GR 83896 CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION v EXECUTIVE SECRETARY

POINT

The language used in the constitution is prohibitory, it is to he understood as intended to be a

positive and unequivocal negation.

FACT

The two petitions in this case sought to declare unconstitutional Executive Order No. 284
issued by then President Corazon C. Aquino. The petitioners alleged that Section 1, 2 and 3 of EO
284 contravenes the provision of Sec. 13, Article VII of the 1987 Constitution. The assailed provisions
of EO 284 are as follows:

Section 1: A cabinet member, undersecretary or assistant secretary or other appointive officials of the
Executive Department may in addition to his primary position, hold not more than two positions in the
government and government corporations and receive the corresponding compensation therefor.

Section 2: If they hold more positions more than what is required in section 1, they must relinquish the
excess position in favor of the subordinate official who is next in rank, but in no case shall any official
hold more than two positions other than his primary position.

Section 3: AT least 1/3 of the members of the boards of such corporation should either be a secretary,
or undersecretary, or assistant secretary.

Section 13, Article VII of the 1987 Constitution, meanwhile, states that:

Section 13. The President, Vice-President, the Members of the Cabinet, and their deputies or
assistants shall not, unless otherwise provided in this Constitution, hold any other office or
employment during their tenure. They shall not, during said tenure, directly or indirectly, practice any
other profession, participate in any business, or be financially interested in any contract with, or in any
franchise, or special privilege granted by the Government or any subdivision, agency, or
instrumentality thereof, including government-owned or controlled corporations or their subsidiaries.
They shall strictly avoid conflict of interest in the conduct of their office.

ISSUE: Whether or not EO 284 is unconstitutional

HELD: Yes. EO 284 is UNCONSTITUTIONAL.

The court said, by allowing Cabinet members, undersecretaries or assistant secretaries to hold at
least two positions in the government and government corporations, EO 284 actually allows them to
hold multiple offices or employment which is a direct contravention of the express mandate of Article
VII, Section 13 of the 1987 Constitution which prohibits them from doing so, unless otherwise
provided in the 1987 Constitution itself.

The explained that the phrase “unless otherwise provided in this constitution” must be given a literal
interpretation to refer only to those particular instances cited in the constitution itself which are Section
3 of Article VII (for VP) and Section 8 of Article VIII (for Secretary of Justice).

Thus, the PETITION is GRANTED.