THIRD DIVISION ARSENIA B. GARCIA, Petitioner, Present: - versus QUISUMBING, J., Chairperson, CARPIO, CARPIO MORAL S, an!

"INGA, JJ. Pro#u$%ate!: Mar&h '(, )**+ G.R. No. 157171

HONORABLE COURT OF APPEALS and THE PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES,

Respon!ents. x- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -x

"hat on or a2out Ma3 '', '880, -hi&h -as -ithin the &anvassin% perio! !urin% the Ma3 :, '880 e$e&tions, in the Muni&ipa$it3 o. A$a#inos, Provin&e o. Pan%asinan, Phi$ippines, an! -ithin the /uris!i&tion o. this ;onora2$e Court, the a2ove-na#e! a&&use!, $e&tion O..i&er Arsenia B. Gar&ia, Muni&ipa$ "reasurer ;er#inio R. Ro#ero, Pu2$i& S&hoo$ >istri&t Supervisor Renato R. <ira3, Chair#an, <i&e-Chair#an, an! Me#2er-Se&retar3, respe&tive$3, o. the Muni&ipa$ Boar! o. Canvassers o. A$a#inos, Pan%asinan, ta2u$ators Ra&he$ Pa$iso& an! =ran&is&a !e <era, &onspirin% -ith, &on.e!eratin% to%ether an! #utua$$3 he$pin% ea&h other, !i!, then an! there, -i$$.u$$3, an! un$a-.u$$3 !e&rease?!@ the votes re&eive! 23 senatoria$ &an!i!ate A6ui$ino Q. Pi#ente$, 7r. .ro# siA thousan! nine hun!re! ninet3-ei%ht 4+,88:5 votes, as &$ear$3 !is&$ose! in the tota$ nu#2er o. votes in the one hun!re! .i.t3-nine 4'085 pre&in&ts o. the State#ent o. <otes 23 Pre&in&ts o. sai! #uni&ipa$it3, -ith Seria$ Nos. **:('1, **:(':, **:('8, **:()*, **:()', **:()) an! **:()9 to one thousan! nine hun!re! t-ent3-one 4',8)'5 votes as re.$e&te! in the State#ent o. <otes 23 Pre&in&ts -ith Seria$ No. **:()9 an! Certi.i&ate o. Canvass -ith Seria$ No. (9+'0+ -ith a !i..eren&e o. .ive thousan! sevent3-seven 40,*115 votes. CON"RARB "O LAC.%!%" In a >e&ision !ate! Septe#2er '', )***, the R"C a&6uitte! a$$ the a&&use!

DECISION QUISU BING, J.:

"his petition see,s the revie- o. the /u!%#ent o. the Court o. Appea$s in CAG.R. CR No. )(0(11!1" that a..ir#e! the &onvi&tion o. petitioner 23 the Re%iona$ "ria$ Court#!#" o. A$a#inos Cit3, Pan%asinan, Bran&h 0(, .or vio$ation o. Se&tion )1425 o. Repu2$i& A&t No. ++(+.
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.or insu..i&ien&3 o. evi!en&e, eA&ept petitioner -ho -as &onvi&te! as .o$$o-s: AAA 0. An! .ina$$3, on the person o. ARS NIA B. GARCIA, the Court pronoun&es her GUIL"B 2e3on! reasona2$e !ou2t, o. the &ri#e !e.ine! un!er Repu2$i& A&t ++(+, Se&tion )1 425 .or !e&reasin% the votes o. Senator Pi#ente$ in the tota$ o. 0,*9( an! in re$ation to BP B$%. ::', &onsi!erin% that this .in!in% is a vio$ation o. $e&tion O..ense, she is thus senten&e! to su..er an i#prison#ent o. SID 4+5 B ARS as #aAi#u#, 2ut app$3in% the IN> " RMINA" S N" NC LAC, the #ini#u# pena$t3 is the neAt !e%ree $o-er -hi&h is SID 4+5 MON";SE ho-ever, a&&use! ARS NIA B. GARCIA is not entit$e! to pro2ationE .urther, she is senten&e! to su..er !is6ua$i.i&ation to ho$! pu2$i& o..i&e an! she is a$so !eprive! o. her ri%ht o. su..ra%e. "he 2ai$2on! poste! 23 her is here23 or!ere! &an&e$$e!, an! the Provin&ia$ Car!en is or!ere! to &o##it her person to the
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Base! on the &o#p$aint-a..i!avit o. A6ui$ino Q. Pi#ente$, 7r., -ho ran in the '880 senatoria$ e$e&tions, an in.or#ation !ate! Mar&h 9*, '88:, -as .i$e! in the Re%iona$ "ria$ Court o. A$a#inos, &har%in% ;er#inio R. Ro#ero, Renato R. <ira3, Ra&he$ Pa$iso& an! =ran&is&a !e <era, an! petitioner, -ith vio$ation o. Se&tion )1425. "he in.or#ation rea!s:

