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Fabella vs CA : 110379 : November 28, 1997 : J.

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THIRD DIVISION

[G.R. No. 110379. November 28, 1997]

HON. ARMAND FABELLA, in his capacity as SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, CULTURE
AND SPORTS; DR. NILO ROSAS, in his capacity as REGIONAL DIRECTOR, DECS-NCR; DR. BIENVENIDO
ICASIANO, in his capacity as the SUPERINTENDENT OF THE QUEZON CITY SCHOOLS and DIVISION;
ALMA BELLA O. BAUTISTA, AURORA C. VALENZUELA and TERESITA V. DIMAGMALIW, Petitioners, vs. THE
COURT OF APPEALS, ROSARITO A. SEPTIMO, ERLINDA B. DE LEON, CLARISSA T. DIMAANO, WILFREDO N.
BACANI, MARINA R. VIVAR, VICTORIA S. UBALDO, JENNIE L. DOGWE, NORMA L. RONGCALES, EDITA C.
SEPTIMO, TERESITA E. EVANGELISTA, CATALINA R. FRAGANTE, REBECCA D. BAGDOG, MARILYNNA C. KU,
MARISSA M. SAMSON, HENEDINA B.CARILLO, NICASIO C. BRAVO, RUTH F. LACANILAO, MIRASOL C.
BALIGOD, FELISA S. VILLACRUEL, MA. VIOLETA ELIZABETH Y. HERNANDEZ, ANTONIO C. OCAMPO,
ADRIANO S. VALENCIA and ELEUTERIO S. VARGAS, Respondents.

DECISION

PANGANIBAN, J.:

Due process of law requires notice and hearing. Hearing, on the other hand, presupposes a competent and impartial
tribunal. The right to be heard and, ultimately, the right to due process of law lose meaning in the absence of an
independent, competent and impartial tribunal.

Statement of the Case

This principium is explained by this Court as it resolves this petition for review on certiorari assailing the May 21,
1993 Decision 1 of the Court of Appeals2 in CA-G.R. SP No. 29107 which affirmed the trial courts decision, 3 as follows:

WHEREFORE, the decision appealed from is AFFIRMED and the appeal is DISMISSED.

The Hon. Armand Fabella is hereby ORDERED substituted as respondent-appellant in place of former Secretary Isidro
Cario and henceforth this fact should be reflected in the title of this case.
SO ORDERED.4 chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary

The Antecedent Facts

The facts, as found by Respondent Court, are as follows:

On September 17, 1990, then DECS Secretary Cario issued a return-to-work order to all public school teachers who
had participated in talk-outs and strikes on various dates during the period September 26, 1990 to October 18,
1990. The mass action had been staged to demand payment of 13th month differentials, clothing allowances and
passage of a debt-cap bill in Congress, among other things.

On October 18, 1990, Secretary Cario filed administrative cases against herein petitioner-appellees, who are
teachers of the Mandaluyong High School. The charge sheets required petitioner-appellees to explain in writing why
they should not be punished for having taken part in the mass action in violation of civil service laws and regulations,
to wit:

1. grave misconduct;

2. gross neglect of duty;

3. gross violation of Civil Service Law and rules on reasonable office regulations;

4. refusal to perform official duty;

5. conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service;

6. absence without leave (AWOL)

At the same time, Secretary Cario ordered petitioner-appellee to be placed under preventive suspension.

The charges were subsequently amended by DECS-NCR Regional Director Nilo Rosas on November 7, 1990 to
include the specific dates when petitioner-appellees allegedly took part in the strike.

Administrative hearings started on December 20, 1990. Petitioner-appellees counsel objected to the procedure
adopted by the committee and demanded that he be furnished a copy of the guidelines adopted by the committee
for the investigation and imposition of penalties. As he received no response from the committee, counsel walked
out. Later, however, counsel, was able to obtain a copy of the guidelines.

On April 10, 1991, the teachers filed a an injunctive suit (Civil Case No. 60675) with the Regional Trial Court in
Quezon City, charging the committee appointed by Secretary Cario with fraud and deceit and praying that it be
stopped from further investigating them and from rendering any decision in the administrative case. However, the
trial court denied them a restraining order.

