Administrative Order No. 288




MALACAÑAN PALACE MANILA BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES [ Administrative Order No. 288, January 23, 1959 ] CONSIDERING AS RESIGNED DR. CRISTOBAL SANTIAGO, MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE NATIONAL WATERWORKS AND SEWERAGE AUTHORITY Dr. Cristobal Santiago, member of the Board of Directors of the National Waterworks and Sewerage Authority (NAWASA), is charged, together with Primitive de la Costa, superintendent of wells and drills, Division of Wells and Springs, Atty. Buenaventura Villamayor, chief clerk of said division, and Cornelio Morada, assistant superintendent of wells and drills, with improper conduct in connection with the drilling of five artesian wells in Bulacan and Pampanga, allegedly in violation of the NAWAS A regulations and to the almost exclusive benefit of himself, his relatives, and tenants. It is claimed that in consideration of the support of respondent Santiago as a member of the NAWASA directorate in the promotion and retention of the other respondents, they all conspired and agreed to have said artesian wells constructed. The charges against Dr. Santiago were looked into by a technical assistant of my office and these against his correspondents, by another investigator designated by the NAWASA General Manager. However, joint hearings were had of all the cases. Only the case of Dr. Santiago, a presidential appointee, will be taken up and decided here. The evidence shows that Wells Nos. 8552 and 8553 at Atlag, Malolos, Bulacan, were drilled conformably to the provisions of Republic Act No. 1200 which specified the barrio of Atlag as the place where they should be installed and that said wells were drilled upon the recommendation of the mayor of the municipality, the local health officer, and the district engineer pursuant to the regulations. With respect to Well No. 9019, located at Suklain, Arayat, Pampanga, it appears that the same was drilled to replace an unsuccessful well drilled by the Army at the direction of my late predecessor who chose the site. As regards Well No. 9020 in Barrio Batasan, same municipality, it has been established that the same was drilled by the NAWASA on public land located far away from the hacienda of the father-in-law of the respondent and that the latter did not exert any influence in the installation of said well. In its present location it benefits a fast-growing community and the majority of the inhabitants thereof. The respondent may not, therefore, he blamed for the drilling of said wells and the choice of their sites. As to the remaining unnumbered well also in Suklain, Arayat, Pampanga, it appears that the same is a private well belonging to, respondents father-in-law which was repaired and cleaned, not drilled, by personnel of the NAWASA when the latter were in Arayat to clean Wells Nos. 9019 and 9020. Although the materials were furnished by the owner, government time, labor; and equipment were used. This is a dear case of an official taking advantage of his position for private ends. However, the fact that, the well in question is also used by the neighborhood and that, the tenants of the respondent and/or of his father-in-law were accommodating to the NAWASA personnel during their stay in Batasan may be considered in, mitigation of the offense committed, The alleged unholy conspiracy among the respondents in the construction of the wells, in violation of the regulations has not been duly established.1aшphi1 Wherefore, Dr. Cristobal Santiago is hereby considered resigned from office as member of the Board of Directors of the National Waterworks and Sewerage Authority, without prejudice to the collection from him of the money value of the government labor and equipment utilized in the repair and cleaning of the well of his father-in-law. Done in the City of Manila, this 23rd day of January, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and fifty-nine, and of the Independence of the Philippines, the thirteenth. (Sgd.) CARLOS P. GARCIA President of the Philippines By the President: (Sgd.) JUAN C. PAJO Executive Secretary The Lawphil Project - Arellano Law Foundation