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Supreme Court
Manila
SECOND DIVISION
DECISION
BRION, J.:
Before the Court is a petition for certiorari under Rule 65[1] filed by
Fernando Q. Miguel (petitioner), assailing the January 25, 2006 and March 27,
2006 resolutions[2] of the Sandiganbayan. These resolutions (i) ordered the
petitioners suspension from public office and (ii) denied the petitioners motion for
reconsideration of the suspension order.
In a June 27, 1996 order, the Ombudsman directed the petitioner, among
others, to submit his counter-affidavit. On October 23, 1996, after moving for an
extension, the petitioner filed his counter-affidavit.[7] In its July 29, 1999
resolution, the Ombudsman found probable cause against the petitioner and some
private individuals for violation of R.A. No. 3019 and against the petitioner alone
for Falsification of Public Document under Article 171, par. 4 of the Revised Penal
Code.[8]
Despite the extension period asked and given, the petitioner failed to file his
counter-affidavit, prompting Prosecutor Norberto B. Ruiz to declare that the
petitioner had waived his right to submit countervailing evidence (April 25, 2001
resolution). On July 31, 2001, then Ombudsman Aniano Desierto approved the
resolution.[16]
On November 3, 2004, the petitioner was arraigned; he pleaded not guilty in both
criminal cases.[19]
On April 28, 2005, the OSP filed a Motion to Suspend [the petitioner] Pendente
Lite. On June 27, 2005, the petitioner filed his Vigorous Opposition based on the
obvious and fatal defect of the [i]nformation in failing to allege that the giving of
unwarranted benefits and advantages was done through manifest partiality, evident
bad faith or gross inexcusable negligence.[20]
THE PETITION
The petitioner claims that the Sandiganbayan gravely abused its discretion in
ordering his suspension despite the failure of the information to allege that the
giving of unwarranted benefits and advantages by the petitioner was made through
manifest partiality, evident bad faith or gross inexcusable negligence. He alleges
that the phrases evident bad faith and manifest partiality actually refers not to him,
but to his co-accused,[25] rendering the information fatally defective.
The petitioner bewails the lack of hearing before the issuance of his
suspension order. Citing Luciano, et al. v. Hon. Mariano, etc., et al.,[26] he claims
that [n]owhere in the records of the [case] can [one] see any order or resolution
requiring the [p]etitioner to show cause at a specific date of hearing why he should
not be ordered suspended.[27] For the petitioner, the requirement of a pre-
suspension hearing can only be satisfied if the Sandiganbayan ordered an actual
hearing to settle the defect in the information.
The OSP argues for the sufficiency of the information since all the elements of the
offense under Section 3(b) of R.A. No. 3019 are specifically pleaded by way of
ultimate facts. These elements are:
The OSP faults the petitioner for his attempt to mislead the Court on the
sufficiency of the allegations in the information, by conveniently failing to cite the
phrase acting with evident bad faith and manifest partiality when the petitioner
quoted the relevant portions of the information in his petition.
Citing Juan v. People,[29] the OSP argues that while no actual pre-suspension
hearing was conducted, the events preceding the issuance of the suspension order
already satisfied the purpose of conducting a pre-suspension hearing i.e., basically,
to determine the validity of the information. Here, the petitioner was afforded his
right to preliminary investigation both by the Ombudsman and by the OSP (when
the petitioner moved for a reinvestigation with the Sandiganbayan); the acts for
which the petitioner was charged constitute a violation of R.A. No. 3019 and Title
VII, Book II of the Revised Penal Code; and the petitioner already moved to quash
the information, although unsuccessfully, after he had been declared to have
waived his right to submit countervailing evidence in the reinvestigation by the
OSP.[30]
ISSUES
We dismiss the petition for failure to establish any grave abuse of discretion
in the issuance of the assailed resolutions.
The information for violation of R.A. No. 3019 is
valid
Notably, in his petition, the petitioner would have us believe that this
elemental phrase was actually omitted in the information[35] when, in his reaction to
the OSPs comment, what the petitioner actually disputes is simply the clarity of the
phrases position, in relation with the other averments in the information. Given the
supposed ambiguity of the subject being qualified by the phrase acting with
evident bad faith and manifest partiality, the remedy of the petitioner, if at all, is
merely to move for a bill of particulars and not for the quashal of an information
which sufficiently alleges the elements of the offense charged.[36]
The pre-suspension order is valid
(c) upon the filing of such information, the trial court should issue an
order with proper notice requiring the accused officer to show cause at a
specific date of hearing why he should not be ordered suspended from office
pursuant to the cited mandatory provisions of the Act. Where either the
prosecution seasonably files a motion for an order of suspension or the
accused in turn files a motion to quash the information or challenges the
validity thereof, such show-cause order of the trial court would no longer be
necessary. What is indispensable is that the trial court duly hear the parties at a
hearing held for determining the validity of the information, and thereafter hand
down its ruling, issuing the corresponding order of suspension should it uphold
the validity of the information or withholding such suspension in the contrary
case.
