DICANG, VAN OLIVER M. Baguio City
ATTY. VICENTE E. SALUMBIDES, JR., and GLENDA ARAÑA, Petitioners, s. !""ICE !" T#E !MBUDSMAN, RICARD! AG!N, RAM!N VILLASANTA, ELMER DI$!N, SALVAD!R ADUL, and AGNES "ABIAN, Res%ondents, GR No. 180917
April 20, 2010
"ACTS !" T#E CASE& Vicente Jr. (Salumbide! (Salumbide! and Glenda (Arana!, "unicipal #e$al %&&icer'Adminitrator %&&icer'Adminitrator and "unicipal ud$et %&&icer, repecti)el*, o& +a$a*-a*an, ue/on, alon$ -it "a*or Vicente (Salumbi (Salumbide! de! -ere -ere car$ed car$ed admini adminitrati trati)el* )el* in connecti connection on -it te contruc contruction tion o& a t-o cla clar roo oom m buil buildi din$ n$ &or &or te te +a$a$a-a* a*an an "uni "unici cipa pall 3i$ 3i$ Sco Scool ol,, -it -itou outt te te re4u re4uir ired ed appropriation o& te San$$unian$ a*an, and -itout public biddin$, te &und &or -ic te* ourced ourced &rom te "aintena "aintenance nce and %ter %ter %peratin %peratin$ $ 56pene 56pene'Re 'Repair pair and "aintena "aintenance nce o& acilitie ("%%5'R"! &or te *ear 2002, a -a alle$edl* done b* te pre)iou adminitration. ontruction proceeded, and e)en a&ter te proect -a included in te lit o& proect to be bidder, no bidder participated. +e oter member o& te San$$unian$ a*an ten &iled -it te %&&ice o& te %mbudman an adminitrati)e cae &or :ionet*, Gra)e "iconduct, Gro Ne$lect o& :ut*, onduct ;reudicial to te et nteret o& te Ser)ice, and )iolation o& te ommiion on Audit (%A! Rule and te #ocal Go)ernment ode. * order o& June 1<, 2002, te %" denied te pra*er &or iuance o& pre)enti)e upenion order, and on ebruar* 1, 200=, appro)ed on April 11, 200=, denied te motion &or reconideration but dropped "a*or Vicente and ouncilor oleta &rom te car$e in )ie- o& teir reelection in te 200< election. +e %" later &ound Vicente Jr. And Glenda liable &or Simple Ne$lect o& :ut* and impoed a i6mont upenion upon tem. +eir motion &or reconideration denied, te* ele)ated teir cae to te Supreme ourt a&ter teir petition &or certiorari -a denied b* te A. +e* ar$ue tat te principle o& condonation ould be e6panded to co)er coterminou appointi)e o&&icial -o -ere adminitrati)el* car$ed alon$ -it te reelected o&&icial'appointin$ autorit* -it in&raction alle$edl* committed durin$ teir precedin$ term.
RES!LUTI!N !" T#E CASE& or noncompliance -it te rule on certi&ication a$aint &orum oppin$, te petition merit outri$t dimial. +e )eri&ication portion o& te petition doe not carr* a certi&ication a$aint &orum oppin$>1?. +e ourt ourt a ditin$ui ditin$uied ed te e&&ect o& noncomp noncomplian liance ce -it te re4uirem re4uirement ent o& )eri&ication and tat o& certi&ication a$aint &orum oppin$. A de&ecti)e )eri&ication all be treated a an uni$ned pleadin$ and tu produce no le$al e&&ect, ubect to te dicretion o& te court to allo- te de&icienc* to be remedied, -ile te &ailure to certi&* a$aint &orum oppin$ all be caue &or dimial -itout preudice, unle oter-ie pro)ided, and i not curable b* amendment o& te initiator* pleadin$>2?. ;etitioner@ dire$ard o& te rule -a not te &irt. +eir motion &or e6tenion o& time to &ile petition -a pre)ioul* denied b* Reolution o& Januar* 1=, 2008>? &or noncompliance -it te re4uired o-in$ o& competent proo& o& identit* in te A&&ida)it o& Ser)ice. +e ourt, b* Reolution o& "arc <, 2008,>
DICANG, VAN OLIVER M. Baguio City
