REPUBLIC OF THE OF THE PHILIPPINES COURT OF APPEALS CITY OF MANILA THE MATT MATTER ER OF THE THE IN RE: IN THE ISSUANCE OF A WRIT OF HABEAS CORP CORPUS US AGAI AGAINS NST T POCAHONTAS FOR THE RETURN OF THE CUST CUSTOD ODY Y OF THE THE MINO MINOR R CHIL CHILD D JANE SMITH
JOHN SMITH, SMITH, Petitioner,
SPEC. PROC. NO. __________________ FOR. ISSUANCE OF A 7RIT OF
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POCAHONTAS, Res"on#ent$ x ------------------------------------------------------- x
PETITION Petitioner, JOHN SMITH (herein referred to ! the "Petitioner#$, %& nd thro'h the 'nder!ined )o'n!e*, 'nto thi! Honor%*e Co'rt, +o!t re!e)tf'**& er! tht.
PREFATORY STATEMENT The Re!ondent Re!ondent h! %een intention**& o%!tr')tin the Petitioner/! rent* riht! oer their d'hter !in)e her %irth0 hidin her in the Phi*iine! nd edin the r! of 1'!ti)e2
“Prent! he the nt'r* riht, ! 3e** ! the +or* nd *e* d't&, d't&, to )re for their )hi*dren, !ee to their '%rinin nd !fe'rd their %e!t intere!t nd 3e*fre2 Thi! 'thorit& nd re!on!i% !i%i*it& +& not %e 'nd'*& denied the rent!0 neither +& it %e reno'n)ed %& the+2 Een 3hen the rent! re e!trned nd their 4e)tion for e)h other i! *o!t, the tt)h+ent nd fee*in for their o4!rin! inri%*& re+in 'n)hned2 Neither the *3 nor the )o'r )o'rt! t! **o **o3 3 thi! thi! 5ni 5nit& t& to !'4er !'4er %!ent %!ent,, of )o'r!e )o'r!e,, n& re*, re*, re re 6
nd i++inent thret to the 3e**%ein of the )hi*d2#6
PARTIES 62
Petitioner i! )iti8en of the 9ret Britn, of *e* e, !in*e nd re!ident of 6:;6:; B'e8on Cit&, Phi*iine!2
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The Re!ondent POCAHONTAS (herein referred to ! the "Re!ondent#$ i! )iti8en of the Phi*iine!, of *e* e, !in*e nd 3ho!e *!t 'e8on Cit&, Phi*iine!2
;2
Minor JANE SMITH (herein referred to ! " JANE#$ i! the *eiti+te d'hter of the Petitioner nd Re!ondent2 She 3! %orn on :? Fe%r'r& :@6?2 Pre!ent*&, !he i! 'nder the 'n*3f'* )'!tod& of the Re!ondent2 The Re!ondent )ontin'o'!*& rohi%it! the Petitioner fro+ !eein or )ont)tin their d'hter2
FACTS 2
For &er!, the Petitioner h! %een denied h&!i)* i!ittion nd )'!tod& oer hi! d'hter, eretrted %& the Re!ondent2 He h! %een
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The Petitioner, in n tte+t to !ee< he* fro+ the roer 'thoritie! in the Phi*iine!, h! !ent n'+ero'! *etter! to no i*2 A** hi! *e! 3ere +et 3ith def er!2
2
Petitioner, hin no other re)o'r!e, h'+%*& !
