Palawan Council V Lim
Palawan Council V Lim
Palawan Council V Lim
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* FIRST DIVISION.
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BERSAMIN, J.:
This appeal seeks the reversal of the decision
promulgated on May 28, 2008,1 whereby the Court of
Appeals (CA) granted the petition for prohibition of the
respondent,2 and enjoined the petitioners from enforcing
Administrative Order (A.O.) No. 00-05, Series of 2002;
Resolution No. 03-211; any and all of their revisions; and
the Notice of Violation and Show Cause Order for being
null and void.
Antecedents
Petitioners Executive Director and Chairman of the
Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD),
Messrs. Winston G. Arzaga and Vicente A. Sandoval,
respectively, were the public officials tasked with the duty
of executing and implementing A.O. No. 00-05 and the
Notice of Violation and Show Cause Order, while the PCSD
was the government agency responsible for the governance,
implementation, and policy direction of the Strategic
Environment Plan (SEP) for Palawan. On the other hand,
the respondent was the operator of a domestic air carrier
doing business under the name and style Bonanza Air
Services, with authority to engage in nonscheduled air taxi
transportation of passengers and cargo for the public. His
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4 Id., at p. 44.
5 Id., at p. 45.
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6 Id.
7 Id., at p. 47.
8 Id.
9 Approved on June 19, 1992.
10 Rollo, p. 47.
11 Id., at p. 49.
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12 Id., at p. 245.
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Hence, this appeal by the petitioners.
Issue
The sole issue for determination is whether or not the
CA erred in declaring A.O. No. 00-05, Series of 2002;
Resolution No. 03-211; and the Notice of Violation and
Show Cause Order null and void for having been issued in
excess of the PCSD’s authority.
The petitioners submit the following grounds for
consideration, to wit:
I.
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13 Id., at p. 60.
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III
THE COURT OF APPEALS ERRED IN RULING THAT THE
PROMULGATION OF ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 00-05
AND ITS REVISIONS IS VESTED SOLELY IN THE
SANGGUNIANG PANLALAWIGAN OF PALAWAN.14
Ruling of the Court
We grant the petition for review on certiorari, and
reverse the decision of the CA
1.
Procedural Matters
We first deal with the propriety of the petition for
prohibition for the purpose of annulling the challenged
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administrative issuances.
Administrative agencies possess two kinds of powers,
the quasi-legislative or rule-making power, and the quasi-
judicial or administrative adjudicatory power. The first is
the power to make rules and regulations that results in
delegated legislation that is within the confines of the
granting statute and
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2.
Substantive Matters
Were A.O. No. 00-05, Series of 2002; Resolution No. 03-
211; and the Notice of Violation and Show Cause Order
null and void for having been issued in excess of the
PCSD’s authority?
We answer the query in the negative.
R.A. No. 7611 has adopted the Strategic Environmental
Plan (SEP) for Palawan consistent with the declared policy
of the State to protect, develop, and conserve its natural
resources. The SEP is a comprehensive framework for the
sustainable development of Palawan to protect and
enhance the Province’s natural resources and endangered
environment.
Towards this end, the PCSD was established as the
administrative machinery for the SEP’s implementation.
The creation of the PCSD has been set forth in Section 16
of R.A. No. 7611, to wit:
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The functions of the PCSD are specifically enumerated
in Section 19 of R.A. No. 7611, which relevantly provides:
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7. Establish policies and guidelines for employment on the
basis of merit, technical competence and moral character
and prescribe a compensation and staffing pattern;
8. Adopt, amend and rescind such rules and
regulations and impose penalties therefor for the
effective implementation of the SEP and the other
provisions of this Act;
9. Enforce the provisions of this Act and other existing laws,
rules and regulations similar to or complementary with this
Act;
10. Perform related functions which shall promote the
development, conservation, management, protection, and
utilization of the natural resources of Palawan; and
11. Perform such other powers and functions as may be
necessary in carrying out its functions, powers, and the
provisions of this Act. (Emphasis supplied)
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