salvador m. perez and juanita a. apostol vs sandiganbayan

7/24/2019 Salvador M. Perez and Juanita A. Apostol vs Sandiganbayan

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[G.R. NO. 166062 : September 26, 2006]

SALVADOR M. PEREZ an !"AN#$A A. APOS$OL,Petitioners, v.%ON.

SAND#GAN&A'AN (2n D)*)+)n- an PEOPLE O $%E P%#L#PP#NES

repre+ente b/ te Spe)a Pr+e3tr 4 te O44)e 4 teOmb3+man,Respondents.

D E 5 # S # O N

5%#5ONAZAR#O, J.:

This is a Petition for Certiorariunder Rule 65 of the Rules of Court,

questioning the twin Resolutions1of the Sandiganbayan dated 7 May !!"#$ro%ulgated 1& May !!"',and 7 Se$te%ber !!" #$ro%ulgated 1

()tober !!"'.

*

The following fa)ts were )ulled fro% the re)ords of the )ase+

n a resolution dated " -$ril !!1, the (ffi)e of the e$uty (%buds%an for

/u0on resoled to file )harges of iolation of Se)tion *#e'"of Re$ubli) -)t

2o. *!135against $etitioners, San Manuel, Pangasinan Mayor Salador M.Pere0, and Muni)i$al Treasurer 4uanita -$ostol. The nfor%ation alleges a

)ri%e )o%%itted as follows+

That on or about Se$te%ber of 133&, or so%eti%e $rior or subsequent

thereto, in the Muni)i$ality of San Manuel, Pangasinan, Phili$$ines, andwithin the urisdi)tion of this onorable Court, the aboena%ed a))used,S-/8-(R P9R9:, being then the Muni)i$al Mayor and 4;-2T- -P(ST(/,

:-P-2T-, Muni)i$al Treasurer of said %uni)i$ality, )ons$iring and

)onfederating with one another, )o%%itting the )ri%e herein )harged inrelation to and ta


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the sube)t )o%$uter and that )anassed by the C(- are different, su)hdifferen)e is @not really that %aterial.@7

The Sandiganbayan denied the Motion for /eae of Court to >ile Motion for

Re)onsideration?Reinestigation in an (rder dated " -$ril !!. (n a

subsequent Motion for Re)onsideration, howeer, the Sandiganbayanre)onsidered the " -$ril !! (rder, and granted $etitioners ten days fro%re)ei$t of the )urrent 6 Se$te%ber !! Resolution within whi)h to for%ali0e

their Motion for Re)onsideration in the (ffi)e of the (%buds%an.

Co%$lying with the 6 Se$te%ber !! Resolution, $etitioners for%ali0edtheir Motion for Re)onsideration in the (ffi)e of the (%buds%an.

-))ordingly, the (ffi)e of the S$e)ial Prose)utor )ondu)ted a reinestigation.

-ssistant S$e)ial Prose)utor Aarlito >. Balisanao $re$ared a Me%orandu%dated * ()tober !!*, re)o%%ending the withdrawal of the nfor%ation.&

oweer, in the $ortion of the Me%orandu% ear%ar


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dire)ted the defer%ent of a)tion on undersigneds re)o%%endation for thewithdrawal of the nfor%ation.

-s earlier found, the a)quisition of the unbranded )o%$uter set was

questionable on the following grounds+

1. There was no $ubli) bidding and the %ode of $ro)ure%ent was by

)anass.

. ;nder Se). *67 of the /o)al Boern%ent Code, $ro)ure%ent throughPersonal Canass requires a$$roal of the Co%%ittee on -wards. There was

no )o%%ittee a$$roal to s$ea< of in this )ase be)ause none has been)onstituted. This )o%%ittee is su$$osed to be )o%$osed of+

-. /o)al Beneral Seri)es (ffi)er or the Muni)i$al TreasurerE

b. /o)al -))ountantE

). The head of offi)e of de$art%ent for whose use the su$$lies are being$ro)ured.

*. Pur)hases under this se)tion allows %uni)i$alities outside Metro Manila

with the following li%its+

Se)ond and Third Class >orty Thousand Pesos

#P"!,!!!.!!'

>ourth Class and Felow Twenty Thousand Pesos

#P!,!!!.!!'

