8epubllc of Lhe hlllpplnes

SUkLML CCUk1
SLCCnu ulvlSlCn
Gk No 1409S4 Apr|| 12 200S
nLIkS CI 8Lk1ULDC
1
nINCG 8ertu|do n|nog II 8ertu|do n|nog III 8ertu|do
n|nog Ir Ioce|yn n|nog 8erto|do n|nog IV 8erto|do n|nog V Ldgardo n|nog
M||agros n abatao L|||an n k|ng V|ctor|a n Lngrac|a 1er|s|ta C n|nog az
n 8esana koberto C n|nog V|cente C n|nog koe| C n|nog Mar||yn C
n|nog 8ebot C n|nog |ordes C n|nog ab|o Ch|ong Ar|ene Lanasang (A||
respresented by 8ertu|do n|nog III) eLlLloners
vs
nCN ACnILLLS MLLICCk |n h|s capac|ty as res|d|ng Iudge k1C 8ranch 4
7th Iud|c|a| keg|on 1agb|||ran C|ty 8oho| and CUS1CDIC 8ALANL kUIC
8ALANL nCNCkIC 8ALANL and 1CMAS 8ALANL 8espondenLs
u L C l S l C n
AUS1kIAMAk1INL2
8efore us ls a peLlLlon for cettlototl and prohlblLlon under 8ule 63 of Lhe 8ules
of CourL whlch assalls Lhe Crders daLed March 22 1999 AugusL 13 1999 and
CcLober 13 1999 of Lhe 8eglonal 1rlal CourL 8ranch 4 of 1agbllaran ClLy 8ohol
ln Clvll Case no 4923
1he facLual background of Lhe case ls as follows
Cn May 21 1991 prlvaLe respondenLs CusLodlo 8ufo 1omas and Ponorlo all
surnamed 8alane flled a complalnL for 8ecovery of Cwnershlp and
ossesslon 8emoval of ConsLrucLlon and uamages agalnsL 8erLuldo Plnog
(8erLuldo for brevlLy) 1hey alleged LhaL Lhey own a 1399 square meLer parcel
of land slLuaLed ln Malayo norLe CorLes 8ohol deslgnaLed as LoL no 1714
someLlme ln March 1980 Lhey allowed 8erLuldo Lo use a porLlon of Lhe sald
properLy for a perlod of Len years and consLrucL Lhereon a small house of llghL
maLerlals aL a nomlnal annual renLal of 10000 only conslderlng Lhe close
relaLlons of Lhe parLles afLer Lhe explraLlon of Lhe Lenyear perlod Lhey
demanded Lhe reLurn of Lhe occupled porLlon and removal of Lhe house
consLrucLed Lhereon buL 8erLuldo refused and lnsLead clalmed ownershlp of
Lhe enLlre properLy
Accordlngly prlvaLe respondenLs soughL Lo ousL 8erLuldo from Lhe premlses of
Lhe sub[ecL properLy and resLore upon Lhemselves Lhe ownershlp and
possesslon Lhereof as well as Lhe paymenL of moral and exemplary damages
aLLorney's fees and llLlgaLlon expenses ln amounLs [usLlfled by Lhe evldence
2

Cn !uly 2 1991 8erLuldo flled hls Answer Pe alleged ownershlp of Lhe
dlspuLed properLy by vlrLue of a ueed of AbsoluLe Sale daLed !uly 2 1980
execuLed by one 1omas ahac wlLh Lhe knowledge and conformlLy of prlvaLe
respondenLs
3

AfLer Lhe preLrlal Lrlal on Lhe merlLs ensued Cn november 18 1997 prlvaLe
respondenLs resLed Lhelr case 1hereupon 8erLuldo sLarLed hls dlrecL
examlnaLlon Powever on !une 24 1998 8erLuldo dled wlLhouL compleLlng hls
evldence
Cn AugusL 4 1998 ALLy Sulplclo A 1lnampay wlLhdrew as counsel for 8erLuldo
as hls servlces were LermlnaLed by peLlLloner 8erLuldo Plnog lll ALLy veronlco
C eLalcorln Lhen enLered hls appearance as new counsel or 8ertu|do
4

Cn SepLember 22 1998 ALLy eLalcorln flled a moLlon Lo expunge Lhe
complalnL from Lhe record and nulllfy all courL proceedlngs on Lhe ground LhaL
prlvaLe respondenLs falled Lo speclfy ln Lhe complalnL Lhe amounL of damages
clalmed so as Lo pay Lhe correcL dockeL fees and LhaL under ,oocbestet
uevelopmeot cotpototloo vs coott of Appeols
3
nonpaymenL of Lhe correcL
dockeL fee ls [urlsdlcLlonal
6

ln an amended moLlon flled on CcLober 2 1998 ALLy eLalcorln furLher
alleged LhaL Lhe prlvaLe respondenLs falled Lo pay Lhe correcL dockeL fee slnce
Lhe maln sub[ecL maLLer of Lhe case cannoL be esLlmaLed as lL ls for recovery of
ownershlp possesslon and removal of consLrucLlon
7

rlvaLe respondenLs opposed Lhe moLlon Lo expunge on Lhe followlng grounds
(a) sald moLlon was flled more Lhan seven years from Lhe lnsLlLuLlon of Lhe
case (b) ALLy eLalcorln has noL complled wlLh SecLlon 16 8ule 3 of Lhe 8ules
of CourL whlch provldes LhaL Lhe deaLh of Lhe orlglnal defendanL requlres a
subsLlLuLlon of parLles before a lawyer can have legal personallLy Lo represenL a
llLlganL and Lhe moLlon Lo expunge does noL menLlon of any speclflc parLy
whom he ls represenLlng (c) collecLlble fees due Lhe courL can be charged as
llen on Lhe [udgmenL and (d) conslderlng Lhe lapse of Llme Lhe moLlon ls
merely a dllaLory scheme employed by peLlLloners
8

ln Lhelr 8e[olnder peLlLloners manlfesLed LhaL Lhe lapse of Llme does noL vesL
Lhe courL wlLh [urlsdlcLlon over Lhe case due Lo fallure Lo pay Lhe correcL dockeL
fees As Lo Lhe conLenLlon LhaL deflclency ln paymenL of dockeL fees can be
made as a llen on Lhe [udgmenL peLlLloners argued LhaL Lhe paymenL of flllng
fees cannoL be made dependenL on Lhe resulL of Lhe acLlon Laken
9

Cn !anuary 21 1999 Lhe Lrlal courL whlle orderlng Lhe complalnL Lo be
expunged from Lhe records and Lhe nulllflcaLlon of all courL proceedlngs Laken
for fallure Lo pay Lhe correcL dockeL fees noneLheless held
1he CourL can acqulre [urlsdlcLlon over Lhls case only upon Lhe paymenL of Lhe
exacL prescrlbed dockeL/flllng fees for Lhe maln cause of acLlon plus addlLlonal
dockeL fee for Lhe amounL of damages belng prayed for ln Lhe complalnL whlch
amounL should be speclfled so LhaL Lhe same can be consldered ln assesslng
Lhe amounL of Lhe flllng fees upon Lhe compleLe paymenL of such fees Lhe
CourL may Lake approprlaLe acLlon ln Lhe llghL of Lhe rullng ln Lhe case of
ManchesLer uevelopmenL CorporaLlon vs CourL of Appeals sopto
10

Accordlngly on !anuary 28 1999 upon paymenL of deflclency dockeL fee
prlvaLe respondenLs flled a manlfesLaLlon wlLh prayer Lo relnsLaLe Lhe case
11

eLlLloners opposed Lhe relnsLaLemenL
12
buL on March 22 1999 Lhe Lrlal courL
lssued Lhe flrsL assalled Crder relnsLaLlng Lhe case
13

Cn May 24 1999 peLlLloners upon prlor leave of courL
14
flled Lhelr
supplemenLal pleadlng appendlng Lhereln a ueed of Sale daLed november 13
1982
13
lollowlng Lhe submlsslon of prlvaLe respondenLs' opposlLlon LhereLo
16

Lhe Lrlal courL ln lLs Crder daLed !uly 7 1999 denled Lhe supplemenLal
pleadlng on Lhe ground LhaL Lhe ueed of AbsoluLe Sale ls a new maLLer whlch
was never menLloned ln Lhe orlglnal answer daLed !uly 2 1991 prepared by
8erLuldo's orlglnal counsel and whlch 8erLuldo verlfled and LhaL such new
documenL ls deemed walved ln Lhe llghL of SecLlon 1 8ule 9
17
of Lhe 8ules of
CourL 1he Lrlal courL also noLed LhaL no formal subsLlLuLlon of Lhe parLles was
made because of Lhe fallure of defendanL's counsel Lo glve Lhe names and
addresses of Lhe legal represenLaLlves of 8erLuldo so much so LhaL Lhe
supposed helrs of 8erLuldo are noL speclfled ln any pleadlng ln Lhe case
18

Cn !uly 14 1999 peLlLloners manlfesLed LhaL Lhe Lrlal courL havlng expunged
Lhe complalnL and nulllfled all courL proceedlngs Lhere ls no valld case and Lhe
complalnL should noL be admlLLed for fallure Lo pay Lhe correcL dockeL fees
LhaL Lhere should be no case Lo be relnsLaLed and no case Lo proceed as Lhere
ls no complalnL flled
19

AfLer Lhe submlsslon of prlvaLe respondenLs' opposlLlon
20
and peLlLloners'
re[olnder
21
Lhe Lrlal courL lssued Lhe second assalled Crder on AugusL 13 1999
essenLlally denylng peLlLloners' manlfesLaLlon/re[olnder 1he Lrlal courL held
LhaL Lhe lssues ralsed ln such manlfesLaLlon/re[olnder are pracLlcally Lhe same
as Lhose ralsed ln Lhe amended moLlon Lo expunge whlch had already been
passed upon ln Lhe Crder daLed !anuary 21 1999 Moreover Lhe Lrlal courL
observed LhaL Lhe Crder daLed March 22 1999 whlch relnsLaLed Lhe case was
noL ob[ecLed Lo by peLlLloners wlLhln Lhe reglemenLary perlod or even
LhereafLer vla a moLlon for reconslderaLlon desplLe recelpL Lhereof on March
26 1999
22

Cn AugusL 23 1999 peLlLloners flled a moLlon for reconslderaLlon
23
buL Lhe
same was denled by Lhe Lrlal courL ln lLs Lhlrd assalled Crder daLed CcLober 13
1999 1he Lrlal courL held LhaL Lhe ,oocbestet tole was relaxed ln 5oo
osotooce Offlce ltJ vs Asoocloo
24
noLlng LhaL Lhere has been no subsLlLuLlon
of parLles followlng Lhe deaLh of 8erLuldo Lhe Lrlal courL dlrecLed ALLy
eLalcorln Lo comply wlLh Lhe provlslons of SecLlon 16 8ule 3 of Lhe 8ules of
CourL 1he Lrlal courL also relLeraLed LhaL Lhe Crder daLed March 22 1999
relnsLaLlng Lhe case was noL assalled by peLlLloners wlLhln Lhe reglemenLary
perlod desplLe recelpL Lhereof on March 26 1999
23

Cn november 19 1999 ALLy eLalcorln complled wlLh Lhe dlrecLlve of Lhe Lrlal
courL Lo submlL Lhe names and addresses of Lhe helrs of 8erLuldo
26

Cn november 24 1999 peLlLloners flled before us Lhe presenL peLlLlon for
cettlototl and prohlblLlon
27
1hey allege LhaL Lhe publlc respondenL commlLLed
grave abuse of dlscreLlon ln allowlng Lhe case Lo be relnsLaLed afLer prlvaLe
respondenLs pald Lhe dockeL fee deflclency slnce Lhe Lrlal courL had earller
expunged Lhe complalnL from Lhe record and nulllfled all proceedlngs of Lhe
case and such rullng was noL conLesLed by Lhe prlvaLe respondenLs Moreover
Lhey argue LhaL Lhe publlc respondenL commlLLed grave abuse of dlscreLlon ln
allowlng Lhe case Lo be flled and denylng Lhe manlfesLaLlon wlLh moLlon Lo
dlsmlss desplLe Lhe defecL ln Lhe complalnL whlch prayed for damages wlLhouL
speclfylng Lhe amounLs ln vlolaLlon of SC Clrcular no 7 daLed March 24 1988
ln Lhelr CommenL prlvaLe respondenLs aver LhaL no grave abuse of dlscreLlon
was commlLLed by Lhe Lrlal courL ln relnsLaLlng Lhe complalnL upon Lhe
paymenL of deflclency dockeL fees because peLlLloners dld noL ob[ecL LhereLo
wlLhln Lhe reglemenLary perlod 8esldes ALLy eLalcorln possessed no legal
personallLy Lo appear as counsel for Lhe helrs of 8erLuldo unLll he complles wlLh
SecLlon 16 8ule 3 of Lhe 8ules of CourL
28

AL Lhe ouLseL we noLe Lhe procedural error commlLLed by peLlLloners ln
dlrecLly flllng Lhe lnsLanL peLlLlon before Lhls CourL for lL vlolaLes Lhe
esLabllshed pollcy of sLrlcL observance of Lhe [udlclal hlerarchy of courLs
AlLhough Lhe Supreme CourL CourL of Appeals and Lhe 8eglonal 1rlal CourLs
have concurrenL [urlsdlcLlon Lo lssue wrlLs of cettlototl prohlblLlon mooJomos
poo wottooto bobeos cotpos and ln[uncLlon such concurrence does noL glve
Lhe peLlLloner unresLrlcLed freedom of cholce of courL forum
29
As we sLaLed ln
leople vs cootesmo
30

1hls CourLs orlglnal [urlsdlcLlon Lo lssue wrlLs of cerLlorarl ls noL excluslve lL ls
shared by Lhls CourL wlLh 8eglonal 1rlal CourLs and wlLh Lhe CourL of Appeals
1hls concurrence of [urlsdlcLlon ls noL however Lo be Laken as accordlng Lo
parLles seeklng any of Lhe wrlLs an absoluLe unresLralned freedom of cholce of
Lhe courL Lo whlch appllcaLlon Lherefor wlll be dlrecLed 1here ls afLer all a
hlerarchy of courLs 1haL hlerarchy ls deLermlnaLlve of Lhe venue of appeals
and also serves as a general deLermlnanL of Lhe approprlaLe forum for peLlLlons
for Lhe exLraordlnary wrlLs A becomlng regard for LhaL [udlclal hlerarchy mosL
cerLalnly lndlcaLes LhaL peLlLlons for Lhe lssuance of exLraordlnary wrlLs agalnsL
flrsL level (lnferlor) courLs should be flled wlLh Lhe 8eglonal 1rlal CourL and
Lhose agalnsL Lhe laLLer wlLh Lhe CourL of Appeals A dlrecL lnvocaLlon of Lhe
Supreme CourL's orlglnal [urlsdlcLlon Lo lssue Lhese wrlLs should be allowed
only when Lhere are speclal and lmporLanL reasons Lherefor clearly and
speclflcally seL ouL ln Lhe peLlLlon 1hls ls an esLabllshed pollcy lL ls a pollcy
necessary Lo prevenL lnordlnaLe demands upon Lhe CourL's Llme and aLLenLlon
whlch are beLLer devoLed Lo Lhose maLLers wlLhln lLs excluslve [urlsdlcLlon and
Lo prevenL furLher overcrowdlng of Lhe CourL's dockeL
31

1he raLlonale for Lhls rule ls Lwofold (a) lL would be an lmposlLlon upon Lhe
preclous Llme of Lhls CourL and (b) lL would cause an lnevlLable and resulLanL
delay lnLended or oLherwlse ln Lhe ad[udlcaLlon of cases whlch ln some
lnsLances had Lo be remanded or referred Lo Lhe lower courL as Lhe proper
forum under Lhe rules of procedure or as beLLer equlpped Lo resolve Lhe lssues
because Lhls CourL ls noL a Lrler of facLs
32

1hus Lhls CourL wlll noL enLerLaln dlrecL resorL Lo lL unless Lhe redress deslred
cannoL be obLalned ln Lhe approprlaLe courLs and excepLlonal and compelllng
clrcumsLances such as cases of naLlonal lnLeresL and of serlous lmpllcaLlons
[usLlfy Lhe avallmenL of Lhe exLraordlnary remedy of wrlL of cettlototl calllng
for Lhe exerclse of lLs prlmary [urlsdlcLlon LxcepLlonal and compelllng
clrcumsLances were held presenL ln Lhe followlng cases (a) cbovez vs komolo
33

on clLlzens' rlghL Lo bear arms (b) Covetomeot of tbe uolteJ 5totes of Ametlco
vs lotqoooo
34
on ball ln exLradlLlon proceedlngs (c) commlssloo oo lectloos
vs OoljoooloJlllo
33
on governmenL conLracL lnvolvlng modernlzaLlon and
compuLerlzaLlon of voLers' reglsLraLlon llsL (d) 8okloJ oq kowooloq 8 vs
2omoto
36
on sLaLus and exlsLence of a publlc offlce and (e) lottlcb vs cotooo
37

on Lhe socalled WlnWln 8esoluLlon of Lhe Cfflce of Lhe resldenL whlch
modlfled Lhe approval of Lhe converslon Lo agrolndusLrlal area
ln Lhls case no speclal and lmporLanL reason or excepLlonal and compelllng
clrcumsLance analogous Lo any of Lhe above cases has been adduced by Lhe
peLlLloners so as Lo [usLlfy dlrecL recourse Lo Lhls CourL 1he presenL peLlLlon
should have been lnlLlally flled ln Lhe CourL of Appeals ln sLrlcL observance of
Lhe docLrlne on Lhe hlerarchy of courLs lallure Lo do so ls sufflclenL cause for
Lhe dlsmlssal of Lhe peLlLlon aL bar
ln any evenL even lf Lhe CourL dlsregards such procedural flaw Lhe peLlLloners'
conLenLlons on Lhe subsLanLlve aspecL of Lhe case fall Lo lnvlLe [udgmenL ln
Lhelr favor
1he unavallablllLy of Lhe wrlL of cettlototl and prohlblLlon ln Lhls case ls borne
ouL of Lhe facL LhaL peLlLloners prlnclpally assall Lhe Crder daLed March 22
1999 whlch Lhey never soughL reconslderaLlon of ln due Llme desplLe recelpL
Lhereof on March 26 1999 lnsLead peLlLloners wenL Lhrough Lhe moLlon of
flllng a supplemenLal pleadlng and only when Lhe laLLer was denled or afLer
more Lhan Lhree monLhs have passed dld Lhey ralse Lhe lssue LhaL Lhe
complalnL should noL have been relnsLaLed ln Lhe flrsL place because Lhe Lrlal
courL had no [urlsdlcLlon Lo do so havlng already ruled LhaL Lhe complalnL shall
be expunged
AfLer recognlzlng Lhe [urlsdlcLlon of Lhe Lrlal courL by seeklng afflrmaLlve rellef
ln Lhelr moLlon Lo serve supplemenLal pleadlng upon prlvaLe respondenLs
peLlLloners are effecLlvely barred by esLoppel from challenglng Lhe Lrlal courL's
[urlsdlcLlon
38
lf a parLy lnvokes Lhe [urlsdlcLlon of a courL he cannoL LhereafLer
challenge Lhe courL's [urlsdlcLlon ln Lhe same case
39
1o rule oLherwlse would
amounL Lo speculaLlng on Lhe forLune of llLlgaLlon whlch ls agalnsL Lhe pollcy of
Lhe CourL
40

