People vs. Vera [GR 45685, 16 November 1937] First Division, Laurel !

"# 4 $on$ur, % $on$ur in result Facts: &'e (eo)le o* t'e ('ili))ine an+ t'e ,on-.on- an+ /'an-'ai 0an.in1or)oration ,/01", are res)e$tivel2 t'e )lainti** an+ t'e o**en+e+ )art2, an+ 3ariano 1u 4n5ien- is one o* t'e +e*en+ants, in t'e $riminal $ase entitle+ 6&'e (eo)le o* t'e ('ili))ine 7slan+s vs8 3ariano 1u 4n5ien-, et al86 1riminal $ase 4%649" o* t'e 1ourt o* First 7nstan$e 1F7" o* 3anila an+ GR 41%99 o* t'e /u)rme 1ourt8 ,on8 !ose :8 ;era, is t'e !u+-e a+ interim o* t'e sevent' bran$' o* t'e 1ourt o* First 7nstan$e o* 3anila, <'o 'ear+ t'e a))li$ation o* 1u 4n5ien- *or )robation in t'e a*oresai+ $riminal $ase8 &'e in*ormation in t'e sai+ $riminal $ase <as *ile+ <it' t'e 1F7 on 15 :$tober 1931, ,/01 intervenin- in t'e $ase as )rivate )rose$utor8 =*ter a )rotra$te+ trial un)arallele+ in t'e annals o* ('ili))ine 5uris)ru+en$e bot' in t'e len-t' o* time s)ent b2 t'e $ourt as <ell as in t'e volume in t'e testimon2 an+ t'e bul. o* t'e e>'ibits )resente+, t'e 1F7, on 8 !anuar2 1934, ren+ere+ a 5u+-ment o* $onvi$tion senten$in- 1u 4n5ien- to in+eterminate )enalt2 ran-in- *rom 4 2ears an+ % mont's o* )rision $orre$$ional to 8 2ears o* )rision ma2or, to )a2 t'e $osts an+ <it' reservation o* $ivil a$tion to t'e o**en+e+ )art2, ,/018 4)on a))eal, t'e $ourt, on %6 3ar$' 1935, mo+i*ie+ t'e senten$e to an in+eterminate )enalt2 o* *rom 5 2ears an+ 6 mont's o* )rision $orre$$ional to 7 2ears, 6 mont's an+ %7 +a2s o* )rision ma2or, but a**irme+ t'e 5u+-ment in all ot'er res)e$ts8 1u 4n5ien- *ile+ a motion *or re$onsi+eration an+ *our su$$essive motions *or ne< trial <'i$' <ere +enie+ on 17 De$ember 1935, an+ *inal 5u+-ment <as a$$or+in-l2 entere+ on 18 De$ember 19358 1u 4n5ien- t'ereu)on sou-'t to 'ave t'e $ase elevate+ on $ertiorari to t'e /u)reme 1ourt o* t'e 4nite+ /tates but t'e latter +enie+ t'e )etition *or $ertiorari in November, 19368 &'e /u)reme 1ourt, on %4 November 1936, +enie+ t'e )etition subse?uentl2 *ile+ b2 1u 4n5ien- *or leave to *ile a se$on+ alternative motion *or re$onsi+eration or ne< trial an+ t'erea*ter reman+e+ t'e $ase to t'e $ourt o* ori-in *or e>e$ution o* t'e 5u+-ment8 1u 4n5ien- *ile+ an a))li$ation *or )robation on %7 November 1936, be*ore t'e trial $ourt, un+er t'e )rovisions o* =$t 4%%1 o* t'e +e*un$t ('ili))ine Le-islature8 1u 4n5ien- states in 'is )etition, inter alia, t'at 'e is inno$ent o* t'e $rime o* <'i$' 'e <as $onvi$te+, t'at 'e 'as no $riminal re$or+ an+ t'at 'e <oul+ observe -oo+ $on+u$t