Estrada Vs Ombudsman Digest
Estrada Vs Ombudsman Digest
Estrada Vs Ombudsman Digest
Facts:
On 25 November 2013, the Ombudsman served upon Sen. Estrada a copy of the
complaint filed by the NBI and Atty. Baligod for Plunder. And on 3 December 2013, the
Ombudsman served upon Sen. Estrada another complaint for the crime of plunder.
Eighteen of Sen. Estradas co-respondents in the two complaints filed their counter-
affidavits between 9 December 2013 and 14 March 2014. Sen. Estrada filed his request
to be furnished with copies of counter affidavits of the other respondents, affidavits of
new witnesses and other filings. Sen. Estradas request was made "pursuant to the right
of a respondent to examine the evidence submitted by the complainant which he may
not have been furnished and to have access to the evidence on record based on
section 3[b], Rule 112 of the Rules of Court.
The Ombudsman issued an assailed order denying the motion of Estrada in response to
his request stating that under the Rules on Criminal Procedure and Rules of Procedure
of the Office of the Ombudsman, he is not entitled to be furnished of the copy of all the
filings of the respondents. The rights of respondent Estrada in the conduct of the
preliminary investigation depend on the rights granted to him by law and these cannot
be based on whatever rights he believes that he is entitled to or those that may be
derived from the phrase "due process of law."
On March 28, 2014, the Ombudsman issued a Joint Resolution which found probable
cause to indict Estrada and his co-respondents with one count of plunder and 11 counts
of violation of Section 3(e) of RA No. 3019. Sen. Estrada filed a motion for
reconsideration of the joint resolution dated 28 March 2014 and dated 7 April 2014. He
prayed for the issuance of a new resolution dismissing the charges against him. Without
filing a motion for reconsideration of the Ombudsmans 27 March 2014 Order denying
his request, Sen. Estrada filed the present Petition for Certiorari under Rule 65 and
sought to annul and set aside the 27 March 2014 Order.
Issues:
1. Whether or not the Ombudsman acted without or in excess of jurisdiction or
grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction and violated
his right to constitutional due process.
2. Whether or not Estrada has no appeal, or any other plain, speedy and adequate
remedy in the ordinary course of law than to file the petition for certiorari.
3. Whether or not the filing of the petition for certiorari constitutes forum shopping.
Ruling:
Sen. Estrada claims that the denial of his request for the counter affidavits of his co-
respondents violates his constitutional right to due process. However, he fails to specify
a law or rule which states that it is a compulsory requirement of due process in a
preliminary investigation for the Ombudsman to furnish a respondent with the counter-
affidavits of his co-respondents. Neither Section 3(b), Rule 112 of the Revised Rules of
Criminal Procedure nor Section 4(c), Rule II of the Rules of Procedure of the Office of
the Ombudsman supports Sen. Estradas claim.
It should be underscored that the conduct of a preliminary investigation is only for the
determination of probable cause, and "probable cause merely implies probability of guilt
and should be determined in a summary manner. A preliminary investigation is not a
part of the trial and it is only in a trial where an accused can demand the full exercise of
his rights, such as the right to confront and cross-examine his accusers to establish his
innocence." Thus, the rights of a respondent in a preliminary investigation are limited to
those granted by procedural law.
Justice Velascos dissent prefers that Sen. Estrada not "be subjected to the rigors of a
criminal prosecution in court because there is "a pending question regarding the
Ombudsmans grave abuse of its discretion preceding the finding of a probable cause to
indict him." Restated bluntly, Justice Velascos dissent would like this Court to conclude
that the mere filing of the present Petition for Certiorari questioning the Ombudsmans
denial of Sen Estradas Request should have, by itself, voided all proceedings related to
the present case.
Although it is true that, in its 27 March 2014 Order, the Ombudsman denied Sen.
Estradas request, the Ombudsman subsequently reconsidered its Order. On 7 May
2014, the same date that Sen. Estrada filed the present petition, the Ombudsman
issued a Joint Order that furnished Sen. Estrada with the counter-affidavits his co-
respondents and directed him to comment within a non-extendible period of five days
from receipt of said Order. Sen. Estrada did not file any comment, as noted in the 4
June 2014 Joint Order of the Ombudsman.
On 4 June 2014, the Ombudsman issued another Joint Order and denied Sen.
Estradas Motion for Reconsideration of its 28 March 2014 Joint Resolution which found
probable cause to indict Sen. Estrada and his co-respondents with one count of plunder
and 11 counts of violation of Section 3(e), Republic Act No. 3019. In this 4 June 2014
Joint Order, the Ombudsman stated that "this Office, in fact, held in abeyance the
disposition of motions for reconsideration in this proceeding in light of its grant to
Senator Estrada a period of five days from receipt of the 7 May 2014 Order to formally
respond to the above-named respondents claims.
We underscore Sen. Estradas procedural omission. Sen. Estrada did not file any
pleading, much less a motion for reconsideration, to the 27 March 2014 Order. Sen.
Estrada immediately proceeded to file this Petition for Certiorari before this Court. Sen.
Estradas resort to a petition for certiorari before this Court stands in stark contrast to his
filing of his 7 April 2014 Motion for Reconsideration of the 28 March 2014 Joint
Resolution finding probable cause.
It is apparent that Sen. Estradas present petition for certiorari is premature for lack of
filing of a motion for reconsideration before the Ombudsman. When the Ombudsman
gave Sen. Estrada copies of the counter-affidavits and even waited for the lapse of the
given period for the filing of his comment, Sen. Estrada failed to avail of the opportunity
to be heard due to his own fault. Thus, Sen. Estradas failure cannot in any way be
construed as violation of due process by the Ombudsman, much less of grave abuse of
discretion. Sen. Estrada has not filed any comment, and still chooses not to.
Forum Shopping
Sen. Estrada also raised in this petition the same issue he raised in his motion for
reconsideration of the 28 March 2014 Joint Resolution of the Ombudsman finding
probable cause. While his motion for reconsideration of the 28 March 2014 Joint
Resolution was pending, Sen. Estrada did not wait for the resolution of the Ombudsman
and instead proceeded to file the present Petition for Certiorari. The Ombudsman
issued a Joint Order on 4 June 2014 and specifically addressed the issue that Sen.
Estrada is raising in this Petition. Thus, Sen. Estrada's present Petition for Certiorari is
not only premature, it also constitutes forum shopping.