neverLheless Lhere ls a need Lo correcL Lhe erroneous lmpresslon of Lhe Lrlal
courL as well as Lhe prlvaLe respondenLs LhaL peLlLloners are barred from
assalllng Lhe Crder daLed March 22 1999 whlch relnsLaLed Lhe case because lL
was noL ob[ecLed Lo wlLhln Lhe reglemenLary perlod or even LhereafLer vla a
moLlon for reconslderaLlon desplLe recelpL Lhereof on March 26 1999
lL musL be clarlfled LhaL Lhe sald order ls buL a resoluLlon on an lncldenLal
maLLer whlch does noL Louch on Lhe merlLs of Lhe case or puL an end Lo Lhe
proceedlngs
41
lL ls an lnLerlocuLory order slnce Lhere leaves someLhlng else Lo
be done by Lhe Lrlal courL wlLh respecL Lo Lhe merlLs of Lhe case
42
As such lL ls
noL sub[ecL Lo a reglemenLary perlod 8eglemenLary perlod refers Lo Lhe perlod
seL by Lhe rules for appeal or furLher revlew of a flnal [udgmenL or order le
one LhaL ends Lhe llLlgaLlon ln Lhe Lrlal courL
Moreover Lhe remedy agalnsL an lnLerlocuLory order ls generally noL Lo resorL
forLhwlLh Lo cettlototl buL Lo conLlnue wlLh Lhe case ln due course and when
an unfavorable verdlcL ls handed down Lo Lake an appeal ln Lhe manner
auLhorlzed by law
43
Cnly when Lhe courL lssued such order wlLhouL or ln excess
of [urlsdlcLlon or wlLh grave abuse of dlscreLlon and when Lhe assalled
lnLerlocuLory order ls paLenLly erroneous and Lhe remedy of appeal would noL
afford adequaLe and expedlLlous rellef wlll cettlototl be consldered an
approprlaLe remedy Lo assall an lnLerlocuLory order
44
Such speclal
clrcumsLances are absoluLely wanLlng ln Lhe presenL case
1lme and agaln Lhe CourL has held LhaL Lhe ,oocbestet tole has been modlfled
ln 5oo osotooce Offlce ltJ (5Ol) vs Asoocloo
43
whlch deflned Lhe followlng
guldellnes lnvolvlng Lhe paymenL of dockeL fees
1 lL ls noL slmply Lhe flllng of Lhe complalnL or approprlaLe lnlLlaLory pleadlng
buL Lhe paymenL of Lhe prescrlbed dockeL fee LhaL vesLs a Lrlal courL wlLh
[urlsdlcLlon over Lhe sub[ecLmaLLer or naLure of Lhe acLlon Where Lhe flllng of
Lhe lnlLlaLory pleadlng ls noL accompanled by paymenL of Lhe dockeL fee Lhe
courL may allow paymenL of Lhe fees wlLhln a reasonable Llme buL ln no case
beyond Lhe appllcable prescrlpLlve or reglemenLary perlod
2 1he same rule applles Lo permlsslve counLerclalms LhlrdparLy clalms and
slmllar pleadlngs whlch shall noL be consldered flled unLll and unless Lhe flllng
fee prescrlbed Lherefor ls pald 1he courL may also allow paymenL of sald fee
wlLhln a reasonable Llme buL also ln no case beyond lLs appllcable prescrlpLlve
or reglemenLary perlod
3 Where Lhe Lrlal courL acqulres [urlsdlcLlon over a clalm by Lhe flllng of Lhe
approprlaLe pleadlng and paymenL of Lhe prescrlbed flllng fee buL
subsequenLly Lhe [udgmenL awards a clalm noL speclfled ln Lhe pleadlng or lf
speclfled Lhe same has been lefL for deLermlnaLlon by Lhe courL Lhe addlLlonal
flllng fee Lherefor shall consLlLuLe a llen on Lhe [udgmenL lL shall be Lhe
responslblllLy of Lhe Clerk of CourL or hls duly auLhorlzed depuLy Lo enforce sald
llen and assess and collecL Lhe addlLlonal fee
lalnly whlle Lhe paymenL of Lhe prescrlbed dockeL fee ls a [urlsdlcLlonal
requlremenL even lLs nonpaymenL aL Lhe Llme of flllng does noL auLomaLlcally
cause Lhe dlsmlssal of Lhe case as long as Lhe fee ls pald wlLhln Lhe appllcable
prescrlpLlve or reglemenLary perlod more so when Lhe parLy lnvolved
demonsLraLes a wllllngness Lo ablde by Lhe rules prescrlblng such paymenL
46

1hus when lnsufflclenL flllng fees were lnlLlally pald by Lhe plalnLlffs and Lhere
was no lnLenLlon Lo defraud Lhe governmenL Lhe ,oocbestet tole does noL
apply
47

under Lhe pecullar clrcumsLances of Lhls case Lhe relnsLaLemenL of Lhe
complalnL was [usL and proper conslderlng LhaL Lhe cause of acLlon of prlvaLe
respondenLs belng a real acLlon prescrlbes ln LhlrLy years
48
and prlvaLe
respondenLs dld noL really lnLend Lo evade Lhe paymenL of Lhe prescrlbed
dockeL fee buL slmply conLend LhaL Lhey could noL be faulLed for lnadequaLe
assessmenL because Lhe clerk of courL made no noLlce of demand or
reassessmenL
49
1hey were ln good falLh and slmply relled on Lhe assessmenL of
Lhe clerk of courL
lurLhermore Lhe facL LhaL prlvaLe respondenLs prayed for paymenL of damages
ln amounLs [usLlfled by Lhe evldence does noL call for Lhe dlsmlssal of Lhe
complalnL for vlolaLlon of SC Clrcular no 7 daLed March 24 1988 whlch
requlred LhaL all complalnLs musL speclfy Lhe amounL of damages soughL noL
only ln Lhe body of Lhe pleadlngs buL also ln Lhe prayer ln order Lo be accepLed
and admlLLed for flllng 5oo osotooce effecLlvely modlfled SC Clrcular no 7 by
provldlng LhaL flllng fees for damages and awards LhaL cannoL be esLlmaLed
consLlLuLe llens on Lhe awards flnally granLed by Lhe Lrlal courL
30

1hus whlle Lhe dockeL fees were based only on Lhe real properLy valuaLlon Lhe
Lrlal courL acqulred [urlsdlcLlon over Lhe acLlon and [udgmenL awards whlch
were lefL for deLermlnaLlon by Lhe courL or as may be proven durlng Lrlal would
sLlll be sub[ecL Lo addlLlonal flllng fees whlch shall consLlLuLe a llen on Lhe
[udgmenL lL would Lhen be Lhe responslblllLy of Lhe Clerk of CourL of Lhe Lrlal
courL or hls duly auLhorlzed depuLy Lo enforce sald llen and assess and collecL
Lhe addlLlonal fees
31

lL ls worLh noLlng LhaL when 8erLuldo flled hls Answer on !uly 2 1991 he dld
noL ralse Lhe lssue of lack of [urlsdlcLlon for nonpaymenL of correcL dockeL
fees lnsLead he based hls defense on a clalm of ownershlp and parLlclpaLed ln
Lhe proceedlngs before Lhe Lrlal courL lL was only ln SepLember 22 1998 or
more Lhan seven years afLer flllng Lhe answer and under Lhe ausplces of a new
counsel LhaL Lhe lssue of [urlsdlcLlon was ralsed for Lhe flrsL Llme ln Lhe moLlon
Lo expunge by 8erLuldo's helrs
AfLer 8erLuldo vlgorously parLlclpaLed ln all sLages of Lhe case before Lhe Lrlal
courL and even lnvoked Lhe Lrlal courL's auLhorlLy ln order Lo ask for afflrmaLlve
rellef peLlLloners conslderlng LhaL Lhey merely sLepped lnLo Lhe shoes of Lhelr
predecessor are effecLlvely barred by esLoppel from challenglng Lhe Lrlal
courL's [urlsdlcLlon AlLhough Lhe lssue of [urlsdlcLlon may be ralsed aL any
sLage of Lhe proceedlngs as Lhe same ls conferred by law lL ls noneLheless
seLLled LhaL a parLy may be barred from ralslng lL on ground of laches or
esLoppel
32

Moreover no formal subsLlLuLlon of Lhe parLles was effecLed wlLhln LhlrLy days
from daLe of deaLh of 8erLuldo as requlred by SecLlon 16 8ule 3
33
of Lhe 8ules
of CourL needless Lo sLress Lhe purpose behlnd Lhe rule on subsLlLuLlon ls Lhe
proLecLlon of Lhe rlghL of every parLy Lo due process lL ls Lo ensure LhaL Lhe
deceased parLy would conLlnue Lo be properly represenLed ln Lhe sulL Lhrough
Lhe duly appolnLed legal represenLaLlve of hls esLaLe
34
noncompllance wlLh
Lhe rule on subsLlLuLlon would render Lhe proceedlngs and [udgmenL of Lhe
Lrlal courL lnflrm because Lhe courL acqulres no [urlsdlcLlon over Lhe persons of
Lhe legal represenLaLlves or of Lhe helrs on whom Lhe Lrlal and Lhe [udgmenL
would be blndlng
33
1hus proper subsLlLuLlon of helrs musL be effecLed for Lhe
Lrlal courL Lo acqulre [urlsdlcLlon over Lhelr persons and Lo obvlaLe any fuLure
clalm by any helr LhaL he was noL apprlsed of Lhe llLlgaLlon agalnsL 8erLuldo or
LhaL he dld noL auLhorlze ALLy eLalcorln Lo represenL hlm
1he llsL of names and addresses of Lhe helrs was submlLLed slxLeen monLhs
afLer Lhe deaLh of 8erLuldo and only when Lhe Lrlal courL dlrecLed ALLy
eLalcorln Lo comply wlLh Lhe provlslons of SecLlon 16 8ule 3 of Lhe 8ules of
CourL SLrlcLly speaklng Lherefore before sald compllance ALLy eLalcorln had
no sLandlng ln Lhe courL o poo when he flled hls pleadlngs 8e LhaL as lL may
Lhe maLLer has been duly correcLed by Lhe Crder of Lhe Lrlal courL daLed
CcLober 13 1999
1o be sure cettlototl under 8ule 63
36
ls a remedy narrow ln scope and lnflexlble
ln characLer lL ls noL a general uLlllLy Lool ln Lhe legal workshop
37
lL offers only
a llmlLed form of revlew lLs prlnclpal funcLlon ls Lo keep an lnferlor Lrlbunal
wlLhln lLs [urlsdlcLlon
38
lL can be lnvoked only for an error of [urlsdlcLlon LhaL
ls one where Lhe acL complalned of was lssued by Lhe courL offlcer or a quasl
[udlclal body wlLhouL or ln excess of [urlsdlcLlon or wlLh grave abuse of
dlscreLlon whlch ls LanLamounL Lo lack or ln excess of [urlsdlcLlon
39
noL Lo be
used for any oLher purpose
60
such as Lo cure errors ln proceedlngs or Lo
correcL erroneous concluslons of law or facL
61
A conLrary rule would lead Lo
confuslon and serlously hamper Lhe admlnlsLraLlon of [usLlce
eLlLloners uLLerly falled Lo show LhaL Lhe Lrlal courL gravely abused lLs
dlscreLlon ln lssulng Lhe assalled resoluLlons Cn Lhe conLrary lL acLed
prudenLly ln accordance wlLh law and [urlsprudence
JnLkLICkL Lhe lnsLanL peLlLlon for cettlototl ls ulSMlSSLu for lack of merlL
no cosLs
SC C8uL8Lu
8epubllc of Lhe hlllpplnes
SUkLML CCUk1
ll8S1 ulvlSlCn
Gk No 117970 Iu|y 28 1998
LCLL CI 1nL nILIINLS llolotlffAppellee
vs
ULSSLS M CAJALING LkNLS1C 1UM8AGAnAN kICAkDC DL LCS SAN1CS
and nILAkIC CAIILC AccoseJAppelloots
ANGANI8AN
lL ls axlomaLlc LhaL once an accusedappellanL admlLs kllllng Lhe vlcLlm he bears
Lhe burden of esLabllshlng Lhe presence of any clrcumsLance llke selfdefense
performance of a lawful duLy or for LhaL maLLer double [eopardy whlch may
relleve hlm of responslblllLy or whlch may mlLlgaLe hls crlmlnal llablllLy
1
lf he
falls Lo dlscharge Lhls burden hls convlcLlon becomes lnevlLable ln Lhls
ueclslon we also relLeraLe Lhe followlng docLrlnes (1) Lhe reglonal Lrlal courL
noL Lhe Sandlganbayan has [urlsdlcLlon over lnformaLlons for murder
commlLLed by publlc offlcers lncludlng a Lown mayor (2) Lhe assessmenL of
Lrlal courLs on Lhe credlblllLy of wlLnesses and Lhelr LesLlmonles deserve greaL
respecL (3) Lhe equlpolse rule cannoL be lnvoked where Lhe evldence of Lhe
prosecuLlon ls overwhelmlng (4) allbl cannoL be belleved ln Lhe face of credlble
LesLlmony ldenLlfylng Lhe appellanLs and (3) consplracy may be proven by
clrcumsLanLlal evldence
@be cose
8efore us ls an appeal from Lhe 34page ueclslon
2
daLed CcLober 21 1994
promulgaLed by Lhe 8eglonal 1rlal CourL of 8omblon ln Crlmlnal Case no Cu
269 ConvlcLed of murder were former Mayor ulysses M Cawallng and
ollcemen LrnesLo 1umbagahan
3
8lcardo ue los SanLos and Pllarlo Ca[llo
rlor Lo Lhe lnsLlLuLlon of Lhe crlmlnal case agalnsL all Lhe appellanLs an
admlnlsLraLlve case
4
had been flled before Lhe naLlonal ollce Commlsslon ln
whlch ollcemen LrnesLo 1umbagahan 8lcardo ue los SanLos Pllarlo Ca[llo
(Lhree of hereln appellanLs) and Andres lonLamlllas were charged by nelson
lllsan
S
wlLh Lhe kllllng of hls broLher 8onle
6
lllsan Cn Aprll 6 1986
Ad[udlcaLlon 8oard no 14
7
rendered lLs ueclslon whlch found 1umbagahan
ue los SanLos Ca[llo and lonLamlllas gullLy of grave mlsconducL and ordered
Lhelr dlsmlssal from Lhe servlce wlLh pre[udlce
8
Cn !une 26 1986 Lhe 8oard
lssued a resoluLlon
9
dlsmlsslng Lhe respondenLs moLlon for reconslderaLlon
for lack of merlL
SubsequenLly on !une 4 1987 Second AsslsLanL rovlnclal llscal Alexander
MorLel flled before Lhe 8eglonal 1rlal CourL (81C) of Cdlongan 8omblon
10
an
lnformaLlon for murder
11
agalnsL Lhe appellanLs and Andres lonLamlllas 1he
accusaLory porLlon reads
1haL on or abouL Lhe 4Lh day of uecember 1982 aL around 900 oclock ln Lhe
evenlng ln Lhe oblaclon MunlclpallLy of San !ose rovlnce of 8omblon
hlllpplnes and wlLhln Lhe [urlsdlcLlon of Lhls Ponorable CourL Lhe sald
accused wlLh lnLenL Lo klll consplrlng confederaLlng and muLually helplng one
anoLher dld Lhen and Lhere by means of Lreachery and wlLh evldenL
premedlLaLlon and Laklng advanLage of Lhelr superlor sLrenghL slc wlllfully
unlawfully and felonlously aLLack assaulL and shooL 8CnlL lLlSAn wlLh Lhe use
of flrearms lnfllcLlng upon Lhe laLLer mulLlple morLal ln[urles ln dlfferenL parLs
of hls body whlch were Lhe dlrecL and lmmedlaLe cause of hls deaLh
Accused 1umbagahan ue los SanLos Ca[llo and lonLamlllas wlLh Lhe
asslsLance of Lhelr lawyers ALLy Abelardo v Calsado and !uanlLo ulmaano
pleaded noL gullLy when arralgned on lebruary 13 1988
12
whlle Accused
Cawallng asslsLed by Counsel !ovenclo C Mayor enLered a plea of noL gullLy
on March 16 1988
13

AfLer due Lrlal
14
Lhe courL o poo
1S
rendered lLs ueclslon daLed CcLober 21
1994
16
Lhe decreLal porLlon of whlch reads
WPL8LlC8L Lhls CourL flnds Lhe accused (1) uL?SSLS M CAWALlnC (2)
L8nLS1C 1uM8ACAPAn (3) 8lCA8uC uLLCS SAn1CS (4) PlLA8lC CA!lLC
Anu (3) Anu8LS lCn1AMlLLAS CulL1? beyond reasonable doubL of Lhe crlme
of Mu8uL8 under Lhe lnformaLlon daLed !une 4 1987 and senLences each of
Lhem Lo suffer Lhe penalLy of teclosloo petpetoo wlLh Lhe accessory penalLles
of Lhe law
1he accused [olnLly and severally are C8uL8Lu Lo pay nelson Lllsan Lhe sum
of 600000 as acLual damages and Lhe helrs of Lhe deceased 8onle Lllsan Lhe
sums of 11666666 by way of losL earnlngs and 3000000 as lndemnlLy for
deaLh wlLhouL subsldlary lmprlsonmenL ln case of lnsolvency and Lo pay Lhe
cosLs
1he ball bonds of all Lhe accused are C8uL8Lu CAnCLLLLu and all sald accused
C8uL8Lu lmmedlaLely conflned ln [all
1he slug (Lxh A) Lhe 38 callber revolver (wlLh 3 empLy shells and 3 llve bulleLs)
(Lxh C) and Lhe slug of bulleL (Lxh P) are conflscaLed ln favor of Lhe
governmenL
AfLer Lhe [udgmenL has become flnal Lhe CfflcerlnCharge Cfflce of Lhe Clerk
of CourL Lhls CourL ls ordered Lo dellver and deposlL Lhe foregolng LxhlblLs A
l C and P lncluslve Lo Lhe rovlnclal ulrecLor n of Lhe rovlnce of
8omblon properly recelpLed 1hereafLer Lhe recelpL musL be aLLached Lo Lhe
record of Lhe case and shall form parL of Lhe record
1he perlod of prevenLlve lmprlsonmenL Lhe accused had undergone shall be
credlLed ln Lhelr favor Lo lLs full exLenL pursuanL Lo ArLlcle 29 of Lhe 8evlsed
enal Code as amended
1he case agalnsL coaccused ALLx 8A1ulCAS who ls aL large ls C8uL8Lu
A8CPlvLu pendlng hls arresL
17