Bureau o. Corre&tiona$ Institution .or Co#en, at Metro Mani$a, unti$ .urther or!ers .ro# the &ourt. No pronoun&e#ent as to &osts. I" IS SO OR> R >.5!5"

F1G, C; N "; BOAR>.

>U"B CAS ";A" O= ";

S CR "ARB O= ";

I< "; R >UC"ION O= "; <O" S O= CAN>I>A" PIM N" L CAS CL ARLB NO" CILL=UL OR IN" N"IONAL.7!7"

Petitioner appea$e! 2e.ore the Court o. Appea$s -hi&h a..ir#e! -ith #o!i.i&ation the R"C >e&ision, thus, C; R =OR , .ore%oin% &onsi!ere!, the appea$e! !e&ision is here23 A==IRM > -ith MO>I=ICA"ION, in&reasin% the #ini#u# pena$t3 i#pose! 23 the tria$ &ourt .ro# siA 4+5 #onths to one 4'5 3ear. SO OR> R >.
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Petitioner &onten!s that 4'5 the Court o. Appea$sH /u!%#ent is erroneous, 2ase! on spe&u$ations, sur#ises an! &on/e&tures, instea! o. su2stantia$ evi!en&eE an! 4)5 there -as no #otive on her part to re!u&e the votes o. private &o#p$ainant. Respon!ent on the other han! &onten!s that %oo! .aith is not a !e.ense in the vio$ation o. an e$e&tion $a-, -hi&h .a$$s un!er the &$ass o. mala prohibita. "he #ain issue is, Is a vio$ation o. Se&tion )1425 o. Rep. A&t No. ++(+,

