Valdepenas v.

People

Facts: Ester Ulsano, 17yrs old, assisted by her mother filed forcible abduction with
rape against Valdepenas. CFI found him guilty as charged. CA modified to abduction
with consent. Valdepenas filed an MR & MNT on the finding of minority at time of
occurrence which was granted but on retrial the prior CA ruling was affirmed. 2nd
MR based on lack of jurisdiction of CFI was denied so he filed petition for certiorari.
Petitioner's theory is that no complaint for abduction with consent has been filed
and the lower court acquired no jurisdiction over his person or over the crime of
abduction with consent and had, therefore, no authority to convict him.

Issue: WON CA erred in not reversing CFI for lack of jurisdiction over the person of
the accused and the subject matter of the action for the offense of abduction with
consent?

Ruling: No. Jurisdiction over the person of an accused is acquired upon either his
apprehension, with or without warrant, or his submission to the jurisdiction of the
court. In the case at bar, it is not claimed that petitioner had not been apprehended
or had not submitted himself to the jurisdiction of the court. Indeed, although
brought before the bar of justice as early as January 25, 1956, first, before the then
justice of the peace court of Piat, then before the CFI of Cagayan, later before the CA,
thereafter back to CFI, and then, again, before the CA, never, within the period of six
(6) years had he questioned the judicial authority of any of these three (3) courts
over his person.