These li%its are a$$li)able for all ite%s $ro)ured by any one #1' %onth$eriod only. The lo)al goern%ent of San Manuel, Pangasinan, in)identally, is

a fourth )lass %uni)i$ality.

t %ust be noted that the )anass %ade on all the stores?su$$liers were

done by a))used Treasurer 4uanita -$ostol and attested by Mayor, SaladorPere0. To attest %eans to affir% to be )orre)t, true or genuine #Fla)ifth 9dition'G.H

n the earlier %e%orandu%, there is no unani%ity of )on)lusion as far as the

reasonableness of the $ur)hase $ri)e of the )o%$uter set is )on)ernGedH.oweer, the )ir)u%stan)es of its a)quisition )learly indi)ate that the $ubli)


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offi)ials inoled gae the su$$lier, Mobil /in< 9nter$rises?Starlet SalesCenter, a $riate $arty, unwarranted benefits, adantage or $referen)e

through %anifest $artiality, eident bad faith or gross ine=)usable negligen)eby $aying %u)h %ore than the $reailing $ri)e for a )o%$arable )o%$uter

set in the %ar


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There haing been no arraign%ent yet and the $re%aturity of thea%end%ent is of the $rose)utions ris


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Se). 5. There is hereby )reated the inde$endent (ffi)e of the (%buds%an,)o%$osed of the (%buds%an to be


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was lost effe)tie >ebruary , 13&7. >ro% that ti%e, he has been diested ofsu)h authority.

;nder the $resent )onstitution, the S$e)ial Prose)utor #Raul Bon0ale0' is a

%ere subordinate of the Tanodbayan #(%buds%an' and )an inestigate and

$rose)ute )ases only u$on the latters authority or orders. The S$e)ialProse)utor )annot initiate the $rose)ution of )ases but )an only )ondu)t thesa%e if instru)ted to do so by the (%buds%an. 9en his original $ower to

issue sub$oena, whi)h he still )lai%s under Se)tion 1!#d' of P 16*!, is now

dee%ed transferred to the (%buds%an, who %ay, howeer, retain it in theS$e)ial Prose)utor in )onne)tion with the )ases he is ordered to

inestigate.16#Emphasis supplied.'

The following year, Re$ubli) -)t 2o. 677!,17otherwise


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Prose)utor as a%ong the offi)es under the (ffi)e of the (%buds%an inSe)tion * of Re$ubli) -)t 2o. 677! is un)onstitutional.

n u$holding :aldiar, we held that while there was indeed an intention to

withhold $rose)utorial fun)tions fro% the (%buds%an, the legislature

neertheless re)o%%ended that the /egislature )ould, through statute,$res)ribe su)h other $owers, fun)tions and duties to the (%buds%an.1Thus, $aragra$h &, Se)tion 1*, -rti)le I of the Constitution, $roides that

the (%buds%an %ay e=er)ise other fun)tions and duties as %ay be

$roided by law.Pursuant to this authority, the /egislature ena)tedRe$ubli) -)t 2o. 677!, whi)h granted $rose)utorial $owers to the

(%buds%an.

(n the )lai% that the in)lusion of the (ffi)e of the S$e)ial Prose)utor as

a%ong the offi)es under the (ffi)e of the (%buds%an in Se)tion * of

Re$ubli) -)t 2o. 677! is un)onstitutional, we ratio)inated that+

The )ontention is not i%$ressed with %erit. >irstly, the $etitioners

%is)onstrue Co%%issioner Ro%ulos state%ent as authority to ado)ate that

the intent of the fra%ers of the 13&7 Constitution was to $la)e the (ffi)e ofthe S$e)ial Prose)utor under the (ffi)e of the President. The said state%ent

obiously referred to the Tanodbayan under P.. 2o. 16*! note hows$e)ifi) the erstwhile Co%%issioner was in statingE @. . . as the de)ree now

reads . . .@ >urther, in )o%$lete )ontrast to the $etitioners stand, one of the

$rin)i$al reasons for the $ro$osal to withhold $rose)utorial $owers fro% the(%buds%an was $re)isely to re%oe the offi)e fro% $residential )ontrol. = =

=

= = =

n the se)ond $la)e, Se)tion 7 of -rti)le I e=$ressly $roides that the then

e=isting Tanodbayan, to be hen)eforth


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as %ay be $roided by law,@ it is indubitable then that Congress has the$ower to $la)e the (ffi)e of the S$e)ial Prose)utor under the (ffi)e of the

(%buds%an. n the sa%e ein, Congress %ay re%oe so%e of the $owersgranted to the Tanodbayan by P.. 2o. 16*! and transfer the% to the

(%buds%anE or grant the (ffi)e of the S$e)ial Prose)utor su)h other $owers

and fun)tions and duties as Congress %ay dee% fit and wise. This Congressdid through the $assage of R.- 2o. 677!.*

Ahile it is )lear that -)o$ . (ffi)e of the (%buds%an u$held :aldiar .

