G.R. No. 104226




Republic of the Philippines SUPREME COURT Manila EN BANC G.R. No. 104226 August 12, 1993 CONCHITA ROMUALDEZ-YAP, petitioner, vs. THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION and THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL BANK, respondents. Estelito P. Mendoza for petitioner. The Solicitor General for the Civil Service Commission. Domingo A. Santiago, Jr. for Philippine National Bank. PADILLA, J.: This is a special civil action for certiorari under Rule 65 of the Rules of Court, assailing Resolution No. 92-201 of the respondent Civil Service Commission, which upheld the petitioner's separation from the Philippine National Bank(PNB) as a result of the abolition of the Fund Transfer Department pursuant to a reorganization under Executive Order No. 80, dated 3 December 1986. Petitioner Conchita Romualdez-Yap started working with the Philippine National Bank on 20 September 1972 as special assistant with the rank of Second Assistant Manager assigned to the office of the PNB President. After several promotions, she was appointed in 1983 Senior Vice President assigned to the Fund Transfer Department. Starting 1 April 1986 up to 20 February 1987, petitioner filed several applications for leave of absence (due to medical reasons) which were duly approved. While she was on leave, Executive Order No. 80 (Revised Charter of the PNB) was approved on 3 December 1986. Said executive order authorized the restructure/reorganization and rehabilitation of PNB. Pursuant to the reorganization plan, the Fund Transfer Department was abolished and its functions transferred to the International Department. Consequently, petitioner was notified of her separation from the service in a letter dated 30 January 1987, thus: Pursuant to the Transitory Provision of the 1986 Revised Charter of the Bank, please be informed that Management has approved your separation from the service effective February 16, 1986. You shall be entitled to the regular benefits allowed under existing law. (emphasis supplied) Please be informed further that under Sec. 37 of the Bank's 1986 Revised Charter, any officer or employee who feels aggrieved by any matter treated above may submit his case to the Civil Service Commission.1 This letter was received by petitioner's secretary at the PNB head office on 16 February 1987. Petitioner's first recorded appeal to the Civil Service Commission questioning her separation is a letter dated 4 August 1989. Then CSC Chairman Samilo N. Barlongay upheld the validity of her separation from the service in a letter/opinion dated 30 August 1989 (this was allegedly received by petitioner only on 26 February 1990) stating thus: xxx xxx xxx It may be mentioned in this connection, that inasmuch as you did not avail of the ERIP/Supplementary Retirement Plans adopted by the PNB in 1986, you have therefore lost your right thereto. Moreover, since you lack the required number of years of service to entitle you to retirement benefits under existing laws, you may be entitled to the return of your GSIS personal contributions. Considering further that you have exhausted all your accumulated leave credits as you went on leave of absence for the period from April 1, 1986 to February 20, 1987, there is no legal or valid basis to entitle you to payment of terminal leave. Finally, pursuant to Section 16, Article XVIII of the Transitory Provisions of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, you may be entitled to payment of separation subject to auditing rules and regulations.2 In her motion for reconsideration with the Civil Service Commission, dated 5 March 1990, questioning Chairman Barlongay's ruling, petitioner claimed: 1. The opinion/ruling was not fully supported by the evidence on record; 2. Errors of law prejudicial to the interest of the movant have been committed. She argued: . . . that her separation from the service was illegal and was done in bad faith considering that her termination on February 16, 1986 was made effective prior to the effectivity of Executive Order No. 80 on December 3, 1986, which law authorized the reorganization of the PNB, and even before February 25, 1986, when President Corazon C. Aquino came into power. She further claims that although the notice of termination was dated January 30, 1987 it was only served upon her on February 16, 1987 when the new Constitution which guarantees security of tenure to public employees was already in effect.3 xxx xxx xxx . . . the bad faith in her separation from the service in 1987 was evident from the recent restoration of the Fund Transfer Department as a separate and distinct unit from the International Department . . . 