Pence Lhls appeal
18

@be locts
vetsloo of tbe ltosecotloo
1he Lrlal courL glves Lhls summary of Lhe facLs as vlewed by Lhe prosecuLlon
wlLnesses
1he kllllng occurred on uecember 4 1982 aL around 900 oclock ln Lhe evenlng
aL Lhe rlcefleld of oblaclon San !ose 8omblon when Lhe brlghL moon was
already above Lhe sea aL an angle of abouL 43 degrees or lf lL was dayLlme lL
was abouL 900 oclock ln Lhe mornlng (lmelda Lllsan 1umbagahon on dlrecL
examlnaLlon Lsn !an 17 1989 p 3 and on cross examlnaLlon Lsn Aprll 18
1989 p 22)
Cn uecember 4 1982 abouL 800 oclock or 830 oclock ln Lhe evenlng
vlcenLe Lllsan and hls elder broLher 8onle Lllsan Lhe vlcLlm were drlnklng Luba
aL C !4 klLcheneLLe of coaccused Andres lonLamlllas ln oblaclon San !ose
8omblon When Lhey sLood up Lo go home Luz venus Lhe wlfe of ulosdado
venus Lold Lhem noL Lo go ouL because Lhe accused were waLchlng Lhem
ouLslde abouL Lhree (3) meLers from Lhe resLauranL ulosdado venus
accompanled Lhem upon Lhelr requesL and Lhey wenL ouL and walked Lowards
home AbouL a hundred meLers from Lhe resLauranL Lhe slx (6) accused LhaL ls
Mayor Cawallng Lhe four (4) pollcemen namely Pllarlo Ca[llo Andres
lonLamlllas LrnesLo 1umbagahan and 8lcardo delos SanLos and clvlllan Alex
8aLulgas Lhe mayors broLherlnlaw flashllghLed Lhem and ulosdado venus
ran golng back 1he Lwo (2) broLhers also ran Lowards home Lo Lhe house of
Lhelr elder slsLer lmelda Lllsan 1umbagahon Coaccused Andres lonLamlllas
and Pllarlo Ca[llo blocked Lhem on Lhe gaLe of Lhe fence of Lhelr slsLers house
8onle Lllsan ran Lowards Lhe rlcefleld 1he accused were chaslng Lhem vlcenLe
Lllsan saw hls broLher 8onle fall down on Lhe rlcefleld whlle he ran Lowards
Lhe bushes and lay on Lhe ground 8onle Lllsan rose up by kneellng and ralslng
hls Lwo (2) hands All Lhe slx (6) accused approached hlm wlLh Lhelr flashllghLs
and shoL hlm 8onle fell down abouL LwenLy (20) meLers from Lhe bushes
where vlcenLe Lllsan hld behlnd Lhe coconuL Lree Coaccused Cawallng sald
you lefL hlm he ls already dead Mayor Cawallng was armed wlLh 43
callber pollcemen Andres lonLamlllas and Pllarlo Ca[llo were boLh wlLh
armallLes LrnesLo 1umbagahan and 8lcardo delos SanLos were boLh wlLh 38
callber and so wlLh clvlllan Alex 8aLulgas 1hey lefL Lowards Lhe house of Mayor
Cawallng AfLer Lhey were gone vlcenLe Lllsan ran Lowards Lhe house of hls
older broLher nelson Lllsan upon seelng hlm vlcenLe Lold nelson LhaL 8onle
was already dead nelson sald noLhlng Whlle Lhey were Lhere elder slsLer
lmelda Lllsan 1umbagahon who was crylng came She sald Manong paLay
ron sl 8onle (8roLher 8onle ls already dead) nelson sald do noL be nolsy
Lhey mlghL come back and klll all of us lmelda sLopped crylng
AfLer a whlle broLhers nelson and vlcenLe Lllsan wenL Lo Lhe house of
barangay capLaln Aldolfo 1umbagahon 1he Lhree (3) wenL Lo Lhe Lownhall and
called Lhe pollce buL Lhere was none Lhere Colng Lo Lhe house of Lhe Chlef of
ollce Cscar MonLero Lhey were Lold by hls wlfe LhaL Commander MonLero
was ln Lhe house of Mayor Cawallng 1hey proceeded Lo Lhe place where 8onle
Lllsan was shoL 1he cadaver was broughL Lo Lhe house of nelson Lllsan
vlcenLe Lllsan found an empLy shell of a 43 callber abouL Lhree (3) arms lengLh
from Lhe body of Lhe vlcLlm 1hey surrendered lL Lo Lhe napolcom
19

ur 8landlno C llores descrlbed Lhe gunshoL wounds of Lhe vlcLlm as follows
Coosbot woooJs
1 Shoulder
Cun shoL wound 1/2 x 1/2 lnch ln dlameLer shoulder rlghL 2 lnches from Lhe
neck wlLh conLusslon slc collar surroundlng Lhe wound
2 8lghL Axllla
Cun shoL wound 1/4 x 1/4 lnch ln dlameLer 2 lnches below Lhe rlghL nlpple
wlLh conLusslon slc collar surroundlng Lhe wound
3 LefL Axllla
LxlL of Lhe gun shoL wound from Lhe rlghL axllla measurlng 1/2 x 1/2 lnch wlLh
edges everLed one lnch below Lhe axllla and one lnch below Lhe level of Lhe
nlpple
4 8ack
Cun shoL wound measurlng 1/4 x 1/4 lnch along Lhe verLebral column rlghL aL
Lhe level of Lhe 10Lh rlbs wlLh conLusslon slc collar
3 Leg LefL
Cun shoL wound measurlng 1/4 x 1/4 anLerlor aspecL upper Lhlrd leg wlLh
conLusslon slc collar wlLh Lhe exlL 1/2 x 1/2 posLerlor aspecL upper Lhlrd leg
lefL
20

8ased on Lhe deaLh cerLlflcaLe (LxhlblL L) lssued by ur llores 8onle lllsan dled
of severe hemorrhage and gun shoL wounds
21

vetsloo of tbe uefeose
AppellanL Cawallng ln hls 47page 8rlef
22
presenLed hls own narraLlon of Lhe
lncldenL as follows
AL around 700 ln Lhe evenlng of uecember 4 1982 ulysses Cawallng Lhen Lhe
mayor of Lhe MunlclpallLy of San !ose ln Lhe rovlnce of 8omblon arrlved
aboard a hlred moLorlzed boaL from Manlla ln Lhe seashore of San !ose lrom
Lhe seashore he lmmedlaLely proceeded Lo hls home AL around 730 ln Lhe
evenlng Cawallng wenL Lo Lhe munlclpal hall Lo check on admlnlsLraLlve
maLLers LhaL plled up ln Lhe course of hls Lrlp Lo Manlla Pe also wenL lnslde Lhe
pollce sLaLlon (locaLed lnslde Lhe munlclpal bulldlng) Lo be apprlsed of any
developmenLs afLer whlch he wenL ouL and [olned fc 1umbagahan and fc
Ca[llo who were sLandlng near Lhe flagpole ln fronL of Lhe munlclpal bulldlng
1he Lhree engaged ln a conversaLlon Cawallng learned LhaL Lhe Lwo pollce
offlcers were Lhe ones asslgned for paLrol/alerL for LhaL nlghL 1he Lhree of
Lhem wenL lnslde Lhe ln offlce and Lhere Cawallng lnformed Lhe Lwo
pollcemen LhaL he recelved lnformaLlon from rellable persons LhaL cerLaln
persons were ploLLlng Lo klll hlm and a member of Lhe Lowns pollce force lL ls
Lo be noLed LhaL Lhls occurred aL Lhe helghL of Lhe communlsL lnsurgency and
pollLlcal vlolence ln Lhe counLryslde ln Lhe early 80s Pence such lnformaLlon
was Laken very serlously havlng been relayed by sources lndependenL of each
oLher
Cawallng as Lown chlef Lhen empowered wlLh supervlsory auLhorlLy over Lhe
local pollce accompanled fc 1umbagahan and fc Ca[llo ln conducLlng paLrol
and survelllance operaLlons around Lhe small munlclpallLy Pe usually dld Lhls
as rouLlne slnce 8omblon was Lhen plagued wlLh pollLlcal assasslnaLlons and
armed confllcL Cn Lhelr way Lo Lhe seashore Lhey passed by C !4
klLcheneLLe and chanced upon 8onnle lllsan and hls broLher vlcenLe lllsan
drlnklng llquor and dlscusslng ln very loud volces 1hey sLopped rlghL ln Lhe
fronL of Lhe resLauranL and Lhere Lhey heard 8onnle lllsan sLaLe ln a every loud
volce LhaL he wlll klll a person LhaL nlghL lnslde Lhe resLauranL wlLhouL Lhe
knowledge Lhen of Cawallng and Lhe Lwo pollce offlcers wlLness Cll alaclo
who was buylng clgareLLes and Luz venus Lhe cook/server of Lhe resLauranL
saw 8onnle lllsan very drunk brandlshlng ln Lhe alr a 38 callber SmlLh and
Wesson revolver wlLh a proLrudlng screw
lnlLlally dlsmlsslng 8onnle lllsans sLaLemenL as [usL anoLher hollow swagger of
an lnLoxlcaLed person (sallLang laslng) Cawallng and Lhe Lwo pollcemen
proceeded on Lhelr way AfLer Lhe paLrol Lhey reLurned Lo Lhe munlclpal
bulldlng and sLaLloned Lhemselves ln fronL AL around 830 ln Lhe evenlng
8onnle Lllsan passed by Lhe munlclpal hall walklng Lowards Lhe dlrecLlon of Lhe
house of nelson lllsan anoLher broLher and shouLed Lhe challenge gawas ang
malsog meanlng 1PCSL WPC A8L 88AvL CCML Cu1 Cawallng and Lhe Lwo
pollce offlcers agaln brushed aslde Lhe challenge as [usL anoLher foollsh
drunken revelry on Lhe parL of 8onnle lllsan a wellknown Lroublemaker ln
Lhe small munlclpallLy
A few momenLs laLer afLer 8onle lllsan had passed by Lhey dlsLlncLly heard a
gunshoL and hysLerlcal female volces shouLlng pulls Labang meanlng CLlCL!
PLL! four Llmes lmpelled by Lhe call of duLy Cawallng and Lhe Lwo pollcemen
lmmedlaLely ran ln Lhe dlrecLlon of Lhe gunshoL and Lhe desperaLe female
volces unLll Lhey reached Lhe house of nelson lllsan ln San !ose SLreeL AL Lhls
polnL Lhey saw 8onnle lllsan holdlng a 38 callber revolver 1hey also saw
vlcenLe lllsan lranclsco 1esnado le lllsan Lhe wlfe of nelson and uelma lllsan
Lhe wlfe of vlcenLe Lhe laLLer Lwo belng Lhe same persons who crled pulls
Labang four Llmes Cawallng Lhen Lold 8onnle Lo surrender hls gun buL Lhe
laLLer responded by polnLlng Lhe gun aL Cawallng and pulllng Lhe Lrlgger
AL Lhe preclse momenL LhaL Lhe gun flred Cawallng warned Lhe Lwo pollcemen
Lo drop Lo Lhe ground by shouLlng dapa lorLunaLely Cawallng was noL hlL
8onnle lllsan Lhen Lurned around and ran Lowards Lhe church 1he Lwo
pollcemen gave chase Cawallng sLlll shaken and Lrembllng afLer Lhe mlschance
was lnlLlally lefL behlnd buL followed shorLly When 8onnle lllsan reached Lhe
church he Lurned around and agaln flred aL Lhe pursulng fc Ca[llo
lorLunaLely Lhe gun mlsflred When Lhey flnally reached Lhe rlcefleld fc
Ca[llo flred Lwo (2) warnlng shoLs ln Lhe alr for 8onnle Lo surrender 8onnle
responded by flrlng once agaln aL fc 1umbagahan buL falled Lo hlL Lhe laLLer
AL LhaL lnsLance fc Ca[llo counLerflred aL 8onnle lllsan hlLLlng hlm fc
1umbagahan also flred hls weapon ln Lhe heaL of exchange and also hlL 8onnle
lllsan As a resulL of Lhe gunshoL wounds 8onnle lllsan laLer on succumbed
fc 1umbagahan plcked up Lhe gun sLlll ln Lhe hand of Lhe dead 8onnle lllsan
and gave lL Lo fc Ca[llo 1he Lhree Cawallng who subsequenLly caughL up
wlLh Lhem afLer Lhe lncldenL and Lhe Lwo pollce offlcers Lhen proceeded Lo
Lhe pollce sLaLlon locaLed ln Lhe munlclpal bulldlng Lo formally reporL Lhe
lncldenL ln Lhelr sLaLlon bloLLer
23

1he 8rlef for All of Lhe AccusedAppellanLs flled by ALLy napoleon u CallL
and Lhe 8rlef for AppellanLs LrnesLo 1umbagahan and Pllarlo Ca[llo submlLLed
by ALLy !osellLo 8 Lnrlquez merely repeaLed Lhe facLs as narraLed by Lhe Lrlal
courL
kolloq of tbe @tlol coott
llndlng Lhe prosecuLlon wlLnesses and Lhelr LesLlmonles credlble Lhe courL o
poo convlcLed Lhe appellanLs 1he kllllng was quallfled Lo murder because of
Lhe aggravaLlng clrcumsLances of abuse of superlor sLrengLh and Lreachery 1he
Lrlal courL ruled LhaL Lhere was a noLorlous lnequallLy of forces beLween Lhe
vlcLlm and hls assallanLs as Lhe laLLer were greaLer ln number and armed wlLh
guns lL furLher ruled LhaL abuse of superlor sLrengLh absorbed Lreachery as lL
raLloclnaLed
CerLaln cases an auLhorlLy wroLe lnvolvlng Lhe kllllng of helpless vlcLlm by
assallanLs superlor Lo Lhem ln arms or numbers or vlcLlms who were
overpowered before belng kllled were declded on Lhe Lheory LhaL Lhe kllllng
was Lreacherous when perhaps Lhe correcL quallfylng clrcumsLance would be
abuse of superlorlLy ln Lhese cases Lhe aLLack was noL sudden nor unexpecLed
and Lhe elemenL of surprlse was lacklng (J l Aqulno pp 423424) ln Lhe
lnsLanL case we earller ruled LhaL Lhe quallfylng Lreachery should be
consldered as an excepLlon Lo Lhe general rule on Lreachery because lL was noL
presenL aL Lhe lncepLlon of Lhe aLLack 1he kllllng was noL sudden nor
unexpecLed and Lhe elemenL of surprlse was lacklng lL ls for Lhls reason LhaL
we hold LhaL olevoslo should be deemed absorbed or lncluded ln abuse of
superlorlLy Lven assumlng exqtotlo otqomeotl LhaL lL should be Lhe oLher way
around Lhe slLuaLlon wlll noL be of help penalLywlse Lo Lhe accused
24

1he defenses ralsed by Lhe appellanLs were dlsmlssed and Lhelr wlLnesses
declared unworLhy of bellef for Lhe followlng reasons
1 lL was hlghly lmprobable LhaL uefense WlLness 1esnado would noL Lell hls
wlfe (uory) and 8ebellnla lllsan Sacapano abouL Lhe lncldenL he had allegedly
wlLnessed more so when Sacapano was Lhe vlcLlms flrsL cousln
2 1he spoL reporL prepared by SLaLlon Commander Cscar M MonLero Lhe
LesLlmonles of Ca[llo and 1umbagahan and Lhe medlcal flndlngs of ur llores
conLradlcLed one anoLher on Lhe followlng deLalls Lhe callber of Lhe gun used
ln shooLlng Lhe vlcLlm Lhe wounds lnfllcLed and Lhe whereabouLs of Cawallng
durlng Lhe shooLouL
3 Cawallng and hls men armed wlLh guns could have lmmedlaLely dlsarmed
Lhe vlcLlm aL Lhe lnlLlal encounLer 1he courL could noL undersLand why Lhe
vlcLlm was able Lo flre hls gun run Lhen sLop and agaln flre hls gun wlLhouL
belng caughL
4 1he poslLlve ldenLlflcaLlon made by Lhe prosecuLlon wlLnesses prevalls over
Lhe allbl posed by ue los SanLos and lonLamlllas a defense LhaL was noL
corroboraLed by any oLher wlLness
3 1he 38 callber revolver allegedly owned by Lhe vlcLlm was ln facL owned
and used by Alex 8aLulgas
6 1he defense presenLed a phoLo and a skeLch Lo prove LhaL lmelda lllsan
1umabagahan had an obsLrucLed vlew of Lhe kllllng 1he Lrlal courL ruled LhaL
such evldence was mlsleadlng because Lhe wlndow from where sald wlLness
allegedly saw Lhe lncldenL was aL Lhe easLern slde of her house and Lhus
afforded a clear vlew of Lhe lncldenL whlle Lhe wlndow referred Lo by Lhe
defense was aL Lhe souLhern porLlon
7 1he quesLloned LesLlmonles of ur llores nelson lllsan and rovlnclal
rosecuLor edro vlcLorlano !r Lhough noL formally offered as evldence may
be admlLLed because of Lhe fallure of Lhe defense Lo ob[ecL LhereLo aL Lhe Llme
Lhey were called Lo LesLlfy
8 1he defense falled Lo prove LhaL Lhe prosecuLlon wlLnesses had any lll moLlve
Lo LesLlfy falsely agalnsL Lhe appellanL
9 AppellanLs had a moLlve Lo klll Lhe vlcLlm nelson lllsan LesLlfled LhaL hls
broLher 8onle (Lhe vlcLlm) had wlLnessed 8onlfaclo 8uenavenLura (a former
chlef commander of Lhe San !ose ollce lorce) klll a cerLaln 8uben venLura
Cawallng who was 8uenavenLuras flrsL cousln wanLed 8onle dead because
Lhe laLLer had noL followed hls lnsLrucLlon Lo leave Lown Lo prevenL hlm from
LesLlfylng ln sald case
Asslqomeot of ttots
1he appellanLs Lhrough Lhelr common counsel ALLy napoleon CallL asslgn Lhe
followlng errors Lo Lhe lower courL
1 1he Lrlal courL gravely erred ln susLalnlng prosecuLors Lheory of consplracy
and Lhus renders nugaLory or has LoLally forgoLLen LhaL pollcemen when ln
acLual call of duLy normally operaLe ln group buL noL necessarlly ln consplracy
2 1he Lrlal courL gravely erred ln bellevlng Lhe Lheory of Lhe prosecuLlon LhaL
accusedappellanL ulysses Cawallng was one of Lhe alleged coconsplraLors ln
Lhe kllllng of Lhe deceased 8onnle Lllsan
3 1he Lrlal courL gravely erred ln noL bellevlng Lhe defense of accused
appellanL ulysses Cawallng LhaL he has noLhlng Lo do wlLh Lhe shooLlng lncldenL
excepL Lo shouL Lo arresL Lhe accused whlch prompLed hls coaccused
pollcemen Lo chase Lhe accused and shooL hlm when he reslsLed afLer he
flred aL Mayor Cawallng
4 1he Lrlal courL gravely erred ln noL glvlng welghL Lo accusedappellanL
pollcemens LesLlmonles whlch carry Lhe presumpLlon of regularlLy
3 1he Lrlal courL gravely erred ln noL acqulLLlng all Lhe accusedappellanLs by
applylng Lhe equlpolse rule Lhereby resulLlng ln reasonable doubLs on Lhe
gullL
2S

ln Lhelr [olnL brlef
26
AppellanLs 1umbagahan and Ca[llo clLe Lhese oLher errors
1 1he Lrlal courL gravely erred ln relylng on Lhe Lheory of Lhe prosecuLlon LhaL
accusedappellanLs LrnesLo 1umbagahan and Pllarlo Ca[llo were alleged co
consplraLors ln Lhe kllllng of Lhe vlcLlm 8onle lllsan
2 1he Lrlal courL gravely erred ln noL bellevlng Lhe defense LhaL hereln
accusedappellanLs merely dld a lawful duLy when Lhe shooLlng lncldenL
happened whlch led Lo Lhe deaLh of 8onnle lllsan
3 1he Lrlal courL gravely erred ln noL acqulLLlng hereln accusedappellanLs by
applylng Lhe equlpolse rule Lhereby resulLlng ln reasonable doubL on Lhelr
gullL
4 resclndlng from Lhe foregolng hereln accusedappellanLs do press and hold
LhaL Lhe lower courL commlLLed grave serlous and reverslble error ln
appreclaLlng Lhe quallfylng clrcumsLance of Lreachery (olevoslo)
3 1he lower courL commlLLed grave serlous and reverslble error ln convlcLlng
boLh accusedappellanLs of murder lnsLead merely of homlclde deflned and
penallzed under Lhe 8evlsed enal Code
6 1he lower courL commlLLed grave serlous and reverslble error ln
appreclaLlng Lhe quallfylng clrcumsLance of Laklng advanLage of superlor
sLrengLh
7 1he consummaLed crlme belng merely homlclde Lhe mlLlgaLlng clrcumsLance
of volunLary surrender should be consldered Lo lower Lhe penalLy of homlclde
8 1he lower courL commlLLed error ln noL conslderlng double [eopardy
9 1he lower courL commlLLed error ln noL dlsmlsslng Lhe case for wanL of
[urlsdlcLlon
27

