ADIONG V. COMELEC FACTS: On January 13, 1992, the COMELEC r!"u#$ate% &e'!#ut(!n N!. 23)* ur'uant t! (t' !+er' $rante% y the C!n't(tut(!n, the O"n(u' E#e-t(!n C!%e, &eu#(- A-t' N!'. ) an% *1 an% !ther e#e-t(!n #a+'. Se-t(!n 1/0a ! the re'!#ut(!n r!(%e': Se-. 1/. Lawful Election Propaganda. — The — The !##!+(n$ are #a+u# e#e-t(!n r!a$an%a: 0a 4a"h#et', #ea5et', -ar%', %e-a#', 't(-6er', han%+r(tten !r r(nte% #etter', !r !ther +r(tten !r r(nte% "ater(a#' n!t "!re than e($ht an% !ne7 ha# 08712 (n-he' (n +(%th an% !urteen 01) (n-he' (n #en$th. Provided, Provided , That %e-a#' an% an% 't(-6er' 't(-6er' "ay e !'te% !n#y (n (n any ! the auth!r(e% !'t(n$ area' provided area' provided (n ara$rah 0 ! Se-t(!n 21 here!. Se-t(!n 21 0 ! the 'a"e re'!#ut(!n r!(%e': Se-. 210. Prohibited forms of election propaganda. propaganda. ; It (' un#a+u#: 0 T! %ra+, a(nt, (n'-r(e, !'t, %('#ay !r u#(-#y e' !+n re'(%ent(a# h!u'e !r !ne ! h(' re'(%ent(a# h!u'e', ( he ha' "!re than !ne: Provided !ne: Provided,, that 'u-h !'ter' !r e#e-t(!n r!a$an%a 'ha## n!t e<-ee% t+! 02 eet y three 03 eet (n '(e. 0E"ha'(' 'u#(e%
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4et(t(!ner ?#! @"ar A%(!n$, a 'enat!r(a# -an%(%ate (n the May 11, 1992 e#e-t(!n' n!+ a''a(#' the COMELEC>' &e'!#ut(!n (n'!ar a' (t r!h((t' the !'t(n$ ! %e-a#' an% 't(-6er' (n "!(#e #a-e' #(6e -ar' an% !ther "!(n$ eh(-#e'. A--!r%(n$ t! h(" 'u-h r!h((t(!n (' (!#at(e ! Se-t(!n 82 ! the O"n(u' E#e-t(!n C!%e an% Se-t(!n 110a ! &eu#(- A-t N!. ). In a%%(t(!n, the et(t(!ner e#(ee' that +(th the an !n ra%(!, te#e('(!n an% r(nt !#(t(-a# a%ert('e"ent', a%ert('e"ent', he, e(n$ a ne!hyte (n the Be#% ! !#(t(-' 'tan%' t! 'uer $rae an% (rreara#e (nury +(th th(' r!h((t(!n. The !'t(n$ ! %e-a#' an% 't(-6er' 't(-6er' !n -ar' an% !ther !ther "!(n$ eh(-#e' +!u#% +!u#% e h(' #a't "e%(u" t! (n!r" the e#e-t!rate that he (' a 'enat!r(a# -an%(%ate (n the May 11, 1992 e#e-t(!n'. F(na##y, the et(t(!ner 'tate' that a' ! Feruary 22, 1992 0the %ate ! the et(t(!n he ha' n!t re-e(e% any n!t(-e r!" any ! the E#e-t(!n &e$('trar' (n the ent(re -!untry a' t! the #!-at(!n ! the 'u!'e% C!"e#e- 4!'ter Area'.
ISS@E: +hether !r n!t the C!""(''(!n !n E#e-t(!n' 0COMELEC "ay r!h((t the !'t(n$ ! %e-a#' an% 't(-6er' !n "!(#e #a-e', #a-e', u#(- !r r(ate, an% #("(t the(r #!-at(!n !r u#(-at(!n t! the auth!r(e% !'t(n$ area' that (t B' r!h((t(!n !n !'t(n$ ! %e-a#' an% 't(-6er' !n "!(#e #a-e' +hether u#(- !r r(ate e<-et (n %e'($nate% area' provided !r y the COMELEC (t'e# (' nu## an% !(% !n -!n't(tut(!na# $r!un%'. &ATIO: F(r't ; the r!h((t(!n un%u#y (nr(n$e' !n the -(t(en>' un%a"enta# r($ht ! ree 'ee-h en'hr(ne% en'hr(ne% (n the C!n't(tut(!n 0Se-. ), Art(-#e III. There (' n! u#(- (ntere't 'u'tant(a# en!u$h t! +arrant the 6(n% ! re'tr(-t(!n (n!#e% (n th(' -a'e. A## ! the r!te-t(!n' e<re''e% (n the ?(## ! &($ht' are ("!rtant ut +e hae a--!r%e% t! ree 'ee-h the 'tatu' ! a reerre% ree%!". e hae a%!te% the r(n-(#e that %eate !n u#(- (''ue' 'h!u#% e un(nh((te%, r!u't, an% +(%e !en an% that (t "ay +e## (n-#u%e ehe"ent, -au't(- an% '!"et("e' un#ea'ant#y 'har atta-6' !n $!ern"ent an% u#(- !-(a#'. T!! "any re'tr(-t(!n' +(## %eny t! e!#e the r!u't, un(nh((te%, an% +(%e !en %eate, the $enerat(n$ ! (ntere't e''ent(a# ( !ur e#e-t(!n' +(## tru#y e ree, -#ean an% h!ne't.
