CRESPOvMOGUL

151SCRA462
GANCAYCO;June30,1987
NATURE
PetitiontoreviewthedecisionoftheCircuitCriminal
CourtofLucenaCity(petitionerpraysthat
respondentjudgebeperpetuallyenjoinedfrom
enforcinghisthreattoproceedwiththearraignment
andtrailofpetitioner,orderingrespondentJudgeto
dismissthesaidcase,anddeclaringtheobligationof
petitioneraspurelycivil.)
FACTS
AssistantFiscalProcesodeGalafiledaninformation
forestafaagainstMarioCrespoinCircuitCriminal
CourtofLucenaCity.Whenthecasewassetfor
arraignment,theaccusedfiledamotiontodefer
arraignmentonthegroundthattherewasapending
petitionforreviewfiledwiththeSecretaryofJustice
oftheresolutionoftheOfficeoftheProvincialFiscal
forthefilingoftheinformation.Thepresidingjudge
(leodegarioMogul)deniedthemotionthroughhis
order.
Theaccusedfiledapetitionforcertiorariand
prohibitionwithprayerforapreliminarywritof
injunction.Inanorder(Aug171977),theCA
restrainedJudgeMogulfromproceedingwiththe
arraignmentoftheaccuseduntilfurtherordersfrom
theCourt
OnMay151978,adecisionwasmadebytheCA
grantingthewritandperpetuallyrestrainingthe
judgefromenforcinghisthreattocompelthe
arraignmentoftheaccusedinthecaseuntiltheDept
ofJusticeshallhavefinallyresolvedthepetitionfor
review.
OnMarch22,1978,TheUndersecretaryofJustice
HonCatalinoMacaraigJr,resolvingthepetitionfor
review,reversedtheresolutionoftheOfficeofthe
ProvincialFiscalanddirectedthefiscaltomovefor
immediatedismissaloftheinformationfiledagainst
theaccused.TheProvincialFiscalfiledamotionto
dismissforinsufficiencyofevidenceonApril10,
1978.OnNovember241978,TheJudgedeniedthe
motionandsetthearraignment
Theaccusedfiledapetitionforcertiorari,
prohibition,andmandamuswithpetitionforthe
issuanceofpreliminarywritofprohibitionand/or
temporaryrestrainingorderintheCA.OnJanuary23
1979,arestrainingorderwasissuedbytheCA
againstthethreatenedactofarraignmentofthe
accused.However,inadecisionofOctober251979,
theCAdismissedthepetitionandliftedthe
restrainingorderofJan23,1979.Themotionfor

reconsiderationoftheaccusedwasdeniedina
resolution.
ISSUE
WONthetrialcourtactingonamotiontodismissa
criminalcasefiledbytheProvincialFiscalupon
instructionsoftheSecretaryofJusticetowhomthe
casewaselevatedforreview,mayrefusetogrant
themotionandinsistonthearraignmentandtrialon
themerits
HELD
YES
Ratio
Onceaninformationisfiledincourt,the
courtspriorpermissionmustbesecurediffiscal
wantstoreinvestigatethecase.Whileitistruethat
thefiscalhasthequasijudicialdiscretionto
determinewhetherornotacriminalcaseshouldbe
filedincourtornot,oncethecasehadalreadybeen
broughttoCourt,whateverdispositionthefiscalmay
feelshouldbeproperinthecasethereaftershould
beaddressedfortheconsiderationoftheCourt.
DISPOSITION
Petitiondismissed