Merida Water District vs. Bacarro 567 SCRA 203, September 30, 2008
Merida Water District vs. Bacarro 567 SCRA 203, September 30, 2008
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PUNO, C.J.:
This Petition for Review on Certiorari seeks to set aside
the Decision1 and Resolution2 of the Court of Appeals (CA),
dated January 30, 2004 and September 16, 2004,
respectively, in CA-G.R. SP No. 77141, which affirmed the
Orders3 of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) in favor of
respondents.
Petitioners are Merida Water District, a government-
owned and controlled corporation4 that operates the water
utility services in the municipality of Merida, Leyte; its
Chairman, Susano Torejas, Jr.; other members of the
Board of Directors, Lourdes Quinte, Romulo Pales,
Carmelita De Los Angeles, and Villafranca Rosal; and
General Manager, Nilo C. Lucero. On October 10, 2001,
Merida Water District conducted a public hearing for the
purpose of increasing the water rate.5
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6 Id., at p. 10.
7 Id., at p. 124.
8 Id., at pp. 124-125.
9 Id., at p. 126.
10 Id., at p. 32.
11 Id., at pp. 127-132.
12 Id., at pp. 128-130.
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13 Id., at p. 28.
14 Id., at pp. 31-32.
15 Id., at pp. 156-157.
16 Id., at pp. 158-161.
17 Id., at pp. 174-175.
18 CA Rollo, pp. 3-13.
19 Id., at pp. 163-169.
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20 Executive Order No. 124-A, dated July 22, 1987, renamed the
National Water Resources Council to the NWRB.
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“(f) Ensure that the water rates are not abruptly increased
beyond the water users’ ability to pay, seeing to it that each
increase if warranted, does not exceed 60% of the current rate.”23
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21 Carale v. Abarintos, G.R. No. 120704, March 3, 1997, 269 SCRA 132,
141.
22 Sunville Timber Products, Inc. v. Abad, G.R. No. 85502, February
24, 1992, 206 SCRA 482, 486-487.
23 Letter of Instructions No. 700 (1978), Par. 1(f).
24 Celestial v. Cachopero, 459 Phil. 903; 413 SCRA 469 (2003); China
Banking Corporation v. Members of the Board of Trustees,
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Home Development Mutual Fund, G.R. No. 131787, May 19, 1999, 307
SCRA 443.
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