G.R. Nos.

206438 and 206458, July 31, 2018

CESAR MATAS CAGANG, v. SANDIGANBAYAN, FIFTH DIVISION, QUEZON CITY;
OFFICE OF THE OMBUDSMAN; AND PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES,

[G.R. Nos. 210141-42]

CESAR MATAS CAGANG, v. SANDIGANBAYAN, FIFTH DIVISION, QUEZON CITY;

OFFICE OF THE OMBUDSMAN; AND PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES.

Every accused has the rights to due process and to speedy disposition of cases.
Inordinate delay in the resolution and termination of a preliminary investigation will result
in the dismissal of the case against the accused. Delay, however, is not determined
through mere mathematical reckoning but through the examination of the facts and
circumstances surrounding each case. Courts should appraise a reasonable period from
the point of view of how much time a competent and independent public officer would
need in relation to the complexity of a given case. Nonetheless, the accused must invoke
his or her constitutional rights in a timely manner. The failure to do so could be considered
by the courts as a waiver of right.

G.R. Nos. 206438 and 206458 are Petitions for Certiorari with an urgent prayer for the
issuance of a temporary restraining order and/or writ of preliminary injunction 1 assailing
the Resolutions dated September 12, 20122 and January 15, 20133 of the
Sandiganbayan. The assailed Resolutions denied Cesar Matas Cagang's (Cagang)
Motion to Quash/Dismiss with Prayer to Void and Set Aside Order of Arrest in Criminal
Case Nos. SB-11-CRM-0456 and SB-11-CRM-0457.

G.R. Nos. 210141-42, on the other hand, refer to a Petition for Certiorari with an urgent
prayer for the issuance of a temporary restraining order and/or writ of preliminary
injunction4 assailing the June 18, 2013 Order5 and September 10, 2013 Resolution6 of
the Sandiganbayan. The assailed Resolutions denied Cagang's Motion to Quash Order
of Arrest in Criminal Case Nos. SB-11-CRM-0456 and SB-11-CRM-0457.

Both Petitions question the Sandiganbayan's denial to quash the Informations and Order
of Arrest against Cagang despite the Office of the Ombudsman's alleged inordinate delay
in the termination of the preliminary investigation.

On February 10, 2003, the Office of the Ombudsman received an anonymous complaint
alleging that Amelia May Constantino, Mary Ann Gadian, and Joy Tangan of the Vice
Governor's Office, Sarangani Province committed graft and corruption by diverting public
funds given as grants or aid using barangay officials and cooperatives as "dummies." The
complaint was docketed as CPL-M-03-0163 and referred to the Commission on Audit for
audit investigation. A news report of Sun Star Davao dated August 7, 2003 entitled "P61M
from Sarangani coffers unaccounted" was also docketed as CPL-M-03-0729 for the
conduct of a fact-finding investigation.7

On December 31, 2002, the Commission on Audit submitted its audit report finding that
the officials and employees of the Provincial Government of Sarangani appear to have
embezzled millions in public funds by sourcing out the funds from grants, aid, and the
Countrywide Development Fund of Representative Erwin Chiongbian using dummy
cooperatives and people's organizations.8 In particular, the Commission on Audit found
that:

(1) There were releases of financial assistance intended for nongovernmental organizations/people's
organizations and local government units that were fraudulently and illegally made through
inexistent local development projects, resulting in a loss of P16,106,613.00;
 (2) Financial assistance was granted to cooperatives whose officials and members were government
personnel or relatives of officials of Sarangani, which resulted in the wastage and misuse of
government funds amounting to P2,456,481.00;

(3) There were fraudulent encashment and payment of checks, and frequent travels of the employees
of the Vice Governor's Office, which resulted in the incurrence by the province of unnecessary fuel
and oil expense amounting to P83,212.34; and

(4) Inexistent Sagiptaniman projects were set up for farmers affected by calamities, which resulted in
wastage and misuse of government funds amounting to P4,000,000.00.9

On September 30, 2003, the Office of the Ombudsman issued a Joint Order terminating
Case Nos. CPL-M-03-0163 and CPL-M-03-0729. It concurred with the findings of the
Commission on Audit and recommended that a criminal case for Malversation of Public
Funds through Falsification of Public Documents and Violation of Section 3(e) of Republic
Act No. 3019 be filed against the public officers named by the Commission on Audit in its
Summary of Persons that Could be Held Liable on the Irregularities. The list involved 180
accused.10 The case was docketed as OMB-M-C-0487-J.

