B. STATUTE IN DEROGATION OF RIGHTS Petitioner: Petitioner: Heirs of Alberto Suguitan Reson!ent: Reson!ent: "it# of $an!alu#ong Fa%ts: T&e reson!ent reson!ent issue! a resolution resolution aut&ori'ing $a#or Ban(a)in Abalos to institute e*roriation e*roriation ro%ee!ing o+er t&e roert# of Alberto Suguitan for t&e e*ansion of $an!alu#ong $e!i%al "enter. Alberto Suguitan refuse! t&e o,er $a#or Abalos in bu#ing &is roert#. "it# of $an!alu#ong -le! a %o)laint for e*roriation it& t&e RT" of Pasig. T&e trial %ourt !enie! t&e )otion to !is)iss -lle! b# Alberto Suguitan an! alloe! t&e e*roriation of t&e sub(e%t roert#. T&e etitioner asserte! asserte! t&at t&e reson!ent reson!ent )a# onl# e*er%ise its !elegate! oer of e)inent !o)ain b# )eans of an or!inan%e as re/uire! b# Se%tion 01 of Reubli% A%t No. 2034 an! not b# )eans of a )ere resolution. Petition for re+ie for re+ersal of t&e Or!er b# t&e RT" of Pasig. Issue: 5&et&er a resolution is a su6%ient ante%e!ent for t&e -lling of e*roriation ro%ee!ings it& t&e RT". Ruling: •
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No. Petition is grante! an! t&e !e%ision of RT" of Pasig is re+erse! an! set asi!e. An e*a)ination of t&e ali%able la ill s&o t&at an or!inan%e is ne%essar# to aut&ori'e t&e -ling of a %o)laint it& t&e roer %ourt sin%e7 beginning at t&is oint7 t&e oer of e)inent !o)ain is alrea!# being e*er%ise!. 8Pri+ate roert# roert# s&all not be ta9en for ubli% use it&out (ust %o)ensation. T&e !ue ro%ess an! e/ual rote%tion %lauses a%t as a!!itional safeguar!s against t&e arbitrar# e*er%ise of t&is go+ern)ental oer. Sin%e e*er%ise of t&e oer of e)inent !o)ain a,e%ts an in!i+i!ual;s rig&t to ri+ate roert#7 a %onstitutionall#<rote%te! %onstitutionall#<rote%te! rig&t ne%essar# f or t&e reser+ation an! en&an%e)ent of ersonal !ignit# an! inti)atel# %onne%te! it& t&e rig&ts to life an! libert# t&e nee! for its %ir%u)se%t oeration oeration %annot be o+ere)&asi'e!. The exercise of the rights of eminent domain, whether directly by the State, or by its authorized agents, is necessarily in derogation of private rights, and the rule in that case is that the authority must be strictly construed. No species of property is held by individuals with greater tenacity, and none is guarded by the constitution and the laws more sedulously, than the right to the freehold of inhabitants. When the legislature interferes with that right, and, for greater public purposes, appropriates the land of an individual without his consent, the plain meaning of the law should not be enlarged by doubt[ful interpretation. interpretation.
The statutory power of ta!ing property from the owner without his consent is one of the most delicate exercise of governmental authority. "t is to be watched with #ealous scrutiny. "mportant as the power may be to the government, the inviolable sanctity which all free constitutions attach to the right of property of the citizens, constrains the strict observance of substantial provisions of the law which are prescribed as mode of the exercise of the power, and to protect it from abuse.... T&e oer of e)inent !o)ain is essentiall# legislati+e in nature. It is -r)l# settle!7 &oe+er7 t&at su%& oer )a# +ali!l# !elegate! to lo%al go+ern)ent units7 ot&er ubli% entities an! ubli% utilities7 alt&oug& t&e s%oe of t&is !elegate! legislati+e oer is ne%essaril# narroer t&an t&at of t&e !elegating aut&orit# an! )a# onl# be e*er%ise! in stri%t %o)lian%e it& t&e ter)s of t&e !elegating la. The basis of the exercise of the power of eminent domain by local government units is Section $% of &' ($)*+ ' local government unit may, through its chief executive and acting pursuant to an ordinance, exercise the power of eminent domain for public use, or purpose or welfare for the benet of the poor and the landless, upon payment of #ust compensation, pursuant to the provisions of the -onstitution and pertinent laws+ rovided, however, That the power of eminent domain may not be exercised unless a valid and denite o/er has been previously
made to the owner, and such o/er was not accepted+ rovided, further, That the local government unit may immediately ta!e possession of the property upon the ling of the expropriation proceedings and upon ma!ing a deposit with the proper court of at least fteen percent 0$123 of the fair mar!et value of the property based on the current tax declaration of the property to be expropriated+ rovided, nally, That, the amount to be paid for the expropriated property shall be determined by the proper court, based on the fair mar!et value at the time of the ta!ing of the property. < T&e "it# of $an!alu#ong see9s to e*er%ise t&e oer of e)inent !o)ain o+er etitioners; roert# b# )eans of resolution7 in %ontra+ention of t&e -rst re/uisite. The law is clear and free from ambiguity. Se%tion 01 of t&e "o!e re/uires an or!inan%e7 not resolution7 for e*er%ise of t&e oer of e)inent !o)ain. < 0st re/uisite: An or!inan%e is ena%te! b# t&e lo%al legislati+e %oun%il aut&ori'ing t&e lo%al %&ief e*e%uti+e7 in be&alf of t&e lo%al go+ern)ent unit7 to e*er%ise t&e oer of e)inent !o)ain or ursue e*roriation ro%ee!ings o+er a arti%ular roert#. < An or!inan%e ro)ulgate! b# t&e lo%al legislati+e bo!# aut&ori'ing its lo%al %&ief e*e%uti+e to e*er%ise t&e oer of e)inent !o)ain is ne%essar# rior to t&e -ling b# t&e latter of t&e %o)laint it& t&e roer %ourt7 an! not onl# after t&e %ourt &as !eter)ine! t&e
a)ount of (ust %o)ensation to &i%& t&e !efen!ant is entitle!. "n inconsistency between the -ode 0Section $% of &' ($)*3 and the "&& 0'rticle 4), &ule 5"3+ T&e la itself surel# re+ails o+er sai! rule &i%& )erel# see9s to i)le)ent it. It is auto)ati% t&at t&e %lear letter of t&e la is %ontrolling an! %annot be a)en!e! b# )ere a!)inistrati+e rule issue! for its i)le)enting. Besi!es7 &at t&e !is%rean%# see)s to in!i%ate is a )ere o+ersig&t in t&e or!ing of t&e
i)le)enting rules7 sin%e Arti%le =>7 Rule ?I t&ereof7 also re/uires t&at7 in e*er%ising t&e oer of e)inent !o)ain7 t&e %&ief e*e%uti+e of t&e @GU )ust a%t ursuant to an or!inan%e. 5&ile e re)ain %ons%ious of t&e %onstitutional oli%# of ro)oting lo%al autono)#7 e %annot grant (u!i%ial san%tion to lo%al go+ern)ent unit;s e*er%ise of its !elegate! oer of e)inent !o)ain in %ontra+ention of t&e +er# la gi+ing it su%& oer.