in t'e *uture8 &'e 1F7 o* 3anila, !u+-e (e+ro &uason )resi+in-, re*erre+ t'e a))li$ation *or )robation o* t'e 7nsular (robation :**i$e <'i$' re$ommen+e+ +enial o* t'e same 18 !une 19378 &'erea*ter, t'e 1F7 o* 3anila, sevent' bran$', !u+-e !ose :8 ;era )resi+in-, set t'e )etition *or 'earin- on 5 =)ril 19378 :n % =)ril 1937, t'e Fis$al o* t'e 1it2 o* 3anila *ile+ an o))osition to

t'e -rantin- o* )robation to 1u 4n5ien-8 &'e )rivate )rose$ution also *ile+ an o))osition on 5 =)ril 1937, alle-in-, amon- ot'er t'in-s, t'at =$t 4%%1, assumint'at it 'as not been re)eale+ b2 se$tion % o* =rti$le @; o* t'e 1onstitution, is nevert'eless violative o* se$tion 1, subse$tion 1", =rti$le 777 o* t'e 1onstitution -uaranteein- e?ual )rote$tion o* t'e la<s *or t'e reason t'at its a))li$abilit2 is not uni*orm t'rou-'out t'e 7slan+s an+ be$ause se$tion 11 o* t'e sai+ =$t en+o<s t'e )rovin$ial boar+s <it' t'e )o<er to ma.e sai+ la< e**e$tive or ot'er<ise in t'eir res)e$tive or ot'er<ise in t'eir res)e$tive )rovin$es8 &'e )rivate )rose$ution also *ile+ a su))lementar2 o))osition on =)ril 19, 1937, elaboratin- on t'e alle-e+ un$onstitutionalit2 on =$t 4%%1, as an un+ue +ele-ation o* le-islative )o<er to t'e )rovin$ial boar+s o* several )rovin$es se$8 1, =rt8 ;7, 1onstitution"8 &'e 1it2 Fis$al $on$urre+ in t'e o))osition o* t'e )rivate )rose$ution e>$e)t <it' res)e$t to t'e ?uestions raise+ $on$ernin- t'e $onstitutionalit2 o* =$t 4%%18 :n %8 !une 1937, !u+-e !ose :8 ;era )romul-ate+ a resolution, $on$lu+in- t'at 1u 4n5ien- 6es ino$ente )or +u+a ra$ional6 o* t'e $rime o* <'i$' 'e stan+s $onvi$te+ b2 t'e /u)reme $ourt in GR 41%99, but +en2in- t'e latterAs )etition *or )robation8 :n 3 !ul2 1937, $ounsel *or 1u 4n5ien- *ile+ an e>$e)tion to t'e resolution +en2in)robation an+ a noti$e o* intention to *ile a motion *or re$onsi+eration8 =n alternative motion *or re$onsi+eration or ne< trial <as *ile+ b2 $ounsel on 13 !ul2 19378 &'is <as su))lemente+ b2 an a++itional motion *or re$onsi+eration submitte+ on 14 !ul2 19378 &'e a*oresai+ motions <ere set *or 'earin- on 31 !ul2 1937, but sai+ 'earin- <as )ost)one+ at t'e )etition o* $ounsel *or 1u 4n5ienbe$ause a motion *or leave to intervene in t'e $ase as ami$i $uriae si-ne+ b2 33 34" attorne2s 'a+ 5ust been *ile+ <it' t'e trial $ourt8 :n 6 =u-ust 1937, t'e Fis$al o* t'e 1it2 o* 3anila *ile+ a motion <it' t'e trial $ourt *or t'e issuan$e o* an or+er o* e>e$ution o* t'e 5u+-ment o* t'is $ourt in sai+ $ase an+ *ort'<it' to $ommit 1u 4n5ien- to 5ail in obe+ien$e to