They then amended their complaint and made it one for certiorari and mandamus. They alleged that the
investigating committee was acting with grave abuse of discretion because its guidelines for investigation place the
burden of proof on them by requiring them to prove their innocence instead of requiring Secretary Cario and his staff
to adduce evidence to prove the charges against the teachers.

On May 30, 1991, petitioner-appellee Adriano S. Valencia of the Ramon Magsaysay High School filed a motion to
intervene, alleging that he was in the same situation as petitioners since he had likewise been charged and
preventively suspended by respondent-appellant Cario for the same grounds as the other petitioner-appellees and
made to shoulder the burden of proving his innocence under the committees guidelines. The trial court granted his
motion on June 3, 1991 and allowed him to intervene.

On June 11, 1991, the Solicitor General answered the petitioner for certiorari and mandamus in behalf of respondent
DECS Secretary. In the main he contended that, in accordance with the doctrine of primary resort, the trial court
should not interfere in the administrative proceedings.

The Solicitor General also asked the trial court to reconsider its order of June 3, 1991, allowing petitioner-appellee
Adriano S. Valencia to intervene in the case.

Meanwhile, the DECS investigating committee rendered a decision on August 6, 1991, finding the petitioner-
appellees guilty, as charged and ordering their immediate dismissal.

On August 15, 1991, the trial court dismissed the petition for certiorari and mandamus for lack of merit. Petitioner-
appellees moved for a reconsideration, but their motion was denied on September 11, 1991.
The teachers then filed a petition for certiorari with the Supreme Court which, on February 18, 1992, issued a
resolution en banc declaring void the trial courts order of dismissal and reinstating petitioner-appellees action, even
as it ordered the latters reinstatement pending decision of their case.

Accordingly, on March 25, 1992, the trial court set the case for hearing. June 8, 1992, it issued a pre-trial order
which reads:

As prayed for by Solicitor Bernard Hernandez, let this case be set for pre-trial conference on June 17, 1992 at 1:30
p.m., so as to expedite the proceedings hereof. In which case, DECS Secretary Isidro Cario, as the principal
respondent, is hereby ordered to PERSONALLY APPEAR before this Court on said date and time, with a warning that
should he fail to show up on said date, the Court will declare him as IN DEFAULT. Stated otherwise, for the said Pre-
Trial Conference, the Court will not recognize any representative of his.

By agreement of the parties, the trial conference was reset on June 26, 1992. However, Secretary Cario failed to
appear in court on the date set. It was explained that he had to attend a conference in Maragondon, Cavite. Instead,
he was represented by Atty. Reno Capinpin, while the other respondents were represented by Atty. Jocelyn Pili. But
the court just the same declared them as in default. The Solicitor General moved for a reconsideration, reiterating
that Cario could not personally come on June 26, 1992 because of prior commitment in Cavite. It was pointed out
that Cario was represented by Atty. Reno Capinpin, while the other respondents were represented by Atty. Jocelyn
Pili, both of the DECS-NCR and that both had special powers of attorney. But the Solicitor Generals motion for
reconsideration was denied by the trial court. In its order of July 15, 1992, the court stated:

The Motion For Reconsideration dated July 3, 1992 filed by the respondents thru counsel, is hereby DENIED for lack
of merit. It appears too obvious that respondents simply did not want to comply with the lawful orders of the Court.

The respondents having lost their standing in Court, the Manifestation and Motion, dated July 3, 1992 filed by the
Office of the Solicitor General is hereby DENIED due course.

SO ORDERED.

On July 3, 1992, the Solicitor General informed the trial court that Cario had ceased to be DECS Secretary
and asked for his substitution. But the court failed to act on his motion.

The hearing of the case was thereafter conducted ex parte with only the teachers allowed to present
their evidence.

