligibilityofcandidatesbefore
elections.Suchlackofprovisioncannotbesuppliedbyamere
rule,andfortheCOMELECtoassimilategroundsforineligibility
intogroundsfordisqualificationinRule25initsrulesofprocedures
wouldbecontrarytotheintentoftheConstitution.

Hence,theCOMELECcommittedgraveabuseofdiscretionwhenit
decidedonthequalificationissueofGraceasacandidateinthe
samecaseforcancellationofherCOC.

Issue2:W/NGracePoeLlamanzaresisanaturalbornFilipino
citizen(ReadDissent)

Held:

Yes,GracePoemightbeandisconsiderablyanaturalborn
Filipino.Forthat,shesatisfiesoneoftheconstitutional
requirementsthatonlynaturalbornFilipinosmayrunfor
presidency.

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7/31/2016 GracePoevsCOMELEC,2016(GR221697)PhilippineJurisprudence

First,thereisahighprobabilitythatGracePoesparentsare
Filipinos.HerphysicalfeaturesaretypicalofFilipinos.Thefact
thatshewasabandonedasaninfantinamunicipalitywherethe
populationofthePhilippinesisoverwhelminglyFilipinossuchthat
therewouldbemorethan99%chancethatachildborninsuch
provinceisaFilipinoisalsoacircumstantialevidenceofher
parentsnationality.Thatprobabilityandtheevidenceonwhichit
isbasedareadmissibleunderRule128,Section4oftheRevised
RulesonEvidence.Toassumeotherwiseistoaccepttheabsurd,
ifnotthevirtuallyimpossible,asthenorm.

Second,byvotesof75,theSCpronouncedthatfoundlings
areasaclass,naturalborncitizens.Thisisbasedonthe
findingthatthedeliberationsofthe1934Constitutional
Conventionshowthattheframersintendedfoundlingstobe
coveredbytheenumeration.Whilethe1935Constitutions
enumerationissilentastofoundlings,thereisnorestrictive
languagewhichwoulddefinitelyexcludefoundlingseither.
Becauseofsilenceandambiguityintheenumerationwith
respecttofoundlings,theSCfelttheneedtoexaminethe
intentoftheframers.

Third,thatfoundlingsareautomaticallyconferredwithnaturalborn
citizenshipissupportedbytreatiesandthegeneralprinciplesof
internationallaw.AlthoughthePhilippinesisnotasignatoryto
someofthesetreaties,itadherestothecustomaryruleto
presumefoundlingsashavingbornofthecountryinwhichthe
foundlingisfound.

Issue3:W/NGracePoesatisfiesthe10yearresidency
requirement

Held:

Yes.GracePoesatisfiedtherequirementsofanimusmanendi
coupledwithanimusrevertendiinacquiringanewdomicile.

GracePoesdomicilehadbeentimelychangedasofMay24,
2005,andnotonJuly18,2006whenherapplicationunderRA
9225wasapprovedbytheBI.COMELECsrelianceoncases
whichdecreethatanaliensstayinthecountrycannotbecounted
unlesssheacquiresapermanentresidentvisaorreacquiresher
Filipinocitizenshipiswithoutmerit.Suchcasesaredifferentfrom
thecircumstancesinthiscase,inwhichGracePoepresentedan
overwhelmingevidenceofheractualstayandintenttoabandon

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7/31/2016 GracePoevsCOMELEC,2016(GR221697)PhilippineJurisprudence

permanentlyherdomicileintheUS.Coupledwithhereventual
applicationtoreacquirePhilippinecitizenshipandherfamilys
actualcontinuousstayinthePhilippinesovertheyears,itisclear
thatwhenGracePoereturnedonMay24,2005,itwasforgood.

Issue4:W/NtheGracePoescandidacyshouldbedeniedor
cancelledforcommittingmaterialmisrepresentationsinherCOC

Held:

No.TheCOMELECcannotcancelherCOConthegroundthat
shemisrepresentedfactsastohercitizenshipandresidency
becausesuchfactsrefertogroundsforineligibilityinwhichthe
COMELEChasnojurisdictiontodecideupon.Onlywhenthereis
apriorauthorityfindingthatacandidateissufferingfroma
disqualificationprovidedbylawortheConstitutionthatthe
COMELECmaydenyduecourseorcancelhercandidacyon
groundoffalserepresentationsregardingherqualifications.

Inthiscase,byauthorityoftheSupremeCourtGracePoeisnow
pronouncedqualifiedasacandidateforthepresidency.Hence,
therecannotbeanyfalserepresentationsinherCOCregarding
hercitizenshipandresidency.##

CarpioDissent(Highlights):FoundlingsareDeemed
NaturalizedFilipinoCitizens
BrionDissent(Highlights):COMELECsBroadQuasiJudicial
PowerIncludestheDeterminationofaCandidatesEligibility

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