PEOPLE VS. MACEREN Administrative regulations adopted under under legislative authority by a partiular department must be in harmony !ith the provisions o" the la!# and should be "or the sole purpose o" arrying into e""et its general provisions. $y suh regulations# regulations# the la! itsel" annot be e%tended. e%tended. An An administrative ageny annot amend an at o" Congress. &AC'S( 'he respondents !ere harged !ith violating &isheries Administrative Administrative Order No. )*+, !hih !hih penali-es eletro "ishing in "resh !ater !ater "isheries. 'his !as !as promulgated by the Seretary Seretary o" Agriulture and Natural Resoures and the Commissioner o" &isheries under under the old &isheries La! and the la! reating the &isheries Commission. Commission. 'he muniipal ourt uashed the omplaint and held that the la! does not learly prohibit eletro "ishing# hene the e%eutive and /udiial departments annot onsider the same. On appeal# the C&0 a""irmed the dismissal. 1ene# this appeal to the SC. 0SS2E( 3hether the administrative order penali-ing eletro "ishing "ishing is valid4 1EL5( NO. 'he Seretary o" Agriulture and Natural Resoures and the Commissioner o" &isheries e%eeded their authority in issuing the administrative order. order. 'he old &isheries La! La! does not e%pressly prohibit eletro "ishing. As eletro "ishing is not banned under that la!# the Seretary o" Agriulture and Natural Resoures and the Commissioner o" &isheries are are po!erless to penali-e it. 1ad the la!ma6ing body intended to punish eletro "ishing# a penal provision to that e""et ould have been easily embodied in the old &isheries La!. 'he la!ma6ing body annot delegate to an e%eutive o""iial the po!er to delare !hat ats should onstitute an o""ense. 0t an authori-e the issuane o" regulations and the imposition o" the penalty provided "or in the la! itsel". 3here the legislature has delegated to e%eutive or a dministrative o""iers and boards authority to promulgate rules to arry out an e%press legislative purpose# the rules o" administrative o""iers and boards# !hih have the e""et o" e%tending# or !hih on"lit !ith the authority granting statute# do not represent a valid preise o" the rule+ma6ing po!er.
PEOPLE v MACEREN
79 SCRA 450 AQUINO; October 18, 1977
FACTS - Section 11 of the Fisheries !" #rohibits $the %se of !n& obno'io%s or #oisono%s
s%bst!nce$ in (shin)* + he Secret!r& of A)ric%-t%re !n. N!t%r!- Reso%rces, %#on the reco//en.!tion of the Co//issioner of Fisheries, #ro/%-)!te. Fisheries A./inistr!tie Or.er No* 84 23 O** 1334, #rohibitin) e-ectro (shin) in !-- 6hi-i##ine "!ters* + ose %en!ent%r!, o.ofre.o Re&es, en!/in Re&es, N!:!rio A%ino !n. C!r-ito .e- Ros!rio "ere ch!r)e. "ith h!in) io-!te. Fisheries A./inistr!tie Or.er No* 84+1* It "!s !--e)e. th!t the& en)!)e. in e-ectro (shin)* + U#on /otion of the !cc%se., the /%nici#!- co%rt .is/isse. the c!se* CFI !
ISSUE/S
1* =ON the Secret!r& of A)ric%-t%re !n. N!t%r!- Reso%rces e'cee.e. his !%thorit& in iss%in) Fisheries A./inistr!tie Or.er No* 84
HELD
1* >?S*
Ratio he r%-e+/!@in) #o"er /%st be con(ne. to .et!i-s for re)%-!tin) the /o.e or #rocee.in) to c!rr& into eect the -!" !s it his been en!cte.* he #o"er c!nnot be e'ten.e. to !/en.in) or e'#!n.in) the st!t%tor& re%ire/ents or to e/br!ce /!tters not coere. b& the st!t%te
Reasoning he Fisheries !" .oes not e'#ress-& #rohibit e-ectro (shin)* As e-ectro (shin) is not b!nne. %n.er th!t -!", the Secret!r& of A)ric%-t%re !n. N!t%r!Reso%rces !n. the Co//issioner of Fisheries !re #o"er-ess to #en!-i:e it* B!. the -!"/!@in) bo.& inten.e. to #%nish e-ectro (shin), ! #en!- #roision to th!t eect co%-. h!e been e!si-& e/bo.ie. in the o-. Fisheries !"* No"here in the s!i. -!" is e-ectro (shin) s#eci(c!--& #%nishe.*
A./inistr!tie !)ents !re c-othe. "ith r%-e+/!@in) #o"ers bec!%se the -!"/!@in) bo.& (n.s it i/#r!ctic!b-e, if not i/#ossib-e, to !ntici#!te !n. #roi.e for the /%-tif!rio%s !n. co/#-e' sit%!tions th!t /!& be enco%ntere. in enforcin) the -!"* A-- th!t is re%ire. is th!t the re)%-!tion sho%-. be )er/!ne to the .efects !n. #%r#oses of the -!" !n. th!t it sho%-. confor/ to the st!n.!r.s th!t the -!" #rescribes
Disposition ecision !
