1969 / Mar

G.R. No. L-29684 - MARCH 1969 - PHILIPPINE JURISPRUDENCE CASE NUMBERCASE TITLE G.R. No. L-29684March 29, 1969 Araceli V. Malag vs. Ramon delos Cientos, et al. A.M. No. 598March 28, 1969 Aurora Soriano Deles vs. Vicente E. Aragona, Jr. G.R. No. L-30058March 28, 1969 Luis G. de Castro vs. Julian G. Ginete, et al. G.R. No. L-29894March 28, 1969 Jesus W. Lazatin vs. Ruperto Kapunan G.R. No. L-29814March 28, 1969 Santos Andal, et al. vs. People of the Philippines G.R. No. L-29617March 28, 1969 Uso Dan Aguam vs. Commission on Elections, et al. G.R. No. L-29610March 28, 1969 Alim Balindong vs. Commission on Elections, et al. G.R. No. L-29458March 28, 1969 Virginia F. Perez vs. Rafael dela Cruz, et al. G.R. No. L-29343March 28, 1969 Felipe de Guzman vs. Walfrido delos Angeles, et al. G.R. No. L-29199March 28, 1969 Clenio L. Ondona vs. Commission on Election, et al. G.R. No. L-28113March 28, 1969 Municipality of Manabang, et al. vs. Pangandapun Benito, et al. G.R. No. L-27231March 28, 1969 Alfonso Visitacion vs. Victor Manit, et al. G.R. No. L-27189March 28, 1969 Fireman's Fund Insurance Company vs. Maersk Line Far East Service, et al. G.R. No. L-27120March 28, 1969 People of the Philippines vs. Juan L. Bocar, et al. G.R. No. L-27100March 28, 1969 German S. Montesa vs. Felipe Onofre Directo G.R. No. L-26953March 28, 1969 Zenaida Medina vs. Venancia L. Makabali, et al. G.R. No. L-26932March 28, 1969 Ruperto Sanchez vs. Court of Industrial Relations G.R. No. L-26808March 28, 1969 Lucio V. Garcia vs. Conrado M. Vasquez, et al. G.R. No. L-26572March 28, 1969 Morales Development Company, Inc. vs. Court of Appeals G.R. No. L-26487March 28, 1969 Constantina de Agraviador vs. Court of Appeals, et al. G.R. No. L-26153March 28, 1969 Gualberto Tenchavez vs. Atlas Consolidated Mining and Development Company, et al. G.R. No. L-25878March 28, 1969 Philippine Association of Free Labor Unions (PAFLU) vs. Gaudencio CLoribel, et al. G.R. No. L-25618March 28, 1969 Abelardo Subido vs. Simeon Gopengco, et al. G.R. No. L-25555March 28, 1969 People of the Philippines vs. Domingo Magcamit G.R. No. L-25439March 28, 1969 In re: Chua Tan Chuan Chua Tan Chuan vs. Republic of the Philippines G.R. No. L-25338March 28, 1969 Union Insurance Society of Canton, Ltd. vs. Republic of the Philippines, et al. G.R. No. L-25333March 28, 1969 Consolidated Workers Union vs. Court of Industrial Relations, et al. G.R. No. L-24982March 28, 1969 Bernardina Florendo vs. Bonifacia Florendo, et al. G.R. No. L-24775March 28, 1969 Mariano C. Atega vs. Montano A. Ortiz, et al. G.R. No. L-24699March 28, 1969 Abiguel Reyes-Gregorio vs. Arsenio Reyes, et al. G.R. No. L-24634 and L-24635March 28, 1969 Union of Philippine Education Employees (NLU) vs. Philippine Education Company, Inc., et al. G.R. No. L-24399March 28, 1969 Firestone Tire and Rubber Company of the Philippines vs. Fernando Tempongko, et al. G.R. No. L-23942March 28, 1969 Carmen Devesa, et al. vs. Juan B. Montecillo, et al. G.R. No. L-23792March 28, 1969 Modesta Jimenez vda. de Nocete vs. Pilar Oira, et al. G.R. No. L-23654March 28, 1969 People of the Philippines vs. Vicente Marquez G.R. No. L-23591March 28, 1969 Leoncio Yu Lim vs. Republic of the Philippines G.R. No. L-23253March 28, 1969 In re Betty Chua Sy Betty Chua Sy vs. Bartolome Cabangbang, et al. G.R. No. L-22784March 28, 1969 Insurance Company of North America vs. Osaka Shosen Kaisha (O.S.K. Line), et al. G.R. No. L-22706March 28, 1969 Joaquin Uypangco vs. Jose N. Leuterio, et al. G.R. No. L-22687March 28, 1969 Malayan Insurance Company, Inc. vs. Manila Port Service, et al. G.R. No. L-22675March 28, 1969 Philippine National Bank vs. Pacific National House, et al. G.R. No. L-22619March 28, 1969 In re: Emmanuel Lai Emmanuel Lai vs. Republic of the Philippines G.R. No. L-22535March 28, 1969 Alfredo Villaruel vs. Manila Port Service, et al. G.R. No. L-22187March 28, 1969 People of the Philippines vs. Anastacio Maisug, et al. G.R. No. L-22094March 28, 1969 People of the Philippines vs. Ignacio Tatlonghari, et al. G.R. No. L-22007March 28, 1969 National Mirror Factory vs. Isidra Zunga vda. de Anure, et al. G.R. No. L-21953March 28, 1969 Encarnacion Gatioan vs. Sixto Gaffud, et al. G.R. No. L-21665March 28, 1969 Republic of the