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Republic of the Philippines SUPREME COURT Manila EN BANC G.R. Nos. 79690-707 April 27, 1988 ENRIQUE A. A!"I#AR, petitioner, vs. T$E $ONORA%!E SAN"IGAN%A&AN AN" $ONORA%!E RAU! M. GON A!E , C!AIMING TO %E AN" ACTING AS TANO"%A&AN-OM%U"SMAN UN"ER T$E 1987 CONSTITUTION, respondents. G.R. No. !-80'78 April 27, 1988 ENRIQUE A. A!"I#AR, petitioner, vs. $ON. RAU! M. GON A!E , (l)i*i+, -o ./ )+0 )(-i+, )s T)+o0.)1)+-O*.20s*)+ 2+0/r -3/ 1987 Co+s-i-2-io+, respondent. Francisco Carreon and Nestor C. Lumba for petitioner. The Solicitor General for respondent.

PER CURIAM4 In G.R. Nos. !"!#$ # %Petition for Certiorari, Prohibition, and &anda&us under Rule "',% petitioner Enri(ue A. )aldivar, *overnor of the province of Anti(ue, sou*ht to restrain the +andi*anba,an and -anodba,an Raul Gon.ale. fro& proceedin* /ith the prosecution and hearin* of Cri&inal Cases Nos. 101'! to 101"1 and 101"1$101 on the *round thatsaid cases /ere filed b, said -anodba,an /ithout le*al and constitutional authorit,, since under the 1!2 Constitution /hich too3 effect on 4ebruar, 0, 1!2 , it is onl, the 5&buds&an 6not the present or incu&bent -anodba,an7 /ho has the authorit, to file cases /ith the +andi*anba,an. -he co&plete pra,er of the petition reads8 9:ERE45RE, it is respectfull, pra,ed that pendin* the final disposition of this petition or until further orders of the :onorable Court, a /rit of preli&inar, in;unction issue upon the filin* of a bond in such a&ount as &a, be fi<ed b, the :onorable Court, restrainin* the :onorable +andi*anba,an fro& hearin* and tr,in* Cri&inal Cases Nos. 101'! to 101"1, and 101"1 to 101 insofar as petitioner Enri(ue A. )aldivar is concerned and fro& hearin* and resolvin* the special prosecutor=s &otion to suspend 6Anne< >7 and thereafter, final ;ud*&ent be rendered8 ? 617 orderin* that the a&ended infor&ations in the above$&entioned cri&ininal cases be or issuin* a /rit of &anda&us co&&andin* and orderin* the respondent +andi*anba,an to do so and, in conse(uence, prohibitin* and restrainin* the respondent +andi*an$ ba,an fro& proceedin* to hear and tr, the above&entioned cri&inal cases or &a3in* the te&porar, preli&inar, in;unction per&anent@ 607 declarin* the acts of respondent Gon.ale. as %-anodba,an$5&buds&an% after 0 4ebruar, 1!2 relatin* to these cases as anullit, and /ithout le*al effect, particularl,, the pro&ul*ation of -anodba,an resolution of ' 4ebruar, 1!2 , the filin* of the ori*inal infor&ations on 1 March 1!2 and the a&ended ones on A >une 1!2 , and the filin* of the Motion for +uspension Pendente Bite.

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PE-I-I5NER pra,s for such other and further relief as &a, be dee&ed proper in the pre&ises, /ith costs a*ainst the respondents. Manila, Philippines, +epte&ber !, 1!2 . 6pp. A'$A , Rollo7 In G.R. No. 2#' 2, petitioner Enri(ue A. )aldivar, on substantiall, the sa&e *round as the first petition, pra,s that -anodba,an Gon.ale. be restrained fro& conductin* preli&inar, investi*ations and si&ilar cases /ith the +andi*anba,an. -he pra,er reads8 9:ERE45RE, it is respectfull, pra,ed that pendin* the final disposition of this petition or until further orders of this :onorable court, a /rit of preli&inar, in;unction issue restrainin* the respondent fro& further actin* in -BP CA+E N5. 2 $#11#A and, particularl,, fro& filin* the cri&inal Infor&ation conse(uent thereof$, and fro& conductin* preli&inar, investi*ations in, and filin* cri&inal infor&ations for, such other co&plaintsC cases no/ pendin* or /hich &a, hereafter be filed a*ainst petitioner /ith the 5ffice of the respondent. It is li3e/ise pra,ed that the present petition be consolidated /ith G.R.B$Nos. !"!#$ ! # . After proper proceedin*s, it is pra,ed that final ;ud*&ent be rendered annullin* the acts of respondent Gon.ale. as %-anodba,an$ 5&buds&an% after 0 4ebruar, 1!2 relatin* to the investi*ation of co&plaints a*ainst petitioner, particularl,8 617 Annullin*, for absolute /ant of ;urisdiction, the preli&inar, investi*ation conducted, and the Resolution rendered, b, respondent in -BP CA+E N5. 2 $#11#A@ 607 Prohibitin* and restrainin* the respondent fro& filin* an, cri&inal Infor&ation as a conse(uence of the void preli&inar, investi*ation he conducted in -BP CA+E N5. 2 $ #11#A, or annullin* the cri&inal Infor&ation in the said case /hich &a,, in the &eanti&e, have alread, been filed@ 617 Prohibitin* and restrainin* the respondent fro& conductin* preli&inar, investi*ations in, and filin* cri&inal infor&ations for, such other co&plaintsCcases no/ pendin* or /hich &a, hereafter be filed a*ainst petitioner /ith the 5ffice of the respondent. PE-I-I5NER further pra,s for such other and further reliefs as &a, be dee&ed proper in the proper /ith costs a*ainst the respondent. Manila, Philippines, Nove&ber 12,1!2 6pp. 0A$0', Rollo7 9e issued the restrainin* orders pra,ed for. After a stud, of the petitions, 9e have decided to *ive due course to the sa&e@ to consider the co&&ents of the +olicitor$General and of -anodba,an Gon.ale. as their Ans/ers thereto@ and to forth/ith decide the petitions. 9e find the petitions i&pressed /ith &erit. Dnder the 1!2 Constitution, the 5&buds&an 6as distin*uished fro& theincu&bent -anodba,an7 is char*ed /ith the dut, to8

