Cipriano v. Commission on Elections G.R. No. 158830, August 10, 2004 AC!"# On AC!"# On June 7, 2002, petitioner filed with the COMELEC her certificate of candidacy as Chairman of the Sangguniang Kabataan (S! Kabataan (S! for the S elections held on July "#, 2002$ On the date of the elections, July "#, 2002, the COMELEC issued a resolution denyin% due course to or cancel the certificates of candidacy of se&eral candidates for the S elections, includin% petitioner, statin% statin% that those affected were not re%istered &oters in the barangay where where they intended intended to run$ 'etitioner, 'etitioner, nonetheless, was was allowed to &ote in the July "# S elections and her name was not deleted from the official list of candidates$ fter the can&assin% of &otes, petitioner was proclaimed )y the Barangay *oard *oard of Can&assers the duly elected S Chairman of *aran%ay +, 'asay City$ $""%E# -hether $""%E# -hether or not the Commission on Elections (COMELEC!, on its own, in the e.ercise of its power to enforc enforce e and admini administe sterr electi election on laws, laws, loo/ loo/ into into the uali ualific ficati ations ons of a candid candidate ate and cancel cancel his certificate of candidacy on the %round that he lac/s the ualifications prescri)ed )y law$ R%&$NG# 1he R%&$NG# 1he Commission may not, )y itself, without the proper proceedin%s, deny due course to or cancel a certificate of candidacy filed in due form$ -hen a candidate files his certificate of candidacy, the COMELEC has a ministerial duty to recei&e and ac/nowled%e its receipt$ 1his is pro&ided in Sec$ 7 of the Omni)us Election Code$ -hile the Commission may loo/ into patent defects in the certificates, it may not %o into matters not appearin% on their face$ 1he uestion of eli%i)ility or ineli%i)ility of a candidate is thus )eyond the usual and proper co%ni3ance of said )ody$