epubli o" the Philippines SUPREME COURT Manila SECON5 50V0S0ON G.R. No. L-32166 October 18, 1977 THE PEOPLE OF THE PHLPPNES, plainti""+appellant# vs. HON. M!"MO !. M!CEREN CF, St#. Cr$%, L#&$'#, (OSE )UEN!*ENTUR!, GO+OFRE+O REES, )EN(!MN REES, N!!RO !UNO #'/ C!RLO +EL ROS!RO, aused+appellees. Office of the Solicitor General for appella nt. Rustics F. de los Reyes, Jr. for appellees.
!UNO, J.:
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'his is a ase involving the validity o" a ,789 regulation# penali-ing eletro "ishing in "resh !ater "isheries# promulgated by the Seretary o" Agriulture and Natural Resoures and the Commissioner o" &isheries under the old &isheries La! and the la! reating the &isheries Commission. On Marh 9# ,787 :ose $uenaventura# ;odo"redo Re yes# $en/amin Reyes# Na-ario Auino and Carlito del Rosario !ere harged b y a Constabulary investigator in the muniipal ourt o" Sta. Cru-# Laguna !ith having violated &isheries Administrative Order No. )*+,. 0t !as alleged in the omplaint that the "ive aused in the morning o" Marh ,# ,787 resorted to eletro "ishing in the !aters o" $arrio San Pablo Norte# Sta. Cru- by
Criminal Case No. ?*@7. 2pon motion o" the aused# the muniipal ourt uashed the omplaint. 'he proseution appealed. 'he Court o" &irst 0nstane o" Laguna a""irmed the order o" dismissal >Civil Case No. SC+B8. 'he ase is no! be"ore this Court on appeal by the proseution under Republi At No. ?**.
'he lo!er ourt held that e letro "ishing annot be penali-e beause eletri urrent is not an obno%ious or poisonous substane as ontemplated in setion 0 0 o" the &isheries La! and that it is not a substane at all but a "orm o" energy onduted or transmitted by substanes. 'he lo!er ourt "urther held that# sine the la! does not learly prohibit eletro "ishing# the e%eutive and /udiial departments annot onsider it unla!"ul. As legal ba6ground# it should be stated that setion ,, o" the &isheries La! prohibits 8@ O.;. ,@@*# prohibiting eletro "ishing in all Philippine !aters. 'he order is uoted belo!( ñé+.£ªwph!
S2$:EC'( PRO10$0'0N; ELEC'RO &0S10N; 0N ALL 3A'ERS
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O& '1E P10L0PP0NES. Pursuant to Setion * o" At No. *B# as amended# and Setion * o" R.A. No. B?,@# the "ollo!ing rules and regulations regarding the prohibition o" eletro "ishing in all !aters o" the Philippines are promulgated "or the in"ormation and guidane o" all onerned. ñé+.£ªwph!
