Laborde v. Municipality of Isabela
Laborde v. Municipality of Isabela
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the court.
This is a case similar to others we have reviewed where the Municipal Assembly of Isabela passed and the Executive Council of Porto Rico approved an ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Service to obtain a loan, and also authorizing the said Commissioner to employ an agent to take
The opinion of the court follows some of the lines that have been expressed in the following cases: Fajardo Sugar Co. v. Holcomb, 16 Fed. (2nd) 92; Costas Purcell v. Municipality of Las Marías, 37 P.R.R. 18; Pérez v. Samalea, 38 P.R.R. 71; Laborde v. Municipality of Isabela, 38 P.R.R. 58, and Costas Purcell v. Municipality of Yauco, No. 4275, ante, page 51.
The court also held that the complaint set up that the contract had been approved by the auditor and that this averment was not specifically denied by the answer and should be taken as true.
The substantive matters assigned as error are sufficiently disposed of by our previous opinions above cited, as well as by the opinion of the court below. The appellant assigns two other errors.
In effect they are that the Commissioner of Public Service had no authority to file the answer he presented in this ease and that therefore the court should not have rendered a judgment on the pleadings. The appellant relies on section 29 of the Municipal Law as follows:
"In no proceeding or action where the municipality, represented by the mayor, is a part, shall the mayor acquiesce in the complaint or fail to answer the same or submit such action or proceedings to arbitration ...” Laws of 1925, Act No. 92.
We agree with the appellee that the answer of the mu-
The judgment appealed from will be affirmed.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.