AppellanL Cawallng lmpuLes Lhese addlLlonal errors Lo Lhe courL o poo
1 1he Lrlal courL gravely erred ln noL acqulLLlng hereln accusedappellanL
ulysses M Cawallng conslderlng LhaL he had no parL ln Lhe kllllng and Lhe
prosecuLlon falled Lo prove hls gullL beyond reasonable doubL
2 1he Lrlal courL gravely erred ln noL flndlng Lhe shooLlng lncldenL a resulL of
hoL pursulL and shooLouL beLween Lhe deceased 8onnle lllsan and Lhe pollce
offlcers ln Lhe performance of Lhelr duLy and selfdefense and ln susLalnlng Lhe
prosecuLlons consplracy Lheory
3 1he Lrlal courL gravely erred ln noL acqulLLlng AccusedAppellanL ulysses M
Cawallng conslderlng LhaL Lhere was blaLanL absence of due process ln Lhe
proceedlngs LanLamounL Lo mlsLrlal
28

@bls cootts kolloq
We afflrm Lhe convlcLlon of Lhe appellanLs ln so rullng we wlll resolve Lhe
followlng lssues (1) [urlsdlcLlon of Lhe Lrlal courL (2) double [eopardy (3)
credlblllLy of prosecuLlon wlLnesses and Lhelr LesLlmonles (4) selfdefense (3)
performance of lawful duLy (6) allbl (7) consplracy (8) rule on equlpolse (9)
quallfylng clrcumsLances (10) damages and (11) aLLendlng clrcumsLances as
Lhey affecL Lhe penalLy
We shall address Lhe flrsL Lwo lssues as lmporLanL prellmlnary quesLlons and
dlscuss Lhe merlLs of Lhe remalnlng ones whlch we have culled from Lhe errors
clLed by Lhe appellanLs ln Lhelr aforemenLloned brlefs
lltst ssoe
otlsJlctloo of tbe @tlol coott
AppellanLs 1umbagahan and Ca[llo argue LhaL Lhe Lrlal courL erred when lL
assumed [urlsdlcLlon over Lhe crlmlnal case 1hey lnslsL LhaL Lhe Sandlganbayan
noL Lhe regular courLs had [urlsdlcLlon Lo Lry and hear Lhe case agalnsL Lhe
appellanLs as Lhey were publlc offlcers aL Lhe Llme of Lhe kllllng whlch was
allegedly commlLLed by reason of or ln relaLlon Lo Lhelr offlce
We do noL agree
1he [urlsdlcLlon of a courL Lo Lry a crlmlnal case ls deLermlned by Lhe law ln
force aL Lhe Llme of Lhe lnsLlLuLlon of Lhe acLlon Cnce Lhe courL acqulres
[urlsdlcLlon lL may noL be ousLed from Lhe case by any subsequenL evenLs such
as a new leglslaLlon placlng such proceedlngs under Lhe [urlsdlcLlon of anoLher
Lrlbunal 1he only recognlzed excepLlons Lo Lhe rule whlch flnd no appllcaLlon
ln Lhe case aL bar arlse when (1) Lhere ls an express provlslon ln Lhe sLaLuLe or
(2) Lhe sLaLuLe ls clearly lnLended Lo apply Lo acLlons pendlng before lLs
enacLmenL
29

1he sLaLuLes perLlnenL Lo Lhe lssue are u 1606 as amended
30
and u 1830
as amended by u 1932 and 8 129
Sec 4 of u 1606
31
reads
Sec 4 !urlsdlcLlon 1he Sandlganbayan shall exerclse
(a) Lxcluslve orlglnal [urlsdlcLlon ln all cases lnvolvlng
xxx xxx xxx
(2) CLher offenses or felonles commlLLed by publlc offlcers and employees ln
relaLlon Lo Lhelr offlce lncludlng Lhose employed ln governmenLowned or
conLrolled corporaLlons wheLher slmple or complexed wlLh oLher crlmes
where Lhe penalLy prescrlbed by law ls hlgher Lhan ptlsloo cotteccloool or
lmprlsonmenL for slx (6) years or a flne of 600000 lkOvuu nOwvk
LhaL offenses or felonles menLloned ln Lhls paragraph where Lhe penalLy
prescrlbed by law does noL exceed ptlsloo cotteccloool or lmprlsonmenL for slx
(6) years or a flne of 600000 shall be Lrled by Lhe proper 8eglonal 1rlal CourL
MeLropollLan 1rlal CourL Munlclpal 1rlal CourL and Munlclpal ClrculL 1rlal
CourL
xxx xxx xxx
Powever former resldenL lerdlnand Marcos lssued Lwo presldenLlal decrees
placlng Lhe members of Lhe lnLegraLed naLlonal ollce under Lhe [urlsdlcLlon of
courLsmarLlal SecLlon 1 of u 1932
32
amendlng SecLlon 1 of u 1830 reads
Sec 1 CourL MarLlal !urlsdlcLlon over lnLegraLed naLlonal ollce and Members
of Lhe Armed lorces Any provlslon of law Lo Lhe conLrary noLwlLhsLandlng (a)
unlformed members of Lhe lnLegraLed naLlonal ollce who commlL any crlme
or offense cognlzable by Lhe clvll courLs shall henceforLh be excluslvely Lrled by
courLsmarLlal pursuanL Lo and ln accordance wlLh CommonwealLh AcL no 408
as amended oLherwlse known as Lhe ArLlcles of War (b) all persons sub[ecLs Lo
mlllLary law under ArLlcle 2 of Lhe aforeclLed ArLlcles of War who commlL any
crlme or offense shall be excluslvely Lrled by courLsmarLlal or Lhelr case
dlsposed of under Lhe sald ArLlcles of War ltovlJeJ LhaL ln elLher of Lhe
aforemenLloned slLuaLlons Lhe case shall be dlsposed of or Lrled by Lhe proper
clvll or [udlclal auLhorlLles when courLmarLlal [urlsdlcLlon over Lhe offense has
prescrlbed under ArLlcle 38 of CommonwealLh AcL numbered 408 as
amended or courLmarLlal [urlsdlcLlon over Lhe person of Lhe accused mlllLary
or lnLegraLed naLlonal ollce personnel can no longer be exerclsed by vlrLue of
Lhelr separaLlon from Lhe acLlve servlce wlLhouL [urlsdlcLlon havlng duly
aLLached beforehand unless oLherwlse provlded by law
lkOvuu luk@nk 1PA1 1PL 8LSluLn1 MA? ln 1PL ln1L8LS1 Cl !uS1lCL
C8uL8 C8 ul8LC1 A1 An? 1lML 8LlC8L A88AlCnMLn1 1PA1 A A81lCuLA8
CASL 8L 18lLu 8? 1PL A8C8lA1L ClvlL CCu81
As used hereln Lhe Lerm unlformed members of Lhe lnLegraLed naLlonal ollce
shall refer Lo pollce offlcers pollcemen flremen and [all guards
Cn Lhe oLher hand Lhe [urlsdlcLlon of regular courLs over clvll and crlmlnal
cases was lald down ln 8 129 Lhe relevanL porLlon of whlch ls quoLed
hereunder
Sec 20 otlsJlctloo lo ctlmlool coses 1rlal CourLs shall exerclse excluslve
orlglnal [urlsdlcLlon ln all crlmlnal cases noL wlLhln Lhe excluslve [urlsdlcLlon of
any courL Lrlbunal or body excepL Lhose now falllng under Lhe excluslve and
concurrenL [urlsdlcLlon of Lhe Sandlganbayan whlch shall hereafLer be
excluslvely Laken cognlzance of by Lhe laLLer
33

ln relaLlon Lo Lhe above SecLlon 4a2 of u 1606 as amended by u 1861
quoLed earller llsLs Lwo requlslLes LhaL musL concur before Lhe Sandlganbayan
may exerclse excluslve and orlglnal [urlsdlcLlon over a case (a) Lhe offense was
commlLLed by Lhe accused publlc offlcer ln relaLlon Lo hls offlce and (b) Lhe
penalLy prescrlbed by law ls hlgher Lhan ptlsloo cotteccloool or lmprlsonmenL
for slx (6) years or hlgher Lhan a flne of slx Lhousand pesos (6000)
34
5oocbez
vs uemettloo
3S
clarlfled LhaL murder or homlclde may be commlLLed boLh by
publlc offlcers and by prlvaLe clLlzens and LhaL publlc offlce ls noL a consLlLuLlve
elemenL of sald crlme vlz
1he relaLlon beLween Lhe crlme and Lhe offlce conLemplaLed by Lhe
ConsLlLuLlon ls ln our oplnlon dlrecL and noL accldenLal 1o fall lnLo Lhe lnLenL
of Lhe ConsLlLuLlon Lhe relaLlon has Lo be such LhaL ln Lhe legal sense Lhe
offense cannoL exlsL wlLhouL Lhe offlce ln oLher words Lhe offlce musL be a
consLlLuenL elemenL of Lhe crlme as deflned ln Lhe sLaLuLe such as for
lnsLance Lhe crlmes deflned and punlshed ln ChapLer 1wo Lo Slx 1lLle Seven of
Lhe 8evlsed enal Code
ubllc offlce ls noL Lhe essence of murder 1he Laklng of human llfe ls elLher
murder or homlclde wheLher done by a prlvaLe clLlzen or publlc servanL and
Lhe penalLy ls Lhe same excepL when Lhe perpeLraLor belng a publlc
funcLlonary Look advanLage of hls offlce as alleged ln Lhls case ln whlch evenL
Lhe penalLy ls lncreased
8uL Lhe use or abuse of offlce does noL adhere Lo Lhe crlme as an elemenL and
even as an aggravaLlng clrcumsLance lLs maLerlallLy arlses noL from Lhe
allegaLlons buL on Lhe proof noL from Lhe facL LhaL Lhe crlmlnals are publlc
offlclals buL from Lhe manner of Lhe commlsslon of Lhe crlme
lurLhermore Lhe lnformaLlon flled agalnsL Lhe appellanLs conLalns no
allegaLlon LhaL appellanLs were publlc offlcers who commlLLed Lhe crlme ln
relaLlon Lo Lhelr offlce 1he charge was for murder a felony punlshable under
ArLlcle 248 of Lhe 8evlsed enal Code As clarlfled ln AqoloolJo et ol vs
uomoqos et ol
36
ln Lhe absence of such essenLlal allegaLlon and slnce Lhe
presenL case does noL lnvolve charges of vlolaLlon of 8A no 3019 (Lhe AnLl
CrafL eLc AcL) Lhe Sandlganbayan does noL have [urlsdlcLlon over Lhe presenL
case (8arLolome vs eople 142 SC8A 439 1986) Lven before conslderlng Lhe
penalLy prescrlbed by law for Lhe offense charged lL ls Lhus essenLlal Lo
deLermlne wheLher LhaL offense was commlLLed or alleged Lo have been
commlLLed by Lhe publlc offlcers and employees ln relaLlon Lo Lhelr offlces
!urlsdlcLlon ls deLermlned by Lhe allegaLlons ln Lhe complalnL or lnformaLlon
37

ln Lhe absence of any allegaLlon LhaL Lhe offense was commlLLed ln relaLlon Lo
Lhe offlce of appellanLs or was necessarlly connecLed wlLh Lhe dlscharge of
Lhelr funcLlons Lhe reglonal Lrlal courL noL Lhe Sandlganbayan has [urlsdlcLlon
Lo hear and declde Lhe case
38

5ecooJ ssoe
uooble eopotJy
ln seeklng Lhelr acqulLLal AppellanLs 1umbagahan and Ca[llo also lnvoke Lhelr
rlghL agalnsL double [eopardy 1hey argue LhaL Lhe flrsL [eopardy aLLached when
a crlmlnal case for murder was flled before Lhe !udge AdvocaLe Cenerals Cfflce
(!ACC) whlch was allegedly dlsmlssed afLer several hearlngs had been
conducLed
39
We are noL persuaded
1here ls double [eopardy when Lhe followlng requlslLes are presenL (1) a flrsL
[eopardy has aLLached prlor Lo Lhe second (2) Lhe flrsL [eopardy has been
valldly LermlnaLed and (3) a second [eopardy ls for Lhe same offense as LhaL ln
Lhe flrsL And Lhe flrsL [eopardy aLLaches only (a) afLer a valld lndlcLmenL (b)
before a compeLenL courL (c) afLer arralgnmenL (d) when a valld plea has been
enLered and (e) when Lhe accused was acqulLLed or convlcLed or Lhe case was
dlsmlssed or oLherwlse LermlnaLed wlLhouL hls express consenL
40

lor a beLLer appreclaLlon of appellanLs argumenL we musL conslder u 39
41

and lLs lmplemenLlng rules
42
whlch prescrlbe Lhe procedure before a mlllLary
commlsslon A summary prellmlnary lnvesLlgaLlon shall be conducLed before
Lrlal for Lhe purpose of deLermlnlng wheLher Lhere ls ptlmo focle evldence Lo
pursue Lrlal before a mlllLary commlsslon 1he lnvesLlgaLlon reporL shall conLaln
a summary of Lhe evldence Lhe acLs consLlLuLlng Lhe offense or offenses
commlLLed and Lhe flndlngs and recommendaLlons of Lhe lnvesLlgaLlng offlcer
1hereafLer Lhe reporL shall be forwarded Lo Lhe [udge advocaLe general who
shall deLermlne for elLher Lhe defense secreLary or for Lhe Al chlef of sLaff
wheLher Lhe case shall be referred for Lrlal Lo a mlllLary commlsslon
43
Where a
ptlmo focle case ls found agalnsL Lhe accused formal charges shall be slgned by
a commlssloned offlcer deslgnaLed by Lhe [udge advocaLe general
44
1he
accused shall Lhen be arralgned durlng whlch Lhe charge and speclflcaLlon shall
be read and Lhe accused shall enLer hls plea
4S
AfLer hearlngs a record of Lhe
Lrlal shall be forwarded Lo Lhe Al chlef of sLaff for proper acLlon
46

ln Lhe presenL case Lhe appellanLs have presenLed no sufflclenL and concluslve
evldence Lo show LhaL Lhey were charged arralgned and acqulLLed ln a mlllLary
commlsslon or LhaL Lhe case was dlsmlssed Lhereln wlLhouL Lhelr consenL 1he
defense merely offered as evldence cerLaln dlsposlLlon forms
47
and a
leLLer
48
daLed March 8 1983 recommendlng LhaL Lhe case agalnsL AppellanLs
1umbagahan Ca[llo and ue los SanLos be dropped and consldered closed
49
no
charge sheeL and record of arralgnmenL and Lrlal were presenLed Lo esLabllsh
Lhe flrsL [eopardy
As polnLed ouL by Lhe sollclLor general appellanLs were never arralgned Lhey
never pleaded before Lhe !udge AdvocaLe Cenerals Cfflce Lhere was no Lrlal
and no [udgmenL on Lhe merlLs had been rendered
S0

@bltJ ssoe
cteJlblllty of wltoesses
As a general rule Lhe facLual flndlngs of Lrlal courLs deserve respecL and are noL
dlsLurbed on appeal unless some facLs or clrcumsLances of welghL and
subsLance have been overlooked mlsapprehended or mlslnLerpreLed and
would oLherwlse maLerlally affecL Lhe dlsposlLlon of Lhe case
S1
1hls rule
however does noL apply when Lhe [udge who penned Lhe declslon was noL Lhe
same one who had heard Lhe prosecuLlon wlLnesses LesLlfy
S2
as ln Lhe presenL
case noneLheless we have carefully perused and consldered Lhe volumlnous
records of Lhls case and we flnd no reason Lo alLer Lhe flndlngs of Lhe courL o
poo ln regard Lo Lhe credlblllLy of Lhe prosecuLlon wlLnesses and Lhelr
LesLlmonles
vlcenLe lllsan Lhe vlcLlms broLher narraLed before Lhe Lrlal courL Lhe
clrcumsLances relevanL Lo Lhe crlme
C ln Lhe evenlng of uecember 4 1982 aL abouL 800 or 830 where were you?
A l was lnslde Lhe resLauranL of Andres lonLamlllas
xxx xxx xxx
C WhaL were you dolng Lhere?
A l was drlnklng Luba
C When you were abouL Lo flnlsh drlnklng Luba whaL dld you do?
A l sLood up preparlng Lo go home
C Were you able Lo leave LhaL resLauranL acLually?
A no slr
C Why?
A Luz venus Lold us noL Lo go ouL when l sLood up Lo go home
C uo you know why you were advlsed noL Lo go ouL?
A ?es slr
C Why?
A 8ecause we were belng waLched by Mayor Cawallng Andres lonLamlllas
Pllarlo Ca[llo and Alex 8aLulgas
xxx xxx xxx
C When you were lnformed by Luz venus LhaL you should noL go ouL because
Mayor Cawallng and Lhe persons you menLloned were ouLslde waLchlng for
you whaL dld you do?
A We dld noL go ouL
C Slnce you remalned lnslde whaL dld you do?
A l also vlewed Lhru Lhe wlndow
C uld you see Lhem?
A ?es slr
C Pow far were Lhey from Lhe resLauranL?
A AbouL Lhree meLers
C WhaL were Lhey dolng ouLslde Lhe resLauranL?
A 1hey were also vlewlng us
C lor how long dld Lhey remaln Lhere vlewlng you?
A !usL a shorL Llme
C And laLer on do you know where dld Lhey go? slc
A no slr l wenL ouL from Lhe resLauranL and when l wenL ouL l dld noL see
Lhem anymore
C 8efore you wenL ouL of Lhe resLauranL whaL dld you do?
A ulosdado venus accompanled us
C Why dld you ask ulosdado venus Lo accompany you?
A ?es slr 8ecause we were aware LhaL we were belng waLched from ouLslde
so we asked Lo be accompanled by ulosdado venus
C lrom Lhe resLauranL accompanled by ulosdado venus whaL dld you do?
A 1owards home
C Were you able Lo reach home?
A no slr
C Why whaL happened on Lhe way?
A ulosdado venus ran golng back because we were llghLed by a flashllghL
C Pow many flashllghLs were Lrlmed slc Lo you?
A Slx
C uld you come Lo know who Lrlmed slc Lhe flashllghL Lowards you?
A ?es slr
C Who were Lhey?
A Mayor Cawallng Andres lonLamlllas Pllarlo Ca[llo LrnesLo 1umbagahan
8lcardo delos SanLos and Alex 8aLulgas
C Pow were you able Lo recognlze Lhem when LhaL was nlghL Llme?
A 8ecause Lhe flashllghLs were brlghL
C When ulosdado venus ran back Lo hls resLauranL whaL dld your broLher
8onle Lllsan and you do?
A We also ran Lowards home
C 1o whose house?
A 1haL of my older slsLer lmelda Lllsan
C Were you able Lo reach LhaL house?
A no slr
C Why whaL happened when you ran away?
A Andres lonLamlllas and Pllarlo Ca[llo were blocklng us on Lhe gaLe of Lhe
fence of my slsLers house
C Slnce your way was blocked where dld 8onle Lllsan go?
A We ran Lowards Lhe rlcefleld
C When you ran whaL dld Mayor Cawallng do?
A 1hey were chaslng us
C WhaL abouL Alex 8aLulgas whaL dld he do?
A Pe also followed helplng chaslng us slc
C WhaL abouL Lhe four pollcemen whaL dld Lhey do?
A 1he same 1hey were also chaslng us
C AbouL how far ls LhaL resLauranL from Lhe spoL where you were flrsL llghLed
by Lhe flashllghL of Lhe accused?
A AbouL one hundred meLers
C now accordlng Lo you you ran Lowards Lhe rlcefleld whaL happened whlle
you were runnlng Lowards Lhe rlcefleld?
A l saw my broLher fell slc down
C lell down where?
A Cn Lhe rlcefleld
C WhaL abouL you where were you when your broLher fell down ln Lhe
rlcefleld?
A l ran Lowards Lhe bushes
C WhaL dld you do upon reachlng Lhe bushes?
A l lay on Lhe ground wlLh my belly Louchlng on Lhe ground behlnd Lhe
coconuL Lree
C When your broLher accordlng Lo you had fallen on Lhe rlcefleld whaL dld he
do LhereafLer?
A Pe rose up ralsed hls hands and surrendered Lo Lhem
C ln rlslng whaL was hls poslLlon?
A Pe was rlslng llke Lhls (WlLness demonsLraLlng by kneellng and ralslng hls
Lwo hands)
C Whlle 8onle Lllsan was kneellng and ralslng boLh of hls hands whaL
happened?
A Mayor Cawallng approached hlm LogeLher wlLh Lhe four pollcemen and hls
broLherlnlaw and Lhey shoL hlm
C uo you know whaL weapons were used ln shooLlng your broLher?
A ?es slr
C WhaL weapon were used?
A 1he weapon of Mayor Cawallng ls 43 callber and LhaL of Andres lonLamlllas
and Pllarlo Ca[llo were boLh armallLe and LhaL of LrnesLo 1umbagahan Alex
8aLulgas and 8lcardo delos SanLos were 38 callber
C Pow were you able Lo ldenLlfy Lhelr weapons?
A 8ecause Lhe flashllghLs were brlghL
C now whaL happened Lo your broLher when he was flred upon by Lhe
accused ln Lhls case?
A Pe fell down
C And how far ls LhaL spoL where your elder broLher had fallen down Lo Lhe
spoL where ulosdado venus lefL you when he reLurned Lo Lhe resLauranL?
A 1o my esLlmaLe lL ls abouL 300 meLers
C AfLer your broLher had fallen down whaL dld Lhe accused do?
A Mayor Cawallng sald you lefL hlm he ls already dead
C Where dld Lhey go?
A 1hey wenL Lowards Lhe house of Mayor Cawallng
S3

lmelda 1umbagahan was aL home feedlng her chlld when she heard her
broLher 8onle shouLlng for help AfLer geLLlng a flashllghL and looklng Lhrough
Lhe wlndow of her house she saw Cawallng and Alex 8aLulgas chaslng 8onle
who was runnlng Lowards her house 1umbagahan and ue los SanLos
prevenLed 8onle from enLerlng Lhe fence of her house as a resulL of whlch her
broLher ran Lowards a rlce fleld nearby 1here on bended knees and wlLh
hands ralsed 8onle was shoL by Cawallng and hls men
S4

nelson lllsan also heard hls younger broLher 8onle shouLlng for help whlle
belng chased by Lhe group of Cawallng As Ca[llo and lonLamlllas blocked 8onle
from enLerlng Lhe gaLe of lmeldas house Lhe vlcLlm ran Lowards a rlce fleld
nelson sLopped Cawallng and asked -ooq bosl qolooloqos oloyo ooJ ocoo
boll? (nong why do you chase my broLher?) 8uL Lhe mayor merely conLlnued
chaslng 8onle 1hereafLer nelson saw hls broLher on hls knees wlLh boLh
hands ralsed shoL by appellanLs
SS

