HEBRON VS REYES G.R. No. L-9124 July 28, 1958 BERNARDO HEBRON, petitioner, EULALIO D. REYE, re!pon"ent. re!pon"ent. CONCEPCION, J
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FACTS OF THE CASE: #$i! i! % quo warranto &%!e warranto &%!e in'ol'in( t$e O)&e o* +%yor o* t$e +uni&ip%lity o* %r-on%, ro'in&e o* %'ite. In t$e (ener%l ele&tion! $el" in 1951, petitioner Bern%r"o He/ron, % -e-/er o* t$e Li/er%l %rty, %n" re!pon"ent Eul%lio D. Reye!, o* t$e N%&ion%li!t% %rty, 0ere ele&te" -%yor %n" 'i&e-%yor, re!pe&ti'ely, o* !%i" -uni&ip%lity, *or % ter- o* *our 34 ye%r!, /e(innin( *ro J%nu%ry 1, 1952, on 0$i&$ "%te t$ey pre!u-% pre!u-%/ly /ly %!!u-e" t$e %*ore-e %*ore-entione" ntione" o)&e!. etitioner "i!&$%r(e" t$e "utie! %n" *un&tion! o* -%yor &ontinuou!ly until +%y 22 or 23, 1953, 0$en $e re&ei'e" t$e *ollo0in( &o--uni&%tion Letter to He/ron 6 O77IE O7 #HE REIDEN# O7 #HE HILIINE +%nil%, +%y 13, 1953 IR le%!e /e %"'i!e" t$%t t$e re!i"ent $%! "e&i"e" *or t$e (oo" o* t$e pu/li& !er'i&e, to assume directly the investigation to the administrative charges against you *or %lle(e" oppre!!ion, (r%'e %/u!e o* %ut$ority %n" !eriou! -i!&on"u&t in o)&e, %n" $%! "e!i(n%te" t$e ro'in&i%l 7i!&%l o* t$%t pro'in&e %! pe&i%l In'e!ti(%tor o* t$e !%i" &$%r(e!. opy o* $i! "e!i(n%tion i! en&lo!e" *or your in*or-%tion. In 'ie0 o* t$e !eriou! n%ture o* t$e %*ore-entione" &$%r(e! %(%in!t you, %n" in or"er to pro-ote % *%ir %n" i-p%rti%l in'e!ti(%tion t$ereo*, you t$ereo*, you are hereby hereby suspended suspended from oce, oce, eective immediately immediately,, your suspension, to last until the nal termination of the administrative proceedings %(%in!t you %*ore-entione". In t$i! &onne&tion, ple%!e /e %"'i!e" t$%t t$e Vice-Mayor has been directed to assume the oce of Acting Mayor during the period of your suspension , in %&&or"%n&e 0it$ t$e pro'i!ion! o* e&tion 2195 o* t$e Re'i!e" A"-ini!tr%ti'e o"e. #$e ro'in&i%l ro'in&i%l o'ernor o'ernor %n" %n" t$e pe&i%l pe&i%l In'e!ti(%tor In'e!ti(%tor $%'e /een %"'i!e" %"'i!e" $ereo* $ereo*.. espectfully, By %ut$ority o* t$e re!i"ent (".4 7RED RUI A#RO !"ecutive #ecretary
#$ereupon, #$ereupon, re!pon"ent re!pon"ent Eulalio . R!"!# %&te" R!"!# %&te" %! -%yor o* %r-on% %n" t$e ro'in&i%l 7i!&%l o* %'ite in'e!ti(%te" t$e &$%r(e! re*erre" to in t$e %/o'e:uote" letter. A*ter $ol"in(
$e%rin(! in &onne&tion 0it$ !%i" &$%r(e!, t$e pro'in&i%l ;!&%l !u/-itte" $i! report t$ereon on July 15, 1953. in&e t$en t$e -%tter $%! /een pen"in( in t$e O)&e o* t$e re!i"ent *or "e&i!ion. In%!-u&$ %! t$e !%-e "i" not %ppe%r to /e *ort$&o-in(, %n" t$e ter- o* petitioner, 0$o re-%ine" !u!pen"e", 0%! %/out to e
ISS$E: >?N % -uni&ip%l -%yor, not &$%r(e" 0it$ "i!loy%lty to t$e Repu/li& o* t$e $ilippine!, -%y /e re-o'e" or !u!pen"e" "ire&tly /y t$e re!i"ent o* t$e $ilippine!, re(%r"le!! o* t$e pro&e"ure !et *ort$ in !e&tion! 2188 to 2191 o* t$e Re'i!e" A"-ini!tr%ti'e o"e.
HEL: NO. #$e re!i"ent $%! no @inherent power to remove or suspend @ lo&%l ele&ti'e o)&er!. Re-o'%l %n" !u!pen!ion o* pu/li& o)&er! %re always controlled /y t$e p%rti&ul%r l%0 %ppli&%/le %n" it! proper &on!tru&tion !u/e&t to &on!titution%l li-it%tion.
RATIONALE: $here is neither statutory nor constitutional provision granting the %resident sweeping authority to remove municipal ocials. By %rti&le II, !e&tion 1C, p%r%(r%p$ 14 o* t$e on!titution t$e re!i"ent @!$%ll . . . e
$%t i! -ore, t$e l%n(u%(e o* !e&tion! 2188 to 2191 o* t$e Re'i!e" A"-ini!tr%ti'e o"e le%'e! no roo- *or "ou/t t$%t t$e l%0 in t$e 0or"! o* +r. Ju!ti&e #u%!on @*ro0n! upon prolon(e" or in"e;nite !u!pen!ion o* lo&%l ele&ti'e o)&i%l!@ L%&!on vs& Ro:ue, 92 $il., 35 39 OG. %., 9=4. ur!u%nt to !%i" !e&tion 2188, In t$e &%!e %t /%r, petitioner 0%! !u!pen"e" in +%y 1953. #$e re&or"! o* t$e in'e!ti(%tion /y t$e ro'in&i%l 7i!&%l o* %'ite, 0it$ t$e report o* t$e l%tter, 0ere *or0%r"e" to t$e
E
