DE OCAMPO v. SECRETARY OF JUSTICE G.R. No. 147932; 25 January 2006 Carpio, J. FACTS: Magdalena a!arra "Magdalena# e$e!u%ed a &'orn &%a%e(en% )e*ore %+e o(en-& e& o* %+e C/ /oli!e %a%ion in a%a&an ill&, C o* an in!iden% %+a% +appened on 4 e!e()er 1999 %o +er 9year old &on, Ronald. +e narra%ed %+a% Ronald arried +o(e a% around 6/M !o(plaining !o(plaining a)ou% diine&& '+i!+ 'a& een%ually *ollo'ed )y o(i%ing. Ronald &aid %+a% +i& %ea!+er, %ea!+er, pe%i%ioner aila e 8!a(po, )anged )anged +u& +ead again&% again&% %+a% o* +i& !la&&(a%e !la&&(a%e,, orendo orendo 8rayan "orendo# "orendo#.. pon in&pe!%ion in&pe!%ion,, Magdalena &a' a 'oundle&& !on%u&ion in +i& +ead. e 'a& %+en )roug+% %o an al)ularyo. :+e *ollo'ing (orning, Ronald 'a& )roug+% %o %+e a&% <enue Medi!al Cen%er *or $ray. :+e a%%ending p+y&i!ian in*or(ed Magdalena Magdalena %+a% Ronald-& Ronald-& +ead +ad a *ra!%ure * ra!%ure.. e died 4 day& a*%er. orendo orendo al&o e$e!u%ed a &'orn &%a%e(en% narra%ing +o' pe%i%ioner )anged +i& +ead again&% Ronald-&. uring %+e in=ue&% pro!eeding& on 14 e!e()er 1999, i% 'a& ruled %+a% eiden!e 'arran%& %+e relea&e o* pe%i%ioner *or *ur%+er ine&%iga%ion o* %+e !+arge& again&% +er. :+e !a&e i& no% proper *or in=ue&% a& %+e in!iden% !o(plained o* +appened on e!e()er 4. >ur%+er, i% i& *ound %+a% %+e eiden!e 'a& in&u**i!ien% %o &uppor% %+e !+arge *or +o(i!ide again&% +er. :+ere i& no !on!re%e eiden!e %o &+o' proo* %+a% %+e alleged )anging o* %+e +ead& o* %+e %'o (inor i!%i(& !ould )e %+e a!%ual and pro$i(a%e !au&e o* Ronald. u)&e=uen%ly %+e !a&e 'a& re*erred *or preli(inary ine&%iga%ion. orendo-& (o%+er, rlinda 8rayan "rlinda# alleged %+a% e 8!a(po o**ered +er /100,000 '+i!+ &+e ini%ially a!!ep%ed, *or +er and +er &on-& &on-& nona nonapp ppea earan ran!e !e a% %+e preli preli(i (inar nary y ine&% ine&%ig iga%i a%ion on.. rlind rlinda a pre&e pre&en%e n%ed d %+e (one (oney y %o %+e ine&%iga%ing pro&e!u%or. Jennilyn uirong, '+o 'i%ne&&ed %+e +ead)anging in!iden%, and Melanie ugale& ugale&,, '+o !lai(ed %o )e ano%+er ano%+er i!%i( o* pe%i%ion pe%i%ioner-& er-& alleged !ruel deed&, *iled %+eir &'orn &'orn &%a%e(en%& 'i%+ %+e 8**i!e o* %+e ueon Ci%y /ro&e!u%or. ?n +er !oun%era* !oun%era**ida *idai%, i%, e 8!a(po 8!a(po inoed inoed %+e di&po&i%i di&po&i%ion on o* %+e in=ue&% in=ue&% pro&e!u%or pro&e!u%or *inding *inding in&u**i!ien% eiden!e %o &uppor% %+e !+arge& again&% +er. +e a&&ailed %+e o(i&&ion in Magdalena-& &'orn &%a%e(en% a)ou% Ronald@& +ead inAury due %o a e+i!ular a!!iden% in Noe()er 1997. /e%i%ioner poin%ed ou% %+e a)&en!e o* da(ageBinAury on orendo a& )orne ou% )y +i& (edi!al !er%i*i!a%e. +e !on%ended %+a% %+e +ead)anging in!iden% 'a& no% %+e pro$i(a%e !au&e o* Ronald@& dea%+, )u% %+e *ailed (edi!al a%%en%ion or (edi!al negligen!e. negligen!e. /e%i%ioner al&o alleged %+a% uirong and ugale& +ae i((a%ure per!ep%ion. /e%i%ioner *ur%+er a&&er%ed %+a% %+e !au&e& o* dea%+ &%a%ed in Ronald@& ea%+ Cer%i*i!a%e are +ear&ay and inad(i&&i)le in %+e preli(inary ine&%iga%ion. Ronald@& ea%+ Cer%i*i!a%e &+o'& %+e i((edia%e !au&e o* +i& dea%+ a& Cardio /ul(onary
:+e 8J e!re%ary up+eld %+e ine&%iga%ing pro&e!u%or@& *inding %+a% Ronald@& inAury 'a& %+e dire!% and na%ural re&ul% o* pe%i%ioner@& a!% o* )anging Ronald-& and orendo-& +ead&. :+e 8J e!re%ary &%a%ed %+a% pe%i%ioner neer denied &u!+ a!%, (aing +er re&pon&i)le *or all i%& !on&e=uen!e& een i* %+e i((edia%e !au&e o* Ronald@& dea%+ 'a& allegedly %+e *ailed (edi!al a%%en%ion or (edi!al negligen!e. :+e 8J e!re%ary al&o +eld %+a% a&&u(ing %+ere 'a& *ailure o* (edi!al a%%en%ion or (edi!al negligen!e, %+e&e ine**i!ien% in%erening !au&e& did no% )rea %+e rela%ion o* %+e *elony !o((i%%ed and %+e re&ul%ing inAury. :+u&, %+e !lai( %+a% &+e i& inno!en% a& +eld )y %+e in=ue&% pro&e!u%or 'a& reAe!%ed.