After considering the number of accused involved, its limited resources, and the volumes
of case records, the Office of the Ombudsman first had to identify those accused who
appeared to be the most responsible, with the intention to later on file separate cases for
the others.11

In a Joint Order dated October 29, 2003, the accused were directed to file their counter-
affidavits and submit controverting evidence. The complainants were also given time to
file their replies to the counter-affidavits. There was delay in the release of the order since
the reproduction of the voluminous case record to be furnished to the parties "was
subjected to bidding and request of funds from the Central Office." 12 Only five (5) sets of
reproductions were released on November 20, 2003 while the rest were released only on
January 15, 2004.13

All impleaded elective officials and some of the impleaded appointive officials filed a
Petition for Prohibition, Mandamus, Injunction with Writ of Preliminary Injunction and
Temporary Restraining Order with Branch 28, Regional Trial Court of Alabel, Sarangani.
The Regional Trial Court issued a Temporary Restraining Order enjoining the Office of
the Ombudsman from enforcing its October 29, 2003 Joint Order. 14

In an Order dated December 19, 2003, the Regional Trial Court dismissed the Petition on
the ground that the officials had filed another similar Petition with this Court, which this
Court had dismissed.15 Thus, some of the accused filed their counter-affidavits.16

After what the Office of the Ombudsman referred to as "a considerable period of time," it
issued another Order directing the accused who had not yet filed their counter-affidavits
to file them within seven (7) days or they will be deemed to have waived their right to
present evidence on their behalf.17

In a 293-page Resolution18 dated August 11, 2004 in OMB-M-C-0487-J, the Ombudsman

found probable cause to charge Governor Miguel D. Escobar, Vice Governor Felipe
Constantino, Board Members, and several employees of the Office of the Vice Governor
of Sarangani and the Office of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan with Malversation through
Falsification of Public Documents and Violation of Section 3(e) of Republic Act No.
3019.19 Then Tanodbayan Simeon V. Marcelo (Tanodbayan Marcelo) approved the
Resolution, noting that it was modified by his Supplemental Order dated October 18,
2004.20

In the Supplemental Order dated October 18, 2004, Tanodbayan Marcelo ordered the
conduct of further fact-finding investigations on some of the other accused in the case.
Thus, a preliminary investigation docketed as OMB-M-C-0480-K was conducted on
accused Hadji Moner Mangalen (Mangalen) and Umbra Macagcalat (Macagcalat).21

In the meantime, the Office of the Ombudsman filed an Information dated July 12, 2005,
charging Miguel Draculan Escobar (Escobar), Margie Purisima Rudes (Rudes), Perla
Cabilin Maglinte (Maglinte), Maria Deposo Camanay (Camanay), and Cagang of
Malversation of Public Funds thru Falsification of Public Documents. 22 The Information
read:
That on July 17, 2002 or prior subsequent thereto in Sarangani, Philippines, and within the
jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, accused Miguel Draculan Escobar, being the Governor of the
Province of Sarangani, Margie Purisima Rudes, Board Member, Perla Cabilin Maglinte, Provincial
Administrator, Maria Deposo Camanay, Provincial Accountant, and Cesar Matas Cagang,
Provincial Treasurer, and all high ranking and accountable public officials of the Provincial
Government of Sarangani by reason of their duties, conspiring and confederating with one another,
while committing the offense in relation to office, taking advantage of their respective positions, did
then and there willfully, unlawfully and feloniously take, convert and misappropriate the amount of
THREE HUNDRED SEVENTY[-]FIVE THOUSAND PESOS (P375,000.00), Philippine Currency, in
public funds under their custody, and for which they are accountable, by falsifying or causing to be
falsified Disbursement Voucher No. 101-2002-7-10376 and its supporting documents, making it
appear that financial assistance has been sought by Amon Lacungam, the alleged President of
Kalalong Fishermen's Group of Brgy. Kalaong, Maitum, Sarangani, when in truth and in fact, the
accused knew fully well that no financial assistance had been requested by Amon Lacungan and
his association, nor did said Amon Lacungan and his association receive the aforementioned
amount, thereby facilitating the release of the above-mentioned public funds in the amount of
THREE HUNDRED SEVENTY[-]FIVE THOUSAND PESOS (P375,000.00) through the
encashment by the accused of Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) Check No. 11521401
dated July 17, 2002, which amount they subsequently misappropriated to their personal use and
benefit, and despite demand, said accused failed to return the said amount to the damage and
prejudice of the government and the public interest in the aforesaid sum.

