Meram vs Edralin GR No. 71228 September 24, 1987 *i'm not s re b t med!o napa"palit palit ata !

n" #e and s#e da#il sa $ilipino Edralin and $ilipina Edralin. $rom t#e te%t, $ilipina &as t#e trainin" o''i(er, &#ile $ilipino &as t#e minister) as opposed to t#e title &#i(# states t#at $ilipina is t#e minister. *'ll 'ollo& t#e te%t. $a(ts+ $ilipina Edralin ,$ilipina, 'or brevit!-, a training officer of the Bureau of Forest Development (BFD), was proposed for appointment to t#e position o' .dministrative /''i(er ,./- 0, R172, .dministrative 3ivision o' t#e 4$3. Meram ,./ ***, ,175and ."ravio ,S ppl! /''i(er 6S/7 0, R175- 'iled t#eir protests a"ainst t#e proposal. 8#e Director of BFD sent a memorandum to Filipino Edralin (Minister of Natural Resources, minister for brevit ) that the BFD !romotion Board found out that there are " BFD personnel who are considered ne#t$in$ ran% to the position o' ./ 0+ Meram, ."ravio, .tt!. Malon", and .tt!. 9ansino. 8#e 3ire(tor also pointed o t t#at t#e 4oard 'o nd o t t#at $ilipino &as not ne%t1in1ran:. 8#e 9S9 'or&arded t#e protests of Meram and &gravio to t#e minister 'or appropriate a(tion. 8#e minister 'or&arded t#e permanent appointment o' $ilipino to ta:e e''e(t on . " st 17, 1982 as ./ 0 to 9S9. ;pon assessin" t#e re(ommendation o' t#e <romotions 4oard and (onsiderin" ot#er aspe(ts &#i(# are vital to t#e d!namism o' t#e servi(e, and t#at Filipina was 'ualified, the minister decided to appoint her to t#e position 'or t#e best interest o' t#e servi(e. S (# appointment &as approved b! t#e 9S9, s b=e(t to t#e 'inal o t(ome o' t#e protests a"ainst t#e appointment b! Meram and ."ravio. 8#e minister dismissed the protests, and in t#e letter addressed to Meram, t#e minister ass red #er t#at &#en anot#er opport nit! (omes, and #e #as a better (#an(e to better appre(iate #er > alities and abilities, s#e &o ld (ertainl! be (onsidered 'or t#e appointment to a more senior position. Meram and &gravio appealed to the Merit ( stem Board (M(B)) 8#e MS4 de(ided in 'avor o' &gravio. 8#e! revo:ed t#e approval o' $ilipina, and dire(ted t#e minister to appoint ."ravio to t#e position. 8#e! 'o nd t#at all parties meet t#e eli"ibilit! re> irements. .s it &as s#o&n t#at &gravio had

more relevant wor%ing e#perience, #e &as (onsidered more (ompetent and > ali'ied t#an Meram. $ilipina and Meram 'iled MRs. 8#e M(B modified their earlier decision and appointed Meram, statin" t#at one o' ."ravio's desi"nation &as revo:ed d e to #is bein" ine''e(tive in t#at position. 8#e minister appealed to the *(*, &#i(# dismissed t#e appeal and t#e s bse> ent MR. ?e 'iled a letter1petition &it# t#e /''i(e o' t#e <resident invo:in" Se(tion 19,@- o' <3 857, alle"in" t#at +urisdiction contests is lodged with the ministr head, and appeals b the aggrieved parties should be ta%en to the ,ffice of the !resident) 8#ere'ore, t#e 9S9 and MS4 #ad no = risdi(tion to a(t on t#e appeal. Meram 'iled a motion 'or e%e( tion o' t#e 9ommission's de(ision. A#en t#e 9on'idential Be"al .ssistant o' t#e /''i(e o' t#e <resident dire(ted t#e 9ommission to 'or&ard t#e re(ords o' t#e (ase, s (# order &as re=e(ted statin" t#at de(isions o' t#e 9ommission are s b=e(t to revie& onl! be t#e (o rts. 8#e Minister o' Nat ral Reso r(es iss ed a memorand m to t#e 4$3 dire(tor instr (tin" #im to en'or(e and implement t#e order o' t#e 9ommission 'or #avin" be(ome 'inal and e%e( tor!. 8#e 4$3 dire(tor iss ed t#e appointment o' ./ 0 to Meram.

