LESSON: Power of Appointment G.R. No. 191560 General vs. Urro Brion, J.
Summarized by Sarah Luis Luis Mari Mario o Gene Genera rall is rel rela! a!ed ed by "le#a le#and ndro ro $rro $rro.. Gene Genera rall says says $rro $rro%s %s aoin&men& is un!ons&i&u&ional and &here'ore $rro !anno& rela!e him. (he )our& says &ha& sin!e General *as only a &emorary aoin&ee and &here'ore he does no& ha+e a !ause o' a!&ion sin!e he may be remo+ed a& any &ime. IMPORTANT PEOPLE Luis Mario General -e&i&ioner "le#andro "le#andro $rro, s&an!ia s&an!ia de Guzman, Guzman, duardo duardo s!ue&a s!ue&a Resonde Resonden&s n&s FATS 1. /5 Janu Januar ary y /006 /006 -GM" -GM" aoi aoin& n&ed ed mel melda da Ro!e Ro!es s a!&i a!&in2 n2 N"-3 N"-3L) L)3M 3M )ommissioner. /. Se& Se&emb ember er /004 /004 Ro!e Ro!es s died. died. . /1 July /004 PGMA PGMA appo appoin inte te! ! Gene Genera rall an! an! Es"# Es"#et eta a as a"ti a"tin$ n$ NAPOLOM ommissioner in pla"e of Ro"es. . PGMA appointe! Urro% G#&man an! Es"#eta as permanent NAPOLOM ommissioners. $rro &oo7 General%s la!e in N"-3L)3M. $rro% $rro%s s ao aoin& in&men men&& aer aer is da&e da&ed d 5 Mar!h Mar!h /010. /010. 8e Guzman Guzman and s!u s!ue&a% e&a%s s aoin aoin&men &men&& aers aers are are da&ed da&ed Mar!h Mar!h /010. /010. 5. 8LG 8LG :ead :ead ;e!u&i+ ;e!u&i+e e "ssis&an& "ssis&an& -as!ual -as!ual Re!allin >Re!allin2, 2, ?i&hdra*in2 ?i&hdra*in2 and and Re+o7in2 Re+o7in2 "oin&men&s "oin&men&s ssued by &he -re+ious "dminis&ra&ion "dminis&ra&ion in
1 "r&i!l "r&i!le e <, <, Se!&ion Se!&ion 15 o' &he 194 )ons&i&u&ion )ons&i&u&ion ro+idesAS)( ro+idesAS)(3N 3N 15. (*o mon&hs immedia& immedia&ely ely be'ore &he ne;& residen&ial ele!&ions and u &o &he end o' his &erm, a -residen& or "!&in2 -residen& shall no& ma7e aoin&men&s, e;!e& &emorary aoin&men&s &o e;e!u&i+e osi&ions *hen !on&inued +a!an!ies &herein *ill re#udi!e ubli! ser+i!e or endan2er ubli! sa'e&y.
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Ro!es *as suosed &o ser+e a 'ull &erm o' si; years !oun&ed 'rom &he da&e o' her aoin&men& in Se&ember /00. Sin!e she 'ailed &o 'inish her si; year &erm, &hen &he e&i&ioner is en&i&led &o ser+e &his une;ired or&ion or un&il Se&ember /010. (he e&i&ioner in+o7es R" 6945 8ear&men& o' &he n&erior and Lo!al Go+ernmen& "!& o' 1990C *hi!h re=uires &ha& +a!an!ies in &he N"-3L)3M >shall be 'illed u 'or &he une;ired &erm only.@ Be!ause o' &he manda&ory *ord >shall,@ &he e&i&ioner !on!ludes &ha& &he aoin&men& issued &o him *as really a >re2ular@ aoin&men&, no&*i&hs&andin2 *ha& aears in his aoin&men& aer. "s a re2ular aoin&ee, &he e&i&ioner ar2ues &ha& he !anno& be remo+ed 'rom o''i!e e;!e& 'or !ause. (he e&i&ioner al&erna&i+ely submi&s &ha& e+en i' his aoin&men& *ere &emorary, a &emorary aoin&men& does no& 2i+e &he -residen& &he li!ense &o abuse a ubli! o''i!ial simly be!ause he la!7s se!uri&y o' &enure. :e asser&s &ha& &he +alidi&y o' his &ermina&ion 'rom o''i!e deends on &he +alidi&y o' &he aoin&men& o' &he erson in&ended &o rela!e him. :e !on&ends &ha& an aoin&men& be!omes e''e!