CONTRARY TO LAW.23

The Sandiganbayan docketed the case as Crim. Case No. 28331. Escobar, Maglinte, and
Cagang were arraigned on December 6, 2005 where they pleaded not guilty. Rudes and
Camanay remained at large.24

On June 17, 2010, the Sandiganbayan rendered a Decision25 in Crim. Case No. 28331
acquitting Escobar, Maglinte, and Cagang for insufficiency of evidence. Maglinte,
however, was ordered to return P100,000.00 with legal interest to the Province of
Sarangani. The cases against Rudes and Camanay were archived until the
Sandiganbayan could acquire jurisdiction over their persons. 26

In a Memorandum27 dated August 8, 2011 addressed to Ombudsman Conchita Carpio

Morales (Ombudsman Carpio Morales), Assistant Special Prosecutor III Pilarita T.
Lapitan reported that on April 12, 2005, a Resolution 28 was issued in OMB-M-C-0480-K
finding probable cause to charge Mangalen and Macagcalat with Malversation of Public
Funds through Falsification and Violation of Section 3(e) of Republic Act No.
3019.29 Thus, it prayed for the approval of the attached Informations:
It should be noted that in a Memorandum dated 10 December 2004 and relative to OMB-
M-C-03-0487-J from which OMB-M-C-04-0480-K originated, Assistant Special
Prosecutor Maria Janina Hidalgo recommended to Ombudsman Marcelo that the status
of state witness be conferred upon Gadian. This recommendation was approved by
Ombudsman Marcelo on 20 December 2004. Hence, as may be noted[,] Gadian was no
longer included as respondent and accused in the Resolution dated 12 April 2005 and
the attached Information.

Related cases that originated from OMB-M-C-03-0487-J for which no further preliminary
investigation is necessary were filed before the courts. One of these cases is now
docketed as Criminal Case No. 28293 and pending before the Sandiganbayan, First
Division. It is noteworthy that in its Order dated 14 November 2006 the Sandiganbayan,
First Division granted the Motion to Dismiss of the counsel of Felipe Constantino after
having submitted a duly certified true copy of his clients Death Certificate issued by the
National Statistics Office. Considering the fact therefore, there is a necessity to drop
Constantino as accused in this case and accordingly, revised the attached Information.

An Information for Malversation through Falsification of Public Documents is also

submitted for your Honor's approval considering that no such Information is attached to
the records of this case.

VIEWED IN THE FOREGOING LIGHT, it is respectfully recommended that, in view of his

death, Felipe Constantino no longer be considered as accused in this case and that the
attached Informations be approved.30
Ombudsman Carpio Morales approved the recommendation on October 20,
2011.31 Thus, on November 17, 2011, Informations32 for Violation of Section 3(e) of
Republic Act No. 3019 and Malversation of Public Funds through Falsification of Public
Documents were filed against Cagang, Camanay, Amelia Carmela Constantino Zoleta
(Zoleta), Macagcalat, and Mangalen. The Informations read:

[For Violation of Section 3(e), Republic Act No. 3019]

That on 20 September 2002, or sometime prior or subsequent thereto, in Sarangani, Philippines,

and within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, accused Provincial Treasurer CESAR MATAS
CAGANG, Provincial Accountant MARIA DEPOSO CAMANAY, and Executive Assistant to Vice
Governor Felipe Katu Constantino, AMELIA CARMELA CONSTANTINO ZOLETA, and then Vice-
Governor and now deceased Felipe Katu Constantino, all of the Provincial Government of
Sarangani, committing the offense in relation to the perfom1ance of their duties and functions,
taking advantage of their respective official positions, through manifest partiality, evident bad faith
or gross inexcusable negligence, conspiring and confederating with Barangay Captain UMBRA
ADAM MACAGCALAT and HADJI MONER MANGALEN, the alleged President and Treasurer,
respectively of Kamanga Muslim-Christian Fishermen's Cooperative ("Cooperative"), did then and
there willfully, unlawfully and feloniously cause the disbursement of the amount of Three Hundred
and Fifty Thousand Pesos (P350,000.00) under SARO No. D-98000987 through Development
Bank of the Philippines Check No. 282398 dated 20 September 2002 and with HADJI MONER
MANGELEN as payee thereof, by falsifying Disbursement Voucher No. 401-200209-148 dated 20
September 2002 and its supporting documents to make it appear that financial assistance was
requested and given to the Cooperative, when in truth and in fact, neither was there a request for
financial assistance received by the said Cooperative after the check was encashed, as herein
accused, conspiring and confederating with each other, did then and there malverse, embezzle,
misappropriate and convert to their own personal use and benefit the said amount of P350,000.00
thereby causing undue injury to the government in the aforesaid amount.

