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az 1. 8ernardo was orlglnally charged wlLh 4 counLs of vlolaLlon of 8.. 22 Powever, respondenL llorllLa 8onqulllo-
Concepclon, execuLed an AffldavlL of ueslsLance whlch led Lo Lhe dlsmlssal of 2 cases Lhus leavlng only 2 Lo be
dlsposed.
1he prosecuLlon resLed lLs case and formally offered lLs exhlblLs, afLer presenLlng lLs lasL wlLness.

AfLer Lhe prosecuLlon had formally offered lLs evldence, Lhe accused Lhru hls counsel ask for a reseLLlng, for leave of
courL Lo flle demurrer Lo evldence whlch was denled by Lhe courL and asked hlm Lo presenL hls evldence. Powever,
Lhe counsel was perslsLenL and asked for reconslderaLlon. 8uL Lhe courL remlnded hlm LhaL lf he won'L presenL hls
evldence, he wlll be consldered Lo have walved hls rlghL Lo presenL evldence. 1he counsel resorLed Lo flllng of
demurrer Lo evldence wlLhouL leave of courL buL as menLloned as she lnLended Lo make a wrlLLen demurrer afLer
exLenslve research and wlLh proper auLhorlLles Lo supporL Lhe same, buL Lhe 1rlal CourL consldered her Lo have
walved her rlghL Lo presenL her evldence.

8ernardo flled eLlLlon for cerLlorarl, prohlblLlon and mandamus agalnsL 1rlal CourL as lL commlLLed grave abuse of
dlscreLlon ln conslderlng her Lo have walved her rlghL Lo presenL evldence afLer Lhe denlal of her moLlon for leave Lo
flle demurrer Lo evldence.

+%/0 &1230345. Lhe defense havlng been consldered Lo have walved her rlghL Lo presenL her evldence, Lhls case ls
deemed submlLLed for declslon"

6**7".

W/n Lhe denlal of Lhe flllng of eLlLlon of uemurrer Lo Lvldence by Lhe 1rlal CourL ls proper?

8"9&.

?LS because her move was merely dllaLory."

8uL Lhe rullng of CA ls wrong--- dlrecLlng Lhe Lrlal courL Lo recelve Lhe evldence of Lhe defense afLer lLs moLlon for
leave Lo flle a demurrer Lo evldence was denled. lL ls conLrary Lo Lhe leLLer and splrlL of Sec. 13, 8ule 119, of Lhe 8ules
of CourL.


under Lhe new rule on demurrer Lo evldence Lhe accused has Lhe rlghL Lo flle a demurrer Lo evldence afLer Lhe
prosecuLlon has resLed lLs case. lf Lhe accused obLalned prlor leave of courL before flllng hls demurrer, he can sLlll
presenL evldence lf hls demurrer ls denled. Powever, lf he demurs wlLhouL prlor leave of courL, or afLer hls moLlon for
leave ls denled, he walves hls rlghL Lo presenL evldence and submlLs Lhe case for declslon on Lhe basls of Lhe evldence
for Lhe prosecuLlon. 1hls power Lo granL leave Lo Lhe accused Lo flle a demurrer ls addressed Lo Lhe sound dlscreLlon
of Lhe Lrlal courL. 1he purpose ls Lo deLermlne wheLher Lhe accused ln flllng hls demurrer ls merely sLalllng Lhe
proceedlngs.


8ernardo admlLs LhaL Lhe Lrlal courL denled her moLlon for leave Lo flle a demurrer Lo evldence durlng Lhe hearlng. ln
such case, her only rlghL ls Lo adduce evldence ln her defense. Powever, peLlLloner lnslsLed on flllng a demurrer
lnsLead of presenLlng evldence.

!udlclal acLlon Lo granL prlor leave Lo flle demurrer Lo evldence ls dlscreLlonary upon Lhe Lrlal courL. 8uL Lo allow Lhe
accused Lo presenL evldence afLer he was denled prlor leave Lo flle demurrer ls noL dlscreLlonary. Cnce prlor leave ls
denled and Lhe accused sLlll flles hls demurrer Lo evldence or moLlon Lo dlsmlss, Lhe courL no longer has dlscreLlon Lo
allow Lhe accused Lo presenL evldence. 1he only recourse lefL for Lhe courL ls Lo declde Lhe case on Lhe basls of Lhe
evldence presenLed by Lhe prosecuLlon.

lf Lhere's grave abuse (buL noL presenL ln Lhe lnsLanL case) = Lhe Lrlal courL's denlal of prlor leave Lo flle demurrer Lo
evldence or moLlon Lo dlsmlss may noL be dlsLurbed buL maybe elevaLed Lo Lhe appellaLe courL for revlew.