Sandiganbayan insofar as the $ower of the (%buds%an to $rose)ute )asesis )on)erned, there has been a shift in its ratio de)idendi. en)e, it was

$ronoun)ed that the authority of the (%buds%an to $rose)ute was based onRe$ubli) -)t 2o. 677!, as authori0ed by $aragra$h &, Se)tion 1*, -rti)le I

of the Constitution. This being the )ase, and )onsidering that Re$ubli) -)t2o. 677! also gies the S$e)ial Prose)utor the $ower to $rose)ute )ri%inal

)ases #albeit under the su$erision and )ontrol and under the authority of

the (%buds%an', was there li


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Sandiganbayan,3and Ballardo . Peo$le,*!the %arginal notes, een oneliners as in the )ase of Ballardo, were udi)ially )onsidered suffi)ient

dis$ositions by the (%buds%en and S$e)ial Prose)utors )on)erned. Ae heldin (liare0 that+

The %ere fa)t that the order to file the infor%ation against $etitioner was)ontained in a %arginal note is not suffi)ient to i%$ute arbitrariness or)a$ri)e on the $art of res$ondent s$e)ial $rose)utors, absent a )lear

showing that they graely abused their dis)retion in disa$$roing the

re)o%%endation of the inestigating $rose)utors to dis%iss or withdraw the)ase against $etitioner. = = =.*1

Aas there, as $etitioners assert, a iolation of the orders of the (%buds%anas stated in his %arginal noteJ )ralawlibrary

>or referen)e, we reiterate the %arginal note of (%buds%an Mar)elo dated

16 >ebruary !!"+

The resolution of this )ase is deferred. There are two %odes of iolatingSe)tion *#e' of R- *!13, to wit+ a' )ausing undue inury or b' giing

unwarranted benefits, adantage or $referen)e. (SP should study whetherthe a))used, assu%ing arguendo that there was no oer$ri)e, gae

unwarranted benefits, adantage or $referen)e to the seller of the sube)t

)o%$uter. Dindly sub%it your re)o%%endation soonest.*

-ssistant S$e)ial Prose)utor Balisanaos S$e)ial Me%orandu%, quoted in full

in the narration of fa)ts, show )o%$lete )o%$lian)e with (%buds%anMar)elos order to @study whether the a))used, assu%ing arguendo thatthere was no oer$ri)e, gae unwarranted benefits, adantage or $referen)e

to the seller of the sube)t )o%$uter.@ -ssistant S$e)ial Prose)utor Balisanaoanswered the query in the affir%atie, stating that unwarranted benefits,

adantage or $referen)e were gien to Mobil /in< 9nter$rises?Starlet SalesCenter through the @deliberate disregard of the rules on $ro)ure%ent

dis)ussed aboe.@

(%buds%an Mar)elos order, howeer, to @#


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Re$ubli) -)t 2o. 677!, by )onferring u$on the (%buds%an the $ower to$rose)ute, li


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%ade to e$uty (%buds%en, and not to the S$e)ial Prose)utor. -ll that wasdelegated to the S$e)ial Prose)utor was the dis)retional*5authority to reiew

and %odify the e$uty (%buds%enauthori0ed infor%ation, but een this issube)t to the )ondition that su)h %odifi)ation %ust be @without de$arting

fro%, or arying in any way, the )ontents of the basi) Resolution, (rder or

e)ision.@ 9en the title of (ffi)e (rder 2o. "!!5 betray the )ontention ofdelegation to the S$e)ial Prose)utor+ @9/9B-T(2 (> >2-/ -PPR(82B

-;T(RTK T( T9 9P;TK (MF;SM-2 >(R /;:(2, 9P;TK(MF;SM-2 >(R 8S-K-S -2 9P;TK (MF;SM-2 >(R M2-2-(.@

2either does it hel$ that, under Se)tion 11#"' of Re$ubli) -)t 2o. 677!, the

S$e)ial Prose)utor was gien the ran< and salary of e$uty (%buds%an. n(ffi)e of the (%buds%an . 8alera,*6this Court held+

