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PHILIPPINE SUPREME COURT DECISIONS

SECOND DIVISION

[G.R. No. L-28230. January 31, 1984.]

THE NATIONAL WATERWORKS & SEWERAGE AUTHORITY, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. THE MUNICIPALITY OF ALCALA, PANGASINAN and CESAR P. MENDOZA, Municipal Mayor, Defendants-Appellees.


SYLLABUS


1. REMEDIAL LAW’ APPEALS; DISMISSAL THEREOF; REPEAL OF LAW CREATING NAWASA RENDERS CASE MOOT AND ACADEMIC. — Republic Act No. 1383, which created the NAWASA and which was the legal basis for its complaint in this case, was repealed by Republic Act No. 6234, effective on June 19, 1971. It created the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System and dissolved the NAWASA. Thus, NAWASA’s appeal of the trial court’s decision dismissing its complaint for expropriation of a municipality’s entire waterworks system will be dismissed, the case having become moot and academic.


R E S O L U T I O N


AQUINO, J.:


On April 12, 1965 the National Waterworks & Sewerage Authority sued the Municipality of Alcala, Pangasinan and its officials for the expropriation for P380 of its entire waterworks system.chanrobles law library

Upon motion of the defendants, the trial court dismissed the action on the ground that the NAWASA could not expropriate property already dedicated to public use (Guido v. Rural Progress Administration, 84 Phil. 847).

The NAWASA appealed. Republic Act No. 1383, which created the NAWASA and which was the legal basis for its complaint in this case, was repealed by Republic Act No. 6234, effective on June 19, 1971. It created the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System and dissolved the NAWASA. (See City of Baguio v. Nawasa, 106 Phil. 144 and Municipality of Paete v. Nawasa, L-21576, May 29, 1970, 33 SCRA 122.)chanrobles law library

Justice Manuel M. Lazaro, Government Corporate Counsel and Presidential Assistant for Legal Affairs, admits that this case has become moot and academic and should be dismissed.

WHEREFORE, the case is dismissed. No costs.

SO ORDERED.

Makasiar (Chairman), Guerrero, Abad Santos, De Castro and Escolin, JJ., concur.

Concepcion Jr., J., took no part.

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