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SUPREME COURT
Manila
EN BANC
G.R. No. 103982 December 11, 1992
ANTONIO A. MECANO, petitioner,
vs.
COMMISSION ON AUDIT, respondent.
The question that should be asked is: What is the nature of this
repealing clause? It is certainly not an express repealing clause
because it fails to identify or designate the act or acts that are
intended to be repealed. 5 Rather, it is an example of a general
repealing provision, as stated in Opinion No. 73, S. 1991. It is a
clause which predicates the intended repeal under the condition
that substantial conflict must be found in existing and prior acts.
The failure to add a specific repealing clause indicates that the
intent was not to repeal any existing law, unless an irreconcilable
inconcistency and repugnancy exist in the terms of the new and old
The COA, on the other hand, strongly maintains that the enactment
of the Administrative Code of 1987 (Exec. Order No. 292) operated
to revoke or supplant in its entirety the Revised Administrative
Code of 1917. The COA claims that from the "whereas" clauses of
the new Administrative Code, it can be gleaned that it was the
intent of the legislature to repeal the old Code. Moreover, the COA
Comparing the two Codes, it is apparent that the new Code does
not cover nor attempt to cover the entire subject matter of the old
Code. There are several matters treated in the old Code which are
not found in the new Code, such as the provisions on notaries
public, the leave law, the public bonding law, military reservations,
claims for sickness benefits under Section 699, and still others.
Moreover, the COA failed to demonstrate that the provisions of the
two Codes on the matter of the subject claim are in an
irreconcilable conflict. In fact, there can be no such conflict because
the provision on sickness benefits of the nature being claimed by
petitioner has not been restated in the Administrative Code of
1987. However, the COA would have Us consider that the fact that
BIDIN, J.:
Aeronautics
Administration
and
plaintiff Mobil Oil Philippines, Inc., over
the same parcel of land, but reduced
to 3,000 square meters, for 25 years.
After trial, the lower court render judgment on April 6, 1976 the
dispositive part of which reads:
WHEREFORE, after having thus considered the
evidence of all the parties, testimonial and
documentary, and their memoranda and replymemoranda, this Court hereby renders judgment:
1. Declaring Contract A as having been
validly cancelled on June 28, 1966, and
has therefore ceased to have any
effect as of that date;
CAA's
9.
Dismissing
defendant
CAA's
counterclaim
against
defendant
Leverizas.
No pronouncements as to costs.
II
On June 2, 1976, defendant Leveriza filed a motion for new trial on
the ground of newly discovered evidence, lack of jurisdiction of the
court over the case and lack of evidentiary support of the decision
which was denied in the order of November 12,1976 (Rollo, p. 17).
III
Contract "A" was entered into by CAA as the lessor and the
Leverizas as the lessee specifically "for the purpose of operating
and managing a gasoline station by the latter, to serve vehicles
going in and out of the airport."
As regards prior consent of the lessor to the transfer of rights to the
leased premises, the provision of paragraph 7 of said Contract
reads in full:
7. The Party of the Second part may transfer her
rights to the leased premises but in such eventuality,
the consent of the Party of the First Part shall first be
secured. In any event, such transfer of rights shall
have to respect the terms and conditions of this
agreement.
Paragraph 8 provides the sanction for the violation of the abovementioned terms and conditions of the contract. Said paragraph
reads:
(Letterhead)
Such argument is untenable. The terms and conditions under which
such revocation or cancellation may be made, have already been
specifically provided for in Contract "A" which has already been
approved by the Department Head, It is evident that in the
implementation of aforesaid contract, the approval of said
Department Head is no longer necessary if not redundant.
JURADO
10
Under the above-cited Section 32 (par. 24) of Republic Act 776, the
Administrator (Director) of the Civil Aeronautics Administration by
reason of its creation and existence, administers properties
belonging to the Republic of the Philippines and it is on these
properties that the Administrator must exercise his vast power and
discharge his duty to enter into, make and execute contract of any
kind with any person, firm, or public or private corporation or entity
and to acquire, hold, purchase, or lease any personal or real
property, right of ways and easements which may be proper or
necessary. The exception, however, is the sale of properties
acquired by CAA or any other real properties of the same which
must have the approval of the President of the Philippines. The
Court of appeals took cognizance of the striking absence of such
proviso in the other transactions contemplated in paragraph (24)
and is convinced as we are, that the Director of the Civil
Aeronautics Administration does not need the prior approval of the
President or the Secretary of Public Works and Communications in
the execution of Contract "C."
