JOHN ALEXANDER S. BELDE DEROL
PUBLI C OFFI CERS RS
FLOR ORESv s . HON. DRI LON a ndGORDON
G. R.No. 104732
June22,1993
N . ) ol egi s l at i veactpr e vai l sovert hecons t i t ut i on. We Wec a nno ti n v ok eap r a c t i c eo t he r wi s eunc o n s t i t ut i o na l PRI RI NCI PLES: 1 asaut h or i t yf o ri t sval i di t y . ngoft hephr as e“ s hal lbeappoi nt ed ” . n" " [ t ] hede s i g nat i o no fape r s o n,b yt he 2 Me . ) ani A appo i nt me nt "i s pe r s o no rpe r s o nshavi ngaut ho r i t yt he r e f o r ,t odi s c har g et hedut i e so fs o meo ffic eo rt r us t , " o r " [ t ] hes e l e c t i o no r de s i g nat i o no fape r s o n,b yt hep e r s o no rp e r s o nsha vi ngaut ho r i t yt he r e f o r ,t ofil lano ffic ffic eo rp ub l i cf unc t i o na nd di s c ha r g et hedut i e so ft hes ame . ’ t hes e l e c t i o n,b yt heaut ho r i t yv e s t e d wi t ht hepo we r ,o fa n I tal some means" s" i ndi v i dualwhoi st oe x e r c i s et hef unc t i o nso fag i v e no ffic ffic e . " Thephr as e" s h al lb eap po i nt e d " unq ue s t i o n ab l ys h o wst hei nt e n tt oma ma k et heSBMA p o s t sa p p o i n t i v ea ndno t me r e l ya dj unc tt ot h ep o s to fMa y o ro fOl o n ga poCi t y .Ha di tb e e nt hel e g i s l a t i v ei nt e ntt oma ma ket hes ub j e c t e ffic i o po s i t i o n s xo ,Co ng r e s swo ul dha v e ,a tl e a s t ,a v o i de dt hewo r d" a p po i nt e d "a nd ,i ns t e a d," e xo ffic ffic i o "wo ul d havebeenused. R ghtofc hoi ceoft heappoi nt i ngpowe r . egi sl at i veencroachment 3 . ) i The r ei sl o nt heap po i nt i ngaut ho r i t y o ft hePr e s i d ent .Se c t i o n1 3,pa r .( d ) ,i t s e l fv e s t si nt hePr e s i de ntt hepo we rt oa pp o i ntt heCha i r ma ma no ft he Bo a r dan dt heChi e fEx e c ut i v eOffic e ro fSBMA,a l t ho u g hh er e a l l yha sn oc h o i c eun de rt hel a wb utt oa p po i nt t heMa Ma y o ro fOl o ng a poCi t y . Thepo we rt oappo i nti s ,i ne s s e nc e ,di s c r e t i o nar y . Thea pp o i n t i n gp o we rh a st h er i g hto fc ho i c ewhi c hhema ma y e x e r c i s ef r e e l yac c o r d i ngt oh i sj ud gme nt ,d e c i di ngf o rh i ms e l fwhoi sb e s tq ua l i fie da mo mo ngt h o s ewhoha v et he ne c e s s ar yq ual i fic a t i o nsande l i g i bi l i t i e s .I ti sapr e r o g at i v eo ft heappo i nt i ngpo we r.... I nde e d,t hepo we ro fc ho i c ei st hehe ar to ft hepo we rt oappo i nt . Appo i nt me nti nv o l v e sane x e r c i s eo fdi s c r e t i o no f who mt oapp o i nt ;i ti sno tami ni s t e r i a la c to fi s s u i ngapp o i nt me ntp a pe r st ot h eapp o i nt e e .I no t he rwo r d s ,t he c ho i c eo ft heap po i nt e ei saf und ame n t a lc o mp o ne nto ft heap po i nt i ngp o we r . De D act opubl i coffi ce r .