Poli LAW Review

G.R. No. L-38443

Date: November 25, 1993
People v. Ylagan
Facts:
Against the ae!!ee, "!isea #!agan, a $om!aint %or h&si$a! in'(ries in the '(sti$e o% the ea$e $o(rt o% )atangas, *rovin$e o%
)atangas. A%ter re!iminar& investigation, the $ase %or+ar,e, to the -o(rt o% .irst /nstan$e, +here the rovin$ia! %is$a! %i!e, an
in%ormation $harging her +ith serio(s h&si$a! in'(ries. 0on arraignment, the ,e%en,ant !ea,e, not g(i!t& to the in%ormation1
+here(on the rivate rose$(tor, +ith the $on$(rren$e o% the ,e(t& rovin$ia! %is$a!, move, %or the ,ismissa! o% the $ase, +hi$h
motion +as grante, b& the $o(rt. 2he attorne& %or the ,e%en,ant sai, nothing abo(t the ,ismissa! o% the $ase.
"!even ,a&s !ater, the a$ting rovin$ia! %is$a! %i!e, another in%ormation in the same '(sti$e o% the ea$e $o(rt, $harging the same
,e%en,ant +ith the same o%%ense o% serio(s h&si$a! in'(ries. A%ter another re!iminar& investigation, the $ase +as again %or+ar,e,
to the -o(rt o% .irst /nstan$e, +here the in%ormation %i!e, in the '(sti$e o% the ea$e $o(rt +as rero,($e,. 0on arraignment, the
,e%en,ant entere, a !ea o% ,o(b!e 'eoar,&, base, on se$tion 28 o% the -o,e o% -rimina! *ro$e,(re. A%ter hearing, the $o(rt
s(staine, the !ea an, ,ismisse, the $ase. .rom this or,er o% ,ismissa!, an aea! +as ta3en b& the Government.
Issue:
4hether or not the ,e%en,ant is !a$e, in ,o(b!e 'eoar,&. #"5, there6s ,o(b!e 'eoar,&.
Rationale:
/t seems $!ear that (n,er the %oregoing rovisions o% !a+, ,e%en,ant in a $rimina! rose$(tion is in !ega! 'eoar,& +hen !a$e, on
tria! (n,er the %o!!o+ing $on,itions: 718 /n a $o(rt o% $ometent '(ris,i$tion1 728 (on a va!i, $om!aint or in%ormation1 738 a%ter he has
been arraigne,1 an, 748 a%ter he has !ea,e, to the $om!aint o% in%ormation. 2este, b& this stan,ar,, +e are o% the oinion that the
ae!!ee has been on$e in 'eoar,& %or the o%%ense %or +hi$h she is no+ rose$(te,. /t is tr(e that in 0nite, 5tates vs. )a!!entine 74
*hi!., 9:21 1 *hi!iine De$isions 5:5, an, in other s(bse;(ent $ases, in$!(,ing *eo!e vs. )e!isario 7G.R. No. 334198,
1
this $o(rt
ha, he!, that there is no 'eoar,& (nti! the investigation o% the $harges has a$t(a!!& been $ommen$e, b& the $a!!ing o% a +itness1 b(t
+e are no+ $onvin$e, that s($h a vie+ sho(!, be aban,one,. 2here is no rovision or rin$i!e o% !a+ 'eoar,&. A!! that the !a+
re;(ires is that the a$$(se, has been bro(ght to tria! <in a $o(rt o% $ometent '(ris,i$tion, (on a va!i, $om!aint or in%ormation or
other %orma! $harge s(%%i$ient in %orm an, s(bstan$e to s(stain a $onvi$tion, a%ter iss(e roer!& 'oine,.< 0n,er o(r s&stem o%
$rimina! ro$e,(re, iss(e is roer!& 'oine, a%ter the a$$(se, has entere, a !ea o% not g(i!t&. 2he mere $a!!ing o% a +itness +o(!,
not a,, a arti$!e to the ,anger, anno&an$e, an, ve=ation s(%%ere, b& the a$$(se,, a%ter going thro(gh the ro$ess o% being
arreste,, s(b'e$te, to a re!iminar& investigation, arraigne,, an, re;(ire, to !ea, an, stan, tria!.
-o(nse! %or the government, ho+ever, $onten,s that the revio(s $ase bro(ght against the ae!!ee +as ,ismisse, +ith her
$onsent, on the theor& that the hrase <+itho(t the $onsent o% the a$$(se,<, (se, in se$tion 28 o% the -o,e o% -rimina! *ro$e,(re,
sho(!, be $onstr(e, to mean <over the ob'e$tion o% the a$$(se,< or <against the +i!! o% the a$$(se,<. 4e $an not a$$et s($h a
theor&. 4e be!ieve it a so(n, r(!e to !a& ,o+n, that the mere si!en$e o% the ,e%en,ant or his %ai!(re to ob'e$t to the ,ismissa! o% the
$ase ,oes not $onstit(te a $onsent +ithin the meaning o% se$tion 28 o% the -o,e o% -rimina! *ro$e,(re. 2he right not to be (t in
'eoar,& a se$on, time %or the o%%ense is as imortant as the other $onstit(tiona! right o% the a$$(se, in a $rimina! $ase. /ts +aiver
$an not, an, sho(!, not, be re,i$ate, on mere si!en$e.
2an&a >(stine R. )a!,ovino