11
12
EN BANC
Hence, this petition for certiorari and prohibition seeking to set
aside the decision of the Voluntary Arbitrator and to prohibit her
from enforcing the same.
G.R. No. 120319 October 6, 1995
In labor law context, arbitration is the reference of a labor dispute
to an impartial third person for determination on the basis of
evidence and arguments presented by such parties who have
bound themselves to accept the decision of the arbitrator as final
and binding.
ROMERO, J.:
From a submission agreement of the Luzon Development Bank
(LDB) and the Association of Luzon Development Bank Employees
(ALDBE) arose an arbitration case to resolve the following issue:
Whether or not the company has violated the
Collective Bargaining Agreement provision and the
Memorandum of Agreement dated April 1994, on
promotion.
13
On the other hand, a labor arbiter under Article 217 of the Labor
Code has jurisdiction over the following enumerated cases:
. . . (a) Except as otherwise provided under this Code
the Labor Arbiters shall have original and exclusive
jurisdiction to hear and decide, within thirty (30)
calendar days after the submission of the case by the
parties for decision without extension, even in the
absence of stenographic notes, the following cases
involving all workers, whether agricultural or nonagricultural:
1. Unfair labor practice cases;
2. Termination disputes;
14
was
15
16
THIRD DIVISION
FELICIANO, J.:
Petitioner Iron and Steel Authority ("ISA") was created by
Presidential Decree (P.D.) No. 272 dated 9 August 1973 in order,
generally, to develop and promote the iron and steel industry in the
Philippines. The objectives of the ISA are spelled out in the
following terms:
17
expired on 10 October 1978, its term was extended for another ten
(10) years by Executive Order No. 555 dated 31 August 1979.
18
Private respondent MCFC, upon the other hand, argues that the
failure of Congress to enact a law further extending the term of ISA
after 11 August 1988 evinced a "clear legislative intent to
terminate the juridical existence of ISA," and that the authorization
issued by the Office of the President to the Solicitor General for
continued prosecution of the expropriation suit could not prevail
over such negative intent. It is also contended that the exercise of
the eminent domain by ISA or the Republic is improper, since that
power would be exercised "not on behalf of the National
Government but for the benefit of NSC."
In this Petition for Review, the Solicitor General argues that since
ISA initiated and prosecuted the action for expropriation in its
capacity as agent of the Republic of the Philippines, the Republic,
as principal of ISA, is entitled to be substituted and to be made a
party-plaintiff after the agent ISA's term had expired.
19
(1)
Government
of
the
Republic
of
the
Philippines refers to the corporate governmental
entity through which the functions of government are
exercised throughout the Philippines, including, save
as the contrary appears from the context, the various
arms through which political authority is made
effective in the Philippines, whether pertaining to the
autonomous regions, the provincial, city, municipal or
barangay subdivisions or other forms of local
government.
20
(Emphases supplied)
When the statutory term of a non-incorporated agency expires, the
powers, duties and functions as well as the assets and liabilities of
that agency revert back to, and are re-assumed by, the Republic of
the Philippines, in the absence of special provisions of law
specifying some other disposition thereof such as, e.g., devolution
or transmission of such powers, duties, functions, etc. to some
other identified successor agency or instrumentality of the Republic
of
the
Philippines.
When
the
expiring
agency
is
an incorporated one, the consequences of such expiry must be
looked for, in the first instance, in the charter of that agency and,
by way of supplementation, in the provisions of the Corporation
Code. Since, in the instant case, ISA is a non-incorporated agency
or instrumentality of the Republic, its powers, duties, functions,
assets and liabilities are properly regarded as folded back into the
Government of the Republic of the Philippines and hence assumed
once again by the Republic, no special statutory provision having
been shown to have mandated succession thereto by some other
entity or agency of the Republic.
21
22
SO ORDERED.
23
SECOND DIVISION
Charges of violations of R.A. No. 3019, 3 (e) and R.A. No. 992,
20-21 and R.A. No. 733, 14 were likewise filed against him with the
Office of Tanodbayan.
24
Act, and under which the accused has been suspended by this
Court in an Order dated October 22, 1976, said accused is hereby
ordered reinstated to the position of President of the Philippine
College of Commerce, now known as the Polytechnic University of
the Philippines, from which he has been suspended. By virtue of
said reinstatement, he is entitled to receive the salaries and other
benefits which he failed to receive during suspension, unless in the
meantime administrative proceedings have been filed against him.
