SUNTAY VS. PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES Padilla, J. | June 29, 1957 FACTS: In 1954, Dr.

Antonio Nubal, father of Alicia Nubal (16 ear ol! "inor#, file! a co"$laint a%ain&t '"ilio Sunta . The co"$laine! alle%e! that Sunta too( Alicia fro" her &chool in St. )aul )a&i%, an! too( her to *) Dili"an, an! there ha! carnal (no+le!%e of her. - In 1955, Sunta a$$lie! for an! +a& %rante! a $a&&$ort b the De$art"ent of Forei%n Affair&. Sunta left the )hili$$ine& an! +ent to San Franci&co. - The $ri,ate $ro&ecutor file! a "otion $ra in% that the Court i&&ue an! or!er !irectin% the concerne! %o,ern"ent a%encie& (i.e. DFA, N-I# to, e&&entiall , brin% the accu&e! bac( to the )hili$$ine& &o that he can be "a!e to an&+er for the char%e& a%ain&t hi". Thi& "otion +a& %rante!. - The Secretar then cable! the A"ba&&a!or to the *S in&tructin% hi" to or!er the Coun&el .eneral in San Franci&co to cancel the $a&&$ort i&&ue! to Sunta an! to co"$el hi" to return to the )hili$$ine&. - /o+e,er, thi& or!er +a& not carrie! out in ,ie+ of the $re&ent $etition file! b Sunta . Sunta 0& co"$lain alle%e! that: o 1hile the court "a re,ie+ the action of the Secretar of Forei%n Affair& in cancellin% a $a&&$ort an! %rant relief +hen the Secretar 0& !i&cretion i& abu&e!, the court cannot ta(e the !i&cretionar $o+er a+a fro" the Secretar an! it&elf or!er a $a&&$ort to be cancelle!. o And !ile "!e Se#$e"a$% !ad di&#$e"i'n in "!e #an#ella"i'n '( )a&&)'$"&, &u#! di&#$e"i'n #ann'" *e e+e$#i&ed un"il a("e$ !ea$in,, *e#au&e "!e $i,!" "' "$a-el '$ &"a% a*$'ad i& a )e$&'nal li*e$"% )$'"e#"ed *% "!e .'n&"i"u"i'n. ISS*' an! /23DIN.: - 12N the court acte! +ithin it& 4uri&!iction 5 6'S - 12N hearin% i& re7uire! 5 N2 8ATI2: - Sunta in thi& ca&e i& char%e! +ith &e!uction. The or!er of the court !irectin% the DFA to ta(e $ro$er &te$& in or!er that Sunta "a be brou%ht bac( to the )hili$$ine& i& not be on! or in e9ce&& of it& 4uri&!iction. -

1hen b la+ 4uri&!iction i& conferre! on a court or 4uri!ical officer, all au9iliar +rit&, $roce&&e& an! other "ean& nece&&ar to carr in to effect "a be e"$lo e! b &uch court or officer. - In i&&uin% the or!er, the Secretar +a& con,ince! that a "i&carria%e of 4u&tice +oul! re&ult b hi& inaction an! a& he i&&ue! it in the e9erci&e of hi& &oun! !i&cretion, he cannot be en4oine! fro" carr in% it out. On "!e i&&ue 'n "!e ne#e&&i"% '( a !ea$in,/ - /earin% +oul! ha,e been $ro$er an! nece&&ar if the rea&on for the cancellation of the $a&&$ort +ere not clear but !oubtful. - -ut +here the hol!er of a $a&&$ort i& facin% cri"inal char%e& in our court& an! left the countr to e,a!e cri"inal $ro&ecution, the Secretar of Forei%n Affair&, in the e9erci&e of hi& !i&cretion to re,o(e a $a&&$ort alrea! i&&ue!, cannot be hel! to ha,e acte! +hi"&icall in cancellin% &uch $a&&$ort. - 1hen !i&cretion i& e9erci&e! b an officer ,e&te! +ith it u$on an un!i&$ute! fact, hearin% "a be !i&$en&e! +ith b &uch officer a& a $rere7ui&ite to the cancellation of hi& $a&&$ort. -