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e hae a#'! ru#e% that the reerre% ree%!" ! e<re''(!n -a##' a## the "!re !r the ut"!'t re'e-t +hen +hat "ay e -urta(#e% (' the %(''e"(nat(!n ! (n!r"at(!n t! "a6e "!re "ean(n$u# the e=ua##y (ta# r($ht ! 'ura$e. The %eter"(nat(!n ! the #("(t' ! the G!ern"ent>' !+er t! re$u#ate the e' r($ht ! ree 'ee-h an% e<re''(!n. @n%er the -#ear an% re'ent %an$er ru#e n!t !n#y "u't the %an$er e atent#y -#ear an% re''(n$#y re'ent ut the e(# '!u$ht t! e a!(%e% "u't e '! 'u'tant(e a' t! u't(y a -#a" !er !ne>' "!uth !r a +r(t(n$ (n'tru"ent t! e 't(##e%H For these reasons any attempt to restrict those liberties must be justied by clear public interest, threatened not doubtfully or remotely, but by clear and present danger . S($n(B-ant#y, the ree%!" ! e<re''(!n -urta(#e% y the =ue't(!ne% r!h((t(!n (' n!t '! "u-h that ! the -an%(%ate !r the !#(t(-a# arty. The re$u#at(!n 'tr(6e' at the ree%!" ! an (n%((%ua# t! e<re'' h(' reeren-e an%, y %('#ay(n$ (t !n h(' -ar, t! -!n(n-e !ther' t! a$ree +(th h(". A 't(-6er "ay e urn('he% y a -an%(%ate ut !n-e the -ar !+ner a$ree' t! hae (t #a-e% !n h(' r(ate eh(-#e, the e<re''(!n e-!"e' a 'tate"ent y the !+ner, r("ar(#y h(' !+n an% n!t ! any!%y e#'e. Se-!n% ; the =ue't(!ne% r!h((t(!n re"('e% !n the 'tatute an% a' -!u-he% (n the re'!#ut(!n (' !(% !r !errea%th. A 'tatute (' -!n'(%ere% !(% !r !errea%th +hen (t !en%' the -!n't(tut(!na# r(n-(#e that a $!ern"enta# ur!'e t! -!ntr!# !r reent a-t((t(e' -!n't(tut(!na##y 'ue-t t! 'tate re$u#at(!n' "ay n!t e a-h(ee% y "ean' +h(-h '+ee unne-e''ar(#y r!a%#y an% therey (na%e the area ! r!te-te% ree%!"'. The re'!#ut(!n r!h((t' the !'t(n$ ! %e-a#' an% 't(-6er' n!t "!re than e($ht an% !ne7ha# 08712 (n-he' (n +(%th an% !urteen 01) (n-he' (n #en$th in any place, including mobile places +hether u#(- !r r(ate e<-et (n area' %e'($nate% y the COMELEC. Ver(#y, the re'tr(-t(!n a' t! +here the %e-a#' an% 't(-6er' 'h!u#% e !'te% (' '! r!a% that (t en-!"a''e' een the -(t(en>' r(ate r!erty, +h(-h (n th(' -a'e (' a r(ate#y7!+ne% eh(-#e. In -!n'e=uen-e ! th(' r!h((t(!n, an!ther -ar%(na# ru#e re'-r(e% y the C!n't(tut(!n +!u#% e (!#ate%. A' ear#(er 'tate%, +e hae t! -!n'(%er the a-t that (n the !'t(n$ ! %e-a#' an% 't(-6er' !n -ar' an% !ther "!(n$ eh(-#e', the -an%(%ate nee%' the -!n'ent ! the !+ner ! the eh(-#e. In 'u-h a -a'e, the r!h((t(!n +!u#% n!t !n#y %er(e the !+ner +h! -!n'ent' t! 'u-h !'t(n$ ! the %e-a#' an% 't(-6er' the u'e ! h(' r!erty ut "!re ("!rtant, (n the r!-e'', (t +!u#% %er(e the -(t(en ! h(' r($ht t! ree 'ee-h an% (n!r"at(!n The r($ht t! r!erty "ay e 'ue-t t! a $reater %e$ree ! re$u#at(!n ut +hen th(' r($ht (' !(ne% y a #(erty (ntere't, the ur%en ! u't(B-at(!n !n the art ! the G!ern"ent "u't e e<-et(!na##y -!n(n-(n$ an% (rreuta#e. The ur%en (' n!t "et (n th(' -a'e.
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Se-t(!n 11 ! &e. A-t ) (' '! en-!"a''(n$ an% (na'(e that (t r!h((t' the !'t(n$ !r %('#ay ! e#e-t(!n r!a$an%a (n any #a-e, +hether u#(- !r r(ate, e<-et (n the -!""!n !'ter area' 'an-t(!ne% y COMELEC. Th(' "ean' that a r(ate er'!n -ann!t !'t h(' !+n -ru%e#y reare% er'!na# !'ter !n h(' !+n r!nt %!!r !r !n a !'t (n h(' yar%. h(#e the COMELEC +(## -erta(n#y neer re=u(re the a'ur%, there are n! #("(t' t! +hat !erea#!u' an% art('an !#(-e !-er', ar"e% +(th a -!y ! the 'tatute !r re$u#at(!n, "ay %!.