In his return dated April 28, 1992, the sheriff stated that he had
executed the writ by installing petitioner as President of the PUP,
although Dr. Gellor did not vacate the office as he wanted to
consult with the President of the Philippines first. This led to a
contempt citation against Dr. Gellor. A hearing was set on May 7,
1992. On May 5, 1992, petitioner also moved to cite Department of
Education, Culture and Sports Secretary Isidro Cario in contempt of
court. Petitioner assumed the office of president of the PUP.
The bail bonds filed by the accused for his provisional liberty in
these cases are hereby cancelled and released.
SO ORDERED.
Hence this petition. Petitioner argues that P.D. No. 1341, which
converted the PCC into the PUP, did not abolish the PCC. He
contends that if the law had intended the PCC to lose its existence,
it would have specified that the PCC was being abolished rather
than converted and that if the PUP was intended to be a new
institution, the law would have said it was being created. Petitioner
claims that the PUP is merely a continuation of the existence of the
PCC, and, hence, he could be reinstated to his former position as
president.
25
P.D. No. 1341 did not abolish, but only changed, the former
Philippine College of Commerce into what is now the Polytechnic
University of the Philippines, in the same way that earlier in 1952,
R.A. No. 778 had converted what was then the Philippine School of
Commerce into the Philippine College of Commerce. What took
place was a change in academic status of the educational
institution, not in its corporate life. Hence the change in its name,
the expansion of its curricular offerings, and the changes in its
structure and organization.
26
The appellate court ruled, however, that the PUP and the PCC
are not one and the same institution but two different entities and
that since petitioner Crisostomos term was coterminous with the
legal existence of the PCC, petitioners term expired upon the
abolition of the PCC. In reaching this conclusion, the Court of
Appeals took into account the following:
The Court of Appeals also cites the provision of P.D. No. 1341
as allegedly implying the abolition of the PCC and the creation of a
new one the PUP in its stead:
12. All parcels of land, buildings, equipment and facilities owned by
the Philippine College of Commerce and such other national schools
as may be integrated by virtue of this decree, including their
obligations and appropriations thereof, shall stand transferred to
the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, provided, however,
that said national schools shall continue to receive their
corresponding shares from the special education fund of the
municipal/provincial/city government concerned as are now
enjoyed by them in accordance with existing laws and/or decrees.
The law does not state that the lands, buildings and equipment
owned by the PCC were being transferred to the PUP but only that
they stand transferred to it. Stand transferred simply means, for
example, that lands transferred to the PCC were to be understood
as transferred to the PUP as the new name of the institution.
27
SO ORDERED.
28
EN BANC
1.6 Auditor
1.7 Five (5) Directors
2.1 President
2.2 Executive Vice-President
2.3 First Vice-President
2.4 Second Vice-President
MENDOZA, J.:
29
Although the elections are now over, the issues raised in this case
are likely to arise again in future elections of officers of the Liga ng
mga Barangay. For one thing, doubt may be cast on the validity of
the acts of those elected. For another, this comes within the rule
that courts will decide a question which is otherwise moot and
academic if it is "capable of repetition, yet evading review." 1
30
created for each chapter in the Constitution and By-laws are those
of first, second and third vice presidents and auditor. Contrary to
petitioner's contention, the creation of the additional positions is
authorized by the LGC which provides as follows:
31
(Emphasis added)
While the board of directors of a local chapter can create additional
positions to provide for the needs of the chapter, the board of
directors of the National Liga must be deemed to have the power to
create additional positions not only for its management but also for
that of all the chapters at the municipal, city, provincial and
metropolitan political subdivision levels. Otherwise the National
Liga would be no different from the local chapters. There would
then be only so many local chapters without a national one, when
what is contemplated in the above-quoted provisions of the LGC is
that there should be one Liga ng mga Barangay with local chapters
at all levels of local government units. The dissent, by denying to
the board of directors at the National Liga the power to create
additional positions in the local chapters, would reduce such board
to a board of a local chapter. The fact is that 493 grants the power
to create positions not only to the boards of the local chapters but
to the board of the Liga at the national level as well.