DISCUSSION D2
Petitioner, in *in the in!tnt )!e, 3! 'ided %& the fo**o3in r'*in !et %& the S're+e Co'rt in the )!e of Johanna Sombong vs. Court of Appeals ,% to 3it. "In the !e)ond rt of the !+e roi!ion, ho3eer, H%e! Cor'! +& %e re!orted to in )!e! 3here the rihtf'* )'!tod& of n& er!on i! 3ithhe*d fro+ the er!on entit*ed thereto2 Th'!, *tho'h the 3rit of H%e! Cor'! o'ht not to %e i!!'ed if the re!trint i! o*'ntr&, 1 Si*
CA, 92R2 66D:, 6D '*& 6GGD2 2 So+%on 2 CA, 92R2 No2 666D, n'r& ;6, 6GG2 :
3e he he*d ti+e nd in tht the !id 3rit i! the roer *e* re+ed& to en%*e rent! to rein the )'!tod& of +inor )hi*d een if the *tter %e in the )'!tod& of third er!on of her o3n free 3i**2 It +& een %e !id tht in )'!tod& )!e! ino*in +inor!, the 'e!tion of i**e* nd ino*'ntr& re!trint of *i%ert& i! not the 'nder*&in rtion*e for the i*%i*it& of the 3rit ! re+ed&0 rther, the 3rit of h%e! )or'! i! ro!e)'ted for the 'ro!e of deter+inin the riht of )'!tod& oer )hi*d2 The )ontroer!& doe! not ino*e the 'e!tion of er!on* freedo+, %e)'!e n infnt i! re!'+ed to %e in the )'!tod& of !o+eone 'nti* he ttin! +1orit& e2 In !!in on the 3rit in )hi*d )'!tod& )!e, the )o'rt de*! 3ith +tter of n e'it%*e nt're2 Not %o'nd %& n& +ere *e* riht of rent or 'rdin, the )o'rt ie! hi! or her )*i+ to the )'!tod& of the )hi*d d'e 3eiht ! )*i+ fo'nded on h'+n nt're nd )on!idered ener**& e'it%*e nd 1'!t2 Therefore, the!e )!e! re de)ided, not on the *e* riht of the etitioner to %e re*ieed fro+ 'n*3f'* i+ri!on+ent or detention, ! in the )!e of d'*t!, %'t on the )o'rtJ! ie3 of the %e!t intere!t! of tho!e 3ho!e 3e*fre re'ire! tht the& %e in )'!tod& of one er!on or nother2 Hen)e, the )o'rt i! not %o'nd to de*ier )hi*d into the )'!tod& of n& )*i+nt or of n& er!on, %'t !ho'*d, in the )on!idertion of the f)t!, *ee it in !')h )'!tod& ! it! 3e*fre t the ti+e er! to re'ire2 In !hort, the )hi*dJ! 3e*fre i! the !'re+e )on!idertion2#; 2
The S're+e Co'rt in the !+e )!e *id do3n the fo**o3in re'i!ite! for the rnt of the 7rit of H%e! Cor'!, ! fo**o3!.
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"The foreoin rin)i*e! )on!idered, the rnt of the 3rit in the in!tnt )!e 3i** ** deend on the )on)'rren)e of the fo**o3in re'i!ite!. (6$ tht the etitioner h! the riht of )'!tod& oer the +inor0 (:$ tht the rihtf'* )'!tod& of the +inor i! %ein 3ithhe*d fro+ the etitioner %& the re!ondent0 nd (;$ tht it i! to the %e!t intere!t of the +inor )on)erned to %e in the )'!tod& of etitioner nd not tht of the re!ondent2# G2
The Petitioner h! the riht of )'!tod& oer the Prtie!/ +inor )hi*dren2 The F+i*& Code roide! tht rent* 'thorit& oer the )o++on )hi*dren !h** %e 1oint*& exer)i!ed %& the rent!2 Prent* 'thorit& oer the d'hter of the Petitioner nd the Re!ondent !h** %e exer)i!ed %& %oth of the+ ! roided %& Arti)*e :66 of the F+i*& Code, th'!. " Art. 2. The Fther nd the +other !h** 1oint*& exer)i!e rent* 'thorit& oer the er!on! of their )o++on )hi*dren2 In )!e of di!ree+ent, the fther/! de)i!ion !h** rei*, 'n*e!! there i! 1'di)i* order to the )ontrr&2#
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It %ein tht ne i! the )o++on )hi*d of %oth the Petitioner nd the Re!ondent0 %oth rent! he n e'* riht to the )'!tod& of ne2 It i! th'! )*er tht the Re!ondent h! the riht of )'!tod& oer the +inor, %ein the %io*oi)* fther2
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Ho3eer, ! !'5)ient*& nrrted %oe, the Re!ondent h! eretrted the )ontin'ed reention of rent* )'!tod& in!t the Petitioner2 Thro'h *&in to the Co'rt, hidin nd )hnin re!iden)e!, nd *in of +'*ti*e frione! )!e!0 the Re!ondent h! %een %*e to 3ithho*d )'!tod& fro+ the Petitioner2
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F'rther+ore, Arti)*e :6; of the F+i*& Code roide! tht in )!e of !ertion of the rent!, r+o'nt )on!idertion i! the %e!t intere!t of the )hi*d, th'!. "Art. 2132 In )!e of !ertion of the rent!, rent* 'thorit& !h** %e exer)i!ed %& the rent de!inted %& the Co'rt2 The Co'rt !h** t
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'n*e!! the )o'rt nd! )o+e**in re!on! to order other3i!e2#
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In the )!e t %r, it i! tent*& )*er tht the exer)i!e of !o*e )'!tod& of the Re!ondent i! in!t the %e!t intere!t of the )hi*d2 A! 3! er*ier exe+*ied, the Petitioner i! ne*ient in )rin for ne2 The Petitioner, in the fe3 ti+e! he h! !een hi! d'hter, o%!ered tht !he 3! "+*no'ri!hed, !i)< nd &e**o3 3ith 1'ndi)e2#
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F'rther+ore, the Re!ondent/! extr-+rit* indi!)retion! nd inde*it& re %de! tht !he i! indeed i**-t to exer)i!e of rent* 'thorit& oer the )hi*d2 Contin'ed exer)i!e of !o*e )'!tod& %& the Re!ondent i! re*, re nd i++inent thret to the 3e**-%ein of the Petitioner/! d'hter2
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On the other hnd, it 3o'*d %e in the %e!t intere!t of the )hi*d if !o*e )'!tod& oer her %e 3rded to the Petitioner2
%. The Petitioner, ! ne/! %io*oi)* fther, did fo!ter her in re!on%*e exe)ttion to 'ide the )hi*d in *iin *ife of hone!t&, re!e)t, re!on!i%i*it& nd )o+!!ion, tien)e, foriene!! nd enero!it&0 te)hin hi! d'hter to re!e)t the fee*in!, oinion! nd ri)& of other! ! indiid'*!2 &.