“ 4. ) ef Onewh who s ea c t s ,t ho ug hno tt ho s eo fal a wf ulo ffic ffic e r ,t hel a w,up o np r i nc i p l e so f po l i c yandj us t i c e ,wi l lho l dv al i ds of a ra st he yi nv o l v et hei nt e r e s to ft hepub l i candt hi r dpe r s o ns ,whe r et h e orofa known wn el ec t i on orappoi nt ment dut i e so ft heo ffic ffic ewe r ee x e r c i s e d....undercol ,v o i db e c a us et he o ffic ffic e rwa sno te l i g i b l e ,o rb e c a us et he r ewa sawa nto fp o we ri nt hee l e c t i ngo ra ppo i nt i ngbo dy ,o rb yr e a s o no f s o me med e f e c to ri r r e g ul a r i t yi ni t se x e r c i s e ,s uc hi ne l i g i b i l i t y ,wa nto fp o we ro rd e f e c tb e i ngunkno wn t ot he pub l i c....[ o r ]unde rc o l o ro fa ne l e c t i o n,o rappo i nt me nt ,b yo rpur s u antt oa pub l i cunc o ns t i t ut i o na ll a w, b e f o r et hes a me mei sa dj ud ge dt ob es uc h . ” FACTS:
Thec o n s t i t ut i o n al i t yo fS e c .1 3,p ar .( d ) ,o fR. A.7 22 7 ,1 o t he r wi s ekno wn a st he" Ba s e sCo n v e r s i o na nd
Dev el opme mentAc tof1992, "underwhi c hr es pondentMa Mayo rRi c har dJ.Gor donofOl ongapoCi t ywasappoi nt edChai r man and Chi e fEx e c u t i v eOffic e ro ft heSub i cBa yMe Me t r o p o l i t a nAut ho r i t y( SBMA) ,i sc ha l l e ng e di nape t i t i o nf o rp r o hi b i t i o n,pr e l i mi na r y i nj unc t i o na ndt e mp mp o r a r yr e s t r a i ni ngo r d e r" t opr e v e n tu s e l e s sa ndunne c e s s a r ye x pe ndi t ur e so fp ub l i cf und sbywa yo fs a l a r i e s a ndo t he ro p e r a t i o na le x pe ns e sa t t a c he dt ot heo ffic ffic e. ... "2Pa r a gr a p h( d)r e a ds— ( d)
Chai r manadmi mi ni s t r at o r — ThePr e s i d e nts ha l la pp o i ntap r o f e s s i o na lma na g e ra sad mi mi ni s t r a t o ro ft heSub i cAut ho r i t y
wi t hac o mp mp e ns a t i o nt ob ed e t e r mi mi ne db yt heBo a r ds ub j e c tt ot hea pp r o v a lo ft heSe c r e t a r yo fBud g e t ,whos h al lb et h e e xo fic i o c ha i r ma ma no ft heBo a r da ndwhos ha l ls e r v east hec h i e fe x e c ut i v eo ffic ffic e ro ft heSub i cAut ho r i t y :Pr o v i d e d,ho we v e r ,Tha tf o rt he fir s ty e aro fi t so pe r a t i o nsf r o mt hee ffe c t i v i t yo ft hi sAc t ,t he mayoroft heCi t yofOl ongapo s h al lb eap po i nt e da st hec h a i r ma ma n a ndc h i e fe x e c u t i v eo ffic ffic e ro f t heSub i cAut ho r i t y( e mp mp ha s i ss u pp l i e d) .
