Mondano V
Mondano V
Silvosa
L-7708, 30 May 1955
FACTS:
The petitioner, Jose Mondano, is the duly
elected and qualified Mayor of the
Municipality of Mainit, Surigao.
On 27 February 1954, De Mosende filed a
sworn complaint with the Presidential
Complaints and Action Committee accusing
him of rape and concubinage.
This was subsequently indorsed by the
Assistant Executive Secretary to the
respondent, Fernando Silvosa, Governor of
Surigao for immediate investigation,
appropriate action and report.
On April 10,1954, petitioner appeared,
upon summon, before the respondent with
the Provincial Board.
On the same day, the respondent issued
Administrative Order No.8 suspending the
petitioner from office, and thereafter, the
Provincial Board proceeded to hear the
charges against him.
ISSUE:
Whether the indorsement of the complaint,
by the Assistant Executive Secretary, to the
respondent is legal.
HELD:
Yes because the heads of various executive
departments are agents of the President
who,
constitutionally,
have
general
supervision over local governments, as may
be provided by law. Supervision, in
administrative law, means overseeing or
the power or authority of an official to see
that subordinate officers perform their
duties The respondent Governor, upon
the indorsement of the Assistant Executive
Secretary, is only acting as an agent of the
President in investigating the petitioner.
the
Government
created
and
organized before the approval of
the Constitution continued to
exist as authorized by law until
the
Congress
shall
provide
otherwise.
The Constitution provides: The
President shall have control of all
the
executive
departments,
bureaus, or offices, exercise
general supervision over all local
governments as may be provided
by law, and take care that the
laws be faithfully executed.
Under this constitutional provision
the President has been invested
with the power of control of
all the
executive
departments, bureaus,
or
offices,
but
not
of
all
local governments over which
he has been granted only the
power of general supervision
as may be provided by law.
The Department head as agent of
the President has direct control
and supervision over all bureaus
and offices under his jurisdiction
as provided for in section 79(c) of
the Revised AdministrativeCode,
but he does not have the same
control of local governments as
that exercised by him over
bureaus and offices under his
jurisdiction.
Likewise,
his
authority
to
order
the
investigation of any act or
conduct of any person in the
service of any bureau or office
under his department is confined
to bureaus or offices under his
jurisdiction and does not extend
to local governments over which,
as already stated, the President
exercises
only
general
supervision
as
provided by law.
may
be
administrative
law
supervision
means
overseeing or the power or
authority of an officer to see
that
subordinate
officers
perform their duties.
If the latter fail or neglect
to fulfill them the former
may take such action or
step as prescribed by law to
make them perform their
duties.