G.R. No. 150540 - DIMALUB P. NAMIL, ABDULNASSER TIMAN, TERESITA G. AKOB, MALIGA AMILUDIN AND EPAS GUIAMEL, VS. COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS, PUBLIC. JOENIME B. KAPINA, MONIB B. WALINGWALING, MAULANA G. KARNAIN, ABDULGAPHAR M. MUSTAPHA, ABDULRAKMAN TALIKOP AND WILSON SABIWANG, PRIVATE.D E C I S I O N - Su

Ruling

WHEREFORE, in view of the foregoing, the Commission RESOLVED, as it hereby RESOLVES, (1) that the proclamation of the winning candidates contained in Certificate of Canvass of Votes and Proclamation No. 8031109 is a valid proclamation; (2) to adopt the recommendation of the Law Department which is in accordance with the result of the investigation conducted by the Commissioner-in-Charge; and herein orders the immediate installation of JOENIME B. KAPINA, MONIB B. WALINGWALING, MAULANA G. KARNAIN, ABDULGAPHAR M. MUSTAPHA, MALOD B. MOSADI, ABDULRAKMAN A. TALIKOP, WILSON K. SABIWANG, AND MABANING P. SAMAMA as the duly elected members of the Sangguniang Bayan of Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat. [6] The petitioners contend that the public respondent's Resolution No. 4615 is null and void since it was issued without according them due notice and hearing, contrary to the enshrined principle of due process. The public respondent thus committed a grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction. The petitioners allege that they were never accorded the chance to present their side in connection with the investigation that was purportedly conducted by Commissioner Sadain and on the memoranda/report of the public respondent's officers. The public respondent simply approved the recommendation of Commissioner Sadain. The petitioners were kept in the dark, learned about the controversy only when they were notified of the assailed resolution of the public respondent. The public respondent, through the Office of the Solicitor General, as well as the private respondents, asserts that the petitioners failed to file a motion for reconsideration of the assailed decision before instituting this action with this Court; hence, the petition is premature. It is pointed out that the public respondent has broad powers to enforce all election laws, it has the power to control and supervise the proceedings of the board of canvassers, and the power to suspend or annul proclamation. When it learned about the two (2) sets of winning candidates as members of Sangguniang Bayan of Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat, the public respondent required an investigation to be conducted by one of the commissioners, who required the election officers in the place concerned to submit their reports on the matter. After a study of the various reports, it was ascertained that COCVP (C.E Form No. 25) No. 8031108 was null and void, fictitious and falsified. The public respondent made a finding that the genuine COCVP was that one bearing Serial No. 8031109, intended for the Municipality of Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat. It was thus incumbent upon the public respondent to order the immediate installation of the winning candidates on the basis of the genuine COCVP to give effect to the will of the electorate, conformably to its mandate under Section 242 of the Omnibus Election Code and the ruling of this Court in Aguam vs. Commission on Elections . [7] The public respondent further asserts that the