"oreo)er, in teir "ani&etation'"otion>=? &iled a da* later, petitioner pra*ed onl* &or te admiion o& nine additional copie o& te "otion -it Appeal Bdue to onet inad)ertenceC in earlier &ilin$ an inu&&icient number o& copie. ;etitioner -ere le tan candid -en te* urreptitioul* ubmitted a "otion -it Appeal -ic i di&&erent &rom te &irt et te* ad ubmitted. +e econd et o& Appeal include peci&ic Ai$nment o& 5rror>D? and alread* contain a certi&ication a$aint &orum oppin>7? embedded in te Veri&ication. +e t-o di&&erent Veri&ication -ere notari/ed b* te ame notar* public and bear te ame date and document number>8?. +e recti&ied )eri&ication -it certi&ication, o-e)er, -a &iled be*ond te re$lementar* period. t lape aide, te petition ut te ame merit denial. ;etitioner ur$e ti ourt to e6pand te ettled doctrine o& condonation>9? to co)er coterminou appointi)e o&&icial -o -ere adminitrati)el* car$ed alon$ -it te reelected o&&icial'appointin$ autorit* -it in&raction alle$edl* committed durin$ teir precedin$ term. +e ourt reect petitioner@ tei. "ore tan D0 *ear a$o, te ourt in ;acual ). 3on. ;ro)incial oard o& Nue)a 5cia>10? iued te landmar rulin$ tat proibit te diciplinin$ o& an electi)e o&&icial &or a -ron$&ul act committed durin$ i immediatel* precedin$ term o& o&&ice. +e ourt e6plained tat B>t?e underl*in$ teor* i tat eac term i eparate &rom oter term, and tat te reelection to o&&ice operate a a condonation o& te o&&icer@ pre)iou miconduct to te e6tent o& cuttin$ o&& te ri$t to remo)e im tere&or>11?. +e ourt ould ne)er remo)e a public o&&icer &or act done prior to i preent term o& o&&ice. +o do oter-ie -ould be to depri)e te people o& teir ri$t to elect teir o&&icer. Een te people elect>e?d a man to o&&ice, it mut be aumed tat te* did ti -it no-led$e o& i li&e and caracter, and tat te* dire$arded or &or$a)e i &ault or miconduct, i& e ad been $uilt* o& an*. t i not &or te court, b* reaon o& uc &ault or miconduct>,? to practicall* o)errule te -ill o& te people>12?. (undercorin$ upplied! #i/are ). 3ecano)a, et al>1?l. replicated te doctrine. +e ourt dimied te petition in tat cae &or bein$ moot, te terein petitioner Ba)in$ been dul* reelected, i no lon$er amenable to adminitrati)e anction>11=?. clari&ied tat te condonation doctrine doe not appl* to a criminal cae>1D?. #uciano ). +e ;ro)incial Go)ernor, et al>17?., %li)are/ ). Jud$e Villalu/,>18? and A$uinaldo ). Santo>19? ecoed te 4uali&ied rule tat reelection o& a public o&&icial doe not bar proecution &or crime committed b* im prior tereto. onitentl*, te ourt a reiterated te doctrine in a trin$ o& recent uriprudence includin$ t-o cae in)ol)in$ a Senator and a "ember o& te 3oue o& Repreentati)e>20?. Salalima ). Guin$ona, Jr>21?. and "a*or Garcia ). 3on. "oica>22?a rein&orced te doctrine. +e condonation rule -a applied e)en i& te adminitrati)e complaint -a not &iled be&ore te reelection o& te public o&&icial, and e)en i& te alle$ed miconduct occurred &our da* be&ore te election, repecti)el*. Salalima did not ditin$ui a to te date o& &ilin$ o& te adminitrati)e complaint, a lon$ a te alle$ed miconduct -a committed durin$ te prior term, te precie timin$ or period o& -ic Garcia did not &urter ditin$ui, a lon$ a te -ron$doin$ tat $a)e rie to te public o&&icial@ culpabilit* -a committed prior to te date o& reelection.