"he Court o. Appea$s $i,e-ise !enie! the #otion .or re&onsi!eration. ;en&e, this appea$ assi%nin% the .o$$o-in% as errors o. the appe$$ate &ourt: I ON "; =IRS" AN> S CON> GROUN>S R LI > UPON BB "; R SPON> N" COUR", NAM LB, ";A" I" COUL> NO" ;A< B N S CR "ARB <IRAB C;O > CR AS > "; <O" S O= COMPLAINAN" PIM N" L SINC ; M R LB R LI > ON C;A" "; P "I"ION R >IC"A" >, AN> ";A" I" COUL> NO" ;A< ALSO B N "; "ABULA"ORS B CAUS P "I"ION R CAS "; ON C;O R A> "; A>>ING ?MAC;IN @ "AP . II ON "; ";IR> GROUN>, NAM LB, ";A" P "I"ION R >I> NO" PRO>UC "; "AP S >URING "; "RIAL B CAUS I= PRO>UC >, I" IS GOING "O B A>< RS "O ; R. III ON "; =OUR"; GROUN>, NAM LB, ";A" "; P "I"ION R CAS "; ON C;O N" R > "; R >UC > =IGUR O= ',8)' IN "; C R"I=ICA" O= CAN<ASS 4COC5, Ah.
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&$assi.ie! un!er mala in se or mala prohibitaI Cou$! %oo! .aith an! $a&, o. &ri#ina$ intent 2e va$i! !e.ensesI Genera$$3, mala in se .e$onies are !e.ine! an! pena$iJe! in the Revise! Pena$ Co!e. Chen the a&ts &o#p$aine! o. are inherent$3 i##ora$, the3 are !ee#e! mala in se, even i. the3 are punishe! 23 a spe&ia$ $a-.'!'" A&&or!in%$3, &ri#ina$ intent #ust 2e &$ear$3 esta2$ishe! -ith the other e$e#ents o. the &ri#eE other-ise, no &ri#e is &o##itte!. On the other han!, in &ri#es that are mala prohibita, the &ri#ina$ a&ts are not inherent$3 i##ora$ 2ut 2e&o#e punisha2$e on$3 2e&ause the $a- sa3s the3 are .or2i!!en. Cith these &ri#es, the so$e issue is -hether the $a- has 2een vio$ate!.(!(" Cri#ina$ intent is not ne&essar3 -here the a&ts are prohi2ite! .or reasons o. pu2$i& po$i&3.1)!1)" Se&tion )1425 o. Repu2$i& A&t No. ++(+11!11" provi!es:
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S C. )1. Election Offenses.- In a!!ition to the prohi2ite! a&ts an! e$e&tion o..enses enu#erate! in Se&tions )+' an! )+) o. Batas Pa#2ansa B$%. ::', as a#en!e!, the .o$$o-in% sha$$ 2e %ui$t3 o. an e$e&tion o..ense: AAA 425 An3 #e#2er o. the 2oar! o. e$e&tion inspe&tors or 2oar! o. &anvassers -ho ta#pers, in&reases, or !e&reases the votes re&eive! 23 a &an!i!ate in an3 e$e&tion or an3 #e#2er o. the 2oar! -ho re.uses, a.ter proper veri.i&ation an! hearin%, to &re!it the &orre&t votes or !e!u&t su&h ta#pere! votes. AAA 9.

appe$$ant, in her &apa&it3 as Chair#an, rea!in% the .i%ures appearin% in the resu$ts .ro# the pre&in&ts an! a&&use! <ira3, in his &apa&it3 as se&retar3 o. the Boar!, enterin% the nu#2er in the State#ents o. <otes as rea! 23 the appe$$ant. SiA State#ents o. <otes -ere .i$$e! up to re.$e&t the votes re&eive! 23 ea&h &an!i!ate in the '08 pre&in&ts o. the Muni&ipa$it3 o. A$a#inos, Pan%asinan. A.ter the nu#2er o. votes re&eive! 23 ea&h &an!i!ate .or ea&h pre&in&ts -ere entere! 23 a&&use! <ira3 in the State#ents o. <otes, these votes -ere a!!e! 23 the a&&use! Pa$iso& an! !e <era -ith the use o. e$e&tri&a$ a!!in% #a&hines. A.ter the ta2u$ation 23 a&&use! Pa$iso& an! !e <era, the &orrespon!in% #a&hine tapes -ere han!e! to appe$$ant -ho rea!s the su2tota$ o. votes re&eive! 23 ea&h &an!i!ate in the pre&in&ts $iste! in ea&h State#ent o. <otes. A&&use! <ira3 ?then@ re&or!s the su2tota$ in the proper &o$u#n in the State#ent o. <otes. A.ter the su2tota$s ha! 2een entere! 23 a&&use! <ira3, ta2u$ators a&&use! Pa$iso& an! !e <era a!!e! a$$ the su2tota$s appearin% in a$$ State#ent o. <otes. A.ter the &o#putation, the &orrespon!in% #a&hine tape on -hi&h the %ran! tota$ -as re.$e&te! -as han!e! to appe$$ant -ho rea!s the sa#e an! a&&use! <ira3 enters the .i%ure rea! 23 appe$$ant in the &o$u#n .or %ran! tota$ in the State#ent o. <otes.1%!1%"

