A.M. No.

88-7-1861-RTC October 5, 1988

IN RE: DESIGNATION OF JUDGE RODOLFO U. MANZANO AS MEMBER OF THE
ILOCOS NORTE PROVINCIAL COMMITTEE ON JUSTICE.
PADILLA, J.
FACTS:
In 1988, the governor of Ilocos Norte issued an Executive Order designating Exec.
Judge Manzano as a member of the Ilocos Norte Provincial Committee on Justice.
Thus, he sent a letter to the Court requesting a Resolution (1) to authorize him to accept
his appointment, (2) to consider his membership as neither non-violative of the
independence of the Judiciary nor violation of Sec. 12, Art. VIII or Sec 7, Art. IX, and (3)
to consider his membership to be part of the primary functions of an Exec Judge.
ISSUE:
Whether Exec Judge Manzano’s membership is unconstitutional.
HELD:
Yes. It is unconstitutional because Provincial/City Committees of Justice perform
administrative functions.
Provincial/City Committees on Justice are created to ensure the speedy disposition of
cases of detainees to alleviate jail congestion and improve local jail conditions, which
are evidently administrative functions.
Administrative functions are those which involve the regulation and control over the
conduct and affairs of individuals for their own welfare and the promulgation of rules and
regulations to better carry out the policy of the legislature or such as are devolved upon
the administrative agency by the organic law of its existence.
Under the Constitution, the members of the Supreme Court and other courts
established by law shall not be designated to any agency performing quasi- judicial or
administrative functions (Section 12, Art. VIII, Constitution).
Considering that the membership of Exec Judge Manzano discharges administrative
functions and will violate the Constitution, the Court denied his request.
Request is DENIED.