32
Indeed what was done in the Constitution and By-laws of their liga
was to create additional positions in each chapters, whether
national or local, without however precluding the boards of
directors of the chapters as well as that of the national liga from
creating other positions for their peculiar needs. The creation by
the board of the National Liga of the positions of first, second and
third vice presidents, auditors and public relations officers was
intended to provide uniform officers for the various chapters in line
with the mandate in Art. 210(g)(2) of the Rules and Regulations
Implementing the Local Government Code of 1991 to the Barangay
National Assembly to "formulate uniform constitution and by-laws
applicable to the national liga and all local chapters." The various
chapters could have different minor officers depending on their
local needs, but they must have the same major elective officers,
meaning to say, the additional vice-presidents and auditors.
The
dissent
further
argues
that,
following
the
rule
of ejusdem generis, what may be created as additional positions
can only be appointive ones because the positions of secretary and
treasurer are appointive positions. The rule might apply if what is
involved is the appointment of other officers. But what we are
dealing with in this case is the creation of additional positions.
Section 493 actually gives the board the power to "[1] appoint its
secretary and treasurer and [2] create such other positions as it
may deem necessary for the management of the chapter." The
additional positions to be created need not therefore be appointive
positions.
33
VI
34
2.1 President
metropolitan chapters of
the liga, the incumbent
presidents
of
the
association of barangay
councils
in
the
municipality,
city,
province,
and
Metropolitan Manila shall
continue
to
act
as
presidents
of
the
corresponding chapters
under
this
Rule.
(Emphasis supplied).
(2) A secretary-general
shall be elected from
among the members of
the national liga who
shall be responsible for
the overall operation of
the
liga.
Pending
election of a secretarygeneral under this rule,
the incumbent president
of
the
pambansang
katipunan
ng
mga
barangay shall act as
the
secretary-general.
This
incumbent
members of the board of
the
pambansang
katipunan
ng
mga
barangay, headed by the
secretary-general, who
continue
to
be
presidents
of
the
respective chapters of
the liga to which they
belong, shall constitute
a committee to exercise
35
(3)
The
board
of
directors
shall
coordinate the activities
of the various chapters
of the liga.
It may readily be observed that Section 493 of the LGC and Article
211(f) of the Implementing Rules are clear that the officers of the
national liga and its local chapters are: (1) the President, (2) Vice
President and (3) five (5) members of the Board of Directors. In
turn, it is the Board of Directors which appoints the secretary and
treasurer and is empowered to "create such other positions as it
may deem necessary for the management of the chapter
concerned." It is, therefore, unequivocally clear that only the Board
of Directors and not any other body which is vested with the
power to create other positions as may be necessary for the
management of the chapter.
Second, even assuming that the committee was the so-called First
Barangay National Assembly of 11 January 1994, said committee
was not authorized to create, by virtue of the Constitution and ByLaws it enacted additional positions for the national liga and the
liga at the local levels. The aforementioned Article 211(g), limits the
power of this committee, as follows:
(g) Constitution and By-Laws of the Liga
(1) All other matters not
provided under this Rule
affecting the internal
organization of the liga
shall be governed by its
constitution and by-laws,
unless inconsistent with
the
Constitution
and
applicable laws, rules
and regulations.
(2)
The
committee
created in this Article
shall formulate uniform
constitution and by-laws
applicable
to
the
national liga and all local
36
Note that the constitution and by-laws which the committee may
enact must not be inconsistent with . . . "applicable laws, rules and
regulations." Of course, one of the laws that come to mind is the
LGC of 1991 and the rules and regulations could nothing be than
the Rules Implementing the Local Government Code of 1991. It
goes without saying that the LGC and its Implementing Rules must
perforce be heeded. It bears repeating that as they stand, Section
493 of the LGC and Article 211 (f) of the Implementing Rules limit
the officers to the: President, Vice President and the board of
directors composed of five (5) members. The latter then appoints
a secretary and a treasurer and may create such other positions as
it may deem necessary for the management of the chapter. Plainly,
neither the LGC nor the Implementing Rules authorizes any person
or entity, other than the Board of Directors, to create additional
positions.
Third, it would be a clear case of judicial legislation to declare that
since the additional positions were created in the Constitution and
By-Laws of the Liga ng Mga Barangay, then they "were as much as
the creations of the local chapters as of the national league." This
runs afoul of Section 493 of the LGC which vests the power to
create additional positions only in the Board of Director of the
chapter.
Separate Opinions
DAVIDE, JR., J., dissenting;
37
VI
38
2.7 Auditor
2.8 Five (5) Directors
1.1 President
(1) The national liga and
its local chapters shall
directly
elect
their
respective
officers,
namely: a
president,
vice president, and five
(5) members of the
board of directors. The
board shall appoint its
secretary and treasurer
and create such other
positions as it may
deem necessary for the
management
of
the
chapter.
