Topic:Dissimilumdissimilisestratiothe

courtsmaydistinguishiflegislatureintended
suchdictinction
Garvidavs.Sales
G.R.No.124893
DateofPromulgation:April18,1997
Ponente:Puno,J.
Petition:Certiorari
Petitioners:LynetteG.Garvida
Respondents:FlorencioG.SalesJr,
Facts:
TheSangguniangKabataan(SK)wasscheduled
tobeheldonMay6,1966.Beforetheelections
petitionerappliedtobeamemberanda
voteroftheKatipunanngKabataanof
BarangaySanLorenzo.
TheBoardofElectionTellersdeniedher
applicationonthegroundthatthepetitioner
exceededtheagelimitformembership.Shewas

then21yrsand10monthsold.Shewasbornon
June11,1974
PetitionerwenttotheMunicipalCircuitTrial
Court,whichfoundGarvidaasqualifiedand
orderedherregistrationasmemberandvoter.
Shethenfiledhercertificateofcandidacyfor
thepositionofChairmanoftheSK,butthe
respondentElectionOfficerRiosdisapproved
petitionerscertificateofcandidacybecauseof
herage.SopetitionerappealedtoCOMELEC
RegionalDirectorwhosetasidetheorderor
respondentsandallowedhertorun.
OnMay2,ElectionOfficerRiosinformed
petitionerofherineligibility.Thesameday
COMELECenbancissuedanorderdirecting
theBoardofElectionTellersandBoardof
CanvassersofBarangaySanLorenzotosuspend
theproclamationofpetitionerifshewinsinthe
election.
ThereasonprovidedbyCOMELECisthat

Gravidaisdisqualifiedtobeavoterand
candidatefortheSKelectionssinceshewillbe
morethan21yrsofageonthedayofthe
elections.
Petitionerwon,butshewasntproclaimed.
Hence,thepetitionforcertiorari
Issues/Held:
WONpetitionerisqualifiedtovoteandrun
forSKChairmanduetoherageNO
Ratio:
Section424oftheCodesetsamember's
maximumageat21yearsonly. Thereisno
furtherprovisionastowhenthemembershall
haveturned21yearsofage. Ontheotherhand,
Section428providesthatthemaximumageof
anelectiveSKofficialis21yearsold"onthe
dayofhiselection.
Thusthemembermaybemorethan21yearsof
ageonelectiondayoronthedayheregisters

asmemberoftheKatipunanngKabataan.
Theelectiveofficialhowevermustbenotmore
than21yearsofageonthedayoftheelections.
Becausethefactsandcircumstancesshow
thatthelegislatureintendedsomedistinction
onthismatter,thecourtmaydistinguish.
Inthecaseatbar,petitionerwasbornonJune
11,1974. OnMarch16,1996,thedayshe
registeredasvoterfortheMay6,1996SK
elections,petitionerwastwentyone(21)years
andnine(9)monthsold. Onthedayofthe
elections,shewas21years,11monthsand5
daysold. WhensheassumedofficeonJune1,
1996,shewas21years,11monthsand20
daysoldandwasmerelyten(10)daysaway
fromturning22yearsold. Petitionermay
havequalifiedasamemberoftheKatipunanng
Kabataanbutdefinitely,petitionerwasoverthe
agelimitforelectiveSKofficials.
Decision:

Petitiondismissed
Notes:
"Sec. 424. Katipunan ng Kabataan. -The katipunan ng kabataan shall be
composed of all citizens of the
Philippines actually residing in the
barangay for at least six (6) months,
who are fifteen (15) but not more than
twenty-one (21) years of age, and who
are duly registered in the list of the
sangguniang kabataan or in the
official barangay list in the custody of
the barangay secretary.
"Sec. 428. Qualifications. -- An
elective official of the sangguniang
kabataan must be a citizen of the
Philippines, a qualified voter of the
katipunan ng kabataan, a resident of
the barangay for at least one (1) year
immediately prior to election, at least
fifteen (15) years but not more than
twenty-one (21) years of age on the
day of his election, able to read and
write Filipino, English, or the local

dialect, and must not have been

convicted of any crime involving moral
turpitude."