On August 10, 1992, the trial court rendered a decision, in which it stated:

The Court is in full accord with petitioners contention that Rep. Act No. 4670 otherwise known as the
Magna Carta for Public School Teachers is the primary law that governs the conduct of investigation in
administrative cases filed against public school teachers, with Pres. Decree No. 807 as its supplemental
law. Respondents erred in believing and contending that Rep. Act. No. 4670 has already been
superseded by the applicable provisions of Pres. Decree No. 807 and Exec. Order No. 292. Under the
Rules of Statutory Construction, a special law, Rep. Act. No. 4670 in the case at bar, is not regarded as
having been replaced by a general law, Pres. Decree No. 807, unless the intent to repeal or alter the
same is manifest. A perusal of Pres. Decree No. 807 reveals no such intention exists, hence, Rep. Act No.
4670 stands. In the event that there is conflict between a special and a general law, the former shall
prevail since it evidences the legislators intent more clearly than that of the general statute and must be
taken as an exception to the General Act. The provision of Rep. Act No. 4670 therefore prevails over
Pres. Decree No. 807 in the composition and selection of the members of the investigating committee.
Consequently, the committee tasked to investigate the charges filed against petitioners was illegally
constituted, their composition and appointment being violative of Sec. 9 of Rep. Act. No. 4670 hence all
acts done by said body possess no legal color whatsoever.

Anent petitioners claim that their dismissal was effected without any formal investigation, the Court,
after consideration of the circumstances surrounding the case, finds such claim meritorious. Although it
cannot be gain said that respondents have a cause of action against the petitioner, the same is not
sufficient reason to detract from the necessity of basic fair play. The manner of dismissal of the teachers
is tainted with illegality. It is a dismissal without due process. While there was a semblance of
investigation conducted by the respondents their intention to dismiss petitioners was already manifest
when it adopted a procedure provided for by law, by shifting the burden of proof to the petitioners,
knowing fully well that the teachers would boycott the proceedings thereby giving them cause to render
judgment ex-parte.

The DISMISSAL therefore of the teachers is not justified, it being arbitrary and violative of the teachers
right to due process. Due process must be observed in dismissing the teachers because it affects not
only their position but also their means of livelihood.

WHEREFORE, premises considered, the present petition is hereby GRANTED and all the questioned
orders/decisions of the respondents are hereby declared NULL and VOID and are hereby SET ASIDE.

The reinstatement of all the petitioners to their former positions without loss of seniority and
promotional rights is hereby ORDERED.
The payment, if any, of all the petitioners back salaries, allowances, bonuses, and other benefits and
emoluments which may have accrued to them during the entire period of their preventive suspension
and/or dismissal from the service is hereby likewise ORDERED.

SO ORDERED.5 chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary

From this adverse decision of the trial court, former DECS Secretary Isidro Cario filed an appeal with the
Court of Appeals raising the following grounds:

I. The trial court seriously erred in declaring appellants as in default.

II. The trial court seriously erred in not ordering the proper substitution of parties.

III. The trial court seriously erred in holding that R.A. No. 4670, otherwise known as Magna Carta for
Public School Teachers, should govern the conduct of the investigations conducted.

IV. The trial court seriously erred in ruling that the dismissal of the teachers are without due
process.6chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary

As mentioned earlier, the Court of Appeals affirmed the RTC decision, holding in the main that private
respondents were denied due process in the administrative proceedings instituted against them.

Hence, this petition for review. 7 chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary

The Issues

Before us, petitioners raise the following issues:

Whether or not Respondent Court of Appeals committed grave abuse of discretion in holding in effect
that private respondents were denied due process of law.

II

Whether or not Respondent Court of Appeals seriously erred and committed grave abuse of discretion in
applying strictly the provision of R.A. No. 4670 in the composition of the investigating committee.

III

Whether or not Respondent Court of Appeals committed grave abuse of discretion in dismissing the
appeal and in affirming the trial courts decision. 8 chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary

These issues, all closely related, boil down to a single question: whether private respondents were
denied due process of law.

The Courts Ruling

The petition is bereft of merit. We agree with the Court of Appeals that private respondents were denied
due process of law.