SEC'0ON ,. D "efinition. D 3ords and terms used in this O rder ,, onstrued as "ollo!s( >a Philippine !aters or territorial !aters o" the Philippines inludes all !aters o" the Philippine Arhipelago# as de"ined in the t bet!een the 2nited States and Spain# dated respetively the tenth o" 5eember# eighteen hundred ninety eight and the seventh o" November# nineteen hundred. &or the purpose o" this order# rivers# la6es and other bodies o" "resh !aters are inluded. >b #lectro Fishin$ . D Eletro "ishing is the athing o" "ish !ith the use o" eletri urrent. 'he euipment used are o" many eletrial devies !hih may be battery or generator+operated and "rom and available soure o" eletri urrent. > Persons inludes "irm# orporation# assoiation# agent or employee. >d &ish inludes other auati produts. SEC. @. D %rohi&ition. D 0t shall be unla!"ul "or any person to engage in eletro "ishing or to ath "ish by the use o" eletri urrent in any portion o" the Philippine !aters e%ept "or researh# eduational and sienti"i purposes !hih must be overed by a permit issued by the Seretary o" Agriulture and Natural Resoures !hih shall be arried at all times.
SEC. B. D %enalty . D Any violation o" the provisions o" this Administrative Order shall sub/et the o""ender to a "ine o" not e%eeding "ive hundred pesos >P?. or imprisonment o" not e%tending si% >8 months or both at the disretion o" the Court. SEC. *. D Repealin$ %ro'isions. D All administrative orders or parts thereo" inonsistent !ith the provisions o" this Administrative Order are hereby revo6ed. SEC. ?. D #ffecti'ity . D 'his Administrative Order shall ta6e e""et si% >8 days a"ter its publiation in the O ""ie ;a-ette. On :une @)# ,789 the Seretary o" Agriulture and Natural Resoures# upon the reommendation o" the &isheries Commission# issued &isheries Administrative Order No. )*+,# amending setion @ o" Administrative Order No. )*# by restriting the ban against eletro "ishing to fresh water fisheries >8B O.;. 778B. 'hus# the phrase p. ,, o" brie" assumed that eletro "ishing is punishable under setion )B o" the &isheries La! >not under setion 9 8 thereo"# !hih provides that any other violation o" that la! P@# or in t "or not more than si% months# or both# in the disretion o" the ourt.< 'hat assumption is inorret beause B o" the a"oreuoted Administrative Order No. )* imposes a "m o" not e%eeding P? on a person engaged in eletro "ishing# !hih amount the )B. 0t seems that the 5epartment o" &isheries presribed their o!n penalty "or s!i"t "ishing !hih penalty is less than the severe penalty imposed in setion 98 and !hih is not 0denti"ied to the at penalty imposed in setion )B. 1ad Administrative Order No. )* adopted the "ighter penalty presribed in on )B# then the rime o" eletro "ishing !ould be !ithin the e(clusi'e ori$inal )urisdiction o" the in"erior ourt >Se. ** F"G# :udiiary La!= People vs. Ragasi# L+@)88B# September @@# 3e have disussed this pre point# not raised in the brie"s# beause it is obvious that the rime o" eletro "ishing !hih is punishable !ith a sum up to P?# "alls !ithin the concurrent ori$inal )urisdiction o" the in"erior ourts and the Court o" &irst instane >People vs. Na-areno# L+*B9# April B# ,798# 9 SCRA ?B, and the ases ited therein. And sine the instant ase !as "iled in the muniipal ourt o" Sta. Cru-# Laguna# a provinial apital# the order o" d rendered by that muniipal ourt !as diretly appealable to the Court# not to the Court o" &irst 0nstane o" Laguna >Se. *? a nd last par. o" setion )9 o" the :udiiary La!= Esperat vs. Avila# L+@?77@# :une B# ,789# @ SCRA ?78. 0t results that the Court o" &irst 0nstane o" Laguna had no appellate /urisdition over the ase. 0ts order a""irming the muniipal ourts order o" dismissal is voi d "or la6 o" motion. 'his appeal shall be treated as a diret appeal "rom the muniipal ourt to this Court. >See People vs. 5el Rosario# 79 Phil. 89.