(d) No specific rules need be laid down for such pre-suspension hearing.
Suffice it to state that the accused should be given a fair and adequate
opportunity to challenge the validity of the criminal proceedings against him,
e.g. that he has not been afforded the right of due preliminary investigation; that
the acts for which he stands charged do not constitute a violation of the provisions
of Republic Act No. 3019 or of the bribery provisions of the Revised Penal Code
which would warrant his mandatory suspension from office under section 13 of
the Act; or he may present a motion to quash the information on any of the
grounds provided in Rule 117 of the Rules of Court. (Emphasis supplied)
The petitioner questions the absence of any show cause order issued by the
Sandiganbayan before his suspension in office was ordered. As clear as the day,
however, Luciano considered it unnecessary for the trial court to issue a show
cause order when the motion, seeking the suspension of the accused pendente lite,
has been submitted by the prosecution, as in the present case.
While a pre-suspension hearing is aimed at securing for the accused fair and
adequate opportunity to challenge the validity of the information or the regularity
of the proceedings against him,[43]Luciano likewise emphasizes that no hard and
fast rule exists in regulating its conduct.[44] With the purpose of a pre-suspension
hearing in mind, the absence of an actual hearing alone cannot be determinative of
the validity of a suspension order.
In the present case, the petitioner (i) filed his Vigorous Opposition (to the
OSPs Motion to Suspend Accused Pendente Lite), and after receiving an adverse
ruling from the Sandiganbayan, (ii) moved for reconsideration of the suspension
order issued against him, and (iii) filed a Reply to the OSPs Opposition to his plea
for reconsideration.[49] Given this opportunity, we find that the petitioners
continued demand for the conduct of an actual pre-suspension hearing based on the
same alleged defect in the information,[50] which we have found wanting has
legally nothing to anchor itself on.
Another reason that militates against the petitioners position relates to the
nature of Section 13 of R.A. No. 3019; it is not a penal provision that would call
for a liberal interpretation in favor of the accused public official and a strict
construction against the State.[51] The suspension required under this provision
is not a penalty, as it is not imposed as a result of judicial proceedings; in fact, if
acquitted, the accused official shall be entitled to reinstatement and to the salaries
and benefits which he failed to receive during his suspension.[52]
Suspension under R.A. No. 3019 being a mere preventive measure whose
duration shall in no case exceed ninety (90) days,[55] the adequacy of the
opportunity to contest the validity of the information and of the proceedings that
preceded its filing vis--vis the merits of the defenses of the accused cannot be
measured alone by the absence or presence of an actual hearing. An opportunity to
be heard on ones defenses, however unmeritorious it may be, against the
suspension mandated by law equally and sufficiently serves both the due process
right of the accused and the mandatory nature of the suspension required by law.
ARTURO D. BRION
Associate Justice
WE CONCUR:
ANTONIO T. CARPIO
Senior Associate Justice
Chairperson
CERTIFICATION
I certify that the conclusions in the above Decision had been reached in
consultation before the case was assigned to the writer of the opinion of the Courts
Division.
ANTONIO T. CARPIO
Senior Associate Justice
(Per Section 12, R.A. 296,
The Judiciary Act of 1948, as amended)
[1]
RULES OF COURT.
[2]
Penned by Associate Justice Godofredo L. Legaspi, and concurred in by Associate Justices Efren N. dela Cruz
and Norberto Y. Geraldez, Sr.
[3]
The Sangguniang Bayan members-complainants are as follows: Rose Dideles, Rene Jumilla, Pablito Subere and
Edwin Abris; rollo, p. 5.
[4]
Id. at 83.
[5]
Gaspar E. Nepomuceno, Jesus G. Casus, Ernesto R. Lagdameo, Jr., Bonifacio M. Madarcos, and Vinci Nicholas
R. Villaseor; id. at 103.
[6]
Id. at 110-113.
[7]
Id. at 124-125.
[8]
Id. at 5 and 83.
[9]
The case for violation of R.A. No. 3019 was docketed as Criminal Case No. 25819 (id. at 103). The Office of the
Special Prosecutor filed a Motion to drop Ernesto R. Lagdameo, Jr., Bonifacio M. Madarcos, Jesus G. Casus
and Vinci Nicholas R. Villaseor from the Information (id. at 106 and 108). The falsification case was
docketed as Criminal Case No. 25820 (id. at 103).
