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LonzanidavsCOMELEC[311SCRA602]|CASEEATER

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Acompilationofcasedigests.

LonzanidavsCOMELEC[311SCRA602]
PostedbyPiusMoradosonNovember6,2011
(LocalGovernment,Disqualification:Exceptiontothe3termlimitrule)
Facts:PetitionerLonzanidawasdulyelectedandservedtwoconsecutivetermsasmunicipalmayorofSanAntonio,Zambalesprior
totheMay1995elections.IntheMay1995electionsLonzanidaranformayorofSanAntonio,Zambalesandwasagainproclaimed
winner.Heassumedofficeanddischargedthedutiesthereof.Hisproclamationin1995wascontestedbyhisopponentwhofiledan
electionprotest.ThecourtrenderedajudgmentdeclaringtheresultsofthesaidelectionlastMay8,1995,asnullandvoidonthe
groundthattherewasafailureofelection.
IntheMay11,1998electionsLonzanidaagainfiledhiscertificateofcandidacyformayorofSanAntonioandwasproclaimed
winner.Priorproclamation,Hisopponenttimelyfiledapetitiontodisqualifyhimfromrunningonthegroundthathehadserved
threeconsecutivetermsinthesamepost.
TheCOMELECfoundthatLonzanidasassumptionofofficebyvirtueofhisproclamationinMay1995,althoughhewaslater
unseatedbeforetheexpirationoftheterm,shouldbecountedasserviceforonefulltermincomputingthethreetermlimitunder
theConstitutionandtheLocalGovernmentCode.Hence,COMELECissuedaresolutiongrantingthepetitionfordisqualification
PetitionerLonzanidachallengesthevalidityoftheCOMELECresolutionsmaintainingthathewasdulyelectedmayorforonlytwo
consecutivetermsandthathisassumptionofofficein1995cannotbecountedasserviceofatermforthepurposeofapplyingthe
threetermlimitforlocalgovernmentofficials,becausehewasnotthedulyelectedmayorofSanAntoniointheMay1995elections.
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LonzanidavsCOMELEC[311SCRA602]|CASEEATER

Theprivaterespondentmaintainsthatthepetitionersassumptionofofficein1995shouldbeconsideredasserviceofonefullterm
becausehedischargedthedutiesofmayorforalmostthreeyearsuntilMarch1,1998orbarelyafewmonthsbeforethenext
mayoralelections.
Issue:WONpetitionersassumptionofofficeasmayorofSanAntonioZambalesfromMay1995to1998maybeconsideredas
serviceofonefulltermforthepurposeofapplyingthethreetermlimitforelectivelocalgovernmentofficials.
Held:No.Section8,Art.XoftheConstitutionprovidesthat,thetermofofficeofelectivelocalofficials,exceptbarangayofficials,
whichshallbedeterminedbylawshallbethreeyearsandnosuchofficialsshallserveformorethanthreeconsecutiveterms.
Voluntaryrenunciationoftheofficeforanylengthoftimeshallnotbeconsideredasaninterruptioninthecontinuityofhisservice
forthefulltermforwhichhewaselected.
Section43oftheLocalGovernmentCode(R.A.No.7160)restatesthesamerule,that:Nolocalelectiveofficialshallserveformore
thanthreeconsecutivetermsinthesameposition.Voluntaryrenunciationoftheofficeforanylengthoftimeshallnotbe
consideredasaninterruptioninthecontinuityofserviceforthefulltermforwhichtheelectiveofficialconcernedwaselected.
ThepetitionercannotbedeemedtohaveservedtheMay1995to1998termbecausehewasorderedtovacatehispostbeforethe
expirationoftheterm.
Pursuanttotheconstitutionalprovisionabove,voluntaryrenunciationofatermdoesnotcanceltherenouncedterminthe
computationofthethreetermlimit;conversely,involuntaryseverancefromofficeforanylengthoftimeshortofthefullterm
providedbylawamountstoaninterruptionofcontinuityofservice.Thepetitionervacatedhispostafewmonthsbeforethenext
mayoralelections,notbyvoluntaryrenunciationbutincompliancewiththelegalprocessofwritofexecutionissuedbythe
COMELECtothateffect.Suchinvoluntaryseverancefromofficeisaninterruptionofcontinuityofserviceandthus,thepetitioner
didnotfullyservethe19951998mayoralterm.
ThisentrywaspostedinMunicipalCorporationandtagged3TermLimitRule,Disqualification,LocalGovernmentCode,
MunicipalCorporation.Bookmarkthepermalink.
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