&i+e only *hen i& is o''i!ially released. Resonden&%s aoin&men&s *ere released on Mar!h 19, /010, *hen &he aoin&men& ban *as already in e''e!&. (here'ore, &he aoin&men&s are in+alid. 9. Resonden&%s osi&ionA -e&i&ioner is no& a real ar&yinin&eres& &o 'ile a e&i&ion 'or quo warranto sin!e he *as merely aoin&ed in an a!&in2 !aa!i&y and !ould be +alidly remo+ed 'rom o''i!e a& any &ime. (he resonden&s li7e*ise !oun&er &ha& *ha& &he ban on midni2h& aoin&men&s under Se!&ion 15, "r&i!le < o' &he )ons&i&u&ion rohibi&s is only &he making o' an aoin&men& by &he -residen& si;&y 60C days be'ore &he ne;& residen&ial ele!&ions and un&il his &erm e;iresD i& does no& rohibi& &he acceptance by &he aoin&ee o' his aoin&men& *i&hin &he same rohibi&ed eriod. Sin!e &he resonden&s *ere aoin&ed er &he da&e aearin2 in &heir aoin&men& aersC be'ore &he !ons&i&u&ional ban &oo7 e''e!&, &hen &heir aoin&men&s are +alid. 10.3SG%s osi&ionA Resonden&s% aoin&men&s are *i&hin &he s!oe o' midni2h& aoin&men&s as de'ined by 3 No. /. :o*e+er, e&i&ioner is no& en&i&led &o &he remedy o' quo warranto in +ie* o' &he na&ure o' his aoin&men&. /
Sin!e an aoin&men& in an a!&in2 !aa!i&y !anno& e;!eed one year, &he e&i&ioner%s aoin&men& ipso facto e;ired on July /1, /009. 11. )our& no&es &ha& &he !ons&i&u&ionali&y o' &he resonden&%s aoin&men&s is no& &he lis mota o' &he !ase. ?ha& is de!isi+e is &he de&ermina&ion o' *he&her &he e&i&ioner has a !ause o' a!&ion &o ins&i&u&e and main&ain &his resen& e&i&ion a quo warranto a2ains& resonden& $rro. ' If t(e petitioner fails to esta)lis( (is "a#se of a"tion for quo warranto % a !is"#ssion of t(e "onstit#tionalit* of t(e appointments of t(e respon!ents is ren!ere! "ompletel* #nne"essar*. ISSUE wit( +OL,ING 1. ?ha& is &he na&ure o' &he e&i&ioner%s aoin&men& as a!&in2 N"-3L)3M )ommissionerE "oin&men&s may be !lassi'ied in&o &*oA 'irs&, as &o i&s natureD and se!ond, as &o &he manner in *hi!h i& is made. ' $nder &he 'irs& !lassi'i!a&ion, aoin&men&s !an ei&her be permanent or temporary a!&in2C. " basi! dis&in!&ion is &ha& a permanent appointee "an onl* )e remove! from offi"e for "a#se- w(ereas a temporar* appointee "an )e remove! even wit(o#t (earin$ or "a#se. ' $nder &he se!ond !lassi'i!a&ion, an aoin&men& !an ei&her be regular or ad interim . A re$#lar appointment is one ma!e w(ile on$ress is in session% w(ile an a! interim appointment is one iss#e! !#rin$ t(e re"ess of on$ress. (he o*er &o aoin& +es&ed in &he -residen& in!ludes &he o*er &o ma7e &emorary aoin&men&s, unless he is o&her*ise se!i'i!ally rohibi&ed by &he )ons&i&u&ion or by &he la*, or *here an a!&in2 aoin&men& is reu2nan& &o &he na&ure o' &he o''i!e in+ol+ed. ' (he urose o' an a"tin$ or temporar* appointment is &o re+en& a hia&us in &he dis!har2e o' o''i!ial 'un!&ions by au&horizin2 a erson &o dis!har2e &hose 'un!&ions endin2 &he sele!&ion o' a ermanen& or ano&her aoin&ee. "n a!&in2 aoin&ee a!!e&s &he osi&ion on &he !ondi&ion &ha& he shall surrender &he o''i!e on!e he is !alled &o do so by &he aoin&in2 au&hori&y. T(erefore% (is term of offi"e is not fie! )#t en!