The $etitioners )ontention that sin)e the S$e)ial Prose)utor is of the sa%e

ran< as that of a e$uty (%buds%an, then the for%er )an rightfully $erfor%all the fun)tions of the latter, in)luding the $ower to $reentiely sus$end, is

not $ersuasie. ;nder )iil seri)e laws, ran< )lassifi)ation deter%ines thesalary and status of goern%ent offi)ials and e%$loyees. -lthough there is

substantial equality in the leel of their res$e)tie fun)tions, those o))u$ying

the sa%e ran< do not ne)essarily hae the sa%e $owers nor $erfor% thesa%e fun)tions.*7

There being no e=$ress delegation of the $ower to $rose)ute, we are

)onstrained to go ba)< to our %ain query+ s there an i%$lied delegation ofthe $ower to $rose)ute under Re$ubli) -)t 2o. 677!, su)h that S$e)ial

Prose)utors are $resu%ed to hae been delegated su)h $ower, in theabsen)e of a $rohibition fro% the (%buds%anJ )ralawlibrary

Re$ubli) -)t 2o. 677! $roides+

#"' The (ffi)e of the S$e)ial Prose)utor shall, under the su$erision and)ontrol and u$on the authority of the (%buds%an, hae the following

$owers+

#a' To )ondu)t $reli%inary inestigation and $rose)ute )ri%inal )ases withinthe urisdi)tion of the SandiganbayanE

#b' To enter into $leabargaining agree%entsE and )ralawlibrary

#)' To $erfor% su)h other duties assigned to it by the (%buds%an.*&

This Court has defined the $ower of )ontrol as @the $ower of an offi)er toalter or %odify or nullify or set aside what a subordinate offi)er had done in
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the $erfor%an)e of his duties and to substitute the udg%ent of the for%erfor that of the latter.@*3The $ower of su$erision, on the other hand, %eans

@oerseeing, or the $ower or authority of an offi)er to see that subordinateoffi)ers $erfor% their duties.@"!;nder the -d%inistratie Code of 13&7"1+

Su$erision and )ontrol shall in)lude authority to a)t dire)tly wheneer as$e)ifi) fun)tion is entrusted by law or regulation to a subordinateE dire)t the$erfor%an)e of dutyE restrain the )o%%ission of a)tsE reiew, a$$roe,

reerse or %odify a)ts and de)isions of subordinate offi)ials or unitsE

deter%ine $riorities in the e=e)ution of $lans and $rogra%sE and $res)ribestandards, guidelines, $lans and $rogra%s. = = =

S$ringing fro% the $ower of )ontrol is the do)trine of qualified $oliti)alagen)y, wherein the a)ts of a subordinate bears the i%$lied a$$roal of his

su$erior, unless a)tually disa$$roed by the latter."Thus, ta


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by the Constitution or the law to a)t in $erson or the e=igen)ies of thesituation de%and that he a)t $ersonally, the %ultifarious e=e)utie and

ad%inistratie fun)tions of the Chief 9=e)utie are $erfor%ed by andthrough the e=e)utie de$art%ents, and the a)ts of the se)retaries of su)h

de$art%ents, $erfor%ed and $ro%ulgated in the regular )ourse of business,

are, unless disa$$roed or re$robated by the Chief 9=e)utie, $resu%$tielythe a)ts of the Chief 9=e)utie. #Run


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fro% illegality. Su)h relian)e u$on the o$eratie fa)t, howeer, would )easeu$on the finality of this e)ision.

A9R9>(R9, the instant Petition for Certiorariis BR-2T9. The assailed

Resolutions of the Sandiganbayan ad%itting the -%ended nfor%ation is S9T

-S9. /et the & Mar)h !!" Su$$le%ental Me%orandu% of -ssistantS$e)ial Prose)utor Aarlito >. Balisanao be TR-2SMTT9 to the (ffi)e ofthe (%buds%an for a$$roal or disa$$roal.

SO ORDERED.

Pan7an)ban, C.J., 5a)rper+n, 'nare+Sant)a7, A3+tr)aMart)ne8,

5ae9, Sr., JJ., n3r.

salvador m. perez and juanita a. apostol vs sandiganbayan

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