Republic of the Philippines

SUPREME COURT
Manila
SECOND DIVISION
G.R. No. 164185 July 23, 2008
PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, Petitioner,
vs.
THE SN!IGN"#N $FOURTH !I%ISION& '() LEJN!RO . %ILLPN!O, Respondents.
D E C I S I O N
*UISUM"ING, J.:
his petition for certiorari !led b" the O#ice of the O$buds$an throu%h the O#ice of the Special Prosecutor
assails the Ma" &', &''( Decision
)
of the Sandi%anba"an, *ourth Division, in Cri$inal Case No. &+(,-,
%rantin% private respondent .le/andro .. Villapando0s De$urrer to Evidence
&
and ac1uittin% hi$ of the cri$e
of unla2ful appoint$ent under .rticle &((
3
of the Revised Penal Code.
he facts culled fro$ the records are as follo2s4
Durin% the Ma" )), )556 elections, Villapando ran for Municipal Ma"or of San Vicente, Pala2an. Orlando M.
iape 7no2 deceased8, a relative of Villapando0s 2ife, ran for Municipal Ma"or of 9itcharao, .%usan del Norte.
Villapando 2on 2hile iape lost. hereafter, on :ul" ), )556, Villapando desi%nated iape as Municipal
.d$inistrator of the Municipalit" of San Vicente, Pala2an.
(
. Contract of Consultanc"
-
dated *ebruar" 6, )555
2as e;ecuted bet2een the Municipalit" of San Vicente, Pala2an and iape 2hereb" the for$er e$plo"ed the
services of iape as Municipal .d$inistrative and Develop$ent Plannin% Consultant in the O#ice of the
Municipal Ma"or for a period of si; $onths fro$ :anuar" ), )555 to :une 3', )555 for a $onthl" salar" of
P&,,5-3.6'.
On *ebruar" (, &''', Solo$on <. Maa%ad and Renato M. *ernande= char%ed Villapando and iape for violation
of .rticle &(( of the Revised Penal Code before the O#ice of the Deput" O$buds$an for >u=on.
,
he co$plaint
2as resolved a%ainst Villapando and iape and the follo2in% Infor$ation
+
dated March )5, &''& char%in% the
t2o 2ith violation of .rticle &(( of the Revised Penal Code 2as !led 2ith the Sandi%anba"an4
; ; ; ;
hat on or about ') :ul" )556 or so$eti$e prior or subse1uent thereto, in San Vicente, Pala2an, Philippines,
and 2ithin the /urisdiction of this ?onorable Court, the above@na$ed accused, .>E:.NDRO .. VI>>.P.NDO, a
public o#icer, bein% then the Municipal Ma"or of San Vicente, Pala2an, co$$ittin% the cri$e herein char%ed,
in relation to and taAin% advanta%e of his o#icial functions, conspirin% and confederatin% 2ith accused Orlando
M. iape, did then and there 2ilfull", unla2full" and feloniousl" appoint OR>.NDO M. I.PE as a Municipal
.d$inistrator of San Vicente, Pala2an, accused .le/andro .. Villapando Ano2in% full" 2ell that Orlando iape
lacAs the 1uali!cation as he is a losin% $a"oralt" candidate in the Municipalit" of 9itcharao, .%usan del Norte
durin% the Ma" )556 elections, hence is ineli%ible for appoint$ent to a public o#ice 2ithin one "ear 7)8 fro$
the date of the elections, to the da$a%e and pre/udice of the %overn$ent and of public interest.
CONTRR# TO L+.
6
he Infor$ation 2as docAeted as Cri$inal Case No. &+(,- and raBed to the *ourth Division of the
Sandi%anba"an.
Cpon arrai%n$ent on Septe$ber 3, &''&, Villapando pleaded not %uilt". Mean2hile, the case a%ainst iape
2as dis$issed after the prosecution proved his death 2hich occurred on :ul" &,, &'''.
5
.fter the prosecution rested its case, Villapando $oved for leave to !le a de$urrer to evidence. he
Sandi%anba"an, *ourth Division denied his $otion but %ave hi$ !ve da"s 2ithin 2hich to infor$ the court in
Page 1 of 7
2ritin% 2hether he 2ill nonetheless sub$it his De$urrer to Evidence for resolution 2ithout leave of court.