DICANG, VAN OLIVER M. Baguio City
;etitioner@ teor* i not no)el. A parallel 4uetion -a in)ol)ed in i)il Ser)ice ommiion ). Soor>2? -ere te ourt &ound no bai to broaden te cope o& te doctrine o& condonationF #atl*, Ee do not a$ree -it repondent@ contention tat i appointment to te poition o& preident o& N%RS, depite te pendin$ adminitrati)e cae a$aint im, er)ed a a condonation b* te %R o& te alle$ed act imputed to im. +e doctrine ti ourt laid do-n in Salalima ). Guin$ona, Jr. and A$uinaldo ). Santo are inapplicable to te preent circumtance. Repondent in te mentioned cae are electi)e o&&icial, unlie repondent ere -o i an appointed o&&icial. ndeed, election e6pree te o)erei$n -ill o& te people. nder te principle o& )o6 populi et uprema le6, te reelection o& a public o&&icial ma*, indeed, uperede a pendin$ adminitrati)e cae. +e ame cannot be aid o& a reappointment to a noncareer poition. +ere i no o)erei$n -ill o& te people to pea o& -en te %R re appointed repondent Soor to te pot o& uni)erit* preident>22=?, te ourt applied te &our &old tet in an e4ual protection callen$e>2D? a$aint te rei$ntorun pro)iion, -erein it dicued te material and ubtanti)e ditinction bet-een electi)e and appointi)e o&&icial tat could -ell appl* to te doctrine o& condonationF +e e4ual protection o& te la- claue i a$aint undue &a)or and indi)idual or cla pri)ile$e, a -ell a otile dicrimination or te oppreion o& ine4ualit*. t i not intended to proibit le$ilation -ic i limited eiter in te obect to -ic it i directed or b* territor* -itin -ic it i to operate. t doe not demand abolute e4ualit* amon$ reidentI it merel* re4uire tat all peron all be treated alie, under lie circumtance and condition bot a to pri)ile$e con&erred and liabilitie en&orced. +e e4ual protection claue i not in&rin$ed b* le$ilation -ic applie onl* to toe peron &allin$ -itin a peci&ied cla, i& it applie alie to all peron -itin uc cla, and reaonable $round e6it &or main$ a ditinction bet-een toe -o &all -itin uc cla and toe -o do not. Subtantial ditinction clearl* e6it bet-een electi)e o&&icial and appointi)e o&&icial. +e &ormer occup* teir o&&ice b* )irtue o& te mandate o& te electorate. +e* are elected to an o&&ice &or a de&inite term and ma* be remo)ed tere&rom onl* upon trin$ent condition. %n te oter and, appointi)e o&&icial old teir o&&ice b* )irtue o& teir dei$nation tereto b* an appointin$ autorit*. Some appointi)e o&&icial old teir o&&ice in a permanent capacit* and are entitled to ecurit* o& tenure -ile oter er)e at te pleaure o& te appointin$ autorit*. 6666 An election i te embodiment o& te popular -ill, perap te puret e6preion o& te o)erei$n po-er o& te people. t in)ol)e te coice or election o& candidate to public o&&ice b* popular )ote. oniderin$ tat elected o&&icial are put in o&&ice b* teir contituent &or a de&inite term, 6 6 6 complete de&erence i accorded to te -ill o& te electorate tat te* be er)ed b* uc o&&icial until te end o& te term &or -ic te* -ere elected. n contrat, tere
DICANG, VAN OLIVER M. Baguio City
i no uc e6pectation ino&ar a appointed o&&icial are concerned. (empai and undercorin$ upplied! +e electorate@ condonation o& te pre)iou adminitrati)e in&raction o& te reelected o&&icial cannot be e6tended to tat o& te reappointed coterminou emplo*ee, te underl*in$ bai o& te rule bein$ to upold te -ill o& te people e6preed trou$ te ballot. n oter -ord, tere i neiter ub)erion o& te o)erei$n -ill nor dien&ranciement o& te electorate to pea o&, in te cae o& reappointed coterminou emplo*ee. t i te -ill o& te populace, not te -im o& one peron -o appen to be te appointin$ autorit*, tat could e6tin$ui an adminitrati)e liabilit*. Since petitioner old appointi)e poition, te* cannot claim te mandate o& te electorate. +e people cannot be car$ed -it te preumption o& &ull no-led$e o& te li&e and caracter o& eac and e)er* probable appointee o& te electi)e o&&icial aead o& te latter@ actual reelection. "oreo)er, te un-arranted e6panion o& te ;acual doctrine -ould et a dan$erou precedent a it -ould, a repondent poit, pro)ide ci)il er)ant, particularl* local $o)ernment emplo*ee, -it blanet immunit* &rom adminitrati)e liabilit* tat -ould pa-n and breed abue in te bureaucrac*. Aertin$ -ant o& conpirac*, petitioner implore ti ourt to i&t trou$ te e)idence and reae te &actual &indin$. +i