[10]
Id. at 117.
[11]
On March 3, 2000 and June 5, 2000, Bonifacio M. Madarcos and Ernesto R. Lagdameo, Jr., respectively, filed a
Motion for Reinvestigation; id. at 103-104.
[12]
Id. at 104.
[13]
Dated August 30, 2000; ibid.
[14]
Dated September 28, 2000; id. at 105.
[15]
Dated October 29, 2000; ibid.
[16]
Id. at 106.
[17]
Ibid.
[18]
Id. at 27.
[19]
Id. at 6.
[20]
Id. at 6-7.
[21]
Id. at 21-24.
[22]
Id. at 24.
[23]
Id. at 13.
[24]
Id. at 26-28.
[25]
Id. at 67.
[26]
148-B Phil. 178 (1971).
[27]
Rollo, pp. 13-14.
[28]
Rollo, p. 45.
[29]
379 Phil. 125 (2000).
[30]
Citing Socrates v. Sandiganbayan, 324 Phil. 151 (1996).
[31]
CONSTITUTION, Article III, Section 14(2).
[32]
Section 6, Rule 110 of the Revised Rules of Criminal Procedure reads:
SEC. 6. Sufficiency of complaint or information. A complaint or information is sufficient if
it states the name of the accused; the designation of the offense given by the statute; the acts
or omissions complained of as constituting the offense; the name of the offended party; the
approximate date of the commission of the offense; and the place where the offense was
committed.
When an offense is committed by more than one person, all of them shall be included in the
complaint or information.
[33]
Section 9, Rule 110 of the Revised Rules of Criminal Procedure reads:
SEC. 9. Cause of the accusation. The acts or omissions complained of as constituting the
offense and the qualifying and aggravating circumstances must be stated in ordinary and
concise language and not necessarily in the language used in the statute but in terms
sufficient to enable a person of common understanding to know what offense is being
charged as well as its qualifying and aggravating circumstance and for the court to
pronounce judgment.
[34]
Lazarte, Jr. v. Sandiganbayan, G.R. No. 180122, March 13, 2009, 581 SCRA 431.
[35]
See Dela Chica v. Sandiganbayan, G.R. No. 144823, December 8, 2003, 417 SCRA 242.
[36]
REVISED RULES OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE, Rule 116, Section 9; and Romualdez v. Sandiganbayan, G.R.
No. 152259, July 29, 2004, 435 SCRA 371, 388-389.
[37]
Flores v. Layosa, G.R. No. 154714, August 12, 2004, 436 SCRA 337, 345.
[38]
Luciano, et al. v. Hon. Mariano, etc, et al., supra note 26, at 183-184; and People v. Albano, Nos. L-45376-77,
July 26, 1988, 163 SCRA 511, 517.
[39]
Ibid.
[40]
People v. Albano, supra note 38, at 518-519; and Socrates v. Sandiganbayan, supra note 30, at 179.
[41]
Supra note 26, at 192-193.
[42]
Talaga, Jr. v. Sandiganbayan, G.R. No. 169888, November 11, 2008, 570 SCRA 622, 632.
[43]
Segovia v. Sandiganbayan, G.R. No. 124067, March 27, 1998, 288 SCRA 328, 339.
[44]
Santiago v. Sandiganbayan, G.R. No. 128055, April 18, 2001, 356 SCRA 636, 645; and Flores v. Layosa, G.R.
No. 154714, August 12, 2004, supra note 37, at 345-346.
[45]
G.R. No. 161640, December 9, 2005, 513 Phil. 400 (2005).
[46]
Supra note 29, at 140.
[47]
Flores v. Layosa, supra note 37, at 345-346.
[48]
Tan v. Atty. Balon, Jr., A.C. No. 6483, August 31, 2007, 531 SCRA 645, 655-656.
[49]
Rollo, p. 109.
[50]
Id. at 95.
[51]
Villaseor v. Sandiganbayan, G.R. No. 180700, March 4, 2008, 547 SCRA 658, 666-668.
[52]
Bayot v. Sandiganbayan, No. L-61776 to No. L-61861, March 23, 1984, 128 SCRA 383.
[53]
Villaseor v. Sandiganbayan, supra note 50, at 666-667; and Segovia v. Sandiganbayan, supra note 43, at 336.
[54]
Bolastig v. Sandiganbayan, G.R. No. 110503, August 4, 1994, 235 SCRA 103, 108.
[55]
Deloso v. Sandiganbayan, G.R. Nos. 86899-903, May 15, 1989, 173 SCRA 409, 419.
[56]
CONSTITUTION, Article XI, Section 1; Berona v. Sandiganbayan, G.R. No. 142456, July 27, 2004, 435 SCRA
303.