It h! %een the Petitioner/! d't& to 'ide hi! d'hter in *ife, to roide di!)i*ine for hi! d'hter in !tr')t'red, )on!i!tent, redi)t%*e nd fir +nner to te)h nd 'ide her in the!e for+tie &er! of hi! )hi*dhood 3hi*e !i+'*tneo'!*& !ho3in the ood '*itie! of firne!! nd foriene!! to hi! d'hter2 Yet thi! d't& i! 'nd'*& reented %& the Re!ondent2
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The %oe-)ited )ir)'+!tn)e! )*er*& !ho3 tht re'i!ite! for the rnt of )'!tod& nd i!!'n)e of 7rit of H%e! Cor'! ! *id do3n in So+%on !2 Co'rt of Ae*! ? re ** re!ent in thi! )!e2 The Chi*d nd Yo'th 7e*fre Code *!o roide! tht. "Articl Chi*dJ! 7e*fre !. Pr+o'nt2 - In ** 'e!tion! rerdin the )re, )'!tod&, ed')tion nd roert& of the )hi*d, hi! 3e*fre !h** %e the r+o'nt )on!idertion2#
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It )o'*d %e *ened fro+ the %oe-'oted roi!ion of *3 tht the 3e*fre nd %e!t intere!t! of the )hi*d !ho'*d %e +de the r+o'nt )on!idertion2 Thi! 'idin rin)i*e 3! reiterted %& the S're+e Co'rt in the )!e of Un!on III !2 Nrro, 3here the S're+e Co'rt he*d tht. in ** )ontroer!ie! rerdin the )'!tod& of +inor!, the !o*e nd fore+o!t )on!idertion i! the h&!i)*, ed')tion, !o)i* nd +or* 3e*fre of the )hi*d I#$ 6 Un!on III 2 Nrro, 6@6 SCRA 6;, Noe+%er 6D, 6G@2 5
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)on)erned, t
The S're+e Co'rt f'rther he*d in the )!e of Re&n*do E!irit' !2 Co'rt of Ae*!D tht. "In !)ertinin the 3e*fre nd %e!t intere!t! of the )hi*d, )o'rt! re +ndted %& the F+i*& Code to t
2. The Petitioner h! %een denied hi! rent* riht for !o +n& &er! %& the Re!ondent, nd th'! he *e! thi! in!tnt Petition ! he h! no other re)o'r!e %'t to !ee< the interention of thi! Honor%*e Co'rt2 ::2
In ie3 thereof, the Petitioner re!e)tf'**& !'%+it! tht the %e!t intere!t of hi! d'hter i! %e!t !ered if )'!tod& i! 3rded to hi+2 Thi! i! e!e)i**& !o !in)e the Re!ondent i! 'nt to t
PRAYER
7HEREFORE, re+i!e! )on!idered, it i! +o!t re!e)tf'**& r&ed tht fter the *in of thi! in!tnt Petition, 7rit of H%e! Cor'! %e i!!'ed in!t the Re!ondent, dire)tin the *tter to de*ier to thi! Honor%*e Co'rt, the )'!tod& of +inor )hi*d JANE SMITH2
7 E!irit' 8
2 C2A2, 92R2 No2 66?@, Mr)h 6?, 6GG?2
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Therefter, it i! *i
Other +e!'re! of re*ief 1'!t nd e'it%*e 'nder the re+i!e! re *i'e8on Cit& for the Cit& of Mni*, :D n'r& :@6G2
For.
THE LA" OFFICE Conse& 'or t(e Petitioner Unit :; Pe!'! B'*din, >'e8on Cit&, Phi*iine! #$% &ASTON NEMODORY Ro** No2 6;:@
COMPLIANCE'E(PLANATION In )o+*in)e 3ith Se)tion 66, R'*e 6; of the R'*e! of Co'rt, the foreoin Ptiti)* +)r I-*c )+ "rit )+ H/ C)r0- i! *ed er!on**&2
&ASTON NEMODORY
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