1he Lhree aforemenLloned wlLnesses narraLed ln deLall Lhe assaulL agalnsL Lhelr
broLher 8onle and poslLlvely ldenLlfled Lhe appellanLs as Lhe perpeLraLors 1he
Lrlal courL cannoL be faulLed for relylng on Lhelr LesLlmonles and accepLlng
Lhem as Lrue
S6
especlally when Lhe defense falled Lo prove any lll moLlve on
Lhelr parL
S7
ln addlLlon famlly members who have wlLnessed Lhe kllllng of
Lhelr loved one usually sLrlve Lo remember Lhe faces of Lhe assallanLs
S8
1hus
Lhe relaLlonshlp pet se of wlLnesses wlLh Lhe vlcLlm does noL necessarlly mean
LhaL Lhe former are blased Cn Lhe conLrary lL ls preclsely such relaLlonshlp
LhaL would lmpel Lhem Lo seek [usLlce and puL Lhe real culprlL behlnd bars
raLher Lhan lmpuLe Lhe offense Lo Lhe lnnocenL
S9

AppellanL Cawallng submlLs LhaL Lhe prosecuLlon wlLnesses Lampered wlLh Lhe
evldence by cleanlng Lhe cadaver before an auLopsy could be done Such
lrregular washlng of Lhe cadaver by a close relaLlve of Lhe deceased who ls
educaLed and who presumably knew perfecLly well Lhe need Lo preserve lL ln lLs
orlglnal sLaLe for Lhe medlcolegal examlnaLlon ls hlghly susplclous lL polnLs
Lo Lhe facL LhaL Lhe relaLlves of Lhe deceased wanLed Lo hlde or erase
someLhlng LhaL would bolsLer and asslsL Lhe defense (LhaL ls sLaLe of
drunkenness powder burns or lack Lhereof lndlcaLlng Lhe flrlng of a weapon or
Lhe proxlmlLy of Lhe weapon used on Lhe deceased eLc)
60

Such conLenLlon ls unavalllng lltst 8ebellnla Sacapano merely cleaned Lhe
cadaver and made no furLher examlnaLlon 5ecooJ appellanLs had an
opporLunlLy Lo have Lhe body examlned agaln Lo deLermlne or prove lmporLanL
maLLers such as wheLher 8onle was drunk lf he flred a gun how many and
whaL callber of guns were used ln shooLlng hlm Lhey dld noL however avall
Lhemselves of Lhls opporLunlLy As publlc offlcers appellanLs knew LhaL lL was
wlLhln Lhelr power Lo requesL or secure from Lhe courL or any oLher compeLenL
auLhorlLy an order for anoLher auLopsy
61
or any such evldence as may afflrm
Lhelr lnnocence @bltJ Lhelr convlcLlon lles ln Lhe sLrong and convlnclng
LesLlmonlal evldence of Lhe prosecuLlon noL ln Lhe corroboraLlve LesLlmony of
8ebellnla Sacapano
8elylng on Lhe LesLlmonles of Luz venus and Cll alaclo AppellanL Cawallng
also polnLed ouL LhaL Lhe power of observaLlon of alleged eyewlLness vlcenLe
was severely affecLed by hls lnLoxlcaLlon lL may be lnferred LhaL an lnLoxlcaLed
persons senses of slghL and hearlng and of Louch are less acuLe Lhan Lhose of
a sober person and LhaL hls observaLlon are lnexacL as Lo whaL acLually
occurred
62

1hls argumenL ls noL persuaslve 1he evldence presenLed falls Lo show LhaL
vlcenLe was so lnLoxlcaLed LhaL nlghL as Lo affecL hls powers of observaLlon and
reLrospecLlon uefense WlLness alaclo merely saw Lhe wlLness drlnklng tobo
on Lhe nlghL of Lhe kllllng
63
Meanwhlle Lhe whole LesLlmony of Luz on Lhe
maLLer malnly reveals LhaL 8onle was Lhe person she was referrlng Lo as drunk
as shown by Lhls porLlon
64

C When 8onle and vlcenLe boLh surnamed lllsan enLered Lhe C !4
klLcheneLLe whaL lf any dld you observe?
A l saw Lhem so drunk (naklLa ko slla laslng na laslng)
C Who was laslng na laslng or so drunk?
A 8onle lllsan slr
CranLlng LhaL vlcenLe was drunk Lhe convlcLlon of Lhe appellanLs ls sLlll
lnevlLable ln vlew of Lhe poslLlve declaraLlons of WlLnesses nelson and lmelda
who unequlvocally ldenLlfled appellanLs as perpeLraLors of Lhe senseless kllllng
of Lhelr broLher 8onle
AppellanL Cawallng also quesLlons Lhe Lrlal courLs rellance on Lhe LesLlmonles
of ur 8landlno llores
6S
nelson lllsan
66
and rosecuLor edro vlcLorlano !r
67

for fallure of Lhe prosecuLlon Lo offer Lhem as evldence ln leople vs ovo
68

Lhls CourL ruled LhaL Lhe LesLlmony of a wlLness alLhough noL formally offered
ln evldence may sLlll be admlLLed by Lhe courLs lf Lhe oLher parLy does noL
ob[ecL Lo lLs presenLaLlon 1he CourL explalned SecLlon 36 of 8ule 132
requlres LhaL an ob[ecLlon ln Lhe course of Lhe oral examlnaLlon of a wlLness
should be made as soon as Lhe grounds Lherefor shall become reasonably
apparenL Slnce no ob[ecLlon Lo Lhe admlsslblllLy of evldence was made ln Lhe
courL below an ob[ecLlon ralsed for Lhe flrsL Llme on appeal wlll noL be
consldered ln Lhe presenL case a cursory readlng of Lhe sLenographlc noLes
reveals LhaL Lhe counsel for Lhe appellanLs dld noL ralse any ob[ecLlon when
sald wlLnesses LesLlfled on Lhe maLLers now belng lmpugned Moreover Lhey
repeaLedly crossexamlned Lhe wlLnesses whlch shows LhaL Lhey had walved
Lhelr ob[ecLlons Lo Lhe sald LesLlmonles of such wlLnesses
LasLly AppellanL Mayor Cawallng quesLlons Lhe moLlve of rosecuLor edro
vlcLorlano !r 1hls conLenLlon ls llkewlse berefL of merlL unllke [udges who are
mandaLed Lo dlsplay cold neuLrallLy ln hearlng cases
69
prosecuLors are noL
requlred Lo dlvesL Lhemselves of Lhelr personal convlcLlons and refraln from
exhlblLlng parLlallLy ln Lhls case Lhere ls reasonable ground for rosecuLor
vlcLorlano Lo belleve LhaL an offense has been commlLLed and LhaL Lhe accused
was probably gullLy Lhereof
70
under Lhe clrcumsLance lL ls hls sworn duLy Lo
see LhaL [usLlce ls served
71
1hus he may prosecuLe wlLh earnesLness and
vlgor lndeed he should do so 8uL whlle he may sLrlke hard blows he ls noL
aL llberLy Lo sLrlke foul ones lL ls as much hls duLy Lo refraln from lmproper
meLhods calculaLed Lo produce a wrongful convlcLlon as lL ls Lo use every
leglLlmaLe means Lo brlng abouL a [usL one
72
lurLher
under Lhe prevalllng crlmlnal procedure Lhe flscals sphere of acLlon ls qulLe
exLenslve for he has very dlrecL and acLlve lnLervenLlon ln Lhe Lrlal assumlng as
Lhe CovernmenLs represenLaLlve Lhe defense of socleLy whlch has been
dlsLurbed by Lhe crlme and Laklng publlc acLlon as Lhough he were Lhe ln[ured
parLy for Lhe purpose of securlng Lhe offenders punlshmenL whenever Lhe
crlme has been proved and Lhe gullL of Lhe accused as Lhe undoubLed
perpeLraLor Lhereof esLabllshed
73

loottb ssoe
5elfuefeose
1o escape crlmlnal llablllLy Lhe appellanLs also lnvoke Lhe [usLlfylng
clrcumsLances of selfdefense and lawful performance of duLy
74
Allegedly
8onle was flrlng hls gun and shouLlng Cowo ooq molsoq! (Come ouL who ls
brave!) 1hen Lhe mayor and Lhe pollcemen arrlved aL Lhe scene Lo paclfy hlm
8onle flred aL Lhem whlch forced Lhem Lo chase hlm and reLurn flre
We flnd Lhls scenarlo berefL of plauslblllLy
unlawful aggresslon on Lhe parL of Lhe vlcLlm ls a condlLlon sloe poo ooo for Lhe
successful lnvocaLlon of selfdefense
7S
As facLually found by Lhe Lrlal courL
unlawful aggresslon dld noL sLarL wlLh Lhe vlcLlm buL raLher wlLh Lhe
appellanLs Cawallng and hls men proceeded Lo Lhe C !4 klLcheneLLe and
walLed for 8onle Lo come ouL When Lhe vlcLlm dld Lhey chased and shoL hlm
wlLhouL glvlng hlm any opporLunlLy Lo defend hlmself
CranLlng otqoeoJo Lhe veraclLy of Lhe defenses facLual verslon lL ls lmporLanL
Lo noLe LhaL appellanLs admlLLed LhaL 8onle was runnlng away from Lhem when
Lhey chased and shoL hlm 1hus unlawful aggresslon assumlng lL was lnlLlally
presenL had ceased and Lhe appellanLs no longer had any rlghL Lo pursue Lhe
offender 8aslc ls Lhe rule LhaL when unlawful aggresslon ceases Lhe defender
no longer has Lhe rlghL Lo klll or even wound Lhe former aggressor upon Lhe
cessaLlon of Lhe unlawful aggresslon and Lhe danger or rlsk Lo llfe and llmb
Lhere should be a correspondlng cessaLlon of hosLlllLles on Lhe parL of Lhe
person defendlng hlmself
76


lurLhermore Lhe means employed Lo ward off Lhe aLLack was unreasonably
excesslve 8elng armed Lhe appellanLs could have easlly ordered Lhe vlcLlm Lo
surrender Lven Lhe flrsL shoL aL hls shoulder would have been sufflclenL Lo
lmmoblllze hlm yeL Lhey flred a successlon of shoLs aL hlm whlle he was ln no
poslLlon Lo puL up a defense
!urlsprudence Leaches LhaL when an accused admlLs havlng commlLLed Lhe
crlme buL lnvokes selfdefense Lo escape crlmlnal llablllLy Lhe burden of proof
ls reversed and shlfLed Lo hlm Pe musL Lhen prove Lhe elemenLs of self
defense
77
lL necessarlly follows LhaL he musL now rely on Lhe sLrengLh of hls
own evldence and noL on Lhe weakness of LhaL of Lhe prosecuLlon for even lf
Lhe laLLer evldence were weak lL could noL be dlsbelleved afLer Lhe accused
has admlLLed Lhe
kllllng
78
1hus appellanLs musL esLabllsh wlLh clear and convlnclng evldence
LhaL Lhe kllllng was [usLlfled and LhaL Lhey lncurred no crlmlnal llablllLy
Lherefor
79
1hey falled Lo do so and Lhelr convlcLlon Lhus becomes lnevlLable
80

llftb ssoe
lowfol letfotmooce of uotles
AppellanLs conLend LhaL Lhe kllllng of 8onle resulLed from Lhe lawful
performance of Lhelr duLles as pollce offlcers Powever such [usLlfylng
clrcumsLance may be lnvoked only afLer Lhe defense successfully proves LhaL
(1) Lhe accused acLed ln Lhe performance of a duLy and (2) Lhe ln[ury or
offense commlLLed ls Lhe necessary consequence of Lhe due performance or
lawful exerclse of such duLy
81
1hese Lwo requlslLes are wanLlng ln Lhls case
1he appellanLs excepL Mayor Cawallng were men ln unlform who happened Lo
be on duLy when Lhey kllled 8onle 1he vlcLlm was nor commlLLlng any offense
aL Lhe Llme kllllng Lhe vlcLlm under Lhe clrcumsLances of Lhls case cannoL ln
any wlse be consldered a valld performance of a lawful duLy by men who had
sworn Lo malnLaln peace and order and Lo proLecL Lhe llves of Lhe people As
apLly held ln leople vs ue lo ctoz
82
erformance of duLles does noL lnclude
murder 1haL 8onle was a Lroublemaker ln Lhelr Lown ls noL an excuse as Lhe
CourL declared ln Lhe same case of leople vs ue lo ctoz Murder ls never
[usLlfled regardless of Lhe vlcLlm
5lxtb ssoe
Allbl
We llkewlse brush aslde Lhe defenses of allbl and denlal ralsed by AppellanL ue
los SanLos rosecuLlon wlLnesses poslLlvely ldenLlfled hlm and lonLamlllas as
parL of Lhe group whlch chased and shoL 8onle lllsan lL ls elemenLary LhaL allbl
and denlal are ouLwelghed by poslLlve ldenLlflcaLlon LhaL ls caLegorlcal
conslsLenL and unLalnLed by any lll moLlve on Lhe parL of Lhe eyewlLness
LesLlfylng on Lhe maLLer Allbl and denlal lf noL subsLanLlaLed by clear and
convlnclng evldence are negaLlve and selfservlng evldence undeservlng of
welghL ln law
83

ln facL ue los SanLos falled Lo esLabllsh wlLh clear and convlnclng evldence LhaL
lL was physlcally lmposslble for hlm Lo have been aL Lhe scene of Lhe crlme
durlng lLs commlsslon
84
1he evldence he had presenLed demonsLraLed only
LhaL aL Lhe Llme he was sleeplng ln hls house whlch was near Lhe locos
ctlmlols
Allbl ls always consldered wlLh susplclon and recelved wlLh cauLlon noL only
because lL ls lnherenLly weak and unrellable buL also because lL ls easlly
fabrlcaLed and concocLed
8S
lL ls Lherefore lncumbenL upon Lhe appellanL Lo
prove LhaL he was aL anoLher place when Lhe felony was commlLLed and LhaL lL
was physlcally lmposslble for hlm Lo have been aL Lhe scene of Lhe crlme aL Lhe
Llme lL was commlLLed
86
1hls he falled Lo prove
5eveotb ssoe
coospltocy
1he Lrlal courL correcLly appreclaLed Lhe presence of consplracy Consplracy
exlsLs when Lwo or more persons come Lo an agreemenL concernlng Lhe
commlsslon of a felony and declde Lo commlL lL ulrecL proof of consplracy ls
rarely found for crlmlnals do noL wrlLe down Lhelr lawless plans and ploLs 1he
agreemenL Lo commlL a crlme however may be deduced from Lhe mode and
manner of Lhe commlsslon of Lhe offense or lnferred from acLs LhaL polnL Lo a
[olnL purpose and deslgn concerLed acLlon and communlLy of lnLenL
87
lL does
noL maLLer who lnfllcLed Lhe morLal wound as Lhe acL of one ls Lhe acL of all
and each lncurs Lhe same crlmlnal llablllLy
88
We concur wlLh Lhe Lrlal courLs
elucldaLlon
All of Lhe accused chased Lhe vlcLlm and hls broLher four (4) of whom blocked
Lhelr ways flrsL Lo Lhelr elder broLher nelson Lllsans house and second Lo
Lhelr elder slsLer lmelda Lllsan 1umbagahons house Pavlng changed course by
proceedlng Lo Lhe rlcefleld ln Lhelr desperaLe aLLempL Lo evade Lhe accused all
Lhe slx (6) armed accused conLlnued Lhelr pursulL 1helr vlcLlm havlng fallen on
Lhe rlce paddy and rlslng and kneellng on lL wlLh ralsed hands all Lhe sald
accused wlLh Lhelr flashllghLs beamed on Lhelr vlcLlm ln a unlLed and concerLed
manner shoL hlm AfLer 8onle Lllsan had fallen down coaccused Mayor
Cawallng was even heard as saylng (?)ou lefL slc hlm he ls already dead

89

lqbtb ssoe
polpolse kole
We re[ecL appellanLs poslLlon LhaL Lhe equlpolse rule should apply Lo Lhls case
90
ln leople vs loqoos
91
Lhe CourL Lhrough Mr !usLlce llorenz u 8egalado
descrlbed Lhls rule as follows
Cnce agaln albelL ln effecL a supporLlve and cumulaLlve conslderaLlon ln vlew
of Lhe precedlng dlsqulslLlon Lhe equlpolse rule flnds appllcaLlon ln Lhls case
LhaL ls lf Lhe lnculpaLory facLs and clrcumsLances are capable of Lwo or more
explanaLlons one of whlch ls conslsLenL wlLh Lhe lnnocence of Lhe accused and
Lhe oLher conslsLenL wlLh hls gullL Lhen Lhe evldence does noL fulflll Lhe LesL of
moral cerLalnLy and ls noL sufflclenL Lo supporL a convlcLlon
ln Lhls case Lhe lnculpaLory facLs polnL Lo only one concluslon appellanLs are
gullLy As ampllfled ln Lhe dlscusslon above Lhe CourL agrees wlLh Lhe Lrlal
courL LhaL Lhe gullL of Lhe appellanLs was proven beyond reasonable doubL
-lotb ssoe
,otJet ot nomlclJe?
1he lnformaLlon alleges Lhree quallfylng clrcumsLances Lreachery evldenL
premedlLaLlon and Laklng advanLage of superlor sLrengLh lf appreclaLed any
one of Lhese wlll quallfy Lhe kllllng Lo murder Powever AppellanLs
1umbagahan and Ca[llo poslL LhaL Lhere was no Lreachery reasonlng LhaL 8onle
was noL an unsuspecLlng vlcLlm as he had been forewarned by ulosdado venus
of Lhe presence of Lhe appellanLs lnslde Lhe resLauranL and Lhere had been a
chase prlor Lo Lhe kllllng lurLher Lhey conLend LhaL abuse of superlor sLrengLh
ls deemed absorbed ln Lreachery and LhaL Lhe addlLlon of abuse of superlor
sLrengLh Lo quallfy Lhe case Lo murder ls noLhlng more Lhan mere repeLlLlon a
legal chlcanery so Lo say Slmllarly where Lreachery ls noL proved Lhere can be
no abuse of superlor sLrengLh vlceversa
92