*note+ t#ere &as an e%(#an"e o' letters and petitions and motions+ to t#e /''i(e o' t#e <resident to revie& t#e de(ision b! t#e MS4 to appoint Meram, and to t#e 9S9 to implement its order and de(ision to appoint Meram sin(e it &as 'inal and e%e( tor!. *ss e+ A#et#er t#e /''i(e o' t#e <resident #as t#e = risdi(tion to ta:e (o"niCan(e and pass pon t#e (ase involvin" appointments and de(isions o' t#e 9S9 R lin"+ 8#e o''i(e o' t#e <resident does not #ave = risdi(tion in t#is (ase. <o&ers and $ n(tions o' t#e Merit S!stem 4oard ,MS4 a((ordin" to Se(tion D,2- o' <3 1459+ o ,2- ?ear and de(ide (ases bro "#t be'ore it b! o''i(ers and emplo!ees &#o 'eel a""rieved b! t#e determination o' appointin" a t#orities involvin" appointment, promotion, trans'er, detail reassi"nment

and ot#er personnel a(tions, as &ell as (omplaints a"ainst an! o''i(ers in t#e "overnment arisin" 'rom ab ses arisin" 'rom personnel a(tions o' t#ese o''i(ers or 'rom violations o' t#e merit s!stem.E Se(tion 8 o' <3 1459 states t#at+ Decisions of the Board involving the removal of officers and emplo ees from the service shall be sub+ect to automatic review b the *ommission) -he *ommission shall li%ewise hear and decide appeals from other decisions of the Board, provided that the decisions of the *ommission shall be sub+ect to review onl b the *ourts) A#ile Meram invo:es t#ese t&o provisions, t#e SolGen (laims t#at Se(tion 19,@- o' <3 857 vests e%(l sive appellate = risdi(tion pon t#e /''i(e o' t#e <resident in (ases o' appeal b! a > ali'ied ne%t1in1ran: emplo!ee 'rom de(isions o' ministr! ,department- #eads arisin" 'rom appointments in t#ree ,2spe(i'i( (ases+ o ,1- &#en an appointment is made in 'avor o' anot#er ne%t1in1ran: emplo!ee &#o is not > ali'ied, o ,2- in 'avor o' one &#o is not ne%t1in1ran:, or o ,2- in 'avor o' one &#o is appointed b! trans'er and not ne%t1in1ran:, or b! reinstatement, or b! ori"inal appointment. 8#e se(ond instan(e applies in t#is (ase. -here is nothing in the above$'uoted provision which connotes e#clusivit of +urisdiction in the ,ffice of the !resident to ta%e cogni.ance of the specific cases cited above) $ rt#ermore, even i' it &ere so, &it# t#e prom l"ation o' <.3. No.1459, this power of review by the Office of the President was not only divested of its exclusivity but was, in fact, repealed altogether. 8#e petitioner, t#ere'ore, (orre(tl! 'iled #er protest &it# t#e MS4 in a((ordan(e &it# <.3. No. 1459. Moreover, respondent Edralin is no& estopped from 'uestioning the orders of the M(B and the *ommission since she submitted to the +urisdiction of these two bodies b! 'ilin" 'or re(onsideration &it# t#e MS4 and pon denial o' t#e same, b! appealin" to t#e 9ommission. $ rt#ermore, (ivil servi(e la&s are not ena(ted to penaliCe an!one. 8#e! are desi"ned to eradicate the s stem of appointment to public office based on political considerations and to eliminate as far as practicable the

element of partisanship and personal favoritism in ma%ing appointments) 8#ese la&s intend to establis# a merit s!stem o' 'itness and e''i(ien(! as t#e basis o' appointment) to se( re more (ompetent emplo!ees, and t#ereb! promote better "overnment. 8#e 9S9 &as (orre(t in revo:in" $ilipina's appointment and appointin" Meram in #er stead.