CONTRARY TO LAW.

[For Malversation of Public Funds thru Falsification of Public Documents]

That on 20 September 2002, or sometime prior or subsequent thereto, in Sarangani, Philippines,

and within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, accused Provincial Treasurer CESAR MATAS
CAGANG, and now deceased Felipe Katu Constantino, being then the Provincial Treasurer and
Vice-Governor respectively, of the Province of Sarangani who, by reason of their public positions,
are accountable for and has control of public funds entrusted and received by them during their
incumbency as Provincial Treasurer and Vice-Governor respectively, of said province, with
accused Provincial Accountant MARIA DEPOSO CAMANAY, and Executive Assistant to Vice
Governor Felipe Katu Constantino, AMELIA CARMELA CONSTANTINO ZOLETA, and then Vice-
Governor and now deceased Felipe Katu Constantino, all of the Provincial Government of
Sarangani, committing the offense in relation to the performance of their duties and functions,
taking advantage of their respective official positions, conspiring and confederating with Barangay
Captain UMBRA ADAM MACAGCALAT and HADJI MONER MANGALEN, the alleged President
and Treasurer, respectively of Kamanga Muslim-Christian Fishermen's Cooperative
("Cooperative"), did then and there willfully, unlawfully and feloniously falsify or cause to be falsified
Disbursement Voucher No. 401-200209-148 dated 20 September 2002 and its supporting
documents, by making it appear that financial assistance in the amount of Three Hundred and Fifty
Thousand Pesos (P350,000.00) had been requested by the Cooperative, with CESAR MATAS
CAGANG, despite knowledge that the amount of P350,000.00 is to be sourced out from SARO No.
D-98000987, still certifying that cash is available for financial assistance when Countrywide
Development Funds could not be disbursed for financial aids and assistance pursuant to DBM
Circular No. 444, and MARIA DEPOSO CAMANAY certifying as to the completeness and propriety
of the supporting documents despite non-compliance with Commission on Audit Circular No. 96-
003 prescribing the requirements for disbursements of financial assistance and aids, thus
facilitating the issuance of Development Bank of the Philippines Check No. 282398 dated 20
 September 2002 in the amount of P350,000.00 and in the name of HADJI MONER MANGELEN,
the alleged Treasurer of the Cooperative, when in truth and in fact, neither was there a request for
financial assistance received by the said Cooperative after the check was encashed, as herein
accused, conspiring and confederating with each other, did then and there malverse, embezzle,
misappropriate and convert to their own personal use and benefit the said amount of P350,000.00
thereby causing undue injury to the government in the aforesaid amount.

CONTRARY TO LAW.33

The cases were docketed as Criminal Case Nos. SB-11-0456 and SB-11-0457.

Cagang filed a Motion to Quash/Dismiss with Prayer to Void and Set Aside Order of Arrest
while Macagcalat and Mangalen separately filed their own Motion to Quash/Dismiss with
Prayer to Void and Set Aside Order of Arrest. Cagang argued that there was an inordinate
delay of seven (7) years in the filing of the Informations. Citing Tatad v.
Sandiganbayan34 and Roque v. Ombudsman,35 he argued that the delay violated his
constitutional rights to due process and to speedy disposition of cases. 36 The Office of
the Ombudsman, on the other hand, filed a Comment/Opposition arguing that the
accused have not yet submitted themselves to the jurisdiction of the court and that there
was no showing that delay in the filing was intentional, capricious, whimsical, or motivated
by personal reasons.37