#res at t(e pleas#re of t(e appointin$ a#t(orit*. n &he resen& !ase, &he e&i&ioner osi&s &ha& R" 6945, rohibi&s &he aoin&men& o' a N"-3L)3M )ommissioner in an a!&in2 !aa!i&y by s&a22erin2 his &erm o' o''i!e. / / R.". No. 6945 s&a&esASe!&ion 16. (erm o' 3''i!e. (he 'our C re2ular and 'ull&ime )ommissioners shall be aoin&ed by &he -residen& uon &he re!ommenda&ion o' &he Se!re&ary. 3' &he 'irs& 'our C !ommissioners &o be aoin&ed, &*o /C !ommissioners shall ser+e 'or si; 6C years and &he &*o /C
(he urose 'or s&a22erin2 &he &erm o' o''i!e is &o minimize &he aoin&in2 au&hori&y%s oor&uni&y &o aoin& a ma#ori&y o' &he members o' a !olle2ial body. & also in&ended &o ensure &he !on&inui&y o' &he body and i&s oli!ies. " s&a22ered &erm o' o''i!e is no& a s&a&u&ory rohibi&ion a2ains& &he issuan!e o' a!&in2 or &emorary aoin&men&. & does no& ne2a&e &he au&hori&y &o issue a!&in2 or &emorary aoin&men&s &ha& &he "dminis&ra&i+e )ode 2ran&s. Fur&hermore, a ro+ision on &he s&a22erin2 o' &erms o' o''i!e is e+iden&ly absen& in R" 551 &he amenda&ory la* &o R" 6945. (hus, as &he la* no* s&ands, &he e&i&ioner%s !laim &ha& &he aoin&men& o' an a!&in2 N"-3L)3M )ommissioner is no& allo*ed based on &he s&a22erin2 o' &erms o' o''i!e does no& e+en ha+e any s&a&u&ory basis. (he rohibi&ion on &he -residen& 'rom issuin2 an a!&in2 aoin&men& mus& ei&her be se!i'i!, or &here mus& be !lear reu2nan!y be&*een &he na&ure o' &he o''i!e and &he &emorary assi2nmen&. No su!h limi&a&ion on &he -residen&%s aoin&in2 o*er aears &o be !learly dedu!ible 'rom &he &e;& o' R" 6945. (here is no&hin2 in &he enumera&ion o' 'un!&ions o' &he members o' &he N"-3L)3M &ha& *ould be sub+er&ed or de'ea&ed by &he -residen&%s aoin&men& o' an a!&in2 N"-3L)3M )ommissioner endin2 &he sele!&ion and =uali'i!a&ion o' a ermanen& aoin&ee. (he e&i&ioner ne;& !i&es Se!&ion 1 o' R.". No. 6945 &o suor& his !laim &ha& &he aoin&men& o' a N"-3L)3M )ommissioner &o 'ill a +a!an!y due &o &he ermanen& in!aa!i&y o' a re2ular )ommissioner !an only be ermanen& and no& &emorary. No&hin2 in &he !i&ed ro+ision suor&s &he e&i&ioner%s !on!lusion. By usin2 &he *ord >only@ in Se!&ion 1 o' R.". No. 6945, &he la*%s ob+ious in&en& is only &o re+en& &he ne* aoin&ee 'rom ser+in2 beyond &he &erm o' o''i!e o' &he ori2inal aoin&ee. & does no& rohibi& &he ne* aoin&ee
o&her !ommissioners 'or 'our C years. "ll subse=uen& aoin&men&s shall be 'or a eriod o' si; 6C years ea!h, *i&hou& reaoin&men& or e;&ension. Se!&ion 4 o' R.". No. 551 readsASe!&ion 4. Se!&ion 16 o' Reubli! "!& No. 6945 is hereby amended &o read as 'ollo*sA S). 16. (erm o' 3''i!e. (he 'our C re2ular and 'ull&ime )ommissioners shall be aoin&ed by &he -residen& 'or a &erm o' si; 6C years *i&hou& reaoin&men& or e;&ension. Se!&ion 1 o' R.". No. 6945 readsASe!&ion 1. Remo+al 'rom 3''i!e. (he members o' &he )ommission may be remo+ed 'rom o''i!e 'or !ause. "ll +a!an!ies in &he )ommission, e;!e& &hrou2h e;ira&ion o' &erm, shall be 'illed u 'or &he une;ired &erm onlyA -ro+ided, (ha& any erson *ho shall be aoin&ed in &his !ase shall be eli2ible 'or re2ular aoin&men& 'or ano&her 'ull &erm.
