Facts:
On 10 July 1997, Alfie Lorenzo, Lorenzo, Allen Allen Macasae Macasaet, t, Nicolas Nicolas Quijano, Quijano, Jr., Jr., and Roer Roer !ara !arajes jes,, colu" colu"nis nist, t, #u$li #u$lis% s%er er,, "ana "anain in edito editorr, and and edito editor, r, res#ec res#ecti& ti&ely ely of t%e ne's#a ne's#a#er #er “Abante “Abante”” 'ere c%ared $efore t%e Reional (rial )ourt *R()+ of Quezon )ity, 'it% t%e cri"e of li$el. (o '%ic% '%ic% an articl article e is #u$li #u$lis%e s%ed d #u$li #u$licly cly i"#ut i"#utin in a cri"e cri"e,, &ice &ice or defe defect, ct, real real or i"ainary or an act, o"ission, condition, status or circu"stance and causin in &ie' of t%eir #u$lication, discredit and conte"#t u#on t%e #erson of said Joselito Maallanes (rinidad a..a. Joey (rinidad a..a. (oto (rinidad, to %is da"ae and #rejudice. On 1- e#te"$er 1997, #etitioners filed a Motion to /is"iss t%e li$el case on t%e round t%at t%e trial court court did not %a&e jurisdiction jurisdiction o&er t%e offense c%ared. c%ared. Accordin Accordin to #etitioners, as t%e infor"ation infor"ation discloses t%at t%e residence of #ri&ate res#ondent res#ondent 'as in Mariina, t%e R() of Quezon )ity did not %a&e jurisdiction jurisdiction o&er t%e case #ursuant to Article 0 0 of t%e t%e Re&ised Re&ised !enal )ode, to 'it2 (%e cri"inal and ci&il action for da"aes in cases of 'ritten defa"ations as #ro&ided for in t%is c%a#ter, s%all $e filed si"ultaneously or se#arately 'it% t%e )ourt of 3irst 4nstance of t%e #ro&ince or city '%ere t%e li$elous article is #rinted and first #u$lis%ed or '%ere any of t%e offended #arties actually resides at t%e ti"e of t%e co""ission of t%e offense5 4n an Order dated - e#te"$er 1997, 68 Jude 68 Jude ruselas, Jr., ruled t%at :'it% t%e filin of t%e ;Motion to /is"iss,< t%e court considers t%e accused to %a&e a$andoned t%eir ;Motion for Reconsideration and to =it%dra' !lea< and sees no furt%er need to act on t%e sa"e.> On -? No&e"$er 1997, t%e trial court rendered an Order dis"issin t%e case due to lac of jurisdicti jurisdiction. on. (%e court a quo quo noted t%at alt%ou% t%e infor"ation alleed t%e &enue of t%is case falls 'it%in t%e jurisdiction of Quezon )ity, t%e e&idence su$"itted for its consideration consideration indicated indicated ot%er'ise. ot%er'ise. 3irst, t%e editorial editorial $o@ of Abante clearly indicated t%at t%e #ur#orted li$elous article 'as #rinted and first #u$lis%ed in t%e )ity of Manila. 4n addition, t%e trial court relied on t%e follo'in "atters to su##ort its conclusion t%at, indeed, jurisdiction jurisdiction 'as i"#ro#erly laid in t%is case2 a+ on #ae ? of t%e infor"ation, t%e address of #ri&ate res#ondent a##eared to $e t%e one in Mariina )ity alt%ou% ri%t
$elo' it 'as a %and'ritten notation statin :11 ct. Lozano t., aranay acred eart, Q)>B $+ t%e t'o barangay certifications su$"itted $y t%e #etitionersB and c+ t%e Me"orandu" for !reli"inary 4n&estiation and Affida&itC)o"#laint attac%ed to t%e infor"ation '%erein t%e i&en address of #ri&ate res#ondent 'as Mariina )ity. Dndaunted, t%e #u$lic and t%e #ri&ate #rosecutors filed a notice of a##eal $efore t%e court a quo. 4n t%e /ecision no' assailed, t%e )ourt of A##eals re&ersed and set aside t%e trial court and for t%e #ur#ose of deter"inin &enue, actual residence is a #erson
