MANILA – The Court of Appeals (CA) has denied the motion for reconsideration filed by Ilocos Sur Governor Ryan Luis Singson, who questioned the Civil Service Commission (CSC) for disapproving the appointment of his choice for provincial administrator.
In a four-page resolution dated November 14 and written by Associate Justice Maria Elisa Sempio Dy, the CA Sixth Division said it found “no compelling reason to reverse and/or modify” its earlier decision dated Oct. 14, 2020.
“The arguments and evidence presented and advanced by the parties have duly been weighed, appreciated and adequately discussed in the decision,” the CA said, adding it “finds no cogent reason to recalibrate and re-evaluate the evidence”.
Singson and his appointee, Cara Michelle Daquep, challenged the CSC on Dec. 12, 2013.
The CSC Regional Office No. 1 ruled that Daquep did not have the experience and eligibility requirements to be provincial administrator, a post that requires at least a five-year experience in management and administrative work as well as first-grade eligibility.
Singson and Daquep asked for a reconsideration and reiterated that highly confidential and coterminous positions, such as provincial administrator, are exempted from the qualification standards.
Daquep’s combined work in government is more than 10 years, surpassing the minimum experience requirement, the petitioners argued.
Turned down by the CSC, the suit was elevated before the CA.
While the case was pending, petitioners informed the court that Daquep was given a temporary appointment as provincial government department head in the population office, first on Sept. 1, 2015, and in the next two years.
As such, the petitioners said she should be considered as having complied with the requirements.
The court, however, said that “aside from their bare allegations, there is no solid proof” that Daquep had met the five-year experience in management and administrative work, and the first-grade civil service eligibility or its equivalent.
The CA also said “absent a showing of grave abuse of discretion or grave error, the Court will not disturb the findings of fact of the CSC, especially since it has acquired specialized knowledge and expertise in the field of civil service law”. (PNA)
