This case has been cited 1 times or more.
|
2004-01-21 |
CARPIO, J. |
||||
| Otherwise, the consistent rule has been to respect the electorate's will and let the results of the election stand, despite irregularities that may have attended the conduct of the elections.[35] This is but to acknowledge the purpose and role of elections in a democratic society such as ours, which is:to give the voters a direct participation in the affairs of their government, either in determining who shall be their public officials or in deciding some question of public interest; and for that purpose all of the legal voters should be permitted, unhampered and unmolested, to cast their ballot. When that is done and no frauds have been committed, the ballots should be counted and the election should not be declared null. Innocent voters should not be deprived of their participation in the affairs of their government for mere irregularities on the part of the election officers, for which they are in no way responsible. A different rule would make the manner and method of performing a public duty of greater importance than the duty itself.[36] (Emphasis in the original) | |||||