On September 10, 2012, the Sandiganbayan issued a Resolution 38 denying the Motions
to Quash/Dismiss. It found that Cagang, Macagcalat, and Mangalen voluntarily submitted
to the jurisdiction of the court by the filing of the motions.39 It also found that there was no
inordinate delay in the issuance of the information, considering that 40 different
individuals were involved with direct participation in more or less 81 different
transactions.40 It likewise found Tatad and Roque inapplicable since the filing of the
Informations was not politically motivated.41 It pointed out that the accused did not invoke
their right to speedy disposition of cases before the Office of the Ombudsman but only
did so after the filing of the Informations.42

Cagang filed a Motion for Reconsideration43 but it was denied in a Resolution44 dated
January 15, 2013. Hence, Cagang filed a Petition for Certiorari45 with this Court, docketed
as G.R. Nos. 206438 and 206458.46

In an Urgent Motion to Quash Order of Arrest47 dated June 13, 2013 filed before the
Sandiganbayan, Cagang alleged that an Order of Arrest was issued against him. 48 He
moved for the quashal of the Order on the ground that he had a pending Petition for
Certiorari before this Court.49

In an Order50 dated June 28, 2013, the Sandiganbayan denied the Urgent Motion to
Quash Order of Arrest on the ground that it failed to comply with the three (3)-day notice
rule and that no temporary restraining order was issued by this Court.

Cagang filed a Motion for Reconsideration51 but it was denied by the Sandiganbayan in
a Resolution52dated September 10, 2013. Hence, he filed a Petition for Certiorari with an
urgent prayer for the issuance of a temporary restraining order and/or writ of preliminary
injunction,53 essentially seeking to restrain the implementation of the Order of Arrest
against him. This Petition was docketed as G.R. Nos. 210141-42.

On February 5, 2014, this Court issued a Temporary Restraining Order 54 in G.R. Nos.
210141-42 enjoining the Sandiganbayan from continuing with the proceedings of the case
and from implementing the warrant of arrest against Cagang. This Court likewise
consolidated G.R. Nos. 206438 and 206458 with G.R. Nos. 210141-42.55 The Office of
the Special Prosecutor submitted its separate Comments56 to the Petitions on behalf of
the People of the Philippines and the Office of the Ombudsman. 57

Petitioner argues that the Sandiganbayan committed grave abuse of discretion when it
dismissed his Motion to Quash/Dismiss since the Informations filed against him violated
his constitutional rights to due process and to speedy disposition of cases. Citing Tatad
v. Sandiganbayan,58 he argues that the Office of the Ombudsman lost its jurisdiction to
file the cases in view of its inordinate delay in terminating the preliminary investigation
almost seven (7) years after the filing of the complaint. 59

Petitioner further avers that the dismissal of cases due to inordinate delay is not because
the revival of the cases was politically motivated, as in Tatad, but because it violates
Article III, Section 16 of the Constitution60 and Rule 112, Section 3(f)61 of the Rules of
Court.62 He points out that the Sandiganbayan overlooked two (2) instances of delay by
the Office of the Ombudsman: the first was from the filing of the complaint on February
10, 2003 to the filing of the Informations on November 17, 2011, and the second was from
the conclusion of the preliminary investigation in 2005 to the filing of the Informations on
November 17, 2011.63

Petitioner asserts that the alleged anomalous transactions in this case were already
thoroughly investigated by the Commission on Audit in its Audit Report; thus, the Office
of the Ombudsman should not have taken more than seven (7) years to study the
evidence needed to establish probable cause.64He contends that "[w]hen the Constitution
enjoins the Office of the Ombudsman to 'act promptly' on any complaint against any public
officer or employee, it has the concomitant duty to speedily resolve the same." 65

Petitioner likewise emphasizes that the Sandiganbayan should have granted his Motion
to Quash Order of Arrest since there was a pending Petition before this Court questioning
the issuance of the Informations against him. He argues that the case would become
moot if the Order of Arrest is not quashed.66

The Office of the Special Prosecutor, on the other hand, alleges that petitioner, along with
his co-accused Camanay, Zoleta, Macagcalat, and Magalen have remained at large and
cannot be located by the police, and that they have not yet surrendered or been
arrested.67 It argues that the parameters necessary to determine whether there was
inordinate delay have been repeatedly explained by the Sandiganbayan in the assailed
Resolutions. It likewise points out that petitioner should have invoked his right to speedy
disposition of cases when the case was still pending before the Office of the Ombudsman,
not when the Information was already filed with the Sandiganbayan. It argues further
that Tatad was inapplicable since there were peculiar circumstances which prompted this
Court to dismiss the information due to inordinate delay. 68