Philippines vs. Manolo L. Maddela, et al. G.R. No. L-21664March 28, 1969 Republic of the Philippines vs. Manolo L. Maddela, et al. G.R. No. L-21528 & L-25529March 28, 1969 Rosauro Reyes vs. People of the Philippines G.R. No. L-21291March 28, 1969 Preciolita V. Corliss vs. Manila Railroad Company G.R. No. L-20017March 28, 1969 In re: Leon Te Poot Leon Te Poot vs. Republic of the Philippines G.R. No. L-24985March 27, 1969 Victorias Milling Company, Inc. vs. Bertito D. Dadvas, et al. G.R. No. L-26770 and L-26771March 25, 1969 San Ildefonso Electric Plant, Inc. vs. Baliuag Electric Light and Power Company, Inc., et al. G.R. No. L-26443March 25, 1969 Makati Development Corporation vs. Pedro C. Tanjuatco G.R. No. L-29588March 18, 1969 Antonio J. Villegas, etc., et al. vs. Abelardo Subido, etc., et al. G.R. No. L-26430March 11, 1969 Rosa Gonzales vda. de Palanca vs. Chuia Keng Kian, et al. The Lawphil Project - Arellano Law Foundation, Inc. Araceli V. Malag vs. Ramon delos Cientos, et al. Aurora Soriano Deles vs. Vicente E. Aragona, Jr. Luis G. de Castro vs. Julian G. Ginete, et al. Jesus W. Lazatin vs. Ruperto Kapunan Santos Andal, et al. vs. People of the Philippines Uso Dan Aguam vs. Commission on Elections, et al. Alim Balindong vs. Commission on Elections, et al. Virginia F. Perez vs. Rafael dela Cruz, et al. Felipe de Guzman vs. Walfrido delos Angeles, et al. Clenio L. Ondona vs. Commission on Election, et al. Municipality of Manabang, et al. vs. Pangandapun Benito, et al. Alfonso Visitacion vs. Victor Manit, et al. Fireman's Fund Insurance Company vs. Maersk Line Far East Service, et al. People of the Philippines vs. Juan L. Bocar, et al. German S. Montesa vs. Felipe Onofre Directo Zenaida Medina vs. Venancia L. Makabali, et al. Ruperto Sanchez vs. Court of Industrial Relations Lucio V. Garcia vs. Conrado M. Vasquez, et al. Morales Development Company, Inc. vs. Court of Appeals Constantina de Agraviador vs. Court of Appeals, et al. Gualberto Tenchavez vs. Atlas Consolidated Mining and Development Company, et al. Philippine Association of Free Labor Unions (PAFLU) vs. Gaudencio CLoribel, et al. Abelardo Subido vs. Simeon Gopengco, et al. People of the Philippines vs. Domingo Magcamit In re: Chua Tan Chuan Chua Tan Chuan vs. Republic of the Philippines Union Insurance Society of Canton, Ltd. vs. Republic of the Philippines, et al. Consolidated Workers Union vs. Court of Industrial Relations, et al. Bernardina Florendo vs. Bonifacia Florendo, et al. Mariano C. Atega vs. Montano A. Ortiz, et al. Abiguel Reyes-Gregorio vs. Arsenio Reyes, et al. Union of Philippine Education Employees (NLU) vs. Philippine Education Company, Inc., et al. Firestone Tire and Rubber Company of the Philippines vs. Fernando Tempongko, et al. Carmen Devesa, et al. vs. Juan B. Montecillo, et al. Modesta Jimenez vda. de Nocete vs. Pilar Oira, et al. People of the Philippines vs. Vicente Marquez Leoncio Yu Lim vs. Republic of the Philippines In re Betty Chua Sy Betty Chua Sy vs. Bartolome Cabangbang, et al. Insurance Company of North America vs. Osaka Shosen Kaisha (O.S.K. Line), et al. Joaquin Uypangco vs. Jose N. Leuterio, et al. Malayan Insurance Company, Inc. vs. Manila Port Service, et al. Philippine National Bank vs. Pacific National House, et al. In re: Emmanuel Lai Emmanuel Lai vs. Republic of the Philippines Alfredo Villaruel vs. Manila Port Service, et al. People of the Philippines vs. Anastacio Maisug, et al. People of the Philippines vs. Ignacio Tatlonghari, et al. National Mirror Factory vs. Isidra Zunga vda. de Anure, et al. Encarnacion Gatioan vs. Sixto Gaffud, et al. Republic of the Philippines vs. Manolo L. Maddela, et al. Republic of the Philippines vs. Manolo L. Maddela, et al. Rosauro Reyes vs. People of the Philippines Preciolita V. Corliss vs. Manila Railroad Company In re: Leon Te Poot Leon Te Poot vs. Republic of the Philippines Victorias Milling Company, Inc. vs. Bertito D. Dadvas, et al. San Ildefonso Electric Plant, Inc. vs. Baliuag Electric Light and Power Company, Inc., et al. Makati Development Corporation vs. Pedro C. Tanjuatco Antonio J. Villegas, etc., et al. vs. Abelardo Subido, etc., et al. Rosa Gonzales vda. de Palanca vs. Chuia Keng Kian, et al. The Lawphil Project - Arellano Law Foundation, Inc.