We parLly agree
1reachery exlsLs when Lhe malefacLors employ means and meLhods LhaL Lend
dlrecLly and especlally Lo lnsure Lhelr execuLlon wlLhouL rlsk Lo Lhemselves
arlslng from Lhe defense whlch Lhe vlcLlms mlghL make 1he essence of
Lreachery ls Lhe sudden and unexpecLed aLLack wlLhouL Lhe sllghLesL
provocaLlon on Lhe parL of Lhe person aLLacked
93
Whlle we do noL dlsregard
Lhe facL LhaL Lhe vlcLlm LogeLher wlLh hls broLher vlcenLe was able Lo run
Lowards a rlce fleld we sLlll belleve LhaL Lreachery aLLended Lhe kllllng
ln leople vs looJlcbo
94
we ruled LhaL Lreachery mlghL sLlll be appreclaLed
even when Lhe vlcLlm was warned of danger Lo hls person for whaL ls declslve
ls LhaL Lhe execuLlon of Lhe aLLack made lL lmposslble for Lhe vlcLlm Lo defend
hlmself or Lo reLallaLe
1he appellanLs walLed for 8onle Lo come ouL of Lhe resLauranL All of Lhem
chased Lhe vlcLlm and prevenLed hlm from seeklng refuge elLher ln Lhe house
of hls slsLer lmelda or LhaL of hls broLher nelson All of Lhem carrled flrearms
and flashllghLs 1hey flred Lhelr guns aL Lhe vlcLlm whlle he was on hls knees
wlLh arms ralsed manlfesLlng hls lnLenLlon noL Lo flghL back
We cannoL appreclaLe Lhe aggravaLlng clrcumsLance of abuse of superlor
sLrengLh however as we have conslsLenLly ruled LhaL lL ls deemed absorbed ln
Lreachery
9S

We also afflrm Lhe flndlng of Lhe Lrlal courL LhaL Lhe prosecuLlon falled Lo prove
Lhe aLLendlng clrcumsLance of evldenL premedlLaLlon 1o prove Lhls aggravaLlng
clrcumsLance Lhe prosecuLlon musL show Lhe followlng (1) Lhe Llme when Lhe
offender deLermlned Lo commlL Lhe crlme (2) an acL manlfesLly lndlcaLlng LhaL
Lhe offender clung Lo hls deLermlnaLlon and (3) a lapse of Llme beLween Lhe
deLermlnaLlon Lo commlL Lhe crlme and Lhe execuLlon Lhereof sufflclenL Lo
allow Lhe offender Lo reflecL upon Lhe consequences of hls acL
96
noLhlng ln
Lhe records shows how and when Lhe plan Lo klll was haLched or how much
Llme had elapsed before lL was carrled ouL
@eotb ssoe
uomoqes
1he Lrlal courL awarded Lhe followlng (a) 3000000 as clvll lndemnlLy (b)
600000 as acLual damages and (c) 11666666 for losL earnlngs ln
compuLlng Lhe laLLer Lhe Lrlal courL used Lhe followlng formula
1oLal annual neL lncome 10 x LoLal annual gross lncome
10 x 2300000
230000
xxx xxx xxx
Loss of earnlng capaclLy of 8onle Lllsan 2/3 (9020) x 230000
11666666
97

ConslsLenL wlLh [urlsprudence we afflrm Lhe rullng of Lhe Lrlal courL awardlng
Lhe amounL of 30000 as clvll lndemnlLy Lo Lhe helrs of Lhe vlcLlm
98

We cannoL do Lhe same Lo Lhe award of acLual damages and losL earnlngs
however 1he award of acLual damages has no basls as no recelpLs were
presenLed Lo subsLanLlaLe Lhe expenses allegedly lncurred An alleged
pecunlary loss musL be esLabllshed by credlble evldence before acLual damages
may be awarded
99
Slmllarly erroneous ls Lhe award for loss of earnlng
capaclLy whlch should be compuLed as follows
100

2/3 x 80 age of vlcLlm aL Lhe Llme of deaLh x reasonable porLlon of Lhe
annual neL lncome whlch would have been recelved as supporL by helrs
As LesLlfled Lo by nelson lllsan Lhe deceased had been earnlng an average of
100 dally or 3000 monLhly
101
lrom Lhls monLhly lncome musL be deducLed
Lhe reasonable amounL of 1000 represenLlng Lhe llvlng and oLher necessary
expenses of Lhe deceased Pence Lhe losL earnlngs of Lhe deceased should be
compuLed as follows
2/3 x 80 22 x 24000
2/3 x 38 x 24000
21392000
3
2784000
3
928000
leveotb ssoe
Aqqtovotloq ooJ ,ltlqotloq cltcomstooces
rlor Lo Lhe amendmenL of SecLlon 248 of Lhe 8evlsed enal Code
102
Lhe
lmposable penalLy for murder was teclosloo tempotol ln lLs maxlmum perlod Lo
deaLh ln Lhelr 8rlef AppellanLs Ca[llo and 1umbagahan argue for Lhe
lmposlLlon of Lhe lower penalLy of teclosloo tempotol conLendlng LhaL Lhelr
flllng of ball bonds/properLy bonds before Lhe order for Lhelr arresL was
lssued should be LreaLed as volunLary surrender
103

We cannoL accepL Lhls conLenLlon ln Lhe flrsL place lL has no facLual basls 1he
warranL for Lhe arresL of hereln appellanLs was lssued on AugusL 18 1987
104

buL appellanLs counsel flled Lhe urgenL MoLlon for 8all only LhereafLer on
SepLember 2 1987
10S
ln Lhe second place appellanLs falled Lo prove Lhe
requlslLes for volunLary surrender whlch are (1) Lhe offender has noL been
acLually arresLed (2) Lhe offender surrenders hlmself Lo a person ln auLhorlLy
or Lo Lhe laLLers agenL and (3) Lhe surrender ls volunLary
106
1he records
reveal LhaL a warranL of arresL was acLually served on 1umbagahan and Ca[llo
107
on SepLember 2 1987 and LhaL Lhey were ln facL deLalned
108

ln vlew of Lhe absence of any oLher aggravaLlng or mlLlgaLlng clrcumsLance Lhe
Lrlal courL correcLly lmposed teclosloo petpetoo
WPL8LlC8L Lhe appeal ls hereby uLnlLu and Lhe assalled ueclslon ls
Alll8MLu wlLh Lhe followlng MCulllCA1lCnS (1) Lhe award of 6000 as
acLual damages ls uLLL1Lu and (2) Lhe award for loss of earnlng capaclLy ls
lnC8LASLu Lo 928000 CosLs agalnsL appellanL
SC CkDLkLD
8epubllc of Lhe hlllpplnes
SUkLML CCUk1
Manlla
Ln 8AnC

Gk No 97381 November S 1992
8LNIGNC V MAGALL Ik letltlooet vs CIVIL SLkVICL CCMMISSICN and
kCGLLIC A DAAN |n h|s capac|ty as the Genera| Manager o the h|||pp|ne
orts Author|ty kespooJeotschanrobles vlrLual law llbrary