0n this appeal# the proseution argues that Administrative Orders Nos. )* and )*+, !er e not issued under setion ,, o" the &isheries La! !hih# as indiated above# punishes "ishing by means o" an obno%ious or poisonous substane. 'his ontention is not !ell+ta6en b eause# as already stated# the Penal provision o" Administrative Order No. )* implies that eletro "ishing is penali-ed as a "orm o" "ishing by means o" an obno%ious or poisonous substane under setion ,,. 'he proseution ites as the legal santions "or the prohibition against eletro "ishing in "resh !ater "isheries >, the rule+ma6ing po!er o" the 5epartment Seretary under setion * o" the &isheries La!= >@ the "untion o" the Commissioner o" & isheries to en"ore the provisions o" the &isheries La! and the regulations Promulgated thereunder and to e%eute the rules and regulations onsistent !ith the purpose "or the reation o" the &isheries Commission and "or the development o" "isheries >Se. *FG and FhG Republi At No. B?,@= >B the delared national poli y to enourage# Promote and onserve our "ishing resoures >Se. ,# Republi At No. B?,@# and >* setion )B o" the &isheries La! !hih provides that , the use o" obno%ious or poisonous substane# or e%plosive in "ishing= >@ unla!"ul "ishing in deepsea "isheries= >B unla!"ul ta6ing o" marine molusa# >* illegal ta6ing o" sponges= >? "ailure o" liensed "ishermen to report the 6ind and uantity o" "ish au ght# and >8 other violations. No!here in that la! is eletro "ishing spei"ially punished. Administrative Order No. )*# in punishing eletro "ishing# does not ontemplate that suh an o ""ense "ails !ithin the ategory o" People vs. E%onde ,, Phil. ,, @?# iting ,, Am. :ur. 78? on p. ,, B@. Originally# Administrative Order No. )* punished eletro "ishing in all !aters. Later# the ban against eletro "ishing !as on"ined to fresh water fisheries. 'he amendment reated the impression that
eletro "ishing is not ondemnable per se. 0t ould be tolerated in marine !aters. 'hat irumstanes strengthens the vie! that the old la! does not eshe! all "orms o" eletro "ishing. 1o!ever# at present# there is no more doubt that eletro "ishing is punishable under the &isheries La! and that it annot be penali-ed merely by e%eutive revolution beause Presidential 5eree No. 9*# !hih is a revision and onsolidation o" all la!s and derees a""eting "ishing and "isheries and !hih !as promulgated on May ,8# ,79? >9, O.;. *@87# e%pressly punishes eletro "ishing in "resh !ater and salt !ater areas. 'hat deree provides(
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S#*. . D lle$al fishin$, dealin$ in ille$ally cau$ht fish or fishery-auatic products. D 0t shall he unla!"ul "or any person to ath# ta6e or gather or ause to be aught# ta6en or gathered "ish or "isheryHauati produts in Philippine !aters !ith the use o" e%plosives# obno%ious or poisonous substane# or by the use o" eletriity as de"ined in paragraphs >,# >m and >d# respetively# o" Setion B hereo"( ... 'he deree At No. *B# as amended# Republi Ats Nos. *@)# B*)# B?,@ and B?)8# Presidential 5erees Nos. *B# ?B* and ??B# and all # Ats# E%eutive Orders# rules and regulations or parts thereo" inonsistent !ith it >Se. *7# P. 5. No. 9*. 'he inlusion in that deree o" provisions de"ining and penali-ing eletro "ishing is a lear reognition o" the de"iieny or silene on that point o" the old &isheries La!. 0t is an admission that a mere e%eutive regulation is not legally adeuate to penali-e eletro "ishing. Note that the de"inition o" eletro "ishing# !hih is "ound in setion , > o" &isheries Administrative Order No. )* and !hih is not provided "or the ol d &isheries La!