Dacudao v. DOJ Digest G.R. No. 188056

TOPIC CASE CA SE TITLE ITLE G.R. NO. DATE PONENTE

: RIGHT

TO EQUAL PROTECTION OF THE LAWS : Sps. Augusto and Ofela !a"udao #. Se"$eta$% of &ust"e Raul '. Gon(ales :  )**+,: &anua$% * /+)0 : &ust"e 1e$sa2n

FACTS

He$en spouses 3e$e a2ong t4e n#esto$s 34o2 Celso G. !elos Angeles &$. and 4s asso"ates n t4e Lega"% G$oup of Co2panes 5Lega"% G$oup6 allegedl% def$auded t4$oug4 t4e Lega"% G$oup7s 89u% 9a":  ag$ee2ent8 t4at ea$ned t4e2 "4e": pa%2ents t4at 3e$e ds4ono$ed. Afte$ t4e$ 3$tten de2ands fo$ t4e $etu$n of t4e$ n#est2ents 3ent un4eeded t4e% ntated a nu29e$ of "4a$ges fo$ s%nd"ated estafa aganst !elos Angeles Angeles &$. et al. n t4e Off"e of t4e Ct% P$ose"uto$ of !a#ao Ct% on Fe9$ua$% - /++;. On 'a$"4 )* /++; t4e Se"$eta$% of &ust"e ssued !epa$t2ent O$de$ No. )*/ 5!O No. )*/6 d$e"tng all Regonal State P$ose"uto$s P$o#n"al P$ose"uto$s and Ct% P$ose"uto$s to fo$3a$d all "ases al$ead% fled aganst !elos Angeles Angeles &$. et al. to t4e Se"$eta$at of t4e !O& Spe"al Panel n 'anla f o$ app$op$ate a"ton e<"ept t4at of "ases fled n Caga%an de O$o Ct% 34"4 s "o#e$ed 9% anot4e$ !O& 'e2o$andu2 dated 'a$"4 / /++; 5'a$"4 / 'e2o$andu2 'e2o$andu26. 6. Pu$suant Pu$suant to !O No. )*/ t4e "o2plant "o2plantss of t4e spouses spouses 3e$e fo$3a$ded 9% t4e Off"e of t4e Ct% P$ose"uto$ of !a#ao Ct% to t4e Se"$eta$at of t4e Spe"al Panel of t4e !O&. Agg$e#ed 9% su"4 tu$n of e#ents t4e spouses 4a#e d$e"tl% "o2e to t4e Sup$e2e Cou$t #a petton fo$  "e$to$a$ p$o49ton and 2anda2us and $ase as ssue a2ong ot4e$s t4at t4e 'a$"4 / 'e2o$andu2 #olated t4e$ $g4t to e=ual p$ote"ton unde$ t4e Consttuton sn"e t e
W4et4 W4et4e$ e$ t4e =uest =uestone oned d !epa$t !epa$t2e 2ent nt O$de$ O$de$ and 'e2o$a 'e2o$andu ndu2 2 #olat #olatee t4e spous spouses> es> $g4t $g4t to e=ual e=ual  p$ote"ton of t4e la3s. la3s. RULING

T4e Sup$e2e Cou$t negates. T4e e=ual p$ote"ton "lause of t4e Consttuton does not $e=u$e t4e un#e$sal appl"aton of t4e la3s to all pe$sons o$ t4ngs 3t4out dstn"ton? 34at t $e=u$es s s2pl% e=ualt% a2ong e=uals as dete$2ned a""o$dng to a #ald "lassf"aton. Hen"e t4e Cou$t 4as aff$2ed t4at f a la3 net4e$ 9u$dens a funda2ental $g4t no$ ta$gets a suspe"t "lass t4e "lassf"aton stands as long as t  9ea$s a $atonal $elatons4p to so2e legt2ate go#e$n2ent end. T4at s t4e stuaton n t4e nstant "ase. In ssung t4e assaled !O& 'e2o$andu2 dated 'a$"4 / /++; t4e Se"$eta$% of &ust"e too: nto a""ount t4e $elat#e dstan"e 9et3een Caga%an de O$o 34e$e 2an% "o2planants aganst t4e Lega"% G$oup $esded and 'anla 34e$e t4e p$el2na$% n#estgatons 3ould 9e "ondu"ted 9% t4e spe"al panel. He also too: nto a""ount t4at t4e "ases 4ad al$ead% 9een fled n t4e Ct% P$ose"uto$>s Off"e of Caga%an de O$o at t4e t2e 4e ssued !O No. )*/. G#en t4e "onsde$a9le nu29e$ of "o2planants $esdng n Caga%an de O$o Ct% t4e Se"$eta$% of &ust"e 3as full% @ustfed n e<"ludng t4e "ases "o22en"ed n Caga%an de O$o f$o2 t4e a29t of !O No. )*/. T4e "lassf"aton ta:en nto "onsde$aton 9% t4e Se"$eta$% of &ust"e 3as $eall% #ald. Resultantl% t4e spouses "ould not n=u$e nto t4e 3sdo2 9e4nd t4e e petton petton fo$ la": of 2e$t.