Sabello v. DECS

Sabello v. DECS

G.R. No. 87687 December 26, 1989

Gancayco, J.

Facts:

                Petitioner, was the Elementary School Principal of Talisay and also the Assistant Principal of the Talisay Barangay High School of the Division of Gingoog City. The barangay high school was in deficit at that time due to the fact that the students could hardly pay for their monthly tuition fees. Since at that time also, the President of the Philippines who was earnestly campaining was giving aid in the amount of P 2,000.00 for each barrio, the barrio council through proper resolutions alloted the amount of P 840.00 to cover up for the salaries of the high school teachers, with the honest thought in mind that the barrio high school was a barrio project and as such therefore, was entitled to its share of the RICD fund in question. The only part that the herein petitioner played was his being authorized by the said barrio council to withdraw the above amount and which was subsequently deposited in the City Treasurer’s Office in the name of the Talisay Barrio High School. That was a grave error on the part of the herein petitioner as it involves the very intricacies in the disbursement of government funds and of its technicalities. Thus, the herein petitioner, together with the barrio captain, were charged of the violation of Republic Act 3019, and both were convicted to suffer a sentence of one year and disqualification to hold public office. The herein petitioner appealed his case to the Court of appeals, Manila. The Court of appeals modified the decision by eliminating the subsidiary imprisonment in case of insolvency in the payment of one-half of the amount being involved. The herein petitioner, being financially battered, could no longer hire a lawyer to proceed to the highest court of the land.

Finally, the herein petitioner was granted an ABSOLUTE PARDON by the President of the Republic of the Philippines, restoring him to ‘full civil and political rights.’ With this instrument on hand, the herein petitioner applied for reinstatement to the government service, only to be reinstated to the wrong position of a mere classroom teacher and not to his former position as Elementary School Principal I.

Issue:

                whether or not petitioner should be reappointed to his former position

Held:

                In Monsanto vs. Factoran, Jr., the Supreme Court held that the absolute disqualification from office or ineligibility from public office forms part of the punishment prescribed under the penal code and that pardon frees the individual from all the penalties and legal disabilities and restores him to all his civil rights. Although such pardon restores his eligibility to a public office it does not entitle him to automatic reinstatement. He should apply for reappointment to said office.

In the present case after his absolute pardon, petitioner was reinstated to the service as a classroom teacher by the Department of Education, Culture and Sports.

As there are no circumstances that would warrant the diminution in his rank, justice and equity dictate that he be returned to his former position of Elementary School Principal I and not to that of a mere classroom teacher.

However, the Court cannot grant his prayer for backwages from September 1, 1971 to November 23, 1982 since in Monsanto the Supreme Court said he is not entitled to automatic reinstatement. Petitioner was lawfully separated from the government service upon his conviction for an offense. Thus, although his reinstatement had been duly authorized, it did not thereby entitle him to backwages. Such right is afforded only to those who have been illegally dismissed and were thus ordered reinstated or to those otherwise acquitted of the charge against them.