The Office of the Special Prosecutor argues that the Sandiganbayan already made a
judicial determination of the existence of probable cause pursuant to its duty under Rule
112, Section 5 of the Rules of Court.69 It points out that a petition for certiorari is not the
proper remedy to question the denial of a motion to quash and that the appropriate
remedy should be to proceed to trial.70

Procedurally, the issues before this Court are whether or not the pendency of a petition
for certiorari with this Court suspends the proceedings before the Sandiganbayan, and
whether or not the denial of a motion to quash may be the subject of a petition for
certiorari. This Court is also tasked to resolve the sole substantive issue of whether or not
the Sandiganbayan committed grave abuse of discretion in denying petitioner Cesar
Matas Cagang's Motion to Quash/Dismiss with Prayer to Void and Set Aside Order of
Arrest and Urgent Motion to Quash Order of Arrest on the ground of inordinate delay.

To give full resolution to this case, this Court must first briefly pass upon the procedural
issues raised by the parties.

Contrary to petitioner's arguments, the pendency of a petition for certiorari before this
Court will not prevent the Sandiganbayan from proceeding to trial absent the issuance of
a temporary restraining order or writ of preliminary injunction. Under Rule 65, Section
771 of the Rules of Court:
Section 7. Expediting proceedings; injunctive relief. - The court in which the petition is
filed may issue orders expediting the proceedings, and it may also grant a temporary
restraining order or a writ of preliminary injunction for the preservation of the rights of the
parties pending such proceedings. The petition shall not interrupt the course of the
principal case, unless a temporary restraining order or a writ of preliminary injunction has
been issued, enjoining the public respondent from further proceeding with the case.

The public respondent shall proceed with the principal case within ten (10) days from the
filing of a petition for certiorari with a higher court or tribunal, absent a temporary
restraining order or a preliminary injunction, or upon its expiration. Failure of the public
respondent to proceed with the principal case may be a ground for an administrative
charge.
Since this Court did not issue injunctive relief when the Petition in G.R. Nos. 206438 and
206458 was filed, the Sandiganbayan cannot be faulted from proceeding with trial. It was
only upon the filing of the Petition in G.R. Nos. 210141-42 that this Court issued a
Temporary Restraining Order to enjoin the proceedings before the Sandiganbayan.

As a general rule, the denial of a motion to quash is not appealable as it is merely

interlocutory. Likewise, it cannot be the subject of a petition for certiorari. The denial of
the motion to quash can still be raised in the appeal of a judgment of conviction. The
adequate, plain, and speedy remedy is to proceed to trial and to determine the guilt or
innocence of the accused. Thus, in Galzote v. Briones:72
...In the usual course of procedure, a denial of a motion to quash filed by the accused results in the
continuation of the trial and the determination of the guilt or innocence of the accused. If a judgment
of conviction is rendered and the lower court's decision of conviction is appealed, the accused can
then raise the denial of his motion to quash not only as an error committed by the trial court but as
an added ground to overturn the latter's ruling.

In this case, the petitioner did not proceed to trial but opted to immediately question the denial of
his motion to quash via a special civil action for certiorari under Rule 65 of the Rules of Court.

As a rule, the denial of a motion to quash is an interlocutory order and is not appealable; an appeal
from an interlocutory order is not allowed under Section 1 (b), Rule 41 of the Rules of Court. Neither
can it be a proper subject of a petition for certiorari which can be used only in the absence of an
appeal or any other adequate, plain and speedy remedy. The plain and speedy remedy upon denial
of an interlocutory order is to proceed to trial as discussed above.73

Ordinarily, the denial of a motion to quash simply signals the commencement of the
process leading to trial. The denial of a motion to quash, therefore, is not necessarily
prejudicial to the accused. During trial, and after arraignment, prosecution proceeds with
the presentation of its evidence for the examination of the accused and the reception by
the court. Thus, in a way, the accused is then immediately given the opportunity to meet
the charges on the merits. Therefore, if the case is intrinsically without any grounds, the
acquittal of the accused and all his suffering due to the charges can be most speedily
acquired.

The rules and jurisprudence, thus, balance procedural niceties and the immediate
procurement of substantive justice. In our general interpretation, therefore, the accused
is normally invited to meet the prosecution's evidence squarely during trial rather than
skirmish on procedural points.

