Doctrine: (In bold)

Topic: Rights of the Accused

Sub-Topic: Right to bail (Sec. 13) -Right not impaired by suspension of privilege of writ of Habeas
Corpus
_____________________________________________________________________________________
[G.R. No. L-61388. April 20, 1983.]

IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION FOR THE ISSUANCE OF THE WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS FOR DR. AURORA
PARONG, NORBERTO PORTUGUESE, SABINO PADILLA, FRANCIS DIVINAGRACIA, IMELDA DE LOS SANTOS,
BENJAMIN PINEDA, ZENAIDA MALLARI, MARIANO SORIANO, TITO TANGUILIG, LETTY BALLOGAN, BIENVENIDA
GARCIA, EUFRONIO ORTIZ, JR., JUANITO GRANADA and TOM VASQUEZ. JOSEFINA GARCIA-PADILLA, Petitioner,
v. MINISTER JUAN PONCE ENRILE, GEN. FABIAN C. VER, GEN. FIDEL V. RAMOS, and LT. COL. MIGUEL CORONEL,
Respondents.

Facts:
Fourteen (14) detainees (hereafter referred to sometimes as petitioners) were all detained at the PC/INP
Command Headquarters, Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya from July 6, 1982 until their transfer on the
morning of August 10, 1982 to an undisclosed place reportedly to Camp Crame, Quezon City, to
Echague, Isabela, and to Tuguegarao, Cagayan.

Hence, this petition for the writ of habeas corpus and mandamus filed by Josefina Garcia-Padilla, mother
of detained petitioner Sabino G. Padilla, Jr. on August 13, 1982. The mandamus aspect of the instant
petition has, however, become moot and academic, and whereabouts of petitioners having already
become known to petitioner Josefina Garcia-Padilla.

The detainees mentioned in the petition, with the exception of Tom Vasquez who was temporarily
released on July 17, 1982, after his arrest on July 15, 1982, are all being detained by virtue of a
Presidential Commitment Order (PCO) issued on July 12, 1982, pursuant to LOI No. 1211 dated March 9,
1982, in relation to Presidential Proclamation No. 2045 dated January 17, 1981. The said PCO was issued
by President Ferdinand E. Marcos for violation of P.D. No. 885. The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus
is unavailing as to them. Courts cannot inquire into the validity and cause of their arrest and detention.