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Macalintal vs. COMELEC [SEPARATE CONCURRING OPINION, VITUG, J.]

ATTY. ROMULO B. MACALINTAL, PETITIONER, VS. COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS, HON. ALBERTO ROMULO, IN HIS OFFICIAL CAPACITY AS EXECUTIVE SECRETARY, AND HON. EMILIA T. BONCODIN, SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT, RESPONDENTS.

G.R. No. 157013 | 2003-07-10

SEPARATE CONCURRING OPINION

VITUG, J.:
 
Indeed, the mandate of the Constitution is explicit - one must be a resident in order to vote in the country’s elections.[1] But, equally compelling is its other provision that directs Congress to adopt a system that would allow absentee voting by qualified Filipinos abroad.[2] The deliberations by members of the Constitutional Commission on the subject are instructive.[3]                                          

“MR. SUAREZ.
May I just be recognized for a clarification. There are...