A party may, however, question the denial in a petition for certiorari if the party can
establish that the denial was tainted with grave abuse of discretion:
[A] direct resort to a special civil action for certiorari is an exception rather than the general
rule, and is a recourse that must be firmly grounded on compelling reasons. In past cases,
we have cited the interest of a "more enlightened and substantial justice;" the promotion
of public welfare and public policy; cases that "have attracted nationwide attention,
making it essential to proceed with dispatch in the consideration thereof;" or judgments
on order attended by grave abuse of discretion, as compelling reasons to justify a petition
for certiorari.

In grave abuse of discretion cases, certiorari is appropriate if the petitioner can establish
that the lower court issued the judgment or order without or in excess of jurisdiction or
with grave abuse of discretion, and the remedy of appeal would not afford adequate and
expeditious relief. The petitioner carries the burden of showing that the attendant facts
and circumstances fall within any of the cited instances.74
Petitioner alleges that the Sandiganbayan committed grave abuse of discretion when it
denied his Motion to Quash/Dismiss, insisting that the denial transgressed upon his
constitutional rights to due process and to speedy disposition of cases. A petition for
certiorari under Rule 65 is consistent with this theory.

The Constitution guarantees the right to speedy disposition of cases. Under Article III,
Section 16:
Section 16. All persons shall have the right to a speedy disposition of their cases before all judicial,
quasi-judicial, or administrative bodies.

The right to speedy disposition of cases should not be confused with the right to a speedy
trial, a right guaranteed under Article III, Section 14(2) of the Constitution:

Section 14.

(2) In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall be presumed innocent until the contrary is proved,
and shall enjoy the right to be heard by himself and counsel, to be informed of the nature and cause
of the accusation against him, to have a speedy, impartial, and public trial, to meet the witnesses
face to face, and to have compulsory process to secure the attendance of witnesses and the
production of evidence in his behalf. However, after arraignment, trial may proceed notwithstanding
the absence of the accused provided that he has been duly notified and his failure to appear is
unjustifiable.

The right to a speedy trial is invoked against the courts in a criminal prosecution. The right
to speedy disposition of cases, however, is invoked even against quasi-judicial or
administrative bodies in civil, criminal, or administrative cases before them. As Abadia v.
Court of Appeals75 noted:

The Bill of Rights provisions of the 1987 Constitution were precisely crafted to expand substantive
fair trial rights and to protect citizens from procedural machinations which tend to nullify those rights.
Moreover, Section 16, Article III of the Constitution extends the right to a speedy disposition of
cases to cases "before all judicial, quasi-judicial and administrative bodies." This protection extends
to all citizens, including those in the military and covers the periods before, during and after the
trial, affording broader protection than Section 14(2) which guarantees merely the right to a speedy
trial.76

Both rights, nonetheless, have the same rationale: to prevent delay in the administration
of justice. In Corpuz v. Sandiganbayan:77

The right of the accused to a speedy trial and to a speedy disposition of the case against him was
designed to prevent the oppression of the citizen by holding criminal prosecution suspended over
him for an indefinite time, and to prevent delays in the administration of justice by mandating the
courts to proceed with reasonable dispatch in the trial of criminal cases. Such right to a speedy trial
and a speedy disposition of a case is violated only when the proceeding is attended by vexatious,
capricious and oppressive delays. The inquiry as to whether or not an accused has been denied
such right is not susceptible by precise qualification. The concept of a speedy disposition is a
relative tem1 and must necessarily be a flexible concept.

While justice is administered with dispatch, the essential ingredient is orderly, expeditious and not
mere speed. It cannot be definitely said how long is too long in a system where justice is supposed
to be swift, but deliberate. It is consistent with delays and depends upon circumstances. It secures
rights to the accused, but it does not preclude the rights of public justice. Also, it must be borne in
mind that the rights given to the accused by the Constitution and the Rules of Court are shields,
not weapons; hence, courts are to give meaning to that intent.78

