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Malabaguio vs COMELEC and Mendoza-Durr

ALFREDO U. MALABAGUIO, petitioner, vs. THE COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS and MIRALI MENDOZA-DURR, respondents.

G.R. No. 142507 | 2000-12-01

D E C I S I O N

YNARES-SANTIAGO, J.:

This Court has repeatedly stressed that the importance of giving effect to the sovereign will of the people as expressed through the ballot must be given fullest effect. In case of doubt, political laws must be interpreted to give life and spirit to the popular mandate.[1] Thus, in Pangandaman v. COMELEC, et al.,[2] this Court emphatically stated that:

[U]pholding the sovereignty of the people is what democracy is all about. When the sovereignty of the people expressed thru the ballot is at stake, it is not enough for this Court to make a statement but it should do everything to have that sovereignty...