te ourt cannot do, &or bein$ improper and immaterial. nder Rule <= o& te Rule o& ourt, onl* 4uetion o& la- ma* be raied, ince te ourt i not a trier o& &act>27?. A a rule, te ourt i not to re)ie- e)idence on record and ae te probati)e -ei$t tereo&. n te preent cae, te appellate court a&&irmed te &actual &indin$ o& te %&&ice o& te %mbudman, -ic rendered te &actual 4uetion be*ond te pro)ince o& te ourt. "oreo)er, a correctl* ober)ed b* repondent, te lac o& conpirac* cannot be appreciated in &a)or o& petitioner -o -ere &ound $uilt* o& imple ne$lect o& dut*, &or i& te* conpired to act ne$li$entl*, teir in&raction become intentiona>28?l. +ere can ardl* be conpirac* to commit ne$li$ence>29?. Simple ne$lect o& dut* i de&ined a te &ailure to $i)e proper attention to a ta e6pected &rom an emplo*ee reultin$ &rom eiter carelene or indi&&erence>0?. n te preent cae, petitioner &ell ort o& te reaonable dili$ence re4uired o& tem, &or &ailin$ to e6ercie due care and prudence in acertainin$ te le$al re4uirement and &ical oundne o& te proect be&ore tampin$ teir imprimatur and $i)in$ teir ad)ice to teir uperior. +e appellate court correctl* ruled tat a municipal le$al o&&icer, petitioner Salumbide B&ailed to upold te la- and pro)ide a ound le$al aitance and upport to te ma*or in carr*in$ out te deli)er* o& baic er)ice and pro)iion o& ade4uate &acilitie -en e ad)ied >te ma*or? to proceed -it te contruction o& te ubect proect -itout prior competiti)e biddin$>1?.C A pointed out b* te %&&ice o& te Solicitor General, to abol)e Salumbide i tantamount to allo-in$ -it impunit* te $i)in$ o& erroneou or ille$al ad)ice, -en b* la- e i preciel* taed to ad)ie te ma*or on Bmatter related to upoldin$ te rule o& la-.C>2? ndeed, a le$al o&&icer -o render a le$al opinion on a coure o& action -itout an* le$al bai become no di&&erent &rom a la* peron -o ma* appro)e te ame becaue it appear uti&ied.
DICANG, VAN OLIVER M. Baguio City
A re$ard petitioner Glenda, te appellate court eld tat te improper ue o& $o)ernment &und upon te direction o& te ma*or and prior ad)ice b* te municipal le$al o&&icer did not relie)e er o& liabilit* &or -illin$l* cooperatin$ rater tan re$iterin$ er -ritten obection>? a municipal bud$et o&&icer. Aide &rom te lac o& competiti)e biddin$, te appellate court, pointin$ to te improper itemi/ation o& te e6pene, eld tat te &undin$ &or te proect ould a)e been taen &rom te Bcapital outla*C tat re&er to te appropriation &or te purcae o& $ood and er)ice, te bene&it o& -ic e6tend be*ond te &ical *ear and -ic add to te aet o& te local $o)ernment unit. t added tat current operatin$ e6penditure lie "%%5'R" re&er to appropriation &or te purcae o& $ood and er)ice &or te conduct o& normal local $o)ernment operation -itin te &ical *ear.>=?, te ourt reminded te terein repondent, -o -ere $uilt* o& imple ne$lect o& dut*, tat $o)ernment &und mut be dibured onl* upon compliance -it te re4uirement pro)ided b* la- and pertinent rule. Simple ne$lect o& dut* i clai&ied a a le $ra)e o&&ene puniable b* upenion -itout pa* &or one mont and one da* to i6 mont. indin$ no alle$ed or etablied circumtance to -arrant te impoition o& te ma6imum penalt* o& i6 mont, te ourt &ind te impoition o& upenion -itout pa* &or tree mont uti&ied. Een a public o&&icer tae an oat o& o&&ice, e or e bind imel& or erel& to &ait&ull* per&orm te dutie o& te o&&ice and ue reaonable ill and dili$ence, and to act primaril* &or te bene&it o& te public. +u, in te dicar$e o& dutie, a public o&&icer i to ue tat prudence, caution, and attention -ic care&ul peron ue in te mana$ement o& teir a&&air>D?. ;ublic er)ice re4uire inte$rit* and dicipline. or ti reaon, public er)ant mut e6ibit at all time te i$et ene o& onet* and dedication to dut*. * te )er* nature o& teir dutie and reponibilitie, public o&&icer and emplo*ee mut &ait&ull* adere to old acred and render in)iolate te contitutional principle tat a public o&&ice i a public trutI and mut at all time be accountable to te people, er)e tem -it utmot reponibilit*, inte$rit*, lo*alt* and e&&icienc*>7?. E35R5%R5, te aailed :eciion and Reolution o& te ourt o& Appeal in AG.R. S; No. 9D889 are AR"5: -it "%:A+%N, in tat petitioner, Vicente Salumbide, Jr. and Glenda Araa, are upended &rom o&&ice &or tree (! mont -itout pa*.
DICANG, VAN OLIVER M. Baguio City