Denial of Due Process

At the outset, we must stress that we are tasked only to determine whether or not due process of law
was observed in the administrative proceedings against herein private respondents. We note the
Solicitor Generals extensive disquisition that government employees do not have the right to strike. 9 On
this point, the Court, in the case of Bangalisan vs. Court of Appeals,10 has recently pronounced, through Mr.
Justice Florenz D. Regalado:

It is the settled rule in this jurisdiction that employees in the public service may not engage in strikes.
While the Constitution recognizes the right of government employees to organize, they are prohibited
from staging strikes, demonstrations mass leaves, walk-outs and other forms of mass action which will
result in temporary stoppage or disruption of public services. The right of government employees to
organize is limited only to the formation of unions or associations, without including the right to strike.

More recently, in Jacinto vs. Court of Appeals,11 the Court explained the schoolteachers right to peaceful
assembly vis-a-vis their right to mass protest:
Moreover, the petitioners here, except Merlinda Jacinto, were not penalized for the exercise of their right
to assemble peacefully and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. Rather, the Civil
Service Commission found them guilty of conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service for having
absented themselves without proper authority, from their schools during regular school days, in order to
participate in the mass protest, their absence ineluctably resulting in the non-holding of classes and in
the deprivation of students of education, for which they were responsible. Had petitioners availed
themselves of their free time -- recess, after classes, weekends or holidays -- to dramatize their
grievances and to dialogue with the proper authorities within the bounds of law, no one -- not the DECS,
the CSC or even this Court -- could have held them liable for the valid exercise of their constitutionally
guaranteed rights. As it was, the temporary stoppage of classes resulting from their activity necessarily
disrupted public services, the very evil sought to be forestalled by the prohibition against strikes by
government workers. Their act by its nature was enjoined by the Civil Service law, rules and regulations,
for which they must, therefore, be made answerable.12 cräläwvirtualibräry

In the present case, however, the issue is not whether the private respondents engaged in any
prohibited activity which may warrant the imposition of disciplinary sanctions against them as a result of
administrative proceedings. As already observed, the resolution of this case revolves around the
question of due process of law, not on the right of government workers to strike. The issue is not
whether private respondents may be punished for engaging in a prohibited action but whether, in the
course of the investigation of the alleged proscribed activity, their right to due process has been
violated. In short, before they can be investigated and meted out any penalty, due process must first be
observed.

In administrative proceedings, due process has been recognized to include the following: (1) the right to
actual or constructive notice of the institution of proceedings which may affect a respondents legal
rights; (2) a real opportunity to be heard personally or with the assistance of counsel, to present
witnesses and evidence in ones favor, and to defend ones rights; (3) a tribunal vested with competent
jurisdiction and so constituted as to afford a person charged administratively a reasonable guarantee of honesty as
well as impartiality; and (4) a finding by said tribunal which is supported by substantial evidence
submitted for consideration during the hearing or contained in the records or made known to the parties
affected.13cräläwvirtualibräry

The legislature enacted a special law, RA 4670 known as the  Magna Carta for Public School Teachers,
which specifically covers administrative proceedings involving public schoolteachers. Section 9 of said
law expressly provides that the committee to hear public schoolteachers administrative cases should be
composed of the school superintendent of the division as chairman, a representative of the local or any
existing provincial or national teachers organization and a supervisor of the division. The pertinent
provisions of RA 4670 read:

Sec. 8. Safeguards in Disciplinary Procedure. Every teacher shall enjoy equitable safeguards at each
stage of any disciplinary procedure and shall have:

a. the right to be informed, in writing, of the charges;

b. the right to full access to the evidence in the case;

c. the right to defend himself and to be defended by a representative of his choice and/or by his
organization, adequate time being given to the teacher for the preparation of his defense; and

c. the right to appeal to clearly designated authorities. No publicity shall be given to any disciplinary
action being taken against a teacher during the pendency of his case.

Sec. 9. Administrative Charges. Administrative charges against a teacher shall be heard initially by a
committee composed of the corresponding School Superintendent of the Division or a duly authorized
representative who would at least have the rank of a division supervisor, where the teacher belongs, as
chairman, a representative of the local or, in its absence, any existing provincial or national teachers
organization and a supervisor of the Division, the last two to be designated by the Director of Public
Schools. The committee shall submit its findings, and recommendations to the Director of Public Schools
within thirty days from the termination of the hearings: Provided, however, That where the school
superintendent is the complainant or an interested party, all the members of the committee shall be
appointed by the Secretary of Education.

