G.R. No. 225152 - PARTIDO DEMOKRATIKO PILIPINO-LAKAS NG BAYAN (PDP-LABAN) HEREIN REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY-GENERAL, CONG. PANTALEON "BEBOT" ALVAREZ, LEON ESTRELLA PERALTA, MELCHOR GRUELA MAGDAMO, AND OTHELLO ESTROPIGAN DALANON, INTERVENORS, VS. COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS EN BANC.D E C I S I O N - Su

Ruling

Accordingly, the effects of accomplished acts prior to the invalidation of COMELEC Resolution No. 10147 should be allowed to stand. The SOCEs submitted within the extended period or until June 30, 2016 are deemed timely filed. In sum, the Court acknowledges the COMELEC's indispensable role as an independent constitutional body in ensuring free, orderly, honest, peaceful, and credible elections. Yet, the COMELEC's zeal in administering election laws is still circumscribed by the law the spring cannot rise higher than its source . [45] FOR THESE REASONS , the Commission on Elections Resolution No. 10147 is declared void for being repugnant to the law. Applying the doctrine of operative fact, however, the Statements of Contributions and Expenditures for the May 9, 2016 national and local elections that were submitted on or before June 30, 2016 are deemed timely filed. SO ORDERED.