Professional Documents
Culture Documents
03 Philippine Agila Satellite vs. Lichauco
03 Philippine Agila Satellite vs. Lichauco
OMBUDSMAN
Carpio-Morales, J.
July 27, 2006
G.R. No. 134887
Doctrine
Facts
1. The hornbook rule is that a suit for acts done in the performance of official functions against an officer
of the government by a private citizen which would result in a charge against or financial liability to
the government must be regarded as a suit against the State itself, although it has not been formally
impleaded.
But, government immunity from suit will not shield the public official being sued if the government no
longer has an interest to protect in the outcome of a suit; or if the liability of the officer is personal
because it arises from a tortious act in the performance of his/her duties.
2. Inasmuch as the State authorizes only legal acts by its officers, unauthorized acts of government
officials or officers are not acts of the State, and an action against the officials or officers by one whose
rights have been invaded or violated by such acts, for the protection of his rights, is not a suit against
the State within the rule of immunity of the State from suit. The rationale for this ruling is that the
doctrine of state immunity cannot be used as an instrument for perpetrating an injustice
-
Ratio/Issues
It was denied wherein it was held that the defense of state immunity is "at very least a contentious
issue which cannot be resolved by mere allegations in the pleadings but which can be best threshed
out in a litigious forum.
- CA: The issue of denial was raised before the CA which ordered the dismissal of the civil case
because it is a suit against the State.
o It held that the notice of offer signed by herein petitioner allegedly tainted with bad faith
was done in the exercise of and in pursuance of an official duty. Her official acts such as
the said "notice of offer" was with the blessing and prior approval of the DOTC Secretary
himself. Being an official act, it is also protected by the presumption that the same was
performed in good faith and in the regular performance of official duty.
- Hence, the present petition for review on certiorari
1. [Procedural] Whether Lichaucos petition before the CA should have been dismissed (NO)
Petitioner: She failed to attach all pleadings and documents relevant to her petition, and that those that were
attached were merely "duplicate original copies."
Lichauco: No need to attach these because all she needed to submit were the all that she needed to attach
were her motion to dismiss, the RTC orders acting on such motion, her motion for reconsideration of the
denial of her motion to dismiss, and petitioners' opposition to said motion for reconsideration.
COURT: A. In a petition for certiorari assailing the denial of a motion to dismiss a complaint, the very
complaint itself is a document relevant and pertinent to the special civil action.
B. Unlike in an ordinary appeal that is given due course, the case record is not automatically elevated to the
court exercising jurisdiction over a special civil action for certiorari; hence there is an even more impelling
need to attach all pleadings and documents to the special civil action. This would have warranted the
dismissal of her petition.
C. In any event, the Court is willing to overlook Lichauco's failure to attach the complaint in her petition
for certiorari before the Court of Appeals.
2. Whether CA erred in dismissing complaint against Lichauco on the grounds of presumption
of good faith and regular performance of duty (YES)
COURT: A. The present action was denominated against Lichauco and the unknown awardee, Lichauco
was identified in the complaint as "acting Secretary of the [DOTC]. (See doctrine 1)
B. CAs rationale that the alleged acts of Lichauco being imputed as ultra vires should be accorded the
presumption of good faith and regular performance of duty should be debunked. The existence of the
presumptions of "good faith" or "regular performance of official duty", yet these presumptions are
disputable.
The very purpose of trial is to allow a party to present evidence overcome the disputable
presumptions involved. Otherwise, if trial is deemed irrelevant or unnecessary, owing to the
perceived indisputability of the presumptions, the judicial exercise would be relegated to a mere
ascertainment of what presumptions apply in a given case.
C. If CAs reasoning is to be adopted as a jurisprudential rule, no public officer could ever be sued for acts
executed beyond their official functions or authority, or for tortious conduct or behavior, since such acts
would enjoy these presumptions.
1 Lichauco uttered disparaging remarks against petitioner; falsely asserted that only one orbital
slot was available; branded as false De Guzmans claim that Agila was its corporate name; said
that she had asked President Fidel V. Ramos to sue plaintiff Michael de Guzman. With the same
degree of arrogance she threatened plaintiff corporation not to use the name "Agila", otherwise
she would fight plaintiff corporation and would make sure that the name of Agila would never be
given back to plaintiff corporation; and that it didnt pay its contractors.
Held