SUBJECT: AMENDMENTS DOMINGO SARCOS, as Mayor of Barobo, Surigao del Sur petitioners vs HON. RECARELO CASTILLO, Provincial Governor of Surigao del Sur & the Hon. Provincial Board of Surigao del Sur respondents FACTS: Sarcos, an independent candidate, won in the 14 November 1967 elections, elections, as Mayor of Barobo, Surigao del Sur. Castillo charged Sarcos with misconduct and dishonesty in office. Such act alleged constituted connivance with certain private individuals, to cut and fell timber and selling of the timber cut, for own use and benefit, within the communcal forest reserve of the municipality of Barobo, Surigao del Sur, to the damage and prejudice of the public and the government.
As early as 18 April 196 there was already a charge under oath for abuse of official power in consenting to and authorizing the violations of forestry laws was filed against petitioner by Municipal Council of Barobo. It was on the basis of this administrative complaint that the Castillo filed petition ordering the immediate suspension of Sarcos from position as Mayor saying that the acts a cts committed by mayor Sarcos affects his official integrity, the petition was in accordance with the Sec.5 of RA 5185- Decentralization Act of 1967. ISSUES: WON Provincial Governor is vested vested power to order order preventive preventive suspension of Mayor Sarcos under RA 5185 HELD / RATIONALE: No. Castillo as governor governor lacks authority to order the preventive preventive suspension of of the Petitioner, Sarcos. According to the Decentralization Act of 1967, particularly the paragraph dealing with preventive suspension: "…The President, Provincial Board and City or Municipality Council, as the case may be, shall hear and investigate the truth or falsity if if the charges within within 1- days after receipt of such notice." notice." It was the former law Sec. 2188 of Rev. Adm. Code which gives power to the Governor to order preventive suspension, however, it was already repealed by the Decentralization Act of 1967.
The court was also lead to the suspicion that politics was a cause for the order by Governor of the preventive suspension of the Mayor, being an independent candidate thus of a different political persuasion. The writs of certiorari and prohibition are then granted. The preventive suspension order by Castillo is annulled and set aside. Mayor Sarcos to be reinstated to his position. *The Decentralization Act, to which the decision in this case case is based, amended / repealed Sec. 2188, Rev. Adm. Code. The former law provides that the provicnicla gorvernor, if the charge against a munucupola munucupola officaial was municipal official official was one affecting his official integrity, could order his preventive suspension. It was
repealed by the RA NO. 5185 5185 Sec. 5 which provides that now it is the provincial board which has been granted the power to order preventive suspension.