4 Denying the motion for reconsideration, the Civil Service Commission in its aforecited Resolution No. 92-201, dated 30 January, 1992, ruled: Sec. 33 of EO 80 (1986 Revised Charter of the PNB) provides: Sec. 33. Authority to Reorganize. — In view of reduced operations contemplated under this charter in pursuance of the national policy expressed in the "Whereas" clause hereof, a reorganization of the Bank and a reduction in force are hereby authorized to achieve greater efficiency and economy in operations, including the adoption of a new staffing pattern to suit the reduced operations envisioned. The program of reorganization shall begin immediately after the approval of this Order, and shall be completed within six (6) months and shall be fully implemented within eighteen (18) months thereafter." Clearly; as aforequoted, PNB was authorized to undergo reorganization and to effect a reduction in force to "achieve greater efficiency and economy in operations". It cannot, be disputed that reduction in force necessitates, among others, the abolition of positions/offices. The records show that prior to its reorganization, PNB originally had 7,537 positions which were reduced to 5,405 after the reorganization. Indeed, 2,132 positions were abolished, that is, the original positions in PNB were reduced by 28%. This reduction in force likewise included the senior officer positions, in PNB, which were reduced, thus: Positions Incumbents Proposed Position President 1 1 1 Sr. Exec. VP 1 1 0 Exec. VP 3 2 2 Senior VP 12 11 7 Vice Pres. 33 27 15 The position of movant Yap (SVP) was one among the original twelve (12) SVP positions. It was one among the five (5) SVP positions which were abolished. In fact, the FTD of which she was then the incumbent SVP, was merged with the International Department to which its functions were closedly related. It should be noted that as ruled by the Supreme Court in Dario vs. Mison (G.R. NO. 81954): Reorganizations in this jurisdiction have been regarded as valid provided they are pursued in good faith. As a general rule, a reorganization is carried out in "good faith" if it is for the purpose of economy or to make bureaucracy more efficient. In that event, no dismissal or separation actually occurs because the position itself ceases to exist. And in that case, security of tenure would not be a Chinese Wall. . . . . . . . Good faith, as a component of a reorganization under a constitutional regime is judged from the facts of each case. In the instant case, therefore, this Commission is inclined to believe that the reorganization of PNB was done in good faith. For indeed, the reorganization was pursued to achieve economy. It undertook reduction in force as a means to streamline the numbers of the workforce. It was incidental that movant Yap's position was one among those abolished. Movant Yap failed to substantiate her claim by clear and convincing evidence that the abolition of her position was a result of her close identification with the previous regime, being a sister of former First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos. This being so, and pursuant to the presumption of regularity in the performance of official functions, the abolition of movant Yap's position should be upheld. PNB, in the instant case, has clearly proved by substantial evidence that its act in terminating the services of some of its employees was done in good faith. 5 Overruling her imputation of bad faith, i.e. her separation was illegal because it took effect on 16 February 1986 or even before the promulgation of EO No. 80 on 3 December 1986, the CSC noted that the year "1986" stated in the notice of her separation from the service was a typographical error. PNB submitted documents (p. 6 of Resolution No. 92-201) supporting its stand that the separation actually took effect on 16 February 1987. On the issue of bad faith as related to the later restoration of the Fund Transfer Department, the subject CSC resolution adds: xxx xxx xxx It may be mentioned that the recent restoration of the Fund Transfer Department, actually was a merger of the Fund Transfer Group, the Foreign Remittance Development and Coordinating Unit based on board Resolution No. 60 of March 12, 1991, or after the lapse of over four (4) years from the date it was abolished in 1987. Moreover, the restoration of the Fund Transfer Department and other offices in the PNB was primarily caused by the improved financial capability and present needs of the Bank. This improved financial condition of the PNB is evident from the 1990 Annual Report it submitted. It may be further stated that the re-established FTD is headed by a Vice President, a position much lower in rank than the former department headed by a Senior Vice President. Furthermore, it should be noted that granting arguendo that movant Yap's termination from the service was tainted with bad faith, she however, is now barred from assailing the same as she did not seasonably assert her right thereto. Records show that she was separated from PNB on February 16, 1987 and it was only in 1989 or about 2 years thereafter when she brought this matter to this Commission. By her inaction in questioning her termination within a period of one year, she is considered to have acquiesced to her separation from the service and abandoned her right to the position.6 In the present petition before the Court, the following issues are raised: 1. Existence of bad faith in the reorganization of the Philippine National Bank resulting in the separation from the service of petitioner. 2. Erroneous application of the Dario v. Mison doctrine vis-a-vis PNB's reorganization. 