Sa i dpr o v i s i o na l l e g e dl yi nf r i ng e so nt hef o l l o wi ngc o ns t i t ut i o na la nds t a t ut o r ypr o v i s i o ns :( :( a)Se c .7 ,fir s tpar . ,Ar t .I XB,o ft he Co ns t i t ut i o n,whi c hs t at e st hat" [ n] oe l e c t i v eo ffic ffic i als hal lb ee l i g i b l ef o rappo i nt me nto rde s i g nat i o ni nanyc apac i t yt oanyp ub l i c o ffic ffic e ro rp o s i t i o ndur i nghi st e n ur e , "b e c a u s et h eCi t yMa y o ro fOl o ng a poCi t yi sa ne l e c t i v eo ffic ffic i a la n dt hes ub j e c tp o s t sar e publ i co ffic ffic e s ;( b)Se c .16,Ar t .VI I ,o ft heCo ns t i t u t i o n,whi c hpr o v i de st h at" [ t ] hePr e s i de nts hal l....a ppo i nta l lo t h ero ffic ffic e r so f t heGov er nme mentwhoseappoi nt ment sar enotot herwi sepr ovi dedf orb yl aw,and t hosewhom hemaybeaut hori ze dbyl aw t o a pp o i nt " ,s i nc ei twa sCo ng r e s st hr o u g ht heq ue s t i o ne dp r o v i s oa ndno tt hePr e s i d e ntwhoa pp o i nt e dt heMa Ma y o rt ot hes ub j e c t p o s t s ;a nd ,( c )Se c .2 61 ,p ar .( g ) ,o ft heOm Omni b usEl e c t i o nCo d e ,f o rt her e a s o nt ha tt heap po i nt me nto fr e s po nde ntGo r d o nt ot h e t hi nt heprohi bi t ed45dayperi od s u bj e c tp o s t sma ma deb yr e s p o n de n tEx e c ut i v eSe c r e t a r yo n3Ap r i l1 99 2 waswi pr i o rt ot he11 Ma y1 9 9 2El e c t i o n s . I SSUE:
Whe t he ro rno tt hep r o v i s oi n Se c .1 3,p ar .( d ) ,o fR. A.7 22 7v i o l a t e st h ec o n s t i t ut i o na lp r o s c r i p t i o na g ai ns t
a pp o i nt me nto rd e s i g na t i o no fe l e c t i v eo ffic ffic i a l st oo t he rg o v e r n me me ntp o s t s . RUL ULI NG: G:
Ye s .Sai dpr o vi s i o no fl a wi sunc o ns t i t ut i o nal .
Thes e c t i o ne x pr e s s e st hep ol i c yag ai ns tt hec o nc e n t r a t i o no fs e v e r a lp ub l i cpo s i t i o nsi no nepe r s o n,s ot h atap ub l i co ffic ffic e ro r e mp mpl o y e ema ma ys e r v ef ul l t i mewi t hd e di c a t i o na ndt h usb ee ffi ffic c i e nti nt hede l i v e r yo fp ub l i cs e r v i c e s .I ti sa na ffir ffir ma ma t i o nt ha ta p ub l i co ffic ffic ei saf ul l t i mej o b .He nc e ,ap ub l i co ffic ffic e ro re mp mp l o y e e ,l i k et hehe a do fa ne x e c u t i v ede p ar t me nts ho ul db ea l l o we dt o a t t e nd t ohi sd ut i e sand r e s p o ns i b i l i t i e swi wi t ho utt hed i s t r a c t i o no fo t he rg o v e r n me me nt a ld ut i e so re mp mp l o y me me n t .Hes h o ul db e p r e c l ud e df r o md i s s i p at i nghi se ffo r t s ,a t t e n t i o na nde n e r g ya mo mo n gt o oma nyp o s i t i o nso fr e s p o n s i b i l i t y ,whi c h ma yr e s ul ti n ha pha z ar d ne s sa ndi ne ffic ffic i e nc y .Theba s i ci de ar e a l l yi st op r e v e ntas i t ua t i o nwhe r eal o c a le l e c t i v eo ffic ffic i a lwi l lwo r kf o rhi s a pp o i nt me nti na ne x e