)'

Villapando then !led a Manifestation of Intent to *ile De$urrer to Evidence,
))
and 2as %iven )- da"s fro$
receipt to !le his De$urrer to Evidence. ?e !led his De$urrer to Evidence
)&
on October &6, &''3.
In a Decision dated Ma" &', &''(, the Sandi%anba"an, *ourth Division found Villapando0s De$urrer to
Evidence $eritorious, as follo2s4
he Court found the DDe$urrer to EvidenceD impressed with merit.
.rticle &(( of the Revised Penal Code provides4
,-./l0 244. Unlawful appointments..n" public o#icer 2ho shall Ano2in%l" no$inate or appoint to an" public
o#ice an" person lacAin% the le%al 1uali!cations therefor, shall su#er the penalt" of arresto mayor and a !ne
not e;ceedin% ),''' pesos. 7underscorin% supplied8
. dissection of the above@cited provision E"ieldsF the follo2in% ele$ents, to 2it4
). the o#ender 2as a public o#icerG
&. accused no$inated or appointed a person to a public o#iceG
3. such person did not have the le%al 1uali!cations EthereforGF and,
(. the o#ender Ane2 that his no$inee or appointee did not have the le%al 1uali!cations at the
ti$e he $ade the no$ination or appoint$ent.
.fore@cited ele$ents are hereunder discussed.
1. Ma"or Villapando 2as the dul" elected Municipal Ma"or of San Vicente, Pala2an 2hen the
alle%ed cri$e 2as co$$itted.
2. .ccused appointed Orlando iape as Municipal .d$inistrator of the Municipalit" of San
Vicente, Pala2an.
3. here appears to be a dispute. his Court is no2 called upon to deter$ine 2hether Orlando
iape, at the ti$e of EhisF desi%nation as Municipal .d$inistrator, 2as lacAin% in le%al
1uali!cation. Stated di#erentl", does Dle%al 1uali!cationD conte$plate the one 7)8 "ear
prohibition on appoint$ent as provided for in Sec. ,, .rt. IH@< of the Constitution and Sec. 5(
7b8 of the >ocal Iovern$ent Code, $andatin% that a candidate 2ho lost in an" election shall
not, 2ithin one "ear after such election, be appointed to an" o#ice in the Iovern$entJ
he Court ans2ers in the ne%ative.
In ascertainin% the le%al 1uali!cations of a particular appointee to a public o#ice, Dthere $ust be a la2
providin% for the 1uali!cations of a person to be no$inated or appointedD therein. o illu$inate further, :ustice
Rodolfo Palattao succinctl" discussed in his booA that the 1uali!cation of a public o#icer to hold a particular
position in the %overn$ent is provided for b" la2, 2hich $a" refer to educational attain$ent, civil service
eli%ibilit" or e;perience4
.s the title su%%ests, the o#ender in this article is a public o#icer 2ho no$inates or appoints a person to a
public o#ice. he person no$inated or appointed is not 1uali!ed and his lacA of 1uali!cation is Ano2n to the
part" $aAin% the no$ination or appoint$ent. he 1uali!cation of a public o#icer to hold a particular position
in the %overn$ent is provided b" la2. he purpose of the la2 is to ensure that the person appointed is
co$petent to perfor$ the duties of the o#ice, thereb" pro$otin% e#icienc" in renderin% public service.
he 1uali!cation to hold public o#ice $a" refer to educational attain$ent, civil service eli%ibilit" or
e;perience. *or instance, for one to be appointed as /ud%e, he $ust be a la2"er. So if the :udicial and <ar
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Council no$inates a person for appoint$ent as /ud%e Ano2in% hi$ to be not a $e$ber of the Philippine <ar,
such act constitutes a violation of the la2 under consideration.
In this case, Orlando iape 2as alle%edl" appointed to the position of Municipal .d$inistrator. .s such, the la2
that provides for the le%al 1uali!cation for the position of $unicipal ad$inistrator is Section 480, Article X
of the Local Government Code, to 2it4
DS0/-.o( 480. Qualifcations, Terms, Powers and Duties.K7a8 No person shall be appointed ad$inistrator
unless he is a citi=en of the Philippines, a resident of the local %overn$ent unit concerned, of %ood $oral
character, a holder of a colle%e de%ree preferabl" in public ad$inistration, la2, or an" other related course
fro$ a reco%ni=ed colle%e or universit", and a !rst %rade civil service eli%ible or its e1uivalent. ?e $ust have
ac1uired e;perience in $ana%e$ent and ad$inistration 2orA for at least !ve 7-8 "ears in the case of the
provincial or cit" ad$inistrator, and three 738 "ears in the case of the $unicipal ad$inistrator.