Pending
election of presidents of
the
municipal,
city,
provincial,
and
metropolitan chapters of
the liga, the incumbent
presidents
of
the
association of barangay
councils
in
the
municipality,
city,
province,
and
Metropolitan Manila shall
continue
to
act
as
presidents
of
the
corresponding chapters
39
under
this
Rule.
(Emphasis supplied).
(2) A secretary-general
shall be elected from
among the members of
the national liga who
shall be responsible for
the overall operation of
the
liga.
Pending
election of a secretarygeneral under this rule,
the incumbent president
of
the
pambansang
katipunan
ng
mga
barangay shall act as
the
secretary-general.
This
incumbent
members of the board of
the
pambansang
katipunan
ng
mga
barangay, headed by the
secretary-general, who
continue
to
be
presidents
of
the
respective chapters of
the liga to which they
belong, shall constitute
a committee to exercise
the powers and duties of
the national liga and
draft or amend the
constitution and by-laws
of the national liga to
conform
to
the
provisions of this Rule.
It may readily be observed that Section 493 of the LGC and Article
211(f) of the Implementing Rules are clear that the officers of the
national liga and its local chapters are: (1) the President, (2) Vice
President and (3) five (5) members of the Board of Directors. In
turn, it is the Board of Directors which appoints the secretary and
treasurer and is empowered to "create such other positions as it
may deem necessary for the management of the chapter
concerned." It is, therefore, unequivocally clear that only the Board
of Directors and not any other body which is vested with the
power to create other positions as may be necessary for the
management of the chapter.
The ponencia maintains that since the questioned positions were
provided for in the Constitution and By-Laws of the Liga ng Mga
Barangay adopted during its First Barangay National Assembly on
11 January 1994, then such additional positions "were as much the
creations of the local chapters as of the national league. The
barangay themselves, through the constitution and by-laws of their
liga, created the additional positions without precluding the boards
of directors of the chapters as well as that of the national liga from
creating other positions."
I beg to differ. In the first place, I am unable to find any provision of
the LGC creating or establishing the Barangay National Assembly.
What the LGC has created is the Liga ng Mga Barangay (Sec. 491)
with local chapters at the municipal, city, provincial and
metropolitan subdivision levels (Sec. 492). Under the Implementing
Rules of the LGC (Art. 211[e][4]), the National Liga Ng Mga
Barangay is composed of the duly elected presidents of highly
urbanized city chapters, provincial chapters and metropolitan
chapters.
Pursuant to Article 211[f][2] of the Implementing Rules, the
members of the Board of the Pambansang Katipunan ng Mga
Barangay, headed by the Secretary-General, were constituted into
a committee to exercise the powers and duties of the national liga
and draft or amend the Constitution and By-Laws of the Liga. There
(3)
The
board
of
directors
shall
coordinate the activities
40
LGC of 1991 and the rules and regulations could nothing be than
the Rules Implementing the Local Government Code of 1991. It
goes without saying that the LGC and its Implementing Rules must
perforce be heeded. It bears repeating that as they stand, Section
493 of the LGC and Article 211 (f) of the Implementing Rules limit
the officers to the: President, Vice President and the board of
directors composed of five (5) members. The latter then appoints
a secretary and a treasurer and may create such other positions as
it may deem necessary for the management of the chapter. Plainly,
neither the LGC nor the Implementing Rules authorizes any person
or entity, other than the Board of Directors, to create additional
positions.
Second, even assuming that the committee was the so-called First
Barangay National Assembly of 11 January 1994, said committee
was not authorized to create, by virtue of the Constitution and ByLaws it enacted additional positions for the national liga and the
liga at the local levels. The aforementioned Article 211(g), limits the
power of this committee, as follows:
(g) Constitution and By-Laws of the Liga
(1) All other matters not
provided under this Rule
affecting the internal
organization of the liga
shall be governed by its
constitution and by-laws,
unless inconsistent with
the
Constitution
and
applicable laws, rules
and regulations.
(2)
The
committee
created in this Article
shall formulate uniform
constitution and by-laws
applicable
to
the
national liga and all local
chapters. The committee
shall
convene
the
national liga to ratify the
constitution and by-laws
within six (6) months
from issuance of these
Rules.