sai+ 5u+-ment8 :n 19 =u-ust 1937, !u+-e ;era issue+ an or+er re?uirin- all )arties in$lu+in- t'e movants *or intervention as ami$i $uriae to a))ear be*ore t'e $ourt on 14 =u-ust 19378 :n t'e lastBmentione+ +ate, t'e Fis$al o* t'e 1it2 o* 3anila move+ *or t'e 'earin- o* 'is motion *or e>e$ution o* 5u+-ment in )re*eren$e to t'e motion *or leave to intervene as ami$i $uriae but, u)on ob5e$tion o* $ounsel *or 1u 4n5ien-, 'e move+ *or t'e )ost)onement o* t'e 'earin- o* bot' motions8 &'e 5u+-e t'ereu)on set t'e 'earin- o* t'e motion *or e>e$ution on %1 =u-ust 1937, but )ro$ee+e+ to $onsi+er t'e motion *or leave to intervene as ami$i $uriae as in or+er8 Cvi+en$e as to t'e $ir$umstan$es un+er <'i$' sai+ motion *or leave to intervene as ami$i $uriae <as si-ne+ an+ submitte+ to $ourt <as to 'ave been 'ear+ on 19 =u-ust 19378 0ut at t'is 5un$ture, ,/01 an+ t'e (eo)le $ame to t'e /u)reme 1ourt on e>traor+inar2 le-al )ro$ess to )ut an en+ to <'at t'e2 alle-e+ <as an interminable )ro$ee+in- in t'e 1F7 o* 3anila <'i$' *ostere+ 6t'e $am)ai-n o* t'e +e*en+ant 3ariano 1u 4n5ien- *or +ela2 in t'e

e>e$ution o* t'e senten$e im)ose+ b2 t'is ,onorable 1ourt on 'im, e>)osin- t'e $ourts to $riti$ism an+ ri+i$ule be$ause o* t'e a))arent inabilit2 o* t'e 5u+i$ial ma$'iner2 to ma.e e**e$tive a *inal 5u+-ment o* t'is $ourt im)ose+ on t'e +e*en+ant 3ariano 1u 4n5ien-86 &'e s$'e+ule+ 'earin- be*ore t'e trial $ourt <as a$$or+in-l2 sus)en+e+ u)on t'e issuan$e o* a tem)orar2 restrainin- or+er b2 t'e /u)reme 1ourt on %1 =u-ust 19378 Issue: D'et'er t'e (eo)le o* t'e ('ili))ines, t'rou-' t'e /oli$itor General an+ Fis$al o* t'e 1it2 o* 3anila, is a )ro)er )art2 in )resent $ase8 Held: EC/8 &'e (eo)le o* t'e ('ili))ines, re)resente+ b2 t'e /oli$itorBGeneral an+ t'e Fis$al o* t'e 1it2 o* 3anila, is a )ro)er )art2 in t'e )resent )ro$ee+in-s8 &'e un$'allen-e+ rule is t'at t'e )erson <'o im)u-ns t'e vali+it2 o* a statute must 'ave a )ersonal an+ substantial interest in t'e $ase su$' t'at 'e 'as sustaine+, or <ill sustaine+, +ire$t in5ur2 as a result o* its en*or$ement8 7t -oes <it'out sa2int'at i* =$t 4%%1 reall2 violates t'e $onstitution, t'e (eo)le o* t'e ('ili))ines, in <'ose name t'e )resent a$tion is brou-'t, 'as a substantial interest in 'avin- it set asi+e8 :* -reater im)ort t'an t'e +ama-e $ause+ b2 t'e ille-al e>)en+iture o* )ubli$ *un+s is t'e mortal <oun+ in*li$te+ u)on t'e *un+amental la< b2 t'e en*or$ement o* an invali+ statute8 ,en$e, t'e <ellBsettle+ rule t'at t'e state $an $'allen-e t'e vali+it2 o* its o<n la<s8