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;D
It is note2orth" to $ention that the prosecution did not alle%e $uch less prove that Ma"or Villapando0s
appointee, Orlando iape, lacAed an" of the 1uali!cations i$posed b" la2 on the position of Municipal
.d$inistrator. Prosecution0s ar%u$ent rested on the assertion that since iape lost in the Ma" )), )556
election, he necessaril" lacAed the re1uired le%al 1uali!cations.
It bears stressin% that te$porar" prohibition is not s"non"$ous 2ith absence or lacA of le%al 1uali!cation. .
person 2ho possessed the re1uired le%al 1uali!cations for a position $a" be te$poraril" dis1uali!ed for
appoint$ent to a public position b" reason of the one "ear prohibition i$posed on losin% candidates. Cpon the
other hand, one $a" not be te$poraril" dis1uali!ed for appoint$ent, but could not be appointed as he lacAed
an" or all of the re1uired le%al 1uali!cations i$posed b" la2.
4. .nent the last ele$ent, this Court dee$s it unnecessar" to discuss the sa$e.
+HEREFORE, !ndin% the DDe$urrer to EvidenceD !led b" Ma"or Villapando 2ith $erit, the sa$e is hereb"
GRNTE!. Ma"or Villapando is hereb" C*UITTE! of the cri$e char%ed.
SO OR!ERE!.
)3
hus, this petition b" the O#ice of the O$buds$an, throu%h the O#ice of the Special Prosecutor, representin%
the People of the Philippines.
Villapando 2as re1uired b" this Court to !le his co$$ent to the petition. Despite several notices, ho2ever, he
failed to do so and in a Resolution
)(
dated :une +, &'',, this Court infor$ed hi$ that he is dee$ed to have
2aived the !lin% of his co$$ent and the case shall be resolved on the basis of the pleadin%s sub$itted b" the
petitioner.
Petitioner raises the follo2in% issues4
I.
L?E?ER ?E RESPONDEN COCR .CED LI? IR.VE .<CSE O* DISCREION
.MOCNINI O >.C9 O* OR EHCESS O* :CRISDICION IN INERPREINI ?. ?E
D>EI.> DISMC.>I*IC.IOND IN .RIC>E &(( O* ?E REVISED PEN.> CODE DOES NO
INC>CDE ?E ONE NE.R PRO?I<IION IMPOSED ON >OSINI C.NDID.ES .S
ENCNCI.ED IN ?E CONSICION .ND ?E >OC.> IOVERNMEN CODE.
II.
L?E?ER ?E RESPONDEN COCR .CED LI? IR.VE .<CSE O* DISCREION
.MOCNINI O >.C9 O* OR EHCESS O* :CRISDICION IN IIVINI DCE COCRSE O, .ND
EVENC.>>N IR.NINI, ?E DEMCRRER O EVIDENCE.
)-
Page 3 of 7
Si$pl", the issue is 2hether or not the Sandi%anba"an, *ourth Division, acted 2ith %rave abuse of discretion
a$ountin% to lacA or e;cess of /urisdiction.
Petitioner ar%ues that the Sandi%anba"an, *ourth Division acted 2ith %rave abuse of discretion a$ountin% to
lacA or e;cess of /urisdiction because its interpretation of .rticle &(( of the Revised Penal Code does not
co$ple$ent the provision on the one@"ear prohibition found in the )56+ Constitution and the >ocal
Iovern$ent Code, particularl" Section ,, .rticle IH of the )56+ Constitution 2hich states no candidate 2ho
has lost in an" election shall, 2ithin one "ear after such election, be appointed to an" o#ice in the %overn$ent
or an" %overn$ent@o2ned or controlled corporation or in an" of their subsidiaries. Section 5(7b8 of the >ocal
Iovern$ent Code of )55), for its part, states that e;cept for losin% candidates in baran%a" elections, no
candidate 2ho lost in an" election shall, 2ithin one "ear after such election, be appointed to an" o#ice in the
%overn$ent or an" %overn$ent@o2ned or controlled corporation or in an" of their subsidiaries. Petitioner
ar%ues that the court erred 2hen it ruled that te$porar" prohibition is not s"non"$ous 2ith the absence of
lacA of le%al 1uali!cation.