3. Erroneous application of the one (1) year prescriptive period for quo warranto proceedings in petitioner's case. Dario v. Mison7 laid down the requirement of good faith in the reorganization of a government bureau wherein offices are abolished. It says: . . . Reorganizations in this jurisdiction have been regarded as valid provided they are pursued in good faith. As a general rule, a reorganization is carried out in "good faith" if it is for the purpose of economy or to make bureaucracy more efficient. In that event, no dismissal (in case of dismissal) or separation actually occurs because the position itself ceases to exist. And in that case, security of tenure would not be a Chinese wall. Be that as it may, if the "abolition," which is nothing else but a separation or removal, is done for political reasons or purposely to defeat security of tenure, or otherwise not in good faith, no valid "abolition" takes place and whatever "abolition" is done, is void ab initio. There is an invalid "abolition" as where there is merely a change of nomenclature of positions, or where claims of economy are belied by the existence of ample funds. It is to be stressed that by predisposing a reorganization to the yardstick of good faith, we are not, as a consequence, imposing a "cause" for restructuring. Retrenchment in the course of a reorganization in good faith is still removal "not for cause" if by "cause" we refer to "grounds" or conditions that call for disciplinary action. Good faith, as a component of a reorganization under a constitutional regime, is judged from the facts of each case. In Petitioner's case, the following instances are cited by her as indicia of bad faith: 1. The abolished department was later restored and the number of senior vice presidents was increased. 2. PNB did not follow the prescribed sequence of separation of employees from the service contained in Rep. Act No. 6656 which is: Sec. 3. In the separation of personnel pursuant to reorganization, the following order of removal shall be followed: (a) Casual employees with less than five (5) years of government service; (b) Casual employees with five (5) years or more of government service; (c) Employees holding temporary appointments; and (d) Employees holding permanent appointments: Provided, That those in the same category as enumerated above, who are least qualified in terms of performance and merit shall be laid off first, length of service notwithstanding. 3. Petitioner was not extended preference in appointment to the positions in the new staffing pattern as mandated by Sec. 4 of Rep. Act 6656, her qualification and fitness for new positions were never evaluated or considered in violation of Sec. 27 of P.D. 807 which was incorporated as Sec. 29 Ch. 5 Subtitle A, Book V of the Administrative Code of 1987. 4. Lack of notice and bearing before separation from the service. 5. Petitioner was forced to take a leave of absence and prevented from reporting for work. 6. There is a discrepancy in the date of her separation from the service and the effectivity thereof. 7. PNB employees in the Fund Transfer Department identified with her were reassigned or frozen. 8. She is listed as having resigned instead of being separated or dismissed which was what actually happened. 9. The dismissal was politically motivated, she being a sister of Mrs. Imelda Romualdez Marcos, wife of deposed President Ferdinand Marcos. Executive Order No. 80 conferred upon the PNB the authority to reorganize. The order was issued by then Pres. Corazon Aquino on 3 December 1986 while she was exercising the powers vested in the President of the Philippines by the Freedom Constitution. After 3 December 1986, what remained to be done was the implementation of the reorganization. There is no doubt as to the legal basis for PNB's reorganization. The real question is: was it done in good faith, tested by the Dario v. Mison doctrine? To start with it is almost absurd for petitioner to insist that her termination from the service was antedated to 16 February 1986. At that time, the reorganization of PNB had not even been conceived. In most of PNB's pleadings, it has documented and supported its stand that the year of petitioner's separation is 1987 not 1986. The antedating of the termination date, aside from being clearly a typographical error, is a periphernal issue. The real issue is existence of bad faith consisting of tangible bureaucratic/management pressures exerted to ease her out of office. Bad faith has been defined as a state of mind affirmatively operating with furtive design or with some motive of self interest or ill will or for an ulterior purpose.8 It is the performance of an act with the knowledge that the actor is violating the fundamental law or right, even without willful intent to injure or purposive malice to perpetrate a damnifying harm.9 PNB's reorganization, to repeat, was by virtue of a valid law. At the time of reorganization, due to the critical financial situation of the bank, departments, positions and functions were abolished or merged. The abolition of the Fund Transfer Department (FTD) was deemed necessary. This, to the Court's mind, was a management prerogative exercised pursuant to a business judgment. At this point, a distinction can be made in ruling on the validity of a reorganization between a government bureau or office performing constituent functions (like the Customs) and a government-owned or controlled corporation performing ministrant functions (like the PNB). Constituent function are those which constitute the very bonds of society and are compulsory in nature; ministrant functions are those undertaken by way of advancing the general interests of society, and are merely optional. Commercial or universal banking is, ideally, not a governmental but a private sector, endeavor. It is an optional function