Note that the constitution and by-laws which the committee may
enact must not be inconsistent with . . . "applicable laws, rules and
regulations." Of course, one of the laws that come to mind is the
41
42
EN BANC
LOUIS BAROK C. BIRAOGO,
Petitioner,
- versus -
Present:
CORONA, C.J.,
distributed among the several departments. [2] The Constitution is
CARPIO,
CARPIO MORALES,
the basic and paramount law to which all other laws must conform
VELASCO, JR.,
and to which all persons, including the highest officials of the land,
NACHURA,
LEONARDO-DE CASTRO, must defer.[3] Constitutional doctrines must remain steadfast no
BRION,
matter what may be the tides of time. It cannot be simply made to
PERALTA,
BERSAMIN,
sway and accommodate the call of situations and much more tailor
DEL CASTILLO,
itself to the whims and caprices of government and the people who
ABAD,
VILLARAMA, JR.,
run it.[4]
PEREZ,
MENDOZA, and
SERENO, JJ.
For consideration before the Court are two consolidated
Promulgated:
cases[5] both
December 7, 2010
of
which
essentially
assail
the
validity
and
x -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- x
DECISION
The first case is G.R. No. 192935, a special civil action for
MENDOZA, J.:
43
Representatives.
2010,
signed
Executive
Order
Commission
No.
of
establishing
2010
(Truth
44
b)
Collect, receive, review and evaluate evidence
related to or regarding the cases of large scale
corruption which it has chosen to investigate, and to
this end require any agency, official or employee of
the Executive Branch, including government-owned
or controlled corporations, to produce documents,
books, records and other papers;
c)
Upon proper request or representation, obtain
information and documents from the Senate and the
House of Representatives records of investigations
conducted by committees thereof relating to matters
or subjects being investigated by the Commission;
d)
Upon proper request and representation, obtain
information
from
the
courts,
including
the
Sandiganbayan and the Office of the Court
Administrator, information or documents in respect to
corruption cases filed with the Sandiganbayan or the
regular courts, as the case may be;
e)
Invite or subpoena witnesses and take their
testimonies and for that purpose, administer oaths or
affirmations as the case may be;
f)
Recommend, in cases where there is a need to
utilize any person as a state witness to ensure that
the ends of justice be fully served, that such person
who qualifies as a state witness under the Revised
Rules of Court of the Philippines be admitted for that
purpose;
g)
Turn over from time to time, for expeditious
prosecution, to the appropriate prosecutorial
authorities, by means of a special or interim report
and recommendation, all evidence on corruption of
public officers and employees and their private sector
co-principals, accomplices or accessories, if any,
when in the course of its investigation the
Commission finds that there is reasonable ground to
believe that they are liable for graft and corruption
under pertinent applicable laws;
a)
Identify and determine the reported cases of
such graft and corruption which it will investigate;
h)
Call upon any government investigative or
prosecutorial agency such as the Department of
45
i)
Engage or contract the services of resource
persons,
professionals
and
other
personnel
determined by it as necessary to carry out its
mandate;
SECTION
14. Term of the Commission. The
Commission shall accomplish its mission on or before
December 31, 2012.
j)
Promulgate its rules and regulations or rules of
procedure it deems necessary to effectively and
efficiently carry out the objectives of this Executive
Order and to ensure the orderly conduct of its
investigations, proceedings and hearings, including
the presentation of evidence;
k)
Exercise such other acts incident to or are
appropriate and necessary in connection with the
objectives and purposes of this Order.
SECTION 3. Staffing Requirements. x x x.
SECTION 4. Detail of Employees. x x x.
SECTION 5. Engagement of Experts. x x x
SECTION 6. Conduct of Proceedings. x x x.
SECTION 7. Right to Counsel of Witnesses/Resource
Persons. x x x.
SECTION 8. Protection of Witnesses/Resource
Persons. x x x.
SECTION 9. Refusal to Obey Subpoena, Take Oath or
Give Testimony. Any government official or personnel
who, without lawful excuse, fails to appear upon
subpoena issued by the Commission or who,
appearing before the Commission refuses to take
oath or affirmation, give testimony or produce
documents for inspection, when required, shall be
subject to administrative disciplinary action. Any
private person who does the same may be dealt with
in accordance with law.
SECTION 10. Duty to Extend Assistance to the
Commission. x x x.
