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GELACIO P. GEMENTIZA vs COMELEC and VICTORIO R. SUAYBAGUIO, JR.

GELACIO P. GEMENTIZA, petitioner, vs. COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS (SECOND DIVISION) and VICTORIO R. SUAYBAGUIO, JR., respondents.

G.R. No. 140884 | 2001-03-06

D E C I S I O N

SANDOVAL-GUTIERREZ, J.:

Procedural rules in election cases are designed to achieve not only a correct but also an expeditious determination of the popular will of the electorate. Unfortunately, the divergent interpretation of said rules by the contending parties has, until now, prolonged the termination of such cases, thus failing to attain the desired result. Such is the situation in the present case.

The antecedent facts are:

Petitioner Gelacio P. Gementiza and private respondent Victorio R. Suaybaguio, Jr. were candidates for Vice-Governor in the Province of Davao del Norte during the May 11, 1998 national and local...