Source: http://lawlibrary.chanrobles.com/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=51705:gr-176724-2008&amp;catid=1510&amp;Itemid=566
Timestamp: 2019-04-19 14:18:04+00:00

Document:
G.R. No. 176724 - MAYOR KENNEDY B. BASMALA v. COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS, ET AL.
MAYOR KENNEDY B. BASMALA, Petitioner, v. COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS and AMENODIN U. SUMAGAYAN, Respondents.
For the resolution of the Court is a Petition for Certiorari under Rule 64 of the Rules of Court assailing the October 13, 2006 Resolution1 of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Second Division and the March 1, 2007 Resolution2 of the COMELEC en banc in EAC No. A-11-2006.
Discontented, petitioner instituted the instant Petition for Certiorari before the Court.
The COMELEC, in resolving the case, examined the records of the protest, the evidence submitted by the parties, and the pertinent election documents. As it is the specialized agency tasked with the supervision of elections all over the country, its findings of fact when supported by substantial evidence are final, non-reviewable and binding upon the Court.16 Furthermore, the appreciation of election documents involves a question of fact best left to the determination of the COMELEC.17 Let it be reiterated that the Court is not a trier of facts18 and it will only step in if there is a showing that the COMELEC committed grave abuse of discretion.
ACCORDINGLY, the Petition for Certiorari is DISMISSED.
13 AlbaÃ±a v. Commission on Elections, 478 Phil. 941, 949 (2004); Trinidad v. Commission on Elections, 373 Phil. 802, 812-813 (1999), citing Malaluan v. Commission on Elections, 324 Phil. 676, 683 (1996).
14 Indira R. Fernandez v. Commission on Elections and Mark Anthony B. Rodriguez, G.R. No. 176296, June 30, 2008.
15 Cantoria v. Commission on Elections, G.R. No. 162035, November 26, 2004, 444 SCRA 538, 543.
16 Idulza v. Commission on Elections, G.R. No. 160130, April 14, 2004, 427 SCRA 701, 707-708.
17 Punzalan v. Commission on Elections, 352 Phil. 538, 552 (1998).
18 Juan v. Commission on Elections, G.R. No. 166639, April 24, 2007, 522 SCRA 119, 128.

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