of government. . . . The principles determining whether or not a government shall exercise certain of these optional functions are: (1) that a government should do for the public welfare those things which private capital would not naturally undertake and (2) that a government should do those things which by its very, nature it is better equipped to administer for the public welfare than is any private individual or group of individuals (Malcolm, The Government of the Philippine Islands, pp. 19-20) From the above we may infer that, strictly speaking, there are functions which our government is required to exercise to promote its objectives as expressed in our Constitution and which are exercised by it as an attribute of sovereignty, and those which it may exercise to promote merely the welfare, progress and prosperity of the people. To this latter class belongs the organization of those corporations owned or controlled by the government to promote certain aspects of the economic life of our people such as the National Coconut Corporation. These are what we call government-owned or controlled corporations which may take on the form of a private enterprise or one organized with powers and formal characteristics of a private corporation under the Corporation Law. (Bacani vs. Nacoco, No, L-9657, November 29, 1956, 100 Phil. 468) But a reorganization whether in a government bureau performing constituent functions or in a government-owned or controlled corporation performing ministrant functions must meet a common test, the test of good faith. In this connection, the philosophy behind PNB's reorganization is spelled out in the whereas clauses of Executive Order No. 80: WHEREAS, within the context of the general policy there nevertheless exists a clear role for direct government-participation in the banking system, particularly in servicing the requirements of agriculture, small and medium scale industry, export development, and the government sector. WHEREAS, in pursuit of this national policy there is need to restructure the government financial institutions, particularly the Philippine National Bank, to achieve a more efficient and effective use of available scarce resources, to improve its viability, and to avoid unfair competition with the private sector, and WHEREAS, the reorganization and rehabilitation of the Philippine National Bank into a similar but stronger and more operationally viable bank is an important component of the nationalization programs for both the financial system and the government corporation sector; . . . . Whether there was a hidden political agenda to persecute petitioner due to her consanguinial relation to Mrs. Imelda Romualdez Marcos, the widow of former President Marcos, is not clearly shown. On the other hand, it is entirely possible that, precisely because of such consanguinial relation, petitioner may have been the object of deferential, if not special treatment under the Marcos regime. It is part of the Filipino culture to extend such deferential, if not special treatment to close relatives of persons in power. Many times this is carried to unwholesome extremes. But a discontinuance of such deferential or special treatment in the wake of a change in government or administration is not bad faith per se. It may be merely putting things in their proper places. Due to the restructuring — and this is empirically verifiable — PNB became once more a viable banking institution. The restoration of the FTD four years after it was abolished and its functions transferred to the International Department, can be attributed to the bank's growth after reorganizations, thereby negating malice or bad faith in that reorganization. The essence of good faith lies in an honest belief in the validity of one's right.10 It consists of an honest intention to abstain from taking an unconscionable and unscrupulous advantage of another, its absence should be established by convincing evidence. 11 The records also clearly indicate that starting April 1986 to February 1987, petitioner went on leave of absence for medical reasons. While she was not reporting to the office, the bank's reorganization got underway. She continued, however, receiving her salaries, allowances, emoluments, honoraria and fees up to March 1987. Employees who were affected by the reorganization had the option to avail of the bank's Separation Benefits Plan/Early Retirement Plan (SBP/ERIP). Petitioner opted not to avail of such plan and instead submitted to the result of the bank's ongoing reorganization and management's discretion. If petitioner had the desire for continued employment with the bank, she could have asserted it for management's consideration. There is no proof on record that she affirmatively expressed willingness to be employed. Since she cannot rebut the CSC finding that her earliest appeal was made on 4 August 1989, there is no reason for this Court to hold that she did not sleep on her rights. On the contrary, her present argument that bad faith existed at the time of the abolition of the FTD because it was restored four years later is a little too late. Who could have predicted in 1986 or 1987 that PNB would be able to rise from its financial crisis and become a viable commercial bank again? The decision to abolish the FTD at the time it was abolished, to repeat, was a business judgment made in good faith. PNB for its part