c u t i v epo s i t i o ni ng o v e r nme nt ,a ndt h usn eg l e c thi sc o ns t i t ue nt s . Thes ub j e c tp r o vi s odi r e c t st hePr e s i de ntt oap po i nta ne l e c t i v eo ffic ffic i a l ,i . e . ,t heMa Ma y o ro fOl o ng apoCi t y ,t oo t he rg o v e r nme ntpo s t s ( a sCha i r ma ma no ft heBo a r da ndChi e fEx e c ut i v eOffi Offic e ro fSBMA) .Si nc et hi si sp r e c i s e l ywha tt hec o ns t i t ut i o na lp r o s c r i p t i o n s e e kst opr e v e nt ,t hepr o v i s oc o nt r a v e ne sSe c .7 ,fir s tp ar . ,Ar t .I XB,o ft heCo ns t i t ut i o n.He r e ,t hef a c tt ha tt h ee x pe r t i s eo fa n e l e c t i v eo ffic ffic i a lma ybemo mo s tb e ne fic i a lt ot h ehi g he ri nt e r e s to ft hebo d yp o l i t i ci so fnomo mo me me nt . Whi l et h es e c o ndp ar a g r a p ho fs a i dCo n s t i t ut i o na lp r o v i s i o na ut ho r i z e sho l d i ngo fmul t i p l eo ffic ffic e sb ya na pp o i nt i v eo ffic ffic i a lwhe n a l l o we db yl a wo rb yt hep r i ma r yf unc t i o nso fhi sp o s i t i o n,t hefir s tp ar a g r a pha ppe a r st ob emo mo r es t r i ng e ntb yno tp r o v i di ngan y e x c e p t i o nt ot h er u l eag ai ns ta pp oi nt me nto rd e s i g na t i o no fa ne l e c t i v eo ffic ffic i a lt ot heg o v e r nme ntp o s t , e e x c e ptasar epar t i c ul ar l y r e c o g ni z e di nt heCo ns t i t ut i o ni t s e l f ,e . g . ,t hePr e s i de ntashe a do ft hee c o no mi mi candpl anni ngag e nc y ;t heVi c e Pr e s i de n t ,whoma ma y beappoi nt edMe Me mberoft heCabi net ;and,ame me mberofCongre s swhoma maybedes i gnat edexoffic ffici ome me mberoft heJudi ci alandBar Co unc i l . Thepr o hi b i t i o ni smo mo r es t r i c twi t hr e s p e c tt oe l e c t i v eo ffic ffic i a l s ,b ec a us ei nt hec a s eo fa ppo i nt i v eo ffic ffic i a l s ,t he r ema ma ybeal a wt ha t wi l la l l o wt he mt oho l do t he rpo s i t i o ns .Thedi s t i nc t i o nb e i ngc l e a r ,t hee x e mp mp t i o na l l o we dt oa ppo i nt i v eo ffic ffic i a l si nt hes e c o nd ongashei sani ncumbent ,an p ar a gr a p hc a n no tb ee x t e nd e dt oe l e c t i v eo ffic ffic i a l swhoa r eg o v e r ne db yt h efir s tp ar a g r a p h A .Asl e l e ct i veoffi ci alr emai nsi ne l i gi bl ef orappoi nt me ntt oanot he rpubl i coffi ce. Whe nCo ng r e s sc l o t he st hePr e s i d e ntwi t ht hepo we rt oa pp o i nta no ffic ffic e r ,i t( Co n gr e s s )c a n no ta tt hes a me met i mel i mi tt hec h o i c e o ft hePr e s i de ntt oo nl yo nec a nd i d at e .Onc et hepo we ro fa ppo i nt me nti sc o n f e r r e do nt hePr e s i d ent ,s uc hc o nf e r me me ntn e c e s s a r i l y c a r r i e st hedi s c r e t i o no fwho mt oa pp oi nt .Ev e no nt hepr e t e x to fp r e s c r i b i ngt h equa l i fic a t i o nso ft heo ffic ffic e r ,Co ng r e s sm ma a yno t a bus es uc hpo we rast od i v e s tt heappo i nt i nga ut ho