SECTION 11. Budget for the Commission. The Office
of the President shall provide the necessary funds for
the Commission to ensure that it can exercise its
powers, execute its functions, and perform its duties
46
emerging
from
periods
of
internal
unrest,
civil
strife
or
the following characteristics: (1) they examine only past events; (2)
To accomplish its task, the PTC shall have all the powers of
and
propose
policy
recommendations
to
prevent
may aim to discover and learn more about past abuses, or formally
Thus,
their
main
goals
range
from
retribution
to
South Africa, the principal function of which was to heal the wounds
countries which have been created as official, transitory and nonjudicial fact-finding bodies to establish the facts and context of
47
The PTC is a far cry from South Africas model. The latter
placed more emphasis on reconciliation than on judicial retribution,
while the marching order of the PTC is the identification and
punishment of perpetrators. As one writer[12] puts it:
The order ruled out reconciliation. It
translated the Draconian code spelled out by Aquino
in his inaugural speech: To those who talk about
reconciliation, if they mean that they would like us to
simply forget about the wrongs that they have
committed in the past, we have this to say: There can
be no reconciliation without justice. When we allow
crimes to go unpunished, we give consent to their
occurring over and over again.
48
Agency
on
Reform
and
Government
Operations (PARGO) by
[18]
Whether
or
not
the
2.
and commissions;
3. Whether or not Executive Order No. 1
supplants the powers of the Ombudsman and the
DOJ;
injunctive relief.
49
present.
(2) the person challenging the act must have the standing to
Enriquez,[21]
at
the
earliest
opportunity;
and
(4)
the
issue
of
their office remain inviolate. Thus, they are allowed to question the
prerogatives as legislators.[22]
[20]
50
The
difficulty
of
determining locus
standi arises in public suits. Here, the plaintiff who
asserts a public right in assailing an allegedly illegal
official action, does so as a representative of the
general public. He may be a person who is affected
no differently from any other person. He could be
suing as a stranger, or in the category of a citizen, or
taxpayer. In either case, he has to adequately show
that he is entitled to seek judicial protection. In other
words, he has to make out a sufficient interest in the
vindication of the public order and the securing of
relief as a citizen or taxpayer.
This
Court
adopted
the direct
injury
test in our jurisdiction. In People v. Vera, it held that
the person who impugns the validity of a statute
must have a personal and substantial interest in
the case such that he has sustained, or will
sustain
direct
injury
as
a
result. The Vera doctrine was upheld in a litany of
cases, such as, Custodio v. President of the
Senate, Manila Race Horse Trainers Association v. De
la
Fuente, Pascual
v.
Secretary
of
Public
51
the Filipino people are more than interested to know the status of
the Presidents first effort to bring about a promised change to the
country. The Court takes cognizance of the petition not due to
of the public, but because the Court stands firm in its oath to
matter
is
of transcendental
importance,
of
overreaching
[26]
serious
constitutional
questions
are
involved,
the
standing
even where there is no direct injury to the party claiming the right
and
taxpayers
were
allowed
to
[27]
ordinary
question
the
thereof.[35]
importance not only to the public but also to the Bench and the
Bar, they should be resolved for the guidance of all. [30] Undoubtedly,
52
ensure that all laws are enforced by public officials and employees
office, or interfere with the discretion of his officials. [40] The power of
The
OSG
counters
that
there
is
nothing
where it was held that the President has the power to reorganize
exclusively
create public offices within the Office of the President Proper has
long been recognized.[37]According to the OSG, the Executive, just
necessarily includes the power to create offices. For the OSG, the
President may create the PTC in order to, among others, put a
government.[45]
creation of the PTC fall within the ambit of the power to reorganize
as expressed in Section 31 of the Revised Administrative Code?
53
judgment of the former with that of the latter. [47] Clearly, the power
54
under P.D. 1416, as amended by P.D. No. 1772. [48] The said law
clause:
WHEREAS,
the transition towards
the parliamentary
form
of
government will
necessitate flexibility in the organization of the
national government.
by
P.D.
No.
oficioupon
the
55
Executive.
ASSOCIATE
JUSTICE
CARPIO: The
That
the
authority
of
the
President
to
conduct
power of the
President
to
reorganize the
entire National
Government is
deemed
repealed,
at
least, upon the
adoption of the
1987
Constitution,
correct.
56
bodies created in the past like the PCAC, PCAPE, PARGO, the
Constitution.