submits that its reorganization was effected in good faith because — a) There was not only a perceptible but substantial restructuring of the PNB hierarchy showing reduction of personnel, consolidation of offices and abolition of positions. b) Two thousand one hundred thirty two (2,132) positions were abolished during the period from February 16, 1986 to January 14, 1987 leaving a lean workforce of five thousand four hundred five (5,405) as of latter date per B.R. No. 34 hereto attached as Annex "R". c) The number of senior officers, including Senior Vice Presidents, was accordingly reduced. Another issue raised by petitioner is PNB's alleged non-compliance with the mandate of Sections 2 and 4 of Rep. Act No. 6656. These Sections provide: Sec. 2. No officer or employee in the career service shall be removed except for a valid cause and after due notice and hearing. A valid cause for removal exists when, pursuant to a bona fide reorganization, a position has been abolished or rendered redundant or there is a need to merge, divide, or consolidate positions in order to meet the exigencies of the service, or other lawful causes allowed by the Civil Service Law. The existence of any or some of the following circumstances may be considered as evidence of bad faith in the removals made as a result of reorganization, giving to a claim for reinstatement or reappointment by an aggrieved party. (a) Where there is a significant increase in the number of positions in the new staffing pattern of the department or agency concerned; (b) Where an office is abolished and another performing substantially the same functions is created; (c) Where incumbents are replaced by those less qualified in terms of status of appointment, performance and merit; (d) Where there is a reclassification of offices in the department or agency concerned and the reclassified offices perform substantially the same functions as the original offices; (e) Where the removal violates the order of separation provided in Section 3 hereof. xxx xxx xxx Sec. 4. Officers and employees holding permanent, appointments shall be given preference for appointment to the new position in the approved staffing pattern comparable to their former positions or in case there are not enough comparable positions, to positions next lower in rank. No new employees shall be taken in until all permanent officers and employees have been appointed, including temporary and casual employees who possess the necessary qualification requirements, among which is the appropriate civil service eligibility, for permanent appointment to positions in the approved staffing pattern, in case there are still positions to be filled, unless such positions are policy-determining, primarily confidential or highly technical in nature. In the first place, Rep. Act No. 6656 cannot be invoked by petitioner because it took effect on 15 June 1987, or after PNB's reorganization had already been implemented. But assuming, ex gratia argumenti, that it is applicable here and petitioner must be accorded preferential right to appointment in the bank, PNB in its rejoinder impressively asserts: Needless to say, there were various committees that were created in the implementation of the organizational restructuring of the Bank based on the foregoing policy guidelines. Each personnel to be retained was evaluated in terms of relative fitness and merit along with the other personnel of the Bank. Thus, when then SVP Federico Pascual was chosen to head the International Department from among other officers of the Bank, including Ms. Yap, his qualifications far exceeded those of the other candidates for the position. We attach hereto as Annexes "G-1" and "G-2" the service records of Mr. Federico Pascual and Petitioner Ms. Yap, respectively, which clearly show that the qualifications of Mr. Pascual far exceed those of Petitioner Yap. Aside from being a lawyer having been a law graduate from the University of the Philippines, he is also a Bachelor of Arts degree holder from Ateneo de Manila and a Master of Laws graduate o Columbia Law School. He had studied Masteral Arts in Public Administration at the London School of Economics and had undergone extensive seminars since 1974 at the International Department and had been assigned in several foreign branches of the Bank. Before he resigned from the Bank, he held the second highest position of Executive Vice President and served as Acting President of the Bank before the incumbent president, President Gabriel Singson assumed his position. On the other hand, the service record of Petitioner Yap will show that she only holds a Bachelor of Science in Commerce Degree from Assumption Convent and has undergone only one seminar on Management and Leadersbip Training Program. She entered the Bank service in 1972. (Rollo at pp. 312 to 313) x x x x x x x x x The prayer in the petition at bar seeks petitioner's immediate reinstatement to her former position as senior vice president and head of the Fund Transfer Department, or reappointment to a position of comparable or equivalent rank without loss of seniority rights and pay, etc., under the bank's new staffing pattern. A person claiming to be entitled to a public office or position usurped or unlawfully held or exercised by another may bring an action for quo warranto (Rule 66, Sec. 6, Rules of Court). The petitioner therein must show a clear legal right to the office allegedly held unlawfully by another. 