Republic of the Philippines
SUPREME COURT
Manila

EN BANC

G.R. No. L-29684 March 29, 1969

ARACELI V. MALAGpetitioner-appellant,
vs.
RAMON DE LOS CIENTOS (In his capacity as Governor of Davao del Sur), ET AL.,respondents-appellees.

A. Benitez for petitioner-appellant.
C. Tuason for respondents-appellees.

REYES, J.B.L.,J.:

This is an appeal from a decision of the Court of First Instance of Davao, in its Special Civil Case No. 6104, granting a motion to dismiss and dissolving a preliminary injunction previously issued by said Court.

In brief, the case is as follows:

Petitioner-appellant, Araceli Malag, is the duly elected mayor of Magsaysay, Davao. Sometime in early June, 1968, a barrio captain, Delfin Gilledo, lodged sworn charges against the said mayor with the Provincial Board of Davao, accusing said official of serious misconduct in office. Thereupon, respondent Ramon de los Cientos, in his capacity as Provincial Governor, required Mayor Malag to answer the charges, and on 3 July 1968 preventively suspended the mayor from office and directed the other respondent, Vice-Mayor Wilfredo Coong, to assume the post. Mayor Malag refused to turn over the office, contending that said order of preventive suspension had no warrant in law; filed with the Court of First Instance of Davao a petition for prohibition against the enforcement of the governor's order, and secured a writ of preliminary injunction.

However, after hearing the parties, the court below concluded that the order of suspension was valid. On 10 September 1968, the court granted the governor's motion to dismiss, and dissolved the writ of preliminary injunction. Unable to secure reconsideration, Mayor Malag resorted to this Court.

The issue at bar, on basically identical facts, was finally resolved by this Supreme Court inSarcos vs. Governor Castillo, L-29755, promulgated on 31 January 1969. Therein, this Court, through Mr. Justice Enrique M. Fernando, ruled that after the effectivity of the Decentralization Act of 1967, Republic Act No. 5185, the power of preventive suspension of municipal officials was taken away from the Provincial Governor and lodged in the Provincial Board. For the reasons set out at length in said decision, which we need not repeat here, we hold that the order of preventive suspension of Mayor Malag by Governor de los Cientos is not in accord with law, and, therefore, invalid. As a corollary, the order authorizing and directing Vice-Mayor Coong to assume the functions of the mayor is likewise null and void.lawphi1.ñet

Respondents sought dismissal of this case as moot, pleading that the Provincial Board had found Mayor Malag guilty as charged. It was shown, however, that the operativeness of the decision has been arrested by higher executive authority. Not only this, but it likewise appears that, during the pendency of this appeal, the Court Of First Instance of Davao has reconsidered its opinion and reinstated the injunction.

IN VIEW OF THE FOREGOING, the order of the Court of First Instance of Davao, dated 10 September 1968, is declared erroneous, and the same is reversed and set aside, and respondents, their agents and representatives are prohibited and enjoined from enforcing or implementing the order of suspension of Mayor Malag, as well as the directive to the Vice-Mayor to assume and discharge herein petitioner's functions; and should they have done so, to immediately desist therefrom. Costs against respondents.

Concepcion, C.J., Dizon, Makalintal, Zaldivar, Sanchez, Castro, Fernando, Capistrano, Teehankee and Barredo, JJ., concur.