184 Bautista v. Sarmiento

FE J. and Milagros Corpus 184 BAUTISTA v. Hon. Malcolm G. SARMIENTO [G.R. No. L-45137 !"p#"m$"r %3& 1'(5 ] TOPIC) *urd"n o+ ,roo+  !"c. 1& Rul" 131 PONENTE) CE/0!& J. AUTHOR ) J0NN0  2"n a prima +aci" cas" is "s#a$lis"d $ #" pros"cu#ion in a criminal cas"& #" $urd"n o+ proo+  do"s no# si+# #o #" d"+"ns". Ho"6"r& #" a6" #" $urd"n o+ "6id"nc" #" mus# pr"s"n# "6id"nc" #o $alanc" a# #"  pros"cu#ion pr"s"n#"d. pr"s"n#"d. FACTS: 1. 0n informaion !"ar#in# F" BAUTISTA Milagros Corpus and "r"si#a /"rg"r" $i" %&afa $a& fi'%( )%for% "% &a'a of *+(#% Malcolm G. !0RM8EN9 a# #" CF8 o+ ,ampanga *ranc 1. ,. " #ird accus"d& "r"si#a /"rg"r"& as gran#"d a s"para#" #rial. -. o pro6" i#s cas"& #" ro&%!+ion r%&%n%( (+rin# "% ria' "% riva% !om'ainan& /r. L"#icia C. 0AP 0AP as i#s on' $in%&&. 4. *"li"6ing #" pros"cu#ion +ail"d #o pro6" #"ir guil# $"ond r"asona$l" dou$#&  p"#i#ion"rs *08!0 *08!0 mov%( o (i&mi&&a' #" cas"  ) $a of (%m+rr%r o "% %vi(%n!%. 2. 8n an 9rd"r da#"d Jun" 3& 1'7: r"spond"n# *U/3E SARMIENTO (%ni%( &ai( moion. 1 " 9rd"r s#a#"s) " grounds all"g"d in #" Mo#ion #o ;ismiss +il"d $  *08!0 and Corpus ar" as +ollos) Firs#& #" in+orma#ion all"g"s #a# #" #o accus"d r"c"i6"d <""lri"s +rom ;r. L"#icia C. =ap =ap on 0pril 1'& 1'75 on consignm"n#. " d"+"ns"> con#"n#ion is #a# #" <""lri"s "r" r"c"i6"d $ #" said accus"d $ 6ir#u" o+ purcas" and sal". " d"+"ns" o6"rloo?s #" o#"r all"ga#ion in #" 8n+or ma#ion sp"ci+icall all"ging)@  a# #"s" pi"c"s o+ <""lri"s sould $" sold $ #" accus"d on commission $asis and #o pa  or #o d"li6"r #" proc""ds #"r"o+ #o ;r. L"#icia C. =ap i+ sold  i+  sold & and i+ no# sold #o r"#urn said <""lri"s. ... 8n spi#" o+ r"pr"s"n#"d d"mands mad" on #" said accus"d& said accus"d +ail"d and r"+us"d and s#ill +ails and r"+us"s #o r"#urn #"  <""lri"s or d"li6"r d"li6"r #" proc""ds #"r"o+ #"r"o+ #o #" damag" and pr"s La ;ic#ionar B/ol. B/ol. 1& pp. :1'-:%A " o++"nd"d par# #"s#i+i"d #a# #" accus"d ac#"d as "r agents +or agents +or #" sal" o+ #" <""lri"s. !"cond ground& #a# #" pros"cu#ion +ail"d #o "s#a$lis #" prior #" prior demand #o pro6" misappropria#ion on #" par# o+ #" accus"d. Exhibits accus"d. Exhibits B and B-1 ar" B-1  ar" docum"n#ar "6id"nc" #o "s#a$lis d"mand #roug 0##. 0##. Gorosp" mad" $ #" o++"nd"d par# prior #o #" +iling o+ #" cas". is l"##"r o+ d"mand as su$s"Du"n#l mad" a+#"r s"6"ral pr"6ious oral d"mands "r" mad" $ #" complainan# on said accus"d. " Co+r )%'i%v%& "a "% ro&%!+ion ro&%!+ion %&a)'i&"%( a rima fa!i% !a&% of E&afa a''%#%( in "% Informaion a#ain& a#ain& &ai( a!!+&%( on #" "6id"nc" pr"s"n#"d so +ar on r"cord. PREMISES CONSI/ERE/ "% Co+r "%r%) (%ni%& "% (%f%n&%5 Moion o /i&mi&& and ord"rs #" #rial o+ #is cas" +or #" r"c"p#ion o+ "6id"nc" o+ #" accus"d on Jul '& 1'7: a# ()AA o>cloc? in #" morning.