12 An action for quo warranto should be brought within one (1) year after ouster from office;13 the failure to institute the same within the reglementary period constitutes more than a sufficient basis for its dismissal14 since it is not proper that the title to a public office be subjected to continued uncertainty . . . 15 An exception to this prescriptive period lies only if the failure to file the action can be attributed to the acts of a responsible government officer and not of the dismissed employee.16 Measured by the above jurisprudence, petitioner's action may be said to be one for quo warranto, seeking reinstatement to her former position which at present is occupied by another. She cannot invoke De Tavera v. Phil. Tuberculosis Society, Inc., et. al. 17 and contend that there is no claim of usurpation of office, and that quo warranto may be availed of to assert one's right to an office in the situation obtaining in the case at bar. Santos v. CA, et. al. 18 and Magno v. PNNC Corp. 19 are invoked by petitioner to illustrate that this action is one for separation without just cause, hence, the prescriptive period is allegedly four (4) years in accordance with Article 1146 of the Civil Code. 20 We do not agree. Petitioner's separation from the service was due to the abolition of her office in implementation of a valid reorganization. This is not the unjustifiable cause which results in injury to the rights of a person contemplated by Article 1146. The abolition of the office was not a whimsical, thoughtless move. It was a thoroughly evaluated action for streamlining functions based on a rehabilitation plan. 21 At the time of the abolition of the Fund Transfer Department in 1986, foreign exchange losses of the bank amounted to P81.1 Million. 22 The head of office was a Senior Vice President. At the time of restoration of the department in 1991, it was headed by a vice president (lower in rank) and showed earnings of P2,620.0 Million. 23 Other departments abolished in 1986 were also subsequently restored. Restoring petitioner to her previous position with backwages would be unjust enrichment to her, considering that she had abandoned or showed lack of interest in reclaiming the same position when the bank was not yet fully rehabilitated and she only insisted on reinstatement in August 1989 or two (2) years after her alleged unjustified separation. To those who feel that their unjustified separation from the service is for a cause beyond their control, the aforecited Magno case teaches: . . . while We fully recognize the special protection which the Constitution, labor laws, and social legislation accord the workingman, We cannot, however, alter or amend the law on prescription to relieve him of the consequences of his inaction. Vigilantibus, non dormientibus, jura subveniunt (Laws come to the assistance of the vigilant, not of the sleeping). His explanation that he could not have filed the complaint earlier because "he was prevented to do so beyond his control for the simple reason that private respondent have (sic) tried to circumvent the law by merely floating" him is very flimsy and does not even evoke sympathetic consideration, if at all it is proper and necessary. We note that petitioner herein is not an unlettered man; he seems to be educated and assertive of his rights and appears to be familiar with judicial procedures. He filed a motion for extension of time to file the petition and the petition itself without the assistance of counsel. We cannot believe that if indeed he had a valid grievance against PNCC he would not have taken immediate positive steps for its redress. WHEREFORE, premises considered, the assailed CSC resolution is AFFIRMED. The petition is DISMISSED for failure to show grave abuse of discretion on the part of said CSC in rendering the questioned resolution. No pronouncement as to costs. SO ORDERED. Narvasa, C.J., Cruz, Feliciano, Bidin, Griño-Aquino, Regalado, Davide, Jr., Romero, Nocon, Bellosillo, Melo, Quiason, Puno and Vitug, JJ., concur. # Footnotes 1 Rollo, p. 12. 2 Rollo, pp. 43-44. 3 Resolution No. 92-201, CSC, Rollo, p. 31. 4 Ibid., p. 32. 5 Ibid., pp. 33-34. 6 Rollo at p. 36. 7 G.R. No. 81954, August 8, 1989, 176 SCRA 92-93. 8 Air France v. Carrascoso L-21438, September 28, 1966, 18 SCRA 166. 9 De Castro v. Carranza, 50460-R, July 3, 1974, see Moreno, F.B., Philippine Law Dictionary, Third Edition. 10 Bernardo vs. Bernardo, 96 Phil., 205. 11 Hilario vs. Galvez, 45494-R, August 19, 1971. 12 Carillo vs. CA, G.R. No. L-24554, May 31, 1967, 77 SCRA 170. 13 Cornejo vs. Secretary of Justice, G.R. No. L-32818, June 28, 1974, 57 SCRA 663. 14 Alejo vs. Marquez, G.R. No. L-29053, February 27, 1971, 37 SCRA 762. 15 Villegas vs. de la Cruz, G.R. No. L-23752, December 31, 1965, 15 SCRA 720. 16 Cristobal vs. Melchor, G.R. No. L-43203, July 29, 1977, 75 SCRA 175. 17 G.R. No. L-48928, February 25, 1982, 112 SCRA 243. 18 G.R. No. L-47750, February 29, 1980, 96 SCRA 448. 19 G.R. No. L-87320, June 6, 1991, 198 SCRA 230. 20 Article 1146, Civil Code, provides: Art 1146. The following actions must be instituted within four years: 1. Upon an injury to the rights of the plaintiff; 2. Upon a quasi-delict." 21 Annex F-2, Rollo at 336. 22 PNB's Rejoinder, p. 29, Rollo at 293. 23 Ibid., p. 294. 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