'rom ser+in2 less &han &he une;ired or&ion o' &he &erm as in &he !ase o' a &emorary aoin&men&. ' -e&i&ioner%s aoin&men& as "!&in2 )ommissioner *as &imelimi&ed. :is aoin&men& ipso facto e;ired on July /1, /009 *hen i& *as no& rene*ed ei&her in an a!&in2 or a ermanen& !aa!i&y. /it( an epire! appointment% (e te"(ni"all* now o""#pies no position on w(i"( to an"(or (is quo warranto petition. (he e&i&ioner is es&oed 'rom !laimin2 &ha& he *as ermanen&ly aoin&ed. " erson *ho a!!e&s an aoin&men& in an a!&in2 !aa!i&y, e;&ended and re!ei+ed *i&hou& any ro&es& or reser+a&ion, and *ho a!&s by +ir&ue o' &ha& aoin&men& 'or a !onsiderable &ime, !anno& la&er on be heard &o say &ha& &he aoin&men& *as really a ermanen& one so &ha& he !ould no& be remo+ed e;!e& 'or !ause. /. ?he&her or no& &he e&i&ioner has &he !lear ri2h& &o be reins&a&ed &o his 'ormer osi&ion and &o ous& resonden& $rro as N"-3L)3M )ommissioner. ' No. Sin"e t(e petitioner merel* (ol!s an a"tin$ appointment 0an! an epire! one at t(at1% (e "learl* !oes not (ave a "a#se of a"tion to maintain t(e present petition. (he essen!e o' an a!&in2 aoin&men& is i&s &emorariness and i&s !onse=uen& re+o!abili&y a& any &ime by &he aoin&in2 au&hori&y. (he e&i&ioner in a quo warranto ro!eedin2 *ho see7s reins&a&emen& &o an o''i!e, on &he 2round o' usura&ion or ille2al deri+a&ion, mus& ro+e his !lear ri2h& &o &he o''i!e 'or his sui& &o su!!eedD o&her*ise, his e&i&ion mus& 'ail. (he 'ailure o' &he e&i&ioner &o es&ablish his !lear ri2h& &o &he o''i!e renders a rulin2 on &he !ons&i&u&ional issues raised unne!essary. ,ISPOSITI2E PORTION -e&i&ion is 8SMSS8. ,OTRINE " &emorary or a!&in2 aoin&ee%s &erm o' o''i!e is no& 'i;ed bu& endures a& &he leasure o' &he aoin&in2 au&hori&y. "n a!&in2 aoin&ee has no !ause o' a!&ion 'or quo warranto a2ains& &he ne* aoin&ee.
OT+ER NOTES )lassi'i!a&ion o' aoin&men&s as &o na&ureA Permanent '
)an only be remo+ed 'rom o''i!e 'or !ause.
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Temporar* or A"tin$
)an be remo+ed e+en *i&hou& hearin2 or !ause. -urose is &o re+en& a hia&us in &he dis!har2e o' o''i!ial 'un!&ions by au&horizin2 a erson &o dis!har2e &hose 'un!&ions endin2 &he sele!&ion o' a ermanen& or ano&her aoin&ee. (erm o' o''i!e is no& 'i;ed bu& endures a& &he leasure o' &he aoin&in2 au&hori&y )lassi'i!a&ion o' aoin&men&s as &o &he manner in *hi!h i& is madeA Re$#lar 3ne made *hile )on2ress is in session A! interim 3ne issued durin2 &he re!ess o' )on2ress.
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