236215845 Adiong vs Comelec Ca11se Digest

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Citation

BLO UMPAR UMPAR ADIONG vs. COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS ELECTIONS :

G.R. No. 103!"

Ma#$% 31& 1' Ponente

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*a$ts

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GUTIERRE(& )R.& ).:

A Resol+tion No. '3,- as /#o+late2 4 t%e COMELEC %i$% /#ovi2es t%at 2e$als an2 sti$5e#s a4 e /oste2 onl4 in an4 o6 t%e a+t%o#i7e2 /ostin a#eas& /#o%iitin /ostin in 8oile8 /la$es& /+li$ o# /#ivate. Petitione# Blo U/a# A2ion is a senato#ial $an2i2ate in t%e Ma4 11& 1' ele$tions. A2ion is assailin t%e Resol+tion. Resol+tion. In a22ition& a22ition& A2ion elieves t%at it% it% t%e an on #a2io& television an2 /#int /oliti$al a2ve#tiseents& %e& ein a neo/%4te in t% t%e e 9e 9el2 l2 o6 /o /oli liti ti$s $s st stan an2s 2s to s+ s+e e## # #av ave e an an2 2 i# i###e/ e/a# a#a ale le in in;+ ;+#4 #4 i it% t% t% t%is is /#o%iition.

Iss+e

: <%et%e# o# Not t%e COMELEC=s /#o%iition is +n$onstit+tional.

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 T%e /#o%i /#o%iition ition +n2+l4 in6#ines on t%e $iti7en?s 6+n2aental #i%t o6 6#ee s/ee$ s/ ee$%. %. T%e /# /#e6e e6e## ##e2 e2 6# 6#ee2 ee2o o o6 e@ e@/# /#ess ession ion $a $alls lls all t% t%e e o# o#e e 6o# t% t%e e +t +tost ost #es/e$t %en %at a4 e $+#taile2 is t%e 2isseination o6 in6o#ation to a5e o#e o# e ea eanin nin6+ 6+ll t% t%e e e+ e+all all4 4 vit vital al #i #i%t %t o6 s+ s+#a #ae. e. T%e so$ so$all alle2 e2 al alan$ an$in in o6  inte#ests  in2ivi2+al 6#ee2o on one %an2 an2 s+stantial /+li$ inte#ests on t%e ot%e# ot% e#  is a2 a2e e eve even n o# o#e e 2i 2i$+ $+lt lt in ele ele$ti $tion on $a $a/ai /ain n $as $ases es e$ e$a+s a+se e t%e Cons Co nsti tit+ t+ti tion on al also so i ive ves s s/ s/e$ e$i9 i9$ $ a+ a+t% t%o# o#it it4 4 to t% t%e e Co Co is issi sion on on El Ele$ e$ti tion ons s to s+/e# s+ /e#vis vise e t% t%e e $on $on2+$ 2+$tt o6 6# 6#ee& ee& %on %onest est&& an2 o# o#2e# 2e#l4 l4 ele ele$ti $tions ons.. <% <%en en 6a$ 6a$e2 e2 i it% t% o#2e# line sit+ations %e#e 6#ee2o to s/ea5 4 a $an2i2ate o# /a#t4 an2 6#ee2o to 5no on t%e /a#t o6 t%e ele$to#ate a#e invo5e2 aainst a$tions inten2e2 6o# aintainin $lean an2 6#ee ele$tions& t%e /oli$e& lo$al o$ials an2 COMELEC& s%o+l2 lean in 6avo# o6 6#ee2o. T%e #e+lation o6 ele$tion $a/ain a$tivit4 a4 not /ass t%e test o6 vali2it4 i6 it is too ene#al in its te#s o# not liite2 in tie an2 s$o/e in its a//li$ation& i6 it #est#i$ts one?s e@/#ession o6 elie6 in a $an2i2ate o# one?s o/inion o6 %is o# %e# +ali9$ations& i6 it $+ts o t%e o o6 e2ia #e/o#tin& an2 i6 t%e

#e+lato#4 eas+#e ea#s no $lea# an2 #easonale ne@+s it% t%e $onstit+tionall4 san$tione2 o;e$tive.

 T%e /ostin o6 2e$als an2 sti$5e#s in oile /la$es li5e $a#s an2 ot%e# ovin ve%i$les 2oes not en2ane# an4 s+stantial ove#nent inte#est. T%e#e is no $lea# /+li$ inte#est t%#eatene2 4 s+$% a$tivit4 so as to ;+sti64 t%e $+#tailent o6 t%e $%e#is%e2 $iti7en?s #i%t o6 6#ee s/ee$% an2 e@/#ession. Un2e# t%e $lea# an2 /#esent 2ane# #+le not onl4 +st t%e 2ane# e /atentl4 $lea# an2 /#essinl4 /#esent +t t%e evil so+%t to e avoi2e2 +st e so s+stantive as to ;+sti64 a $la/ ove# one?s o+t% o# a #itin inst#+ent to e stille2. T%e #e+lation st#i5es at t%e 6#ee2o o6 an in2ivi2+al to e@/#ess %is /#e6e#en$e an2& 4 2is/la4in it on %is $a#& to $onvin$e ot%e#s to a#ee it% %i. A sti$5e# a4 e 6+#nis%e2 4 a $an2i2ate +t on$e t%e $a# one# a#ees to %ave it /la$e2 on %is /#ivate ve%i$le& t%e e@/#ession e$oes a stateent 4 t%e one#& /#ia#il4 %is on an2 not o6 an4o24 else. T%e #est#i$tion as to %e#e t%e 2e$als an2 sti$5e#s s%o+l2 e /oste2 is so #oa2 t%at it en$o/asses even t%e $iti7en?s /#ivate /#o/e#t4& %i$% in t%is $ase is a /#ivatel4 one2 ve%i$le. In $onse+en$e o6 t%is /#o%iition& anot%e# $a#2inal #+le /#es$#ie2 4 t%e Constit+tion o+l2 e violate2. Se$tion 1& A#ti$le III o6 t%e Bill o6 Ri%ts /#ovi2es t%at no /e#son s%all e 2e/#ive2 o6 %is /#o/e#t4 it%o+t 2+e /#o$ess o6 la.