# is no! "ound in setion B>d o" the deree. Note "urther that the deree penalty eletro "ishing b y @ to "our >* years<# a punishment !hih is more severe than the penalty o" a time o" not e%luding P? or imprisonment o" not more than si% months or both "i%ed in setion B o" & isheries Administrative Order No. )*. An e%amination o" the rule+ma6ing po!er o" e%eutive o""iials and administrative agenies and# in partiular# o" the Seretary o" Agriulture and Natural Resoures >no! Seretary o" Natural Resoures under the &isheries La! sustains the vie ! that he e% his authority in penali-ing eletro "ishing by means o" an administrative order. Administrative agent are lothed !ith rule+ma6ing po!ers beause the la!ma6ing body "inds it impratiable# i" not impossible# to antiipate and provide "or the multi"arious and omple% situations that may be enountered in en"oring the la!. All that is reuired is that the regulation should be germane to the de"ets and purposes o" the la! and that it should on"orm to the standards that the la! presribes >People vs. E%onde ,, Phil. ,,@?= 5iretor o" &orestry vs. MuI=o-# L+@*978# :une @)# ,78)# @B SCRA ,,)B# ,,7)= ;eu6e6o vs. Araneta# ,@ Phil. 98# 9,@. 'he la!ma6ing body annot possibly provide "or all the details in the en"orement o" a partiular statute >2.S. vs. 'upasi Molina# @7 Phil. ,,7# ,@?# iting 2.S. vs. ;rimaud @@ 2.S. ?8= 0nterprovinial Autobus Co.# 0n. vs. Coll. o" 0nternal Revenue# 7) Phil. @7# @7?+8. 'he grant o" the rule+ma6ing po!er to administrative agenies is a rela%ation o" the priniple o" separation o" po!ers and is an e%eption to the nondeleption o" legislative# po!ers. Administrative regulations or
beause o" 2.S. vs. 'upasi Molina# supra. An administrative ageny annot amend an at o" Congress >Santos vs. Esten-o# ,7 Phil. *,7# *@@= 'eo%on vs. Members o" the d o" Administrators# L+@?8,7# :une B# ,79# BB SCRA ?)?= Manuel vs. ;eneral Auditing O""ie# L+@)7?@# 5eember @7# ,79,# *@ SCRA 88= 5eluao vs. Casteel# L+@,78# August @7# ,787# @7 SCRA B?. 'he rule+ma6ing po!er must be on"ined to details "or regulating the mode or proeeding to arry into e""et the la! as it his been enated. 'he po!er annot be e%tended to amending or e%panding the statutory reuirements or to embrae matters not overed by the statute. Rules that subvert the statute annot be santioned. >2niversity o" Santo 'omas vs. $oard o" 'a% A 7B Phil. B98# B)@# iting ,@ C.:. )*?+*8. As to invalid regulations# see o" 0nternal Revenue vs. Villa"lor 87 Phil. B,7# 3ise J Co. vs. Meer# 9) Phil. 8??# 898= 5el Marh vs. Phil. Veterans Administrative# L+@9@77# :une @9# ,79B# ?, SCRA B*# B*7. 'here is no uestion that the Seretary o" Agriulture and Natural Resoures has rule+ma6ing po!ers. Setion * o" the &isheries l a! provides that the Seretary h o" Republi At No. B?,@ empo!er the Co o" & isheries $ o" the Revised Administrative Code provides that Valerie vs. Seretary o" ulture and Natural Resoures# ,,9 Phil. 9@7# 9BB= Antiue Sa!mills# 0n. vs. Kayo# L+ @?,# May B# ,788# ,9 SCRA B,8. As he e%erises the rule+ma6ing po!er by delegation o" the la!ma6ing body# it is a reuisite that he should not transend the bound demarated by the statute "or the e%erise o" that po!er= other!ise# he !ould be improperly e%erising legislative po!er in his o !n right and not as a surrogate o" the la!ma6ing body. Artile 9 o" the Civil Code embodies the basi priniple that administrative or e%eutive ats# orders and regulations shall be valid only !hen they are not ontrary to the la!s or the Constitution.< As noted by :ustie &ernando#
by statute.< >Radio Communiations o" the Philippines# 0n. vs. Santiago# L+@7@B8# August @,# ,79*# ?) SCRA *7B# *78+). 5avis# Administrative La!# p. ,7*# ,79# ited in Vitories Milling Co.# 0n. vs. Soial Seurity Commission# ,,* Phil. ???# ??). 0n ase o" disrepany bet!een the basi la ! and a rule or regulation issued to implement said la!# the basi la! prevails beause said rule or regulation annot go beyond the terms and provisions o" the basi la! >People vs. Lim# , ) Phil. ,7,. 'his Court in its deision in the Lim ase# supra# promulgated on :uly @8# ,78# alled the attention o" tehnial men in the e%eutive departments# !ho dra"t rules and regulations# to the importane and neessity o" losely "ollo!ing the legal provisions !hih they intend to i mplement so as to avoid any possible misunderstanding or on"usion. 