he Sandi%anba"an, *ourth Division held that the 1uali!cations for a position are provided b" la2 and that it
$a" 2ell be that one 2ho possesses the re1uired le%al 1uali!cation for a position $a" be te$poraril"
dis1uali!ed for appoint$ent to a public position b" reason of the one@"ear prohibition i$posed on losin%
candidates. ?o2ever, there is no violation of .rticle &(( of the Revised Penal Code should a person su#erin%
fro$ te$porar" dis1uali!cation be appointed so lon% as the appointee possesses all the 1uali!cations stated in
the la2.
here is no basis in la2 or /urisprudence for this interpretation. On the contrar", le%al dis1uali!cation in
.rticle &(( of the Revised Penal Code si$pl" $eans dis1uali!cation under the la2. Clearl", Section ,, .rticle IH
of the )56+ Constitution and Section 5(7b8 of the >ocal Iovern$ent Code of )55) prohibits losin% candidates
2ithin one "ear after such election to be appointed to an" o#ice in the %overn$ent or an" %overn$ent@o2ned
or controlled corporations or in an" of their subsidiaries.
.rticle &(( of the Revised Penal Code states4
.rt. &((. Cnla2ful appoint$ents. O .n" public o#icer 2ho shall Ano2in%l" no$inate or appoint to an" public
o#ice an" person lacAin% the le%al 1uali!cations therefore, shall su#er the penalt" of arresto $a"or and a !ne
not e;ceedin% ),''' pesos.
Section 5( of the >ocal Iovern$ent Code provides4
SECION 5(. .ppoint$ent of Elective and .ppointive >ocal O#icialsG Candidates Lho >ost in Election. @ 7a8 No
elective or appointive local o#icial shall be eli%ible for appoint$ent or desi%nation in an" capacit" to an" public
o#ice or position durin% his tenure.
Cnless other2ise allo2ed b" la2 or b" the pri$ar" functions of his position, no elective or appointive local
o#icial shall hold an" other o#ice or e$plo"$ent in the %overn$ent or an" subdivision, a%enc" or
instru$entalit" thereof, includin% %overn$ent@o2ned or controlled corporations or their subsidiaries.
7b8 E;cept for losin% candidates in baran%a" elections, no candidate 2ho lost in an" election shall, 2ithin one
7)8 "ear after such election, be appointed to an" o#ice in the %overn$ent or an" %overn$ent@o2ned or
controlled corporations or in an" of their subsidiaries.
Section ,, .rticle IH@< of the )56+ Constitution states4
Section ,. No candidate 2ho has lost in an" election shall, 2ithin one "ear after such election, be appointed to
an" o#ice in the Iovern$ent or an" Iovern$ent@o2ned or controlled corporations or in an" of their
subsidiaries.
Villapando0s contention and the Sandi%anba"an, *ourth Division0s interpretation of the ter$ le%al
dis1uali!cation lacA co%enc". .rticle &(( of the Revised Penal Code cannot be circu$scribed le;icall". >e%al
dis1uali!cation cannot be read as e;cludin% te$porar" dis1uali!cation in order to e;e$pt therefro$ the le%al
prohibitions under Section ,, .rticle IH of the )56+ Constitution and Section 5(7b8 of the >ocal Iovern$ent
Code of )55).
Page 4 of 7
.lthou%h this Court held in the case of People v. Sandiganbayan
),
that once a court %rants the de$urrer to
evidence, such order a$ounts to an ac1uittal and an" further prosecution of the accused 2ould violate the
constitutional proscription on double /eopard", this Court held in the sa$e case that such rulin% on the $atter
shall not be disturbed in the asence of a !rave a"se of discretion.avvp!i
Irave abuse of discretion de!es e;act de!nition, but it %enerall" refers to capricious or 2hi$sical e;ercise of
/ud%$ent as is e1uivalent to lacA of /urisdiction. he abuse of discretion $ust be patent and %ross as to a$ount
to an evasion of a positive dut" or a virtual refusal to perfor$ a dut" en/oined b" la2, or to act at all in
conte$plation of la2, as 2here the po2er is e;ercised in an arbitrar" and despotic $anner b" reason of
passion and hostilit".