The foregoing provisions implement the Declaration of Policy of the statute; that is, to promote the
terms of employment and career prospects of schoolteachers.

In the present case, the various committees formed by DECS to hear the administrative charges against
private respondents did not include a representative of the local or, in its absence, any existing
provincial or national teachers organization as required by Section 9 of RA 4670. Accordingly, these
committees were deemed to have no competent jurisdiction. Thus, all proceedings undertaken by them
were necessarily void. They could not provide any basis for the suspension or dismissal of private
respondents. The inclusion of a representative of a teachers organization in these committees was
indispensable to ensure an impartial tribunal. It was this requirement that would have given substance
and meaning to the right to be heard. Indeed, in any proceeding, the essence of procedural due process
is embodied in the basic requirement of notice and a real opportunity to be heard.14 chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
Petitioners argue that the DECS complied with Section 9 of RA 4670, because all the teachers who were
members of the various committees are members of either the Quezon City Secondary Teachers
Federation or the Quezon City Elementary Teachers Federation 15 and are deemed to be the
representatives of a teachers organization as required by Section 9 of RA 4670.

We disagree. Mere membership of said teachers in their respective teachers organizations does not  ipso
facto make them authorized representatives of such organizations as contemplated by Section 9 of RA
4670. Under this section, the teachers organization possesses the right to indicate its choice of
representative to be included by the DECS in the investigating committee. Such right to designate cannot
be usurped by the secretary of education or the director of public schools or their underlings. In the
instant case, there is no dispute that none of the teachers appointed by the DECS as members of its
investigating committee was ever designated or authorized by a teachers organization as its
representative in said committee.

Contrary to petitioners asseverations, 16 RA 4670 is applicable to this case. It has not been expressly
repealed by the general law PD 807, which was enacted later, nor has it been shown to be inconsistent
with the latter. It is a fundamental rule of statutory construction that repeals by implication are not
favored. An implied repeal will not be allowed unless it is convincingly and unambiguously demonstrated
that the two laws are so clearly repugnant and patently inconsistent that they cannot co-exist. This is
based on the rationale that the will of the legislature cannot be overturned by the judicial function of
construction and interpretation. Courts cannot take the place of Congress in repealing statutes. Their
function is to try to harmonize, as much as possible, seeming conflicts in the laws and resolve doubts in
favor of their validity and co-existence. 17 Thus, a subsequent general law does not repeal a prior special
law, unless the intent to repeal or alter is manifest, although the terms of the general law are broad
enough to include the cases embraced in the special law. 18 chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary

The aforementioned Section 9 of RA 4670, therefore, reflects the legislative intent to impose a standard
and a separate set of procedural requirements in connection with administrative proceedings involving
public schoolteachers. Clearly, private respondents right to due process of law requires compliance with
these requirements laid down by RA 4670. Verba legis non est recedendum.

Hence, Respondent Court of Appeals, through Mr. Justice Vicente V. Mendoza who is now a member of
this Court, perceptively and correctly stated:

Respondent-appellants argue that the Magna Carta has been superseded by the Civil Service Decree
(P.D. No. 807) and that pursuant to the latter law the head of a department, like the DECS secretary, or a
regional director, like the respondent-appellant Nilo Rosas, can file administrative charges against a
subordinate, investigate him and take disciplinary action against him if warranted by his findings.
Respondent-appellants cite in support of their argument the following provisions of the Civil Service
Decree (P.D. No. 807):

Sec. 37. Disciplinary Jurisdiction. --

xxx xxx xxx

b) The heads of departments, agencies and instrumentalities xxx shall have jurisdiction to investigate
and decide matters involving disciplinary action against officers and employees under their jurisdiction
xxx.

Sec. 38,. Procedure in Administrative Cases Against Non-Presidential Appointees. -

a) Administrative Proceedings may be commenced against a subordinate officer or the employee by the
head of department or officer of equivalent rank, or head of local government, or chiefs of agencies, or
regional directors, or upon sworn, written complaint of any other persons.