MLLC chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
8efore us ls a peLlLlon for revlew on cettlototl assalllng 8esoluLlon no 90962
daLed CcLober 19 1990 of respondenL Clvll Servlce Commlsslon (CSC) Sald CSC
resoluLlon seL aslde and modlfled Lhe declslon daLed lebruary 3 1990 of Lhe
MerlL SysLem roLecLlon 8oard ln MS8 Case no 449 whlch ordered Lhe
lmmedlaLe relnsLaLemenL ln Lhe servlce of hereln peLlLloner 8enlgno v
Magpale !r wlLhouL loss of senlorlLy rlghLs and wlLh paymenL of back salarles
and oLher emolumenLs Lo whlch he ls enLlLled under Lhe
lawchanroblesvlrLualawllbrary chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
1he record shows LhaL peLlLloner sLarLed hls career ln governmenL as an
employee ln Lhe resldenLlal AsslsLance on CommunlLy uevelopmenL ln 1960
llfLeen years laLer or ln 1973 he Lransferred Lo Lhe hlllpplne orLs AuLhorlLy
(A) as ArrasLre SuperlnLendenL Pe was promoLed Lo Lhe poslLlon of orL
Manager ln 1977 of Lhe orL ManagemenL unlL (Mu) Ceneral SanLos ClLy
1hen he was reasslgned ln Lhe same year Lo AMu 1acloban ClLy where he
llkewlse dlscharged Lhe funcLlons of orL Manager Cn uecember 1 1982 Lhe
A Ceneral Manager deslgnaLed ALLy Wllllam A Lnrlquez as offlcerlncharge
of AMu 1acloban ClLy effecLlve uecember 6 1982 Cn !anuary 6 1983
peLlLloner was ordered Lo lmmedlaLely reporL Lo Lhe AsslsLanL Ceneral
Manager (ACM) for CperaLlon A Manlla eLlLloner reporLed aL A Manlla
on Lhe same daLe and performed Lhe duLles and funcLlons asslgned Lo
hlmchanroblesvlrLualawllbrary chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
ln an lnLernal ConLrol ueparLmenL 8eporL daLed March 3 1984 Lhe Mu
1acloban lnvenLory CommlLLee and Lhe Commlsslon on AudlL (CCA) sLaLed LhaL
peLlLloner falled Lo accounL for equlpmenL of A value aL 6334223 and Lo
llquldaLe cash advances amounLlng Lo 13006961 Pe was found also Lo have
lncurred unauLhorlzed absences from May 23 1984 Lo !uly 23
1984chanroblesvlrLualawllbrary chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
Cn !uly 23 1984 or nlneLeen monLhs afLer he began reporLlng ln Manlla a
formal charge for ulshonesLy ursulL of rlvaLe 8uslness wlLhouL permlsslon as
requlred by Clvll Servlce 8ules and 8egulaLlons lrequenL and unauLhorlzed
Absences and neglecL of uuLy was flled agalnsL peLlLloner 8ased on sald
charges he was ordered prevenLlvely suspended and has been ouL of servlce
slnce LhenchanroblesvlrLualawllbrary chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
lor almosL four years Lhe case remalned unacLed upon 1he formal
lnvesLlgaLlon and hearlng resumed on SepLember 18
1987chanroblesvlrLualawllbrary chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
Cn !anuary 18 1989 a ueclslon was rendered by Lhe SecreLary of Lhe
ueparLmenL of 1ransporLaLlon and CommunlcaLlon (uC1C) Lhrough lLs
AdmlnlsLraLlve AcLlon 8oard flndlng peLlLloner gullLy of Cross negllgence on
Lwo counLs (a) for hls fallure Lo accounL for Lhe forLyfour (44) assorLed unlLs of
equlpmenL among Lhem a Sony 8eLamax and a 1v Camera and (b) for falllng
Lo render Lhe requlred llquldaLlon of hls cash advances amounLlng Lo
4487700 for a perlod of four years eLlLloner was also found gullLy of
frequenL and unauLhorlzed absences Accordlngly he was meLed Lhe penalLy of
dlsmlssal from Lhe servlce wlLh Lhe correspondlng accessory
penalLleschanroblesvlrLualawllbrary chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
When peLlLloners moLlon for reconslderaLlon of Lhe aforesald ueclslon was
denled ln Lhe uC1Cs Crder of lebruary 20 1989 he appealed Lo Lhe MerlL
SysLem and roLecLlon 8oard (MS8) of respondenL Clvll Servlce
CommlsslonchanroblesvlrLualawllbrary chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
Cn lebruary 3 1990 Lhe MS8 rendered a ueclslon reverslng Lhe ueclslon of
Lhe uC1C 1he perLlnenL porLlon of Lhe MS8s ueclslon reads
AfLer a careful revlew of Lhe record of Lhe case Lhls 8oard found Lhe appeal
merlLorlous 8espondenL cannoL be held llable for Cross negllgence for hls
alleged fallure Lo accounL for several properLles and for fallure Lo llquldaLe Lhe
cash advances he recelved as Lhere was no showlng LhaL he has been
speclflcally requlred Lo do so elLher by law or regulaLlon 1he mere deLall of
respondenL Lo AManlla ln Lhe absence of an order requlrlng hlm Lo Lurn
over and accounL for Lhe funds and properLy recelved for hls offlce aL Mu
1acloban wlll noL necessarlly obllgaLe hlm Lo make accounLlng for Lhe
samechanroblesvlrLualawllbrary chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
Moreover SecLlon 103 ChapLer 3 of resldenLlal uecree 1443 oLherwlse
known as 1he CovernmenL AudlLlng Code of Lhe hlllpplnes measured Lhe
llablllLy of an offlcer accounLable for governmenL properLy only Lo Lhe money
value of sald properLy 1hough respondenL ls Lhe person prlmarlly llable for
Lhese funds and properLy he holds Lhls llablllLy [olnLly wlLh Lhe person who has
Lhe acLual possesslon Lhereof and who has Lhe lmmedlaLe responslblllLy for Lhe
safekeeplngchanroblesvlrLualawllbrary chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
As Lo Lhe charge relaLlve Lo respondenLs frequenL unauLhorlzed absences had
been sufflclenLly and convlnclngly explalned due Lo whlch Lhe 8oard found hlm
noL aL all gullLy of Lhe offense charged (slc)chanroblesvlrLualawllbrary
chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
ln vlLW 1PL8LCl Lhe declslon appealed from ls hereby reversed 8espondenL
AppellanL Magpale should lmmedlaLely by relnsLaLed ln Lhe servlce wlLhouL loss
of senlorlLy rlghLs and wlLh paymenL of back salarles and oLher emolumenLs Lo
whlch he ls enLlLled under Lhe law (pp 3132 kollo)
Cn March 1 1990 A Lhrough lLs Ceneral Manager hereln respondenL
8ogello A uayan flled an appeal wlLh Lhe Clvll Servlce lleld CfflceA and Lhe
laLLer offlce lndorsed Lhe appeal Lo respondenL CSC ln a leLLer daLed March 3
1990chanroblesvlrLualawllbrary chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
Cn March 3 1990 peLlLloner requesLed Lhe SecreLary of Lhe uC1C Lo dlrecL Lhe
A Lo lmplemenL Lhe MS8 declslon as lL has become flnal and execuLory Sald
requesL was relLeraLed ln anoLher leLLer also daLed March 3 1990 by peLlLloner
Lo ClC Wllfredo M 1rlnldad of Lhe Cfflce of Lhe AsslsLanL SecreLary for
AdmlnlsLraLlon and Legal Affalrs uC1CchanroblesvlrLualawllbrary chanrobles
vlrLual law llbrary
Cn March 13 1990 peLlLloner flled wlLh Lhe MS8 a MoLlon for
lmplemenLaLlon of Lhe MS8 declslon 1hls was opposed by Lhe A Lhrough lLs
Ceneral ManagerchanroblesvlrLualawllbrary chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
Cn Aprll 27 1990 peLlLloner flled wlLh respondenL CSC hls commenL Lo Lhe
appeal of Lhe A conLendlng LhaL he ls noL an accounLable offlcer and ls under
no obllgaLlon Lo accounL for Lhe properLy and equlpmenL LhaL sald properLy
and equlpmenL were noL recelved by hlm as cusLodlan and he should noL be
held llable for Lhe loss of Lhe same LhaL Lhe sald properLy and equlpmenL were
place ln AMu 1acloban ClLy whlch Lhe hereln peLlLloner lefL on CcLober 8
1982 and slnce Lhen had losL conLrol over Lhem Moreover peLlLloner averred
LhaL as Lo Lhe unllquldaLed cash advances of 4487700 Lhe same had long
been llquldaLed llnally peLlLloner clalmed LhaL hls fallure Lo secure Lhe
clearance for any posslble properLy or flnanclal obllgaLlon ln Mu1acloban was
due Lo Lhe urgency of hls Lransfer Lo AManlla and Lhe absence of any order
or demand Lo secure Lhe clearancechanroblesvlrLualawllbrary chanrobles
vlrLual law llbrary
Cn May 29 1990 Lhe MS8 lssued an Crder for Lhe lmmedlaLe lmplemenLaLlon
of lLs lebruary 3 1990 ueclslon rullng LhaL
8ecords furLher show LhaL a copy of Lhls 8oards declslon was recelved by Lhe
Cfflce of Lhe Ponorable SecreLary LhaL ueparLmenL Lhru Mr lrankle 1ampus
on lebruary 6 1990 8ecords flnally show LhaL as of March 3 1990 no moLlon
for reconslderaLlon of Lhls 8oards aforemenLloned declslon has ever been flled
as evldenced by Lhe cerLlflcaLlon of even daLe lssued and slgned by ulrecLor
Adelalda C MonLero of Lhe Cfflce for CenLral ersonnel 8ecords Lhls
Commlsslon Pence sald declslon has long become flnal and execuLory (p 34
kollo)
Cn !une 28 1990 peLlLloner flled a MoLlon Lo ulsmlss Lhe appeal of A
clalmlng LhaL
1 Appeal of A was flled ouL of Llme and LhaL Lhe CSC has no [urlsdlcLlon over
lL chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
2 1he A has noL exhausLed admlnlsLraLlve remedles before appeallng Lo Lhe
hlgher body Lhe CSC chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
3 1he MS8 declslon has become flnal and Lherefore cannoL be dlsLurbed
anymorechanroblesvlrLualawllbrary chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
(p 22 kollo)
Cn CcLober 19 1990 respondenL CSC rendered lLs now assalled 8esoluLlon no
90962 Lhe perLlnenL porLlon of whlch reads as follows
1he Commlsslon Lhus holds respondenL Magpale gullLy of Cross neglecL of uuLy
on Lwo (2) counLs for Lhe forLyfour (44) equlpmenLs (slc) under hls charge and
Lo render an accounLlng for cash advances amounLlng Lo 4487790
Accordlngly conslderlng Lwo mlLlgaLlng clrcumsLances of lengLh of servlce and
flrsL offense ln favor of respondenL Lhe commlsslon hereby lmposes a penalLy
of suspenslon for a perlod of one (1) year agalnsL hlm As he has been ouL of
Lhe servlce slnce 1984 Lhe penalLy ls deemed served and he should now be
relnsLaLed Lo hls former poslLlon 1hls ls however wlLhouL pre[udlce Lo any
crlmlnal or clvll proceedlngs LhaL Lhe agency concerned or Lhe CCA may
lnsLlLuLe as proper under Lhe premlseschanroblesvlrLualawllbrary chanrobles
vlrLual law llbrary
llnally Lhe declslon of Lhe MS8 exoneraLlng Lhe respondenL Magpale for
Cross negllgence ls hereby reversed Corollarlly Lhe order of paymenL of back
salarles ls hereby seL aslde MS8 ls llkewlse remlnded Lo be more clrcumspecL
on maLLers of Lhls naLure especlally as Lhe lnsLanL case lnvolves accounLablllLy
of publlc funds and properLychanroblesvlrLualawllbrary chanrobles vlrLual law
llbrary
WPL8LlC8L foregolng premlses consldered Lhe Commlsslon flnds respondenL
8enlgno v Magpale !r gullLy of Cross neglecL of uuLy on Lwo (2) counLs for
fallure Lo accounL for Lhe forLyfour (44) equlpmenLs (slc) under hls charge and
Lo render an accounLlng for cash advance amounLlng Lo 4487790 ln vlew of
Lhe aLLendanL mlLlgaLlng clrcumsLances of lengLh of servlce and flrsL offense ln
favor of respondenLs and Lhe neglecL of uuLy Lo accounL for cash advance ln
Lhe amounL of 4487790 (second counL) be appreclaLed as an aggravaLlng
clrcumsLances Lhe penalLy of suspenslon for one (1) year shall be lmposed
agalnsL respondenL 1hls shall be wlLhouL pre[udlce Lo any crlmlnal or clvll
proceedlng LhaL A or CCA may lnsLlLuLe agalnsL respondenL Accordlngly Lhe
ueclslon and Crder of MS8 daLed lebruary 3 1990 and May 29 1990
respecLlvely are hereby seL aslde (pp 2728 kollo)
Pence Lhe presenL recoursechanroblesvlrLualawllbrary chanrobles vlrLual law
llbrary
1he peLlLlon alleges LhaL respondenL CSC ln lssulng lLs 8esoluLlon no 90962
gravely abused lLs dlscreLlon because
1 1he law dld noL auLhorlze an appeal by Lhe governmenL from an adverse
declslon of Lhe MerlL SysLems roLecLlon 8oard (MS8) chanrobles vlrLual law
llbrary
2 8espondenL A Ceneral Manager dld noL have Lhe rlghL or legal personallLy
Lo appeal from Lhe MS8 declslon chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
3 Assumlng LhaL Lhe appeal was avallable Lo respondenL uA?An Lhe same was
flled ouL Llme afLer Lhe MS8 declslon had long become flnal and execuLory
(pp 67 eLlLlon pp 78 kollo)
ln supporL of Lhls flrsL conLenLlon peLlLloner lnvokes aragraph 2(a) SecLlon
16 ChapLer 3 SubLlLle A 1lLle l 8ook v of LxecuLlve Crder no 292 oLherwlse
known as Lhe AdmlnlsLraLlve Code of 1987 whlch provldes
Sec 16 Offlces lo tbe commlssloo 1he Commlsslon shall have Lhe followlng
offlces
xxx xxx xxx
(2) 1he MerlL SysLems roLecLlon 8oard composed of a Chalrman and Lwo (2)
members shall have Lhe followlng funcLlons
(a) Pear and declde on appeal admlnlsLraLlve cases lnvolvlng offlclals and
employees of Lhe Clvll Servlce ts Jeclsloo sboll be flool except tbose lovolvloq
Jlsmlssol ot sepototloo ftom tbe setvlce wblcb moy be oppeoleJ to tbe
commlssloo (Lmphasls supplled)
clalmlng LhaL slnce Lhe MS8 declslon was for dlsmlssal or separaLlon from Lhe
servlce buL relnsLaLemenL wlLhouL loss of senlorlLy rlghLs and wlLh paymenL of
back salarles Lhe sald MS8 declslon should be deemed flool lmmeJlotely
execototy ooJ oooppeoloblechanroblesvlrLualawllbrary chanrobles vlrLual law
llbrary
eLlLloner nexL conLends LhaL assumlng for Lhe sake of argumenL LhaL Lhe
declslon of Lhe MS8 was appealable respondenL uayan even ln hls capaclLy
as Ceneral Manager of Lhe A dld noL have Lhe legal personallLy noL Lhe rlghL
Lo appeal Lhe declslon of Lhe MS8 cltloq aragraph 1 SecLlon 49 ChapLer 7
SubLlLle A 1lLle l 8ook v of LxecuLlve Crder no 292 and Lhe case of loteJes
vs c5c C8 no 88177 uecember 4 1990 192 SC8A
84chanroblesvlrLualawllbrary chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
Assumlng furLher LhaL Lhe MS8 declslon was appealable and LhaL respondenL
uayan had Lhe legal personallLy Lo appeal Lhe MS8 declslon peLlLloner sLlll
conLends LhaL Lhe appeal should noL have been glven due course by Lhe
respondenL CSC because Lhe appeal was noL flled wlLh Lhe proper dlsclpllnlng
offlce ln accordance wlLh same SecLlon 49 of LxecuLlve Crder no 292 whlch ln
Lhls case should be Lhe uC1C noL wlLh Lhe CSC lleld Cfflce aL Lhe
AchanroblesvlrLualawllbrary chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
Cn Lhe merlL of Lhe peLlLlon peLlLloner clalms LhaL assumlng even furLher LhaL
an appeal lles from Lhe MS8 declslon LhaL respondenL uayan had Lhe legal
personallLy or sLandlng Lo lnsLlLuLe Lhe appeal LhaL lL was flled wlLh Lhe proper
offlce sLlll CSC 8esoluLlon 90962 was rendered wlLh grave abuse of dlscreLlon
because peLlLloner cannoL be suspended for alleged fallure Lo accounL for
pleces of equlpmenL and cash advances slnce Lhls ls noL Lhe neglecL of duLy
conLemplaLed by SecLlon 36 of resldenLlal uegree no 807 or SecLlon 46 of
chapLer ln Lhe Clvll Servlce ln LxecuLlve Crder 292 AL mosL peLlLloner can be
held llable for Lhe money value of Lhe equlpmenL and advances as mandaLed by
SecLlon 103 of resldenLlal uecree no 1443 Lhe CovernmenL AudlLlng Code of
Lhe hlllpplneschanroblesvlrLualawllbrary chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
lor lLs parL respondenL CSC malnLalns chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
llrsL LhaL Lhe flnallLy of Lhe MS8 declslon ln Lhe dlsclpllnary cases as sLaLed ln
SecLlon 16 aragraph 2(a) 8ook v of LxecuLlve Crder no 292 relled upon by
peLlLloner ls modlfled by secLlon 12 aragraph 11 8ook v of Lhe same
LxecuLlve Crder no 292 whlch reads
Sec 12 lowets ooJ looctloos 1he Commlsslon shall have Lhe followlng
powers and funcLlons
xxx xxx xxx chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
(11) Pear and declde admlnlsLraLlve case lnsLlLuLed by or boughL dlrecLly or on
appeal lncludlng conLesLed appolnLmenLs and revlew declslons and acLlons of
lLs offlces and of Lhe agencles aLLached Lo lL
lurLhermore relevanL provlslons of LxecuLlve Crder no 133 daLed lebruary 23
1987 amendlng SecLlon 19(b) of resldenLlal uecree no 807 and SecLlon 8 of
resldenLlal uecree no 1409 sLaLe Lhus
WPL8LAS ln Lhe lnLeresL of [usLlce Lhere ls a need Lo confer upon Lhe Clvll
Servlce Commlsslon [urlsdlcLlon over appeal ln conLesLed or provlslonal
appolnLmenLs and Lo make lLs declslon Lhereon as well as ln admlnlsLraLlve
dlsclpllnary cases flnal and revlewable by Lhe Supreme CourL
xxx xxx xxx chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
8elaLlonshlp wlLh Lhe Clvll Servlce Commlsslon 1he Commlsslon shall hear
and declde appeals from oLher declslons of Lhe 8oard provlded LhaL Lhe
declslons of Lhe Commlsslon shall be sub[ecL Lo revlew on cettlototl upon
recelpL of Lhe copy Lhereof by Lhe aggrleved parL
1hus respondenL CSC argues LhaL lL ls deemed noL Lo have losL lLs appellaLe
[urlsdlcLlon over Lhe declslons of Lhe MS8 ln admlnlsLraLlve dlsclpllnary
casechanroblesvlrLualawllbrary chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
Second Lhe case of loteJes vs c5c ls noL appllcable 8espondenL uayan
appealed Lhe MS8 declslon noL ln hls personal capaclLy nor ln pursulL ln hls
prlvaLe lnLeresL buL as head of A belng Lhe general manager
LhereofchanroblesvlrLualawllbrary chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
1hlrd Lhe appeal was flled wlLh Lhe proper dlsclpllnlng offlce because Lhe
declslon appealed from was LhaL of Lhe MS8 one of Lhe offlces ln respondenL
CSC 1hus respondenL CSC was [usLlfled ln glvlng due course Lo As noLlce of
appeal flled wlLh lLs (CSC) lleld Cfflce aL Lhe AchanroblesvlrLualawllbrary
chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
llnally peLlLloners clalm LhaL he ls llable only for Lhe money value of Lhe
properLy and cash advances and cannoL be admlnlsLraLlvely charged for such
lnfracLlon ls unLenable and a mockery of Lhe clvll servlce law lor hls fallure Lo
accounL for Lhe properLy under hls charge and Lo llquldaLe hls cash advances
peLlLloner ls gullLy of Cross neglecL of uuLy and should have been dlsmlssed
from Lhe servlce lf no mlLlgaLlng clrcumsLances were consldered ln hls
favorchanroblesvlrLualawllbrary chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
We gave due course Lo Lhe peLlLlon and requlred Lhe parLles Lo flle Lhelr
respecLlve memoranda AfLer conslderlng Lhe same and Lhe perLlnenL laws and
[urlsprudence We flnd LhaL Lhe peLlLlon musL be
granLedchanroblesvlrLualawllbrary chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
AfLer ,eoJez vs clvll 5etvlce commlssloo (204 SC8A 963 1991) Lhe exLenL of
Lhe auLhorlLy of respondenL CSC Lo revlew Lhe declslons of Lhe MS8 ls now a
seLLled maLLerchanroblesvlrLualawllbrary chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
1he CourL ln sald case held
lL ls axlomaLlc LhaL Lhe rlghL Lo appeal ls merely a sLaLuLory prlvllege and may
be exerclsed only ln Lhe manner and ln accordance wlLh Lhe provlslons of law
(vlcLorlas Mllllng Co lnc vs Cfflce of Lhe resldenLlal AsslsLanL for Legal
Affalrs 133 SC8A 318)chanroblesvlrLualawllbrary chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
A cursory readlng of u 807 oLherwlse known as 1he hlllpplnes Clvll Servlce
Law shows LhaL sald law does noL conLemplaLe a revlew of declslons
exoneraLlng offlcers or employees from admlnlsLraLlve charges
SecLlon 37 paragraph (a) Lhereof provldes
1he Commlsslon shall declde upon appeal all admlnlsLraLlve dlsclpllnary cases
lnvolvlng Lhe lmposlLlon of Lhe penalLy of suspenslon for more Lhan LhlrLy days
or flne ln an amounL exceedlng LhlrLy days salary demoLlon ln rank or salary or
Lransfer removal or dlsmlssal from offlce (Lmphasls supplled) (p 7 kollo)
Sald provlslons musL be read LogeLher wlLh SecLlon 39 paragraph (a) of u 803
whlch conLemplaLes
Appeals where allowable shall be made by Lhe parLy adversely affecLed by Lhe
declslon (Lmphasls supplled) (p 104 kollo)
1he phrase parLy adversely affecLlve by Lhe declslon refers Lo Lhe governmenL
employees agalnsL whom Lhe admlnlsLraLlve case ls flled for Lhe purpose of
dlsclpllnary acLlon whlch may Lake Lhe form of suspenslon demoLlon ln rank or
salary Lransfer removal or dlsmlssal from offlce ln Lhe lnsLanL case Coloyan
who flled Lhe appeal cannoL be consldered an aggrleved parLy because he ls
noL Lhe respondenL of Lhe admlnlsLraLlve case
belowchanroblesvlrLualawllbrary chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
llnally pursuanL Lo SecLlon 37 paragraph (b) of u 807 Lhe clLy mayor as
head of Lhe clLy governmenL ls empowered Lo enforce [udgmenL wlLh flnallLy
on lesser penalLles llke suspenslon from work for one monLh and forfelLure of
salary equlvalenL Lo one monLh agalnsL errlng
employeeschanroblesvlrLualawllbrary chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
8y lnference or lmpllcaLlon Lhe remedy of appeal may be avalled of only ln a
case where Lhe respondenL ls found gullLy of Lhe charges flled agalnsL hlm 8uL
Lhe respondenL ls exoneraLed of sald charges as ln Lhls case Lhere ls no
occaslon on appeal (pp 967968)
1he above rullng ls a relLeraLlon of Lhe earller pronouncemenL ln loteJes vs
clvll 5etvlce commlssloo (192 SC8A 84 1990) clLed by peLlLloner where We
sald
8ased on Lhe above provlslons of law appeal Lo Lhe Clvll Servlce Commlsslon ln
an admlnlsLraLlve case ls exLended Lo Lhe parLy adversely affecLed by Lhe
declslon LhaL ls Lhe person or Lhe respondenL employee who has been meLed
ouL Lhe penalLy of suspenslon for more Lhan LhlrLy days or flne ln an amounL
exceedlng LhlrLy days salary demoLlon ln rank or salary or Lransfer removal or
dlsmlssal from offlce 1he declslon of Lhe dlsclpllnlng auLhorlLy ls even flnal and
noL appealable Lo Lhe Clvll Servlce Commlsslon ln cases where Lhe penalLy
lmposed ls suspenslon for noL more Lhan LhlrLy days or flne ln an amounL noL
exceedlng LhlrLy days salary Appeal ln cases allowed by law musL be flled
wlLhln flfLeen days from recelpL of Lhe declslonchanroblesvlrLualawllbrary
chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
Pere Lhe MS8 afLer hearlng and Lhe submlsslon of memoranda exoneraLed
prlvaLe respondenL Amor of all charges excepL for hablLual Lardlness 1he
penalLy was only a reprlmand so LhaL even prlvaLe respondenL Amor Lhe parLy
adversely affecLed by Lhe declslon cannoL even lnLerpose an appeal Lo Lhe Clvll
Servlce CommlsslonchanroblesvlrLualawllbrary chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
As correcLly ruled by respondenL peLlLloner aredes Lhe complalnanL ls noL Lhe
parL adversely affecLed by Lhe declslon so LhaL she has no legal personallLy Lo
lnLerpose an appeal Lo Lhe Clvll Servlce Commlsslon ln an admlnlsLraLlve case
Lhe complalnanL ls a mere wlLness (Conzalo vs u 8oda 64 SC8A 120) Lven lf
she ls Lhe Pead of Lhe AdmlnlsLraLlve Servlces ueparLmenL of Lhe PS8C as a
complalnL she ls merely a wlLness for Lhe governmenL ln an admlnlsLraLlve case
no prlvaLe lnLeresL ls lnvolved ln an admlnlsLraLlve case as Lhe offense ls
commlLLed agalnsL Lhe governmenL (pp 9899)
Whlle lL ls Lrue as conLended by respondenL Clvll Servlce Commlsslon LhaL
under SecLlon 12 (par 11) ChapLer 3 SubLlLle A 8ook v of LxecuLlve Crder
292 Lhe CSC does have Lhe power Lo
Pear and declde admlnlsLraLlve cases lnsLlLuLed by or broughL before lL dlrecLly
or on appeal lncludlng conLesLed appolnLmenLs and revlew declslons and
acLlons of lLs offlces and of Lhe agencles aLLached Lo lL
Lhe exerclse of Lhe power ls quallfled by and should be read LogeLher wlLh Lhe
oLher secLlons of Lhe same subLlLle and book of LxecuLlve Crder 292
parLlcularly SecLlon 49 whlch prescrlbes Lhe followlng requlslLes for Lhe
exerclse of Lhe power of appeal Lo wlL
(a) Lhe declslon musL be appealable chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
(b) Lhe appeal musL be made by Lhe parLy adversely affecLed by Lhe declslon
chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
(c) Lhe appeal musL be made wlLhln flfLeen days from recelpL of Lhe declslon
unless a peLlLlon for Lhe reconslderaLlon ls seasonably flled and chanrobles
vlrLual law llbrary
(d) Lhe noLlce of appeal musL be flled wlLh Lhe dlsclpllnlng offlce whlch shall
forward Lhe records of Lhe case LogeLher wlLh Lhe noLlce of appeal Lo Lhe
appellaLe auLhorlLy wlLhln flfLeen days from flllng of Lhe noLlce of appeal wlLh
lLs commenLs lf any
under SecLlon 47 of Lhe same Code Lhe CSC shall declde on appeal all
admlnlsLraLlve dlsclpllnary cases lnvolvlng Lhe lmposlLlon of
(a) a penalLy of suspenslon for more Lhan LhlrLy days or chanrobles vlrLual law
llbrary
(b) flne ln an amounL exceedlng LhlrLy days salary or chanrobles vlrLual law
llbrary
c) demoLlon ln rank or salary or Lransfer or chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
(d) removal or dlsmlssal from offlce
1he lebruary 3 1990 declslon of Lhe MS8 dld noL lnvolve dlsmlssal or
separaLlon from offlce raLher Lhe declslon exoneraLed peLlLloner and ordered
hlm relnsLaLed Lo hls former poslLlon ConsequenLly ln Lhe llghL of our
pronouncemenLs ln Lhe aforeclLed cases of ,eoJez v clvll 5etvlce commlssloo
and loteJes vs clvll 5etvlce commlssloo Lhe MS8 declslon was noL a proper
sub[ecL of appeal Lo Lhe CSCchanroblesvlrLualawllbrary chanrobles vlrLual law
llbrary
SeLLled ls Lhe rule LhaL a Lrlbunal board or offlcer exerclslng [udlclal funcLlons
acLs wlLhouL [urlsdlcLlon lf no auLhorlLy has been conferred by law Lo hear and
declde Lhe case (Aceoo v clvll 5etvlce commlssloo 193 SC8A 623
1991)chanroblesvlrLualawllbrary chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
WPL8LlC8L Lhe declslon of Lhe Clvll Servlce Commlsslon ls hereby AnnuLLLu
and SL1 ASluL and Lhe declslon of Lhe MerlL SysLems roLecLlon 8oard daLed
lebruary 3 1990 ls hereby 8LlnS1A1LuchanroblesvlrLualawllbrary chanrobles
vlrLual law llbrary
SC C8uL8Lu
8epubllc of Lhe hlllpplnes
SUkLML CCUk1
Manlla
ll8S1 ulvlSlCn
Gk No 90S03 September 27 1990
NLS1Ck SANDCVAL letltlooet vs nCN DCkC1LC CAL8A res|d|ng Iudge
k1C Man||a 8ranch 20 DLU1 SnLkIII CI MANILA (k1C Man||a 8ranch
20) and LS1A1L DLVLLCLkS INVLS1CkS CCkCkA1ICN kespooJeots