'he rule is that the violation o" a regulation presribed by an e%eutive o""ier o" the government in on"ormity !ith and based upon a statute authori-ing suh regulation onstitutes an o""ense and renders the o""ender liable to punishment in aordane !ith the provisions o" the la! >2.S. vs. 'upasi Molina# @7 Phil. ,,7# ,@*. 0n other !ords# a violation or in"ringement o" a rule or regulation validly issued an onstitute a rime punishable as provided in the authori-ing statute and by virtue o" the latter >People vs. E%onde ,, Phil. ,,@?# ,,B@. 0t has been held that , Am. :ur. @nd# se. ,@9# p. 7B)= 'e%as Co. vs. Montgomery# 9B &. Supp. ?@9. 0n the instant ase the regulation penali-ing eletro "ishing is not stritly in aordane !ith the &isheries La!# under !hih the regulation !as issued# &ecause the law itself does not e(pressly punish electro fishin$ . 'he instant ase is similar to %eople 's. Santos# 8B Phil. B. 'he Santos ase involves setion @) o" &ish and ;ame Administrative Order No. @ issued by the Seretary o" Agriulture and Natural Resoures pursuant to the a"orementioned setion * o" the &isheries La!. Setion @) ontains the proviso that a "ishing boat not liensed under the &isheries La! and under the said administrative order may "ish !ithin three 6ilometers o" the shoreline o" islands and reservations over !hih /urisdition is e%erised by naval and military reservations authorities o" the 2nited States only upon reeiving !ritten permission there"or# !hih permission may be granted by the Seretary upon reommendation o" the military or naval authorities onerned. A violation o" the proviso may be proeeded against under setion *? o" the &ederal Penal Code.
Augusto A. Santos !as proseuted under that provision in the Court o" &irst 0nstane o" Cavite "or having aused his t!o "ishing boats to "ish# loiter and anhor !ithout permission "rom the Seretary !ithin three 6ilometers "rom the shoreline o" Corrigidor 0sland. 'his Court held that the &isheries La! does not prohibit boats no t sub/et to liense "rom "ishing !ithin three 6ilometers o" the shoreline o" islands and reservations over !hih /urisdition is e%erised by naval and military authorities o" the 2nited States# !ithout permission "rom the Seretary o" Agriulture and Natural Resoures upon reommendation o" the military and naval authorities onerned. As the said la! does not penali-e the at mentioned in setion @) o" the administrative order# the promulgation o" that provision by the Seretary ;lustrom vs. State# @8 ;a. 9B*# ?) Seond @d ?B*= See @ Am. :r. @nd ,@7+,B. 3here the legislature has delegated to e%eutive or administrative o""iers and boards authority to promulgate rules to arry out an e%press le gislative purpose# the rules o" administrative o""iers and boards# !hih have the e""et o" e%tending# or !hih on"lit !ith the authority granting statute# do not represent a valid preise o" the rule+ma6ing po!er but onstitute an attempt by an administrative body to legislate >State vs. Miles# 3ash. @nd B@@# ,? Pa. @nd ?,. 0n a proseution "or a violation o" an administrative order# it must learly appear that the order is on e !hih "alls !ithin the sope o" the authority on"erred upon the administrative body# and the order !ill be srutini-ed !ith speial are. >State vs. Miles supra. 'he /iles ase involved a statute !hih authori-ed the State ;ame Commission
31ERE&ORE# the lo!er ourts deision o" :une 7# , 79 is set aside "or la6 o" appellate /urisdition and the order o" dismissal rendered by the muniipal ourt o" Sta. Cru-# Laguna in Criminal Case No. ?*@7 is a""irmed. Costs de oficio. SO OR5ERE5. 1arredo, *oncepcion, Jr., Santos and Guerrero, JJ., concur. Fernando and 5ntonio, JJ., too0 no part. Guerrero, J., was desi$nated to sit in the Second "i'ision.
'he La!phil Pro/et + Arellano La! &oundation
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