=%et%er or not t%e )ourt of A##eals co""itted a re&ersi$le error in rulin t%at t%e Reional (rial )ourt of Quezon )ity %as territorial Jurisdiction o&er t%e cri"e c%aredF Ruling:
Jurisdiction %as $een defined as :t%e #o'er conferred $y la' u#on a jude or court to try a case t%e conizance of '%ic% $elons to t%e" e@clusi&ely> and it constitutes t%e $asic foundation of judicial #roceedins. (%e ter" deri&es its oriin fro" t'o Latin 'ords G “jus” "eanin la' and t%e ot%er, “dicere” "eanin to declare. (%e ter" %as also $een &aria$ly e@#lained to $e :t%e #o'er of a court to %ear and deter"ine a cause of action #resented to it, t%e #o'er of a court to adjudicate t%e ind of case $efore it, t%e #o'er of a court to adjudicate a case '%en t%e #ro#er #arties are $efore it, and t%e #o'er of a court to "ae t%e #articular decision it is ased to render.>
4n cri"inal actions, it is a funda"ental rule t%at &enue is jurisdictional. (%us, t%e #lace '%ere t%e cri"e 'as co""itted deter"ines not only t%e &enue of t%e action $ut is an essential ele"ent of jurisdiction. (%e la', is "ore #articular in li$el cases. (%e #ossi$le &enues for t%e institution of t%e cri"inal and t%e ci&il as#ects of said case are concisely outlined in Article 0 of t%e Re&ised !enal )ode, as a"ended $y Re#u$lic Act No. ?. 4n A$ayani &. ayo , 'e su""arized t%e foreoin rule in t%e follo'in "anner2 1. =%et%er t%e offended #arty is a #u$lic official or a #ri&ate #erson, t%e cri"inal action "ay $e filed in t%e )ourt of 3irst 4nstance of t%e #ro&ince or city '%ere t%e li$elous article is #rinted and first #u$lis%ed. -. 4f t%e offended #arty is a #ri&ate indi&idual, t%e cri"inal action "ay also $e filed in t%e )ourt of 3irst 4nstance of t%e #ro&ince '%ere %e actually resided at t%e ti"e of t%e co""ission of t%e offense. . 4f t%e offended #arty is a #u$lic officer '%ose office is in Manila at t%e ti"e of t%e co""ission of t%e offense, t%e action "ay $e filed in t%e )ourt of 3irst 4nstance of Manila. ?. 4f t%e offended #arty is a #u$lic officer %oldin office outside of Manila, t%e action "ay $e filed in t%e )ourt of 3irst 4nstance of t%e #ro&ince or city '%ere %e %eld office at t%e ti"e of t%e co""ission of t%e offense. 4n t%e case at $ar, #ri&ate res#ondent 'as a #ri&ate citizen at t%e ti"e of t%e #u$lication of t%e alleed li$elous article, %ence, %e could only file %is li$el suit in t%e )ity of Manila '%ere Abante 'as first #u$lis%ed or in t%e #ro&ince or city '%ere %e actually resided at t%e ti"e t%e #ur#orted li$elous article 'as #rinted. A #erusal, %o'e&er, of t%e infor"ation in&ol&ed in t%is case easily re&eals t%at t%e alleations contained t%erein are utterly insufficient to &est jurisdiction on t%e R() of Quezon )ity. Ot%er t%an #erfunctorily statin :Quezon )ity> at t%e $einnin of t%e infor"ation, t%e assistant city #rosecutor '%o #re#ared t%e infor"ation did not $ot%er to indicate '%et%er t%e jurisdiction of R() Quezon )ity 'as in&oed eit%er $ecause Abante 'as #rinted in t%at #lace or #ri&ate res#ondent 'as a resident of said city at t%e ti"e t%e clai"ed li$elous article ca"e out. As t%ese "atters deal 'it% t%e funda"ental issue of t%e court
defecti&e. adly for #ri&ate res#ondent, t%e infor"ation filed $efore t%e trial court falls 'ay s%ort of t%is reEuire"ent. (%e assistant city #rosecutor