[53]
changed.
an
allotment
or
allocations
of
existing
funds
already
it was ruled:
57
"Adjudicate," commonly
or
popularly
understood, means to adjudge, arbitrate, judge,
decide, determine, resolve, rule on, settle. The
dictionary defines the term as "to settle finally (the
rights and duties of the parties to a court case) on
the merits of issues raised: x x to pass judgment on:
settle judicially: x x act as judge." And "adjudge"
means "to decide or rule upon as a judge or with
judicial or quasi-judicial powers: x x to award or grant
judicially in a case of controversy x x."
In the legal sense, "adjudicate" means: "To
settle in the exercise of judicial authority. To
determine finally. Synonymous with adjudge in its
strictest sense;" and "adjudge" means: "To pass on
judicially, to decide, settle or decree, or to sentence
or condemn. x x. Implies a judicial determination of a
fact, and the entry of a judgment."[Italics included.
Citations Omitted]
clearly
authorized
by
the
legislature
in
the
case
of
administrative agencies.
or
office.
The
function
of
receiving
evidence
and
58
[64]
[65]
it was written:
primordial duties.
The same holds true with respect to the DOJ. Its authority under
Section 3 (2), Chapter 1, Title III, Book IV in the Revised
Administrative Code is by no means exclusive and, thus, can be
59
not apply equally to all members of the same class such that the
crimes.
The petitioners argue that the search for truth behind the
laws.
under
the
recognized
exceptions
because first,
there
is
no
who abused their public office for personal gain; and second, the
in
Section
1,
Article
III
(Bill
of
Rights)
of
the
1987
deal with graft and grafters prior and subsequent to the Arroyo
administration with the strong arm of the law with equal force. [70]
Position of respondents
According to respondents, while Executive Order No. 1
60
itself to cases of large scale graft and corruption solely during the
said
would
its
proceedings
to
officials
the
of
commission
the
previous
61
[75]
For
classification
to
meet
the
requirements
of
as invalid if all the members of the class are not similarly treated,
[77]
in the sense that the members of the class should possess the
[79]
The
classification
must
not
be
based
on
existing
the test of reasonableness. The test has four requisites: (1) The
and
62
63
resources. The law does not require the impossible (Lex non cogit
ad impossibilia).[91]
basis
for
distinguishing
said
administration
from
earlier
reports of impropriety. They are not inherent in, and do not inure
have
solely to, the Arroyo administration. As Justice Isagani Cruz put it,
the
authority
to
investigate
all
past
should not be
arbitrary lest it be
Hopkins,[92]
or
that
the
earlier
reports
involving
the
earlier
considered
64
view
that
although
its
focus
is
restricted,
the
not in
any
way be
circumvented.
The
Constitution
is
the
class must be brought under the influence of the law and treated by
it in the same way as are the members of the class.[97]
not fatal to the validity of a law under the equal protection clause.
[98]
embracing and does not include all the evils within its reach. [99] It
[95]
step
legislature does not run the risk of losing the entire remedial
to cover every evil that might conceivably have been attacked. [102]
In
conditions. Furthermore,
all
similar
who
are
circumstances
in
situations
1,
protection
however,
claims,
there
is
no
order. It must be noted that Executive Order No. 1 does not even
No.
equal
be
Order
to
thereafter
Executive
regard
may
process.[101] With
and
and
protection
clause
discrimination.
65
[103]
is
violated
by
purposeful
and
intentional
discrimination, the OSG clarifies that the commission does not only
[104]
the principal issue in said case being only the sufficiency of a cause
of action.
A final word
The issue that seems to take center stage at present is whether or not the Supreme Court, in the exercise of its
constitutionally mandated power of Judicial Review with respect to
recent initiatives of the legislature and the executive department, is
exercising undue interference. Is the Highest Tribunal, which is
expected to be the protector of the Constitution, itself guilty of
powers? Time and again, this issue has been addressed by the
Court, but it seems that the present political situation calls for it to
once again explain the legal basis of its action lest it continually be
be
covered
in
the
future. Such
expanded
mandate
of
the
administration.[105]
66
order,
instruction,
ordinance,
or
regulation
remember this ethical principle: The end does not justify the
of conflict between the Supreme Court, on one hand, and the two
been
accused
of
asserting
superiority
over
the
still be allowed.[108] The Court cannot just turn a blind eye and
other
simply let it pass. It will continue to uphold the Constitution and its
departments.
enshrined principles.
truth
commission
as
nobly
envisioned
by
the
present
not imposing its own will upon a co-equal body but rather simply
67
WHEREFORE,
the
petitions
Order No. 1.
SO ORDERED.
68