!9 9R;ERE;.

6. *08!0 and Corpus dul +il"d a Mo#ion +or R"consid"ra#ion& $u# #is as li?"is" d"ni"d +or lac? o+ m"ri#& "nc"& #is p"#i#ion. 7. *08!0 and Corpus con#"nds)

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J;GE !0RM8EN9 los#
ISSUES9) 2"#"r #" +inding $ Judg" !0RM8EN9 #a# #" pros"cu#ion "s#a$lis"d a prima +aci" cas" o+ "s#a+a agains# *08!0 and Corpus& si+#"d #" $urd"n o+ proo+ #o #" d"+"ns".

HE/) N9& "n a prima +aci" cas" is "s#a$lis"d $ #" pros"cu#ion in a criminal cas"& # "% )+r(%n of roof (o%& no &"if o "% (%f%n&% i# r"mains i# #" pros"cu#ion. H92E/ER& i i& "% )+r(%n of %vi(%n!% $"i!" &"if& from ar o ar (%%n(in# +on "% %;i#%n!i%& of "% !a&% in #" cours" o+ #" #rial. is $urd"n o+ going +orard i# #" "6id"nc" is m"# $ "6id"nc" ic $alanc"s #a# in#roduc"d $ #" pros"cu#ion. "n #" $urd"n si+#s $ac?.

8n #" cas" a# $ar& #" ord"r d"ning *08!0 and Corpis mo#ion #o dismiss& r"Duir"d #"m #o pr"s"n# #"ir "6id"nc". " r"+us"d andIor +ail"d #o do so. is
RATIO)

1. !inc" #" d"nial o+ #" mo#ion #o dismiss as ancor"d on a +inding o+ a prima +aci" cas"& a cl"ar und"rs#anding o+  #" #"rm and i#s implica#ions is in ord"r. 0 prima +aci" cas" is #a# amoun# o+ "6id"nc" ic ould $" su++ici"n# #o coun#"r-$alanc" #" g"n"ral  pr"sump#ion o+ innoc"nc"& and arran# a con6ic#ion& i+ no# "ncoun#"r"d and con#roll"d $ "6id"nc" #"nding #o con#radic# i#& and r"nd"r i# impro$a$l"& or #o pro6" o#"r +ac#s inconsis#"n# i# i#& and #" "s#a$lism"n# o+ a  prima +aci" cas" do"s no# #a?" aa #" pr"sump#ion o+ innoc"nc" ic ma in #" opinion o+ #"
"r" is no d"ning #a# in a criminal cas"& unl"ss #" guil# o+ #" accus"d is "s#a$lis"d $ proo+ $"ond r"asona$l" dou$#& " is "n#i#l"d #o an acDui##al. *u# "n #" #rial cour# d"ni"s p"#i#ion"rs> mo#ion #o dismiss $ a o+ d"murr"r #o "6id"nc" on #" ground #a# #" pros"cu#ion ad "s#a$lis"d a prima +aci" cas" agains# #"m& #" assum" a d"+ini#" $urd"n. 8# $"com"s incum$"n# upon p"#i#ion"rs #o adduc" "6id"nc" #o m""# and nulli+& i+ no# o6"r#ro& #" prima +aci" cas" agains# #"m. is is du" #o #" si+# in #" $urd"n o+ "6id"nc"& and no# o+ #"  $urd"n o+ proo+ as p"#i#ion"rs ould s""m #o $"li"6".

%. <"%n a rima fa!i% !a&% i& %&a)'i&"%( ) "% ro&%!+ion in a criminal cas"& as in #" cas" a# $ar& #" )+r(%n of roof (o%& no &"if o "% (%f%n&%. 8# r"mains #rougou# #" #rial i# #" par# upon om i# is impos"d@  #" pros"cu#ion.