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C$ear$3, the a&ts prohi2ite! in Se&tion )1425 are mala in se.1#!1#" =or other-ise, even errors an! #ista,es &o##itte! !ue to over-or, an! .ati%ue -ou$! 2e punisha2$e. Given the vo$u#e o. votes to 2e &ounte! an! &anvasse! -ithin a $i#ite! a#ount o. ti#e, errors an! #is&a$&u$ations are 2oun! to happen. An! it &ou$! not 2e the intent o. the $a- to punish unintentiona$ e$e&tion &anvass errors. ;o-ever, intentiona$$3 in&reasin% or !e&reasin% the nu#2er o. votes re&eive! 23 a &an!i!ate is inherent$3 i##ora$, sin&e it is !one -ith #a$i&e an! intent to in/ure another. Cri#ina$ intent is presu#e! to eAist on the part o. the person -ho eAe&utes an a&t -hi&h the $a- punishes, un$ess the &ontrar3 sha$$ appear. 1$!1$" "hus, -hoever invo,es %oo! .aith as a !e.ense has the 2ur!en o. provin% its eAisten&e. Re&or!s sho- that the &anvassin% o. votes on Ma3 '', '880 2e.ore the Boar! o. Canvassers o. the Muni&ipa$it3 o. A$a#inos, Pan%asinan -as &on!u&te! as .o$$o-s: '. A.ter the votes in the '08 pre&in&ts o. the #uni&ipa$it3 o. A$a#inos -ere ta$$ie!, the resu$ts thereo. -ere sea$e! an! .or-ar!e! to the Muni&ipa$ Boar! o. Canvassers .or &anvassin%E "he nu#2er o. votes re&eive! 23 ea&h &an!i!ate in ea&h pre&in&t -as then re&or!e! in the State#ent o. <otes -ith +. 0.

Neither the &orre&tness o. the nu#2er o. votes entere! in the State#ent o. <otes 4SO<5 .or ea&h pre&in&t, nor o. the nu#2er o. votes entere! as su2tota$s o. votes re&eive! in the pre&in&ts $iste! in SO< Nos. **:('1 to **:()) -as raise! as an issue. At .irst %$an&e, ho-ever, there is a noti&ea2$e !is&repan&3 in the a!!ition o. the su2tota$s to arrive at the %ran! tota$ o. votes re&eive! 23 ea&h &an!i!ate .or a$$ '08 pre&in&ts in SO< No. **:()9. 15!15" "he %ran! tota$ o. the votes .or private &o#p$ainant, Senator A6ui$ino Pi#ente$, -as on$3 ',8)' instea! o. +,8)', or 0,*** votes $ess than the nu#2er o. votes private &o#p$ainant a&tua$$3 re&eive!. "his error

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is a$so evi!ent in the Certi.i&ate o. Canvass 4COC5 No. (9+'0+ si%ne! 23 petitioner, <ira3 an! Ro#ero.
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on appea$, parti&u$ar$3 -here the .in!in%s o. 2oth the tria$ &ourt an! the appe$$ate &ourt on the #atter &oin&i!e.#1!#1" Pu2$i& po$i&3 !i&tates that eAtraor!inar3 !i$i%en&e shou$! 2e eAer&ise! 23 the #e#2ers o. the 2oar! o. &anvassers in &anvassin% the resu$ts o. the e$e&tions. An3 error on their part -ou$! resu$t in the !isen.ran&hise#ent o. the voters. "he Certi.i&ate o. Canvass .or senatoria$ &an!i!ates an! its supportin% state#ents o. votes prepare! 23 the #uni&ipa$ 2oar! o. &anvassers are sensitive e$e&tion !o&u#ents -hose entries #ust 2e thorou%h$3 s&rutiniJe!.##!##" In our revie-, the votes in the SO< shou$! tota$ +,88:.#$!#$" As 2et-een the %ran! tota$ o. votes a$$e%e! to have 2een re&eive! 23 private &o#p$ainant o. +,8)' votes an! state#ent o. his a&tua$ votes re&eive! o. +,88: is a !i..eren&e o. 11 votes. "he !is&repan&3 #a3 2e va$i!$3 attri2ute! to #ista,e or error !ue to .ati%ue. ;o-ever, a !e&rease o. 0,*** votes as re.$e&te! in the State#ent o. <otes an! Certi.i&ate o. Canvass is su2stantia$, it &annot 2e a$$o-e! to re#ain on re&or! un&ha$$en%e!, espe&ia$$3 -hen the error resu$ts .ro# the #ere trans.er o. tota$s .ro# one !o&u#ent to another. *HEREFORE, the instant petition is DENIED. "he assai$e! >e&ision o. the Court o. Appea$s sustainin% petitionerHs &onvi&tion 2ut in&reasin% the #ini#u# pena$t3 in her senten&e to one 3ear instea! o. siA #onths is AFFIR ED.