)+
In this case, the Sandi%anba"an, *ourth Division, in disre%ardin% basic rules of statutor" construction, acted
2ith %rave abuse of discretion. Its interpretation of the ter$ le%al dis1uali!cation in .rticle &(( of the Revised
Penal Code de!es le%al co%enc". >e%al dis1uali!cation cannot be read as e;cludin% te$porar" dis1uali!cation
in order to e;e$pt therefro$ the le%al prohibitions under the )56+ Constitution and the >ocal Iovern$ent
Code of )55). Le reiterate the le%al $a;i$ ubi le" non distinguit nec nos distinguere debemus. <asic is the
rule in statutor" construction that 2here the la2 does not distin%uish, the courts should not distin%uish. here
should be no distinction in the application of a la2 2here none is indicated.
*urther, the Sandi%anba"an, *ourth Division denied Villapando0s Motion for >eave to *ile De$urrer to
Evidence "et acco$$odated Villapando b" %ivin% hi$ !ve da"s 2ithin 2hich to infor$ it in 2ritin% 2hether he
2ill sub$it his de$urrer to evidence for resolution 2ithout leave of court.
Notabl", a /ud%$ent rendered 2ith %rave abuse of discretion or 2ithout due process is void, does not e;ist in
le%al conte$plation and, thus, cannot be the source of an ac1uittal.
)6
he Sandi%anba"an, *ourth Division havin% acted 2ith %rave abuse of discretion in disre%ardin% the basic
rules of statutor" construction resultin% in its decision %rantin% Villapando0s De$urrer to Evidence and
ac1uittin% the latter, 2e can do no less but declare its decision null and void.
+HEREFORE, the petition is GRNTE!. he Decision dated Ma" &', &''( of the Sandi%anba"an, *ourth
Division, in Cri$inal Case No. &+(,-, %rantin% private respondent .le/andro .. Villapando0s De$urrer to
Evidence and ac1uittin% hi$ of the cri$e of unla2ful appoint$ent under .rticle &(( of the Revised Penal Code
is hereb" declared NULL '() %OI!. >et the records of this case be re$anded to the Sandi%anba"an, *ourth
Division, for further proceedin%s.
SO ORDERED.
LEONR!O . *UISUM"ING
.ssociate :ustice
LE CONCCR4
CONSUELO #NRES1SNTIGO
P
.ssociate :ustice
CONCHIT CRPIO MORLES
.ssociate :ustice
!NTE O. TING
.ssociate :ustice
PRES"ITERO J. %ELSCO, JR.
.ssociate :ustice
. E S . I O N
I attest that the conclusions in the above Decision had been reached in consultation before the case 2as
assi%ned to the 2riter of the opinion of the Court0s Division.
Page 5 of 7
LEONR!O . *UISUM"ING
.ssociate :ustice
Chairperson
C E R I * I C . I O N
Pursuant to Section )3, .rticle VIII of the Constitution, and the Division Chairperson0s .ttestation, I certif"
that the conclusions in the above Decision had been reached in consultation before the case 2as assi%ned to
the 2riter of the opinion of the Court0s Division.
RE#NTO S. PUNO
Chief :ustice
Foo-(o-02
P
.dditional $e$ber in place of .ssociate :ustice .rturo D. <rion 2ho is on leave.
)
Sandi%anba"an rollo, pp. &+)@&6'.
&
Id. at &(,@&-&.
3
.rt. &((. Unlawful appointments. O .n" public o#icer 2ho shall Ano2in%l" no$inate or
appoint to an" public o#ice an" person lacAin% the le%al 1uali!cations therefor, shall su#er the
penalt" of arresto mayor and a !ne not e;ceedin% ),''' pesos.
(
Sandi%anba"an rollo, p. )-&.
-
Id. at )-5.
,
Id. at )(3@)-).
+
Id. at )@3.
6
Id. at )@&.
5
Id. at )5&@)53.
)'
Id. at &3).
))
Id. at &3-@&3,.
)&
Id. at &(,@&-&.
)3
Id. at &+-@&+5.
)(
#ollo, p. 5+.
)-
Id. at )(.
),
I.R. No. )(',33, *ebruar" (, &''&, 3+, SCR. +(.
)+
People v. $ourt of %ppeals, I.R. No. )&656,, :une &), )555, 3'6 SCR. ,6+, ,56.
)6
Id. at ,5'.
Page 6 of 7
Page 7 of 7