3. I i& "% )+r(%n of %vi(%n!% $"i!" &"if& from ar o ar (%%n(in# +on "% %;i#%n!i%& of "% !a&% in #" cours" o+ #" #rial. 8 is $urd"n o+ going +orard i# #" "6id"nc" is m"# $ "6id"nc" ic $alanc"s #a#

in#roduc"d $ #" pros"cu#ion. "n #" $urd"n si+#s $ac?.

4. 0 rima fa!i% !a&% n%%( no )% !o+n%r%( ) a r%on(%ran!% of %vi(%n!% nor ) %vi(%n!% of #r%a%r $%i#". ;"+"ndan#>s "6id"nc" ic "Duali"s #" "ig# o+ plain#i++>s "6id"nc" or pu#s #" cas" in "Duipois" is su++ici"n#. 0s a r"sul#& plain#i++ ill a6" #o go +orard i# #" proo+. !ould i# app"n #a# a# #" #rial #" "ig# o+ "6id"nc" is "Duall $alanc"d or a# "Duili$rium and pr"sump#ions op"ra#" agains# plain#i++ o as #" $urd"n o+   proo+& " canno# pr"6ail. =

5. 8n #" cas" a# $ar& #" ord"r d"ning p"#i#ion"rs> mo#ion #o dismiss& r"Duir"d #"m #o pr"s"n# #"ir "6id"nc". " r"+us"d andIor +ail"d #o do so. is "6id"nc"& ra#"r #an on #" s#r"ng# o+ #" pros"cu#ion>s on "6id"nc" in r"sol6ing #"ir guil# or innoc"nc"& 2" +ind p"#i#ion"rs> a+or"said su$mission u##"rl d"6oid o+ m"ri#. !uc a proc"dur" +inds suppor# in #" cas" o+ 0r$riol 6s. Hom"r"s 1> "r"in " "ld #a#@   No #a# #" Go6"rnm"n# canno# app"al in criminal cas"s i+ #" d"+"ndan# ould $" plac"d #"r"$ in dou$l" <"opard B!"c. %& Rul" 11(& #" dismissal o+ #" cas" +or insu++ici"nc o+ #" "6id"nc" a+#"r #" pros"cu#ion as r"s#"d #"rmina#"s #" cas" #"n and #"r". But if the motion for dismissal is denied, the court should proceed to hear the evidence for the defense before entering  judgment regardless of whether or not the defense had reserved its Tight to present evidence in the event its motion for dismissal be denied  " r"ason is #a# i# is #" cons#i#u#ional rig# o+ #" accus"d #o $" "ard in is d"+"ns" $"+or" s"n#"nc" is pronounc"d on im. 9+ cours" i+ #" accus"d as no "6id"nc" #o pr"s"n# or "Kpr"ssl ai6"s #" rig# #o pr"s"n# i#& #" cour# as no al#"rna#i6"  $u# #o d"cid" #" cas" upon #" "6id"nc" pr"s"n#"d $ #" pros"cu#ion alon". BEmpasis suppli"d 2HEREF9RE& +inding #" ord"r complain"d o+ #o $" "ll-#a?"n and #"r" $"ing no gra6" a$us" o+ discr"#ion #a# a##"nd"d i#s issuanc"& #" ins#an#  p"#i#ion is ;8!M8!!E; i# cos#s agains# p"#i#ion"rs. " ,r"siding Judg" o+ #" R"gional rial Cour# o+ ,ampanga "r" #is cas" is no assign"d& is "r"$ ord"r"d #o con#inu" imm"dia#"l i# #" #rial o+ Criminal Cas" No. (A( un#il i#s +inal disposi#ion. !9 9R;ERE;.

CASE A
<"%n a rima fa!i% !a&% i& %&a)'i&"%( ) "% ro&%!+ion in a criminal cas"& as in #" cas" a# $ar& #" )+r(%n of roof (o%& no &"if o "% (%f%n&%. 8# r"mains #rougou# #" #rial i# #" par# upon om i# is impos"d@#" pros"cu#ion .

I i& "% )+r(%n of %vi(%n!% $"i!" &"if& from ar o ar (%%n(in# +on "% %;i#%n!i%& of "% !a&% in #" cours" o+ #" #rial. 8 is $urd"n o+ going +orard i# #" "6id"nc" is m"# $ "6id"nc" ic $alanc"s #a# in#roduc"d $ #"  pros"cu#ion. "n #" $urd"n si+#s $ac?.