>urin% tria$ o. this &ase, petitioner a!#itte! that she -as in!ee! the one -ho announ&e! the .i%ure o. ',8)', -hi&h -as su2se6uent$3 entere! 23 then a&&use! <ira3 in his &apa&it3 as se&retar3 o. the 2oar!.
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Petitioner $i,e-ise a!#itte! that

she -as the one -ho prepare! the COC 4 Ahi2it A-15, thou%h it -as not her !ut3. "o our #in!, preparin% the COC even i. it -as not her tas,, #ani.ests an intention to perpetuate the erroneous entr3 in the COC.
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Neither &an this Court a&&ept petitionerHs eAp$anation that the Boar! o. Canvassers ha! no i!ea ho- the SO< 4 Ahi2it F+G5 an! the COC re.$e&te! that private &o#p$ainant ha! on$3 ',8)' votes instea! o. +,8)' votes. As &hair#an o. the Muni&ipa$ Boar! o. Canvassers, petitionerHs &on&ern -as to assure a&&urate, &orre&t an! authenti& entr3 o. the votes. ;er .ai$ure to eAer&ise #aAi#u# e..i&ien&3 an! .i!e$it3 to her trust !eserves not on$3 &ensure 2ut a$so the &on&o#itant san&tions as a #atter o. &ri#ina$ responsi2i$it3 pursuant to the !i&tates o. the $a-.
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"he .a&t that the nu#2er o. votes !e!u&te! .ro# the a&tua$ votes re&eive! 23 private &o#p$ainant, Sen. A6ui$ino Pi#ente$, 7r. -as not a!!e! to an3 senatoria$ &an!i!ate !oes not re$ieve petitioner o. $ia2i$it3 un!er Se&tion )1425 o. Rep. A&t No. ++(+. "he #ere !e&reasin% o. the votes re&eive! 23 a &an!i!ate in an e$e&tion is a$rea!3 punisha2$e un!er the sai! provision.
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At this point, -e see no va$i! reason to !istur2 the .a&tua$ &on&$usions o. the appe$$ate &ourt. "he Court has &onsistent$3 he$! that .a&tua$ .in!in%s o. the tria$ &ourt, as -e$$ as o. the Court o. Appea$s are .ina$ an! &on&$usive an! #a3 not 2e revie-e!
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SO ORDERED.

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LEONARDO A. QUISU BING Asso&iate 7usti&e C CONCUR:

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ANTONIO T. CARPIO Asso&iate 7usti&e

CONCHITA CARPIO ORALES Asso&iate 7usti&e

DANTE O. TINGA Asso&iate 7usti&e

ATTESTATION I attest that the &on&$usions in the a2ove >e&ision ha! 2een rea&he! in &onsu$tation 2e.ore the &ase -as assi%ne! to the -riter o. the opinion o. the CourtHs >ivision.

LEONARDO A. QUISU BING Asso&iate 7usti&e Chairperson

CERTIFICATION Pursuant to Se&tion '9, Arti&$e <III o. the Constitution, an! the >ivision ChairpersonHs Attestation, I &erti.3 that the &on&$usions in the a2ove >e&ision ha! 2een rea&he! in &onsu$tation 2e.ore the &ase -as assi%ne! to the -riter o. the opinion o. the CourtHs >ivision.

ARTE IO V. PANGANIBAN Chie. 7usti&e