Illustrative Case: Federation of Free Farmers vs. CA, GR 41161. September 10, 1981 - Intent Prevails The Text of The Law
Illustrative Case: Federation of Free Farmers vs. CA, GR 41161. September 10, 1981 - Intent Prevails The Text of The Law
Illustrative Case: Federation of Free Farmers vs. CA, GR 41161. September 10, 1981 - Intent Prevails The Text of The Law
Illustrative case: Canet vs. Decena G.R, 155344, January 20, 2004 – What the law does not include, it
excludes.
Facts: A businessman applied for permit to operate and maintain a cockpit. But mayor refused because
there is no ordinance empowering her to do so.
Issue: Can the municipal mayor be compelled to issue business permit in the absence of ordinance
empowering her to do so?
Held:
No. While there is no resolution allowing him to operate a cockpit, there is no ordinance giving him
similar authority.
The municipal tax ordinance contains general provisions for issuance of business permits but it is
short on specifics prescribing reasonable fees for cockpit operation.
The ordinance providing these specifics was withdrawn by the Sanggunian.
Otherwise, to compel the mayor to issue permit not only violates Section 447 of the LGC but also
encroaches on the mayor’s administrative prerogatives.
Since cockpit operation was not enumerated in the ordinance, it is excluded.
The legislature would not have enumerated those covered if it did not intend to limit.
Express mention of one thing, person, act, or consequence excludes the others. Expressio unius est
exclusio alterius.
What is expressed puts an end to what is implied.
Expressium facit cessare tacitum.
An omission at the time of enactment, whether careless or calculated, cannot be judicially supplied
even if wisdom recommends it.
If there is a legislative gap caused by omission, the judiciary cannot fill the gap. Otherwise, it results
in judicial legislation.
Note: the sc can always say even if it not ambiguous but we have to dig deep down into the legislative
intent because statutory construction is an art and it does not bind the supreme court.
A cancelled certificate of candidacy void ab initio cannot give rise to a valid candidacy, and much less to
valid votes.
Elected Mayor’s disqualification is two-pronged: first, he violated the constitutional decree on the three-
term limit; and second, he is known to have been convicted by final judgment for ten (10) counts of
Falsification. In other words, on election day, respondent Elected Mayor’s disqualification is notoriously
known in fact and in law. Ergo, since respondent Elected Mayor was never a candidate for the position,
the votes cast for him should be considered stray
Under Article 30 of the RPC, temporary absolute disqualification produces the effect of "deprivation of
the right to vote in any election for any popular elective office or to be elected to such office.” The
duration is the same as that of prisión mayor.
On the other hand, under Article 32 of the RPC, perpetual special disqualificationmeans that "the
offender shall not be permitted to hold any public office during the period of his disqualification,”
which is perpetually.
Perpetual special disqualification is a ground for a petition under Section 78 of the OEC because this
accessory penalty is an ineligibility, which means that the convict is not eligible to run for public office,
contrary to the statement that Section 74 requires him to state under oath in his certificate of
candidacy. As this Court held infirming v.Commission on Elections, the false material representation may
refer to "qualifications or eligibility.”
One who suffers from perpetual special disqualification is ineligible to run for public office. If a person
suffering from perpetual special disqualification files a certificate of candidacy stating under oath that
"he is eligible to run for (public) office," as expressly required under Section 74, then he clearly makes a
false material representation that is a ground for a petition under Section 78. The dissenting opinions
place the violation of the three-term limit rule as disqualification under Section 68 as the violation
allegedly is "a status, circumstance or condition which bars him from running for public office despite
the possession of all the qualifications under Section 39 of the LGC." In so holding the dissenting
opinions write in the law what is not found in the law.