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Investi*ate on its o/n, or on co&plaint b, an, person, an, act or o&ission of an, public official, e&plo,ee, office or a*enc,, /hen such act or co&&ission appears to be ille*al, un;ust, i&proper, or inefficient 6+ec. 11, par. 17 -he Constitution li3e/ise provides that8 -he e<istin* -anodba,an shall hereafter be 3no/n as the office of the +pecial Prosecutor. It shall continue to function and e<ercise its po/ers as no/ or hereafter &a, be provided b, la/, conte&ptexcept those conferred on the office of the Ombudsman created under this Constitution. 6Art. EI, +ection 7 6E&phasis ours7. No/ then, inas&uch as the afore&entioned dut, is *iven to the 5&buds&an, the incu&bent -anodba,an 6ca*ed +pecial Prosecutor under the 1!2 constitution and /ho is supposed to retain po/ers and duties N5- GIFEN to the 5&buds&an7 is clearl, without authority to conduct preli&inar, investi*ations and to direct the filin* of cri&inal cases /ith the +andi*anba,an, e<cept upon orders of the 5&buds&an. -his ri*ht to do so /as lost effective 4ebruar, 0, 1!2 . 4ro& that ti&e, he has been divested of such authorit,. Dnder the present Constitution, the +pecial Prosecutor 6Raul Gon.ale.7 is a &ere subordinate of the -anodba,an 5&buds&an7 and can investi*ate and prosecute cases onl, upon the latter=s authorit, or orders. -he +pecial Prosecutor cannot initiate the prosecution of cases but can onl, conduct the sa&e if instructed to do so b, the 5&buds&an. Even his ori*inal po/er to issue subpoena, /hich he still clai&s under +ection 1#6d7 of PG 1"1#, is no/ dee&ed transferred to the 5&buds&an, /ho &a,, ho/ever, retain it in the +pedal Prosecutor in connection /ith the cases he is ordered to investi*ate. It is not correct either to suppose that the +pecial Prosecutor re&ains the 5&buds&an as lon* as he has not been replaced, for the fact is that he has never been the 5&buds&an. -he 5ffice of the 5&buds&an is a ne/ creation under Article EI of the Constitution different fro& the 5ffice of the -anodba,an created under PG 1"# althou*h concededl, so&e of the po/ers of the t/o offices are Identical or si&ilar. -he +pecial Prosecutor cannot plead that he has a ri*ht to hold over the position of 5&buds&an as he has never held it in the first place. 9:ERE45RE, 9e hereb,8 617 GRAN- the consolidated petitions filed b, petitioner )aldivar and hereb, NDBBI4H the cri&inal infor&ations filed a*ainst hi& in the +andi*anba,an@ and 607 5RGER respondent Raul Gon.ale. to cease and desist fro& conductin* investi*ations and filin* cri&inal cases /ith the +andi*anba,an or other/ise e<ercisin* the po/ers and function of the 5&buds&an. +5 5RGEREG. Yap C.!. Fernan Nar"asa #elencio$%errera Gutierre& !r. Cru& 'aras Feliciano Gancayco 'adilla (idin and Cortes and Gri)o$*+uino !!. concur.

Separate Opinions

SARMIENTO, J., concurring:

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I maintain, however, consistent with my dissent in De Leon vs. Esguerra, G.R. No. 780 !, that the "!87 #onstitution too$ e%%ect on &e'ruary "", "!87. Separate Opinions SARMIENTO, J., concurring: I maintain, however, consistent with my dissent in De Leon vs. Esguerra, G.R. No. 780 !, that the "!87 #onstitution too$ e%%ect on &e'ruary "", "!87.