There is really no repugnance between the Civil Service Decree and the Magna Carta for Public School
Teachers. Although the Civil Service Decree gives the head of department or the regional director
jurisdiction to investigate and decide disciplinary matters, the fact is that such power is exercised
through committees. In cases involving public school teachers, the Magna Carta provides that the
committee be constituted as follows:

Sec. 9. Administrative Charges. - Administrative charges against a teacher shall be heard initially by a
committee composed of the corresponding School Superintendent of the Division or a duly authorized
representative who would at least have the rank of a division supervisor, where the teacher belongs, as
chairman, a representative of the local or, in its absence, any existing provincial or national teachers
organization and a supervisor of the Division, the last two to be designated by the Director of Public
Schools. The committee shall submit its findings, and recommendations to the Director of Public Schools
within thirty days from the termination of the hearings: Provided, however, that where the school
superintendent is the complainant or an interested party, all the members of the committee shall be
appointed by the Secretary of Education.

Indeed, in the case at bar, neither the DECS [s]ecretary nor the DECS-NCR regional director personally
conducted the investigation but entrusted it to a committee composed of a division supervisor,
secondary and elementary school teachers, and consultants. But there was no representative of a
teachers organization. This is a serious flaw in the composition of the committee because the provision
for the representation of a teachers organization is intended by law for the protection of the rights of
teachers facing administrative charges.

There is thus nothing in the Magna Carta that is in any way inconsistent with the Civil Service Decree
insofar as procedures for investigation is concerned. To the contrary, the Civil Service Decree, [S]ec.
38(b) affirms the Magna Carta by providing that the respondent in an administrative case may ask for a
formal investigation, which was what the teachers did in this case by questioning the absence of a
representative of a teachers organization in the investigating committee.

The administrative committee considered the teachers to have waived their right to a hearing after the
latters counsel walked out of the preliminary hearing. The committee should not have made such a
ruling because the walk out was staged in protest against the procedures of the committee and its
refusal to give the teachers counsel a copy of the guidelines. The committee concluded its investigation
and ordered the dismissal of the teachers without giving the teachers the right to full access of the
evidence against them and the opportunity to defend themselves. Its predisposition to find petitioner-
appellees guilty of the charges was in fact noted by the Supreme Court when in its resolution in G.R. No.
101943 (Rosario Septimo v. Judge Martin Villarama, Jr.) it stated:

The facts and issues in this case are similar to the facts and issues in Hon. Isidro Cario, et al. v. Hon.
Carlos C. Ofilada, et al. G.R. No. 100206, August 22, 1961.

As in the Cario v. Ofilada case, the officials of the Department of Culture and Education are predisposed
to summarily hold the petitioners guilty of the charges against them. In fact, in this case Secretary Cario,
without awaiting formal administrative procedures and on the basis of reports and implied admissions
found the petitioners guilty as charged and dismissed them from the service in separate decisions dated
May 16, 1991 and August 6, 1991. The teachers went to court. The Court dismissed the case. 19 chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary

Furthermore, this Court sees no valid reason to disregard the factual findings and conclusions of the
Court of Appeals. It is not our function to assess and evaluate all over again the evidence, testimonial
and documentary, adduced by the parties particularly where, such as here, the findings of both the trial
court and the appellate court coincide. 20
chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary

It is as clear as day to us that the Court of Appeals committed no reversible error in affirming the trial
courts decision setting aside the questioned orders of petitioners; and ordering the unqualified
reinstatement of private respondents and the payment to them of salaries, allowances, bonuses and
other benefits that accrued to their benefit during the entire duration of their suspension or
dismissal.21 Because the administrative proceedings involved in this case are void, no delinquency or
misconduct may be imputed to private respondents. Moreover, the suspension or dismissal meted on
them is baseless. Private respondents should, as a consequence, be reinstated 22 and awarded all
monetary benefits that may have accrued to them during the period of their unjustified suspension or
dismissal.23 This Court will never countenance a denial of the fundamental right to due process, which is
a cornerstone of our legal system.

WHEREFORE, premises considered, the petition is hereby DENIED for its utter failure to show any
reversible error on the part of the Court of Appeals. The assailed Decision is thus AFFIRMED.

SO ORDERED.