GANCACC
1he lssue ln Lhls peLlLlon ls wheLher or noL Lhe ordlnary courLs have [urlsdlcLlon
over Lhe collecLlon of unpald lnsLallmenLs regardlng a subdlvlslon
loLchanroblesvlrLualawllbrary chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
Cn AugusL 20 1987 prlvaLe respondenL flled a complalnL ln Lhe 8eglonal 1rlal
CourL (81C) of Manlla for Lhe collecLlon of unpald lnsLallmenLs regardlng a
subdlvlslon loL pursuanL Lo a promlssory noLe plus lnLeresL Cn !anuary 29
1988 Lhe Lrlal courL rendered a declslonchanroblesvlrLualawllbrary chanrobles
vlrLual law llbrary
lL appears LhaL peLlLloner was declared ln defaulL so much so LhaL afLer
recelvlng Lhe evldence of prlvaLe respondenL Lhe Lrlal courL rendered lLs
declslon on !anuary 191988 Lhe dlsposlLlve porLlon of whlch reads as follows
WPL8LlC8L on Lhe allegaLlons and Lhe prayer of Lhe complalnL and Lhe
evldence adduced ln supporL Lherefor [udgmenL ls hereby rendered orderlng
Lhe defendanL Lo pay plalnLlff Lhe followlng
1 1he sum of 7386742 plus lnLeresL and oLher charges commenclng from
!anuary 1 1988 unLll fully pald chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
2 Such sum whlch shall noL be less Lhan 200000 or 23 of Lhe amounL of
dellnquency whlchever ls greaLer as and for aLLorneys
feeschanroblesvlrLualawllbrary chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
3 CosLs agalnsL Lhe defendanLchanroblesvlrLualawllbrary chanrobles vlrLual
law llbrary
4 SC C8uL8Lu
1
chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
Cn SepLember 28 1988 Lhe Lrlal courL lssued an order dlrecLlng Lhe lssuance of
a wrlL of execuLlon Lo enforce lLs declslon LhaL had become flnal and
execuLorychanroblesvlrLualawllbrary chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
Cn SepLember 30 1988 peLlLloner flled a moLlon Lo vacaLe [udgmenL and Lo
dlsmlss Lhe complalnL on Lhe ground LhaL Lhe lower courL has no [urlsdlcLlon
over Lhe sub[ecL maLLer and LhaL lLs declslon ls null and vold A moLlon for
reconslderaLlon of Lhe wrlL of execuLlon was also flled by peLlLloner An
opposlLlon Lo boLh moLlons was flled by prlvaLe respondenL Lo whlch a reply
was flled by peLlLlonerchanroblesvlrLualawllbrary chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
Cn lebruary 17 1989 Lhe Lrlal courL denled Lhe moLlon Lo vacaLe Lhe [udgmenL
on Lhe ground LhaL lL ls now beyond Lhe [urlsdlcLlon of Lhe CourL Lo do so lL
dlrecLed Lhe lssuance of a wrlL of execuLlon anewchanroblesvlrLualawllbrary
chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
Pence Lhe hereln peLlLlon whereln lL ls alleged LhaL Lhe Lrlal courL commlLLed a
grave abuse of dlscreLlon as follows
31 1he respondenL !udge gravely abused hls dlscreLlon and acLed wlLhouL
[urlsdlcLlon ln Laklng cognlzance of Lhe complalnL before hlm noLwlLhsLandlng
LhaL excloslve and otlqlool [urlsdlcLlon over Lhe sub[ecLmaLLer Lhereof ls vesLed
wlLh Lhe Pouslng and Land use 8egulaLory 8oard (PLu88) pursuanL Lo u
937chanroblesvlrLualawllbrary chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
32 1he respondenL !udge gravely abused hls dlscreLlon and acLed wlLhouL
[urlsdlcLlon ln refuslng Lo vacaLe hls [udgmenL rendered wlLhouL [urlsdlcLlon
and ln lssulng a wrlL of execuLlon Lo lmplemenL hls abovesald vold [udgmenL
2

chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
1he peLlLlon ls lmpressed wlLh merlLchanroblesvlrLualawllbrary chanrobles
vlrLual law llbrary
under SecLlon 1 of resldenLlal uecree no 937 Lhe naLlonal Pouslng AuLhorlLy
(nPA) was glven Lhe excluslve [urlsdlcLlon Lo hear and declde cerLaln cases as
follows
SLC1 ln Lhe exerclse of lLs funcLlon Lo regulaLe Lhe real esLaLe Lrade and
buslness and ln addlLlon Lo lLs powers provlded for ln resldenLlal uecree no
937 Lhe naLlonal Pouslng AuLhorlLy shall have excloslve jotlsJlctloo Lo hear and
declde cases of Lhe followlng naLure chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
A uosoooJ teol estote bosloess ptoctlces chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
8 Clalms lovolvloq tefooJ and ooy otbet clolms flled by subdlvlslon loL or
condomlnlum unlL buyer agalnsL Lhe pro[ecL owner developer dealer broker
or salesmanand chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
C Cases lovolvloq speclflc petfotmooce of coottoctool ooJ stotototy obllqotloos
flled by buyers of subdlvlslon loL or condomlnlum unlL agalnsL Lhe owner
developer dealer broker or salesman (Lmphasls supplled)
1he language of Lhls secLlon parLlcularly Lhe second porLlon Lhereof leaves no
room for doubL LhaL excluslve [urlsdlcLlon over Lhe case beLween Lhe peLlLloner
and prlvaLe respondenL ls vesLed noL on Lhe 81C buL on Lhe nPA 1he nPA was
renamed Puman SeLLlemenLs 8egulaLory Commlsslon and LhereafLer lL was re
named as Lhe Pouslng and Land use 8egulaLory 8oard (PLu88)
3
chanrobles
vlrLual law llbrary
undenlably Lhe sum of money soughL Lo be collecLed by prlvaLe respondenL
from peLlLloner represenLed unpald lnsLallmenLs of a subdlvlslon loL whlch Lhe
peLlLloner purchased eLlLloner alleges LhaL he suspended paymenLs Lhereof
because of Lhe fallure of Lhe developer Lo develop Lhe subdlvlslon pursuanL Lo
Lhelr agreemenLchanroblesvlrLualawllbrary chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
ln Aotlpolo keolty cotpototloo vs -otloool noosloq Aotbotlty
4
Lhe sulL whlch
was flled wlLh Lhe nPA llkewlse lnvolved nonpaymenL of lnsLallmenLs over a
subdlvlslon loL whereln Lhls CourL held LhaL Lhe nPA has excluslve auLhorlLy Lo
hear and declde Lhe casechanroblesvlrLualawllbrary chanrobles vlrLual law
llbrary
ln 5ollJ nomes oc vs @eteslto loyowol
S
Lhls CourL ruled LhaL upon Lhe
lssuance of resldenLlal uecree no 937 Lhe Lrlal courL may no longer assume
[urlsdlcLlon over Lhe cases enumeraLed ln SecLlon 1 of resldenLlal uecree no
397 We even sLaLed Lhereln LhaL Lhe Pouslng and Land use 8egulaLory 8oard
has Lhe auLhorlLy Lo award damages ln Lhe exerclse of Lhls excluslve power
conferred upon lL by resldenLlal uecree no 1344chanroblesvlrLualawllbrary
chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
ln stote uevelopets ooJ ovestots cotpototloo vs Aotoolo 5otte ooJ tlloJo
5otte C8 no 93646 whlch ls a case subsLanLlally slmllar Lo Lhe lnsLanL case
ln a resoluLlon of AugusL 13 1990 Lhls CourL upheld Lhe excluslve [urlsdlcLlon of
Lhe PLu88 over Lhe collecLlon sulLchanroblesvlrLualawllbrary chanrobles
vlrLual law llbrary
Conslderlng LhaL Lhe Lrlal courL has no [urlsdlcLlon under Lhe clrcumsLances
obLalnlng ln Lhls case Lhe declslon lL rendered ls null and vold ob loltlo lL ls as lf
no declslon was rendered by Lhe Lrlal courL aL allchanroblesvlrLualawllbrary
chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
When as ln Lhls case Lhe aLLenLlon of Lhe Lrlal courL ls drawn Lo lLs lack of
compeLence and auLhorlLy Lo acL on Lhe case cerLalnly Lhe Lrlal courL has a
duLy Lo vacaLe Lhe [udgmenL by declarlng Lhe same Lo be null and vold ob loltlo
1hls ls as lL should be lnasmuch as Lhe quesLloned [udgmenL ls null and vold lL
ls as above observed as lf no declslon had been rendered by Lhe Lrlal courL lL
cannoL become flnal and exucuLory much less can lL be enforced by a wrlL of
execuLlonchanroblesvlrLualawllbrary chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
1he Lrlal courL raLher Lhan relLeraLlng Lhe lssuance of a wrlL of execuLlon ln Lhls
case whlch lL dld should have recalled and cancelled Lhe wrlL of execuLlon of
Lhe [udgmenLchanroblesvlrLualawllbrary chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
WPL8LlC8L Lhe peLlLlon ls C8An1Lu 1he quesLloned declslon of Lhe Lrlal
courL daLed !anuary 29 1988 ls hereby declared null and vold for lack of
[urlsdlcLlon no pronouncemenL as Lo cosLschanroblesvlrLualawllbrary
chanrobles vlrLual law llbrary
SC C8uL8Lu
8epubllc of Lhe hlllpplnes
SUkLML CCUk1
Manlla
1nIkD DIVISICN

MILAGkCS G LUM8UAN cra|awGk No 1SS713



letltlooet



versus

cralawresenL

cralawCulSuM8lnC
Chalrperson
cralawCA8lC
cralawCA8lC MC8ALLS
cralaw1lnCA and
cralawvLLASCC !8

ALIkLDC A kCNUILLC

cra|awkespondent
cralawromulgaLed

cralawMay 3 2006

DLCISICN
UISUM8ING
1h|s pet|t|on or rev|ew on nertiorori seeks to reverse and set as|de the
Dec|s|on11 dated Apr|| 12 2002 o the Court o Appea|s |n CAGk S No
S2436 and |ts keso|ut|on22 dated Cctober 14 2002 deny|ng the pet|t|oners
mot|on or recons|derat|on

1he sa||ent acts as ound by the Court o Appea|s33are as o||ows
et|t|oner M||agros G Lumbuan |s the reg|stered owner o Lot 19A 8|ock
2844 w|th 1ranser Cert||cate o 1|t|e No 193264 |ocated |n Gaga|ang|n
1ondo Man||a Cn Iebruary 20 199S she |eased |t to respondent A|redo A
konqu|||o or a per|od o three years w|th a month|y renta| o S000 1he
part|es a|so agreed that there w||| be a 10 annua| |ncrease |n rent or the
succeed|ng two years ie 1996 and 199744 and the |eased prem|ses w||| be
used ec|us|ve|y or the respondents astood bus|ness un|ess any other use





|s g|ven w|th the pet|t|oners pr|or wr|tten
consentSSchanrob|esv|rtua||aw||brary
Jh||e the respondent at the start operated a astood bus|ness he |ater used
the prem|ses as res|dence w|thout the pet|t|oners pr|or wr|tten consent ne
a|so a||ed to pay the 10 annua| |ncrease |n rent o S00]month start|ng
1996 and 1000]month |n 1997 to the present Desp|te repeated verba| and
wr|tten demands the respondent reused to pay the arrears and vacate the
|eased prem|ses
Cn November 1S 1997 the pet|t|oner reerred the matter to the oronqoy
Cha|rmans o|ce but the part|es a||ed to arr|ve at a sett|ement 1he
oronqoy Cha|rman then |ssued a certifinote to li/e
4ntion66chanrob|esv|rtua||aw||brary
Cn December 8 1997 the pet|t|oner ||ed aga|nst the respondent an act|on
or Un|awu| Deta|ner docketed as C|v|| Case No 1S7922CV It was ra|ed to
the Metropo||tan 1r|a| Court (Me1C) o Man||a 8ranch 6 Cn December 1S
1997 the respondent rece|ved the summons and copy o the comp|a|nt Cn
December 24 1997 he ||ed h|s Answer by ma|| 8eore the Me1C cou|d
rece|ve the respondents Answer the pet|t|oner ||ed a Mot|on or Summary
Iudgment dated Ianuary 7 199877 Act|ng upon th|s mot|on the Me1C
rendered a dec|s|on88 on Ianuary 1S 1998 order|ng the respondent to
vacate and surrender possess|on o the |eased prem|ses to pay the pet|t|oner
the amount o 46000 as unpa|d renta|s w|th |ega| |nterest unt|| u||y pa|d
and to pay the pet|t|oner S000 as attorneys ees p|us cost o the su|t
1he respondent then ||ed a Man|estat|on ca|||ng the attent|on o the Me1C
to the act that h|s Answer was ||ed on t|me and pray|ng that the dec|s|on be
set as|de 1he Me1C den|ed the prayer ru||ng that the Man|estat|on was |n
the nature o a mot|on or recons|derat|on wh|ch |s a proh|b|ted p|ead|ng
under the ku|es on Summary rocedure
Upon appea| the case was ra|ed to the keg|ona| 1r|a| Court (k1C) o Man||a
8ranch 38 and docketed as C|v|| Case No 9887311 Cn Iu|y 8 1998 the k1C
rendered |ts dec|s|on99 sett|ng as|de the Me1C dec|s|on1he k1C d|rected
the part|es to go back to the Lupon Cha|rman or Punonq oronqoy or urther
proceed|ngs and to comp|y str|ct|y w|th the cond|t|on that shou|d the part|es
a|| to reach an am|cab|e sett|ement the ent|re records o the case w||| be
remanded to Me1C o Man||a 8ranch 6 or |t to dec|de the case anew






1he respondent sought recons|derat|on but the k1C den|ed the mot|on |n an
Crder dated March 1S 1999 1hus he sought re||e rom the Court o Appea|s
through a pet|t|on or rev|ew1010 Cn Apr|| 12 2002 the appe||ate court
promu|gated a dec|s|on revers|ng the dec|s|on o the k1C and order|ng the
d|sm|ssa| o the e[ectment case 1he appe||ate court ru|ed that when a
comp|a|nt |s premature|y |nst|tuted as when the mandatory med|at|on and
conc|||at|on |n the oronqoy |eve| had not been comp||ed w|th the court
shou|d d|sm|ss the case and not [ust remand the records to the court o or|g|n
so that the part|es may go through the prerequ|s|te proceed|ngs
1he pet|t|oner ||ed a mot|on or recons|derat|on wh|ch was den|ed by the
appe||ate court nence th|s present pet|t|on
In the meant|me wh||e th|s pet|t|on was pend|ng beore th|s Court the
part|es went through oronqoy conc|||at|on proceed|ngs as d|rected by the
k1C o Man||a 8ranch 38 Aga|n they a||ed to arr|ve at an am|cab|e
sett|ement prompt|ng the k1C to |ssue an Crder1111 remand|ng the case to
the Me1C o Man||a 8ranch 6 where the proceed|ngs took p|ace anew Cn
Apr|| 2S 2000 the Me1C rendered a second dec|s|on the d|spos|t|ve port|on
o wh|ch reads
JnLkLICkL prem|ses cons|dered [udgment on the
mer|ts |s hereby rendered or the p|a|nt| as o||ows
1 cra|awCrder|ng deendant and a||
persons c|a|m|ng r|ght o
possess|on under h|m to
vo|untar||y vacate the property
|ocated at Lot 19A 8|ock 2844
Gaga|ang|n 1ondo Man||a and
surrender possess|on thereo to
the p|a|nt|
2 cra|awCrder|ng deendant to pay
to p|a|nt| the amount o
387S1200 as actua| damages |n
the orm o unpa|d renta|s and |ts
agreed |ncrease up to Ianuary
2000 and to pay the amount o
6S0000 a month thereater
unt|| the same |s actua||y vacated
3 cra|awCrder|ng the deendant to
pay to p|a|nt| the sum o
1000000 as and or attorneys
ees p|us cost o the su|t
SC CkDLkLD1212
1he respondent appea|ed the orego|ng dec|s|on 1he case was ra|ed to k1C o
Man||a 8ranch 22 and docketed as C|v|| Case No 00981731he k1C ru|ed |n
avor o the pet|t|oner and d|sm|ssed the appea| 1he respondent e|evated the




case to the Court o Appea|s where |t |s now pend|ng
cra|aw
cra|aw1he so|e |ssue or our reso|ut|on |s
JnL1nLk 1nL CCUk1 CI ALALS GkAVLL LkkLD IN
DISMISSING 1nL CCMLAIN1 ICk 1nL ALLLGLD
IAILUkL CI 1nL Ak1ILS 1C CCML JI1n 1nL
MANDA1Ck MLDIA1ICN AND CCNCILIA1ICN
kCCLLDINGS IN 1nL 8AkANGA LLVLL1313
cra|awJ|th the part|es subsequent meet|ng w|th the Lupon
Cha|rman or Punonq oronqoy or urther conc|||at|on proceed|ngs the
procedura| deect was cured Neverthe|ess | on|y to c|ear any ||nger|ng
doubt why the Court o Appea|s erred |n d|sm|ss|ng the comp|a|nt we sha||
de|ve on the |ssue

1he pet|t|oner a||eges that the part|es have gone through oronqoy
conc|||at|on proceed|ngs to sett|e the|r d|spute as shown by the certifinote to
li/e 4ntion |ssued by the Lupon/Ponqkot Secretary and attested by the
Lupon/Ponqkot Cha|rman 1he respondent on the other hand contends that
whether there was deect|ve comp||ance or no comp||ance at a|| w|th the
requ|red conc|||at|on the case shou|d have been d|sm|ssed

1he pr|mord|a| ob[ect|ve o the kotorunqonq Pomoronqoy ku|es1414 |s to
reduce the number o court ||t|gat|ons and prevent the deter|orat|on o the
qua||ty o [ust|ce wh|ch has been brought about by the |nd|scr|m|nate |||ng o
cases |n the courts 1o atta|n th|s ob[ect|ve Sect|on 412(a) o kepub||c Act No
71601S1Srequ|res the part|es to undergo a conc|||at|on process beore the
Lupon Cha|rman or the Ponqkot as a precond|t|on to |||ng a comp|a|nt |n
court1616 thus
SLC1ICN 412 conni/iotion (a) Prenondition to li/inq of
comp/oint in court No comp|a|nt pet|t|on act|on or
proceed|ng |nvo|v|ng any matter w|th|n the author|ty o
the |upon sha|| be ||ed or |nst|tuted d|rect|y |n court or
any other government o|ce or ad[ud|cat|on un|ess
there has been a conrontat|on between the part|es
beore the |upon cha|rman or the pangkat and that no
conc|||at|on or sett|ement has been reached as cert||ed





by the |upon secretary or pangkatsecretary as attested
to by the |upon or pangkat cha|rman
nere the Lupon/Ponqkot Cha|rman and Lupon/Ponqkot Secretary s|gned the
certifinote to li/e 4ntion stat|ng that no sett|ement was reached by the
part|es Jh||e adm|tted|y no ponqkot was const|tuted |t was not den|ed that
the part|es met at the o|ce o the oronqoy Cha|rman or poss|b|e
sett|ement 1he eorts o the oronqoy Cha|rman however proved ut||e as
no agreement was reached A|though no ponqkot was ormed |n our m|nd
there was substant|a| comp||ance w|th the |aw It |s noteworthy that under
the aorequoted prov|s|on the conrontat|on beore the Lupon Cha|rman or
the ponqkot |s su|c|ent comp||ance w|th the precond|t|on or |||ng the case
|n court1717 1h|s |s true notw|thstand|ng the mandate o Sect|on 410(b) o
the same |aw that the oronqoyCha|rman sha|| const|tute a ponqkot | he a||s
|n h|s med|at|on eorts Sect|on 410(b) shou|d be construed together w|th
Sect|on 412 as we|| as the c|rcumstances obta|n|ng |n and pecu||ar to the
case Cn th|s score |t |s s|gn||cant that the oronqoy Cha|rman or Punonq
oronqoy |s herse| the Cha|rman o the Lupon under the Loca| Government
Code1818

I|na||y th|s Court |s aware that the reso|ut|on o the substant|a| |ssues |n th|s
case |s pend|ng w|th the Court o Appea|s Jh||e ord|nar||y we wou|d have
determ|ned the va||d|ty o the part|es substant|a| c|a|ms s|nce to awa|t the
appe||ate courts dec|s|on w||| on|y rustrate speedy [ust|ce and |n any event
wou|d be a ut||e eerc|se as |n a|| probab|||ty the case wou|d end up w|th
th|s Court we |nd that we cannot do so |n the |nstant case
It must be underscored that superven|ng events have taken p|ace beore the
|ower courts where the part|es have been adequate|y heard and a|| the
|ssues have been vent||ated S|nce the records o those proceed|ngs are w|th
the Court o Appea|s |t |s |n a better pos|t|on to u||y ad[ud|cate the r|ghts o
the part|es 1o re|y on the records beore th|s Court wou|d prevent us rom
render|ng a sound [udgment |n th|s case 1hus we are |et w|th no a|ternat|ve
but to |eave the matter o ru||ng on the mer|ts to the appe||ate court
JnLkLICkL the pet|t|on |s GkAN1LD 1he dec|s|on and reso|ut|on o the
Court o Appea|s |n CAGk S No S2436 are kLVLkSLD and SL1 ASIDL and
the dec|s|on o the keg|ona| 1r|a| Court o Man||a 8ranch 38 |n C|v|| Case No
9887311 |s AIIIkMLD
1he Court o Appea|s |s ordered to proceed w|th the appea| |n CA Gk No
734S3 and dec|de the case w|th d|spatch