r i t y ,di r e c t l yo ri ndi r e c t l y ,o fhi sdi s c r e t i o nt opi c khi so wnc h oi c e .Whe nt he q ua l i fic a t i o nspr e s c r i b e db yCo ng r e s sc a no nl yb eme tb yo nei ndi v i dua l ,s u c he na c t me nte ff e c t i v e l yel i mi na t e st hedi s c r e t i o no f t heapp o i nt i ngp o we rt oc h o o s ea ndc o n s t i t ut e sa ni r r e g ul a rr e s t r i c t i o no nt hepo we ro fa ppo i nt me nt . I nt hec a s eatb a r ,whi l eCo ng r e s swi l l e dt ha tt hes u bj e c tp o s t sb efil l e dwi t hap r e s i d e nt i a la p po i nt e ef o rt hefir s ty e a ro fi t s o pe r at i o nsf r o mt hee ffe c t i v i t yo fR. A.72 27 ,t hepr o v i s one v e r t he l e s sl i mi t st heappo i nt i ngaut ho r i t yt oo nl yonee l i g i bl e ,i . e . ,t he i nc u mb mb e ntMa Ma y o ro fOl o ng ap oCi t y . Si nc eo n l yo nec a nq ua l i f yf o rt hepo s t si nq ue s t i o n,t hePr e s i de nti sp r e c l ude df r o me x e r c i s i ng hi sd i s c r e t i o nt oc h o o s ewho mt oa ppo i nt .Suc hs up po s e dpo we ro fa pp o i nt me nt ,s a nst hee s s e n t i a le l e me me nto fc h o i c e ,i sn opo we r a ta l la ndgo e sa ga i ns tt hev e r yna t ur ei t s e l fo fa ppo i nt me nt .
I ti sma ma ni f e s t l ya na bus eo fc o ng r e s s i o na la ut ho r i t yt opr e s c r i b eq ua l i fic a t i o nswh whe r eo nl yo ne ,a ndnoo t h e r ,c a nq ua l i f y .Whi l e t hec o nf e r me me nto ft heappo i nt i ngpo we ro nt hePr e s i de nti sape r f e c t l yv al i dl e g i s l a t i v ea c t , t hepr o v i s ol i mi t i nghi sc ho i c et oo nei s c e r t a i nl yane nc r o a c hme nto nhi sp r e r o g a t i v e . Asi nc umbe nte l e c t i v eo ffic i al ,r e s po nde ntGo r do ni si ne l i g i bl ef o rappo i nt me ntt ot hepo s i t i o no fChai r mano ft heBo ar dandChi e f Ex e c ut i v eo fSBMA;he nc e ,hi sap po i nt me ntt he r e t op ur s ua ntt oa l e g i s l a t i v ea c tt ha tc o n t r a v e ne st heCo ns t i t ut i o nc a n no tb e s u s t a i n e d.Heho we v e rr e ma ma i n sMa Ma y o ro fOl o n g a poCi t y ,a ndhi sa c t sa sSBMA o ffic ffic i a la r en o tn e c e s s a r i l ynu l la ndv o i d ;hema ma y b ec o ns i d e r e dadef a c t oo ffic ffic e r . Thepr o v i s oi npa r .( d) ,Se c .1 3,o fR. A.7 22 7i sd ec l a r e dunc o ns t i t ut i o na l ;c o ns e q ue nt l y ,t heappo i nt me ntpur s u antt he r e t oo ft he Ma y o ro fOl o ng a poCi t y , r e s p o nd e ntRi c ha r dJ.Go r d o n,i sI he nc eNULL an d OI Ho we v e r ,a l lp e rdi e ms ms ,a l l o wa nc e s NVALI D, V D. a ndo t he re mo mo l u me me n t sr e c e i v e db yr e s p o n de n tGo r d o n,i fa n y ,a ss uc hCh ai r ma na ndChi e fEx e c u t i v eOffic e rma yb er e t a i ne db y ffi ce rdef act o hi m,a nda l la c t so t he r wi s el e g i t i ma t edo n eb yhi mi nt hee x e r c i s eo fh i saut ho r i t ya s offic ofSBMA ar eher e by UPHELD.