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MALACAÑAN PALACE
MANILA

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES

[ ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 9, February 14, 1954 ]

SUSPENDING FOREIGN AFFAIRS OFFICER ENRIQUE M. GARCIA.

This is an administrative case against Mr. Enrique M. Garcia, Foreign Affairs Officer, Class III, assigned as second secretary and consul in the Philippine Legation at London, who is charged with violation of Foreign Service Circular No. 122, dated January 20, 1950, prohibiting personnel of the Foreign Service from returning to the Philippines without the prior authorization of the Secretary of Foreign Affairs. The case was investigated by the Board of Foreign Service which found him guilty as charged.

In his defense, respondent gave four reasons to justify his leaving his post, to wit:

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(1)	That he was in extreme financial difficulty and had to return to Manila to arrange for the necessary dollar allocation with the Central Bank of the Philippines;
(2)	That he wanted to see his aged mother whom he had not seen for the past five years;
(3)	That he wanted to attend the wedding of his brother and his sister-in-law; and
(4)	That he wanted to present certain facts, which he refused to divulge, about the Philippine Legation in London.

Respondent’s explanation is unsatisfactory in view of the explicit provisions of the foreign service circular above referred to enjoining foreign affairs officers and other foreign service personnel from leaving the country of their assignment and coming to the Philippines for any purpose without the previous authorization of the Secretary of Foreign Affairs.

WHEREFORE, Mr. Enrique M. Garcia is hereby suspended without pay during the period of his unauthorized absence from the date of his departure from his official station until his return thereto, which he must do immediately. His transportation expenses in coming to the Philippines and in returning to his official station shall be borne by him personally and not by the Government. He is also warned that a repetition of similar act will be dealt with more drastically.

Done in the City of Manila, this 14th day of February, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and fifty-four, and of the Independence of the Philippines, the eighth.

(Sgd.) RAMON MAGSAYSAY
President of the Philippines

By the President:

(Sgd.) FRED RUIZ CASTRO
Executive Secretary

The Lawphil Project - Arellano Law Foundation

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