JUANITO C.

PILAR, Petitioner,
versus
COMMISSION ON ELECTION, Respondent
(G.R. No. 115245, 11 July 1995)

Facts
Herein petitioner, Juanito Pilar filed his certificate of candidacy for the position
of the member of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan for the Province of Isabela on the 22 nd
day of March 1992. On the 25th day of March same year he withdrew his candidacy.
Meanwhile, COMELEC imposed upon the petitioner an administrative fines of
Ten Thousand Pesos(10, 000.00) for not complying in filing his statement of
contributions and expenditures. Upon filing for a motion for reconsideration,
COMELEC denied his motion thereby letting him filed the case at the COMELEC En
Banc but they also denied it through the resolution they issued.
Petition for Certiorari was then filed by Mr. Pilar arguing that he is not liable for
such fines because he was a non- candidate since he withdrew his COC after 3 days of
filing thereon. He also postulates that a candidate must have entered the political
contest and should have either won or lost before imposing such kind of penalty as
stated in Section 14 of R.A. 7166.
Issue
Whether or not Section 14 of R.A. 7166 excludes candidates who already
withdrew their candidacy for election.

Ruling
The petition was dismissed due to lack of merit.
No. Section 14 of R.A No. 7166 states that every candidate has the obligation to
file his statement of contributions and expenditures.
Well- recognized is the rule that where the law does not distinguish, courts
should not also distinguish. In this case, as the law makes no distinction or qualification
as to whether the candidate pursued his candidacy or withdrew the same, the term
“every candidate” must be deemed to refer not only to a candidate who pursued his
campaign but also to one who withdrew his candidacy.