year for purposes of qualifying him to run for city

mayor in the May 11, 1998 elections.

Torayno v COMELEC
Facts:
3. Whether or not Erasmo Damasing, the
During the 1995 elections, Vicente Y. Emano ran
candidate for mayor of Cagayan de Oro City in the
for, was elected, and proclaimed provincial
May 11, 1998 elections, who received the second
governor of Misamis Oriental. It was his third
highest number of votes, can be declared winner,
consecutive term as governor of the province.
considering that respondent Emano was
In his Certificate of Candidacy dated March 12, disqualified to run for and hold said office and
1995, his residence was declared to be in considering that his disqualification or ineligibility
Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental. had been extensively brought to the attention and
consciousness of the voters prior to the May 11,
On March 25, 1998, he filed his Certificate of 1998 election as to attain notoriety, notwithstanding
Candidacy for mayor of the city, stating therein which they still voted for him."
that his residence for the preceding two years and
five months was at 1409 San Jose Street,
Capistrano Subdivision, Gusa, Cagayan de Oro
Held: WHEREFORE, the Petition is DISMISSED
City.
and the assailed COMELEC Resolutions
AFFIRMED. Costs against petitioners.

On May 29, 1998, petitioners filed another Petition

before the COMELEC, this time for quo warranto,
in which they sought (1) the annulment of the
election of private respondent; and (2) the Ratio: In the case at bar, the COMELEC found that
proclamation of Erasmo B. Damasing, who had private respondent and his family had actually been
garnered the next highest number of votes, as the residing in Capistrano Subdivision, Gusa, Cagayan
duly elected mayor of the city. de Oro City, in a house he had bought in 1973.
Issue: In their Memorandum, petitioners submit Furthermore, during the three terms (1988-1998)
that the main issue is whether the "COMELEC that he was governor of Misamis Oriental, he
gravely abused its discretion amounting to lack of physically lived in that city, where the seat of the
jurisdiction in issuing the questioned Resolutions." provincial government was located. In June 1997
Allegedly, the resolution of this issue would depend he also registered as voter of the same city.
on the following:
1. Whether or not private respondent Emano's
We stress that the residence requirement is
(a) remaining as governor of Misamis Oriental until
rooted in the desire that officials of districts or
he filed his certificate of candidacy for mayor of
localities be acquainted not only with the metes and
Cagayan de Oro City on March 25, 1998 in the May
bounds of their constituencies but, more important,
11, 1998 election; (b) asserting under oath [that he
with the constituents themselves — their needs,
was] qualified to act as governor of said province
difficulties, aspirations, potentials for growth and
until said date; and (c) admitting, in sworn
development, and all matters vital to their common
statements, [that he was] a resident of Misamis
welfare. The requisite period would give candidates
Oriental, precluded him from acquiring a bona fide
the opportunity to be familiar with their desired
domicile of choice for at least one (1) year in
constituencies, and likewise for the electorate to
Cagayan de Oro City prior to the May 11, 1998
evaluate the former's qualifications and fitness for
elections, as to disqualify him for being a candidate
the offices they seek.
for city mayor of said City.

In view of locus standi of petitioners

2. Differently stated, whether or not Emano's
securing a residence certificate in Cagayan de Oro Under the Rules of Court, a quo warranto may
City, holding offices as governor of Misamis be brought only by (1) the solicitor general or (2) a
Oriental in the Capitol Building located in Cagayan public prosecutor or (3) a person claiming to be
de Oro City and having a house therein where he entitled to the public office or position usurped or
had stayed during his tenure as governor, and unlawfully held or exercised by another.
registering as a voter in said City in June 1997,
would be legally sufficient, as against the A reading of the Rules shows that petitioners, none
undisputed facts above enumerated, to constitute a of whom qualify under any of the above three
change of his domicile of birth in Tagoloan, categories, are without legal standing to bring this
Misamis Oriental in favor of a new domicile of suit.
choice in Cagayan de Oro City for at least one (1)
 Under our election laws and the COMELEC expressed through the ballot must be given fullest
Rules of Procedure, any voter may file a petition to effect.
disqualify a candidate on grounds provided by law,
or to contest the election of a city officer on the
ground of ineligibility or disloyalty to the Republic. To successfully challenge a winning candidate's
The petitioners herein, being "duly-registered qualifications, the petitioner must clearly
voters" of Cagayan de Oro City, therefore satisfy demonstrate that the ineligibility is so patently
the requirement of said laws and rules. antagonistic to constitutional and legal principles
that overriding such ineligibility and thereby giving
effect to the apparent will of the people would
In view of residence qualification for candidacy ultimately create greater prejudice to the very
democratic institutions and juristic traditions that
Private respondent contends further that his
our Constitution and laws so zealously protect and
transfer of legal residence did not ipso facto
promote.
divest him of his position as provincial
governor.
First, there is no law that prevents an elected In sum, we hold that COMELEC cannot be
official from transferring residence while in office. faulted with abuse, much less grave abuse, of
discretion in upholding private respondent's
Second, an elective official's transfer of residence
election.
does not prevent the performance of that official's
duties, especially in private respondent's case in
which the seat of government became his adopted
With the resolution of the first issue in the
place of residence.
positive, it is obvious that the second one posited
Third, as ruled in Frivaldo v. COMELEC, the loss of by petitioners has become academic and need not
any of the required qualifications for election merely be ruled upon.
renders the official's title or right to office open to
challenge.
**
HELD: Respondent was able to fulfill the residency
In Emano's case, no one challenged his right to the
requirement needed for him to qualify as a
Office of Provincial Governor when he transferred
mayoralty candidate. He bought a house in
his residence to Cagayan de Oro City. Naturally, he
Cagayan de Oro City in 1973. He actually resided
continued to discharge his functions as such, until
there before he registered as a voter in that city in
he filed his candidacy for mayor in March 1998.
1997. The actual, physical and personal presence
of herein private respondent in Cagayan de Oro
City is substantial enough to show his intention to
In view of law on qualifications of local elective
fulfill the duties of mayor and for the voters to
officials
evaluate his qualifications for the mayorship.
Such provision is aimed at excluding outsiders Petitioners' very legalistic, academic and technical
"from taking advantage of favorable circumstances approach to the residence requirement does not
existing in that community for electoral gain." satisfy this simple, practical and common
Establishing residence in a community merely
sense rationale for the residence requirement.
to meet an election law requirement defeats the
purpose of representation: to elect through the
assent of voters those most cognizant and
sensitive to the needs of the community.
This purpose is "best met by individuals who have
either had actual residence in the area for a given
period or who have been domiciled in the same
area either by origin or by choice."

In view of interpretation to favor popular mandate

There is no question that private respondent
was the overwhelming choice of the people of
Cagayan de Oro City. He won by a margin of about
30,000 votes. Thus, we find it apt to reiterate the
principle that the manifest will of the people as