While the right to speedy trial is invoked against courts of law, the right to speedy
disposition of cases may be invoked before quasi-judicial or administrative tribunals in
proceedings that are adversarial and may result in possible criminal liability. The right to
speedy disposition of cases is most commonly invoked in fact-finding investigations and
preliminary investigations by the Office of the Ombudsman since neither of these
proceedings form part of the actual criminal prosecution. The Constitution itself mandates
the Office of the Ombudsman to "act promptly" on complaints filed before it:
Section 12. The Ombudsman and his Deputies, as protectors of the people, shall act promptly on
complaints filed in any form or manner against public officials or employees of the Government, or
any subdivision, agency or instrumentality thereof, including government-owned or controlled
corporations, and shall, in appropriate cases, notify the complainants of the action taken and the
result thereof.79

As if to underscore the importance of its mandate, this constitutional command is repeated

in Republic Act No. 6770,80 which provides:

Section 13. Mandate. - The Ombudsman and his Deputies, as protectors of the people, shall act
promptly on complaints filed in any form or manner against officers or employees of the
government, or of any subdivision, agency or instrumentality thereof, including government-owned
or controlled corporations, and enforce their administrative, civil and criminal liability in every case
where the evidence warrants in order to promote efficient service by the Government to the people.

Neither the Constitution nor Republic Act No. 6770 provide for a specific period within
which to measure promptness. Neither do they provide for criteria within which to
determine what could already be considered as delay in the disposition of complaints.
Thus, judicial interpretation became necessary to determine what could be considered
"prompt" and what length of time could amount to unreasonable or "inordinate delay."

The concept of inordinate delay was introduced in Tatad v. Sandiganbayan,81 where this
Court was constrained to apply the "radical relief" of dismissing the criminal complaint
against an accused due to the delay in the termination of the preliminary investigation.

In Tatad, a report was submitted to the Legal Panel, Presidential Security Command
sometime in October 1974, charging Francisco S. Tatad (Tatad) with graft and corruption
during his stint as Minister of Public Information. In October 1979, Tatad submitted his
resignation. It was only on December 29, 1979 that a criminal complaint was filed against
him. Then President Ferdinand Marcos accepted his resignation on January 26, 1980.
On April 1, 1980, the Tanodbayan82 referred the complaint to the Criminal Investigation
Service, Presidential Security Command for fact-finding. On June 16, 1980, the
Investigation Report was submitted finding Tatad liable for violation of Republic Act No.
3019.

Tatad moved for the dismissal of the case but this was denied on July 26, 1982. His
motion for reconsideration was denied on October 5, 1982. Affidavits and counter-
affidavits were submitted on October 25, 1982. On July 5, 1985, the Tanodbayan issued
a resolution approving the filing of informations against Tatad. Tatad filed a motion to
quash on July 22, 1985. The motion to quash was denied by the Sandiganbayan on
August 9, 1985. The Sandiganbayan, however, ordered the filing of an amended
information to change the date of the alleged commission of the offense. In compliance,
the Tanodbayan submitted its amended information on August 10, 1985. Tatad filed a
motion for reconsideration but it was denied by the Sandiganbayan on September 17,
1985. Hence, he filed a Petition for Certiorari and Prohibition with this Com1, questioning
the filing of the cases with the Sandiganbayan.

On April 10, 1986, this Court required the parties to move in the premises considering the
change in administration brought about by the EDSA Revolution and the overthrow of the
Marcos regime. On June 20, 1986, the new Tanodbayan manifested that as the charges
were not political in nature, the State would still pursue the charges against Tatad.

In resolving the issue of whether Tatad's constitutional rights to due process and to
speedy disposition of cases were violated, this Court took note that the finding of
inordinate delay applies in a case-to-case basis:
In a number of cases, this Court has not hesitated to grant the so-called "radical relief" and to spare
the accused from undergoing the rigors and expense of a full-blown trial where it is clear that he
has been deprived of due process of law or other constitutionally guaranteed rights. Of course, it
 goes without saying that in the application of the doctrine enunciated in those cases, particular
regard must be taken of the facts and circumstances peculiar to each case. 83
This Court found that there were peculiar circumstances which attended the preliminary
investigation of the complaint, the most blatant of which was that the 1974 report against
Tatad was only acted upon by the Tanodbayan when Tatad had a falling out with
President Marcos in 1979:

A painstaking review of the facts cannot but leave the impression that political motivations played
a vital role in activating and propelling the prosecutorial process in this case. Firstly, the complaint
came to life, as it were, only after petitioner Tatad had a falling out with President Marcos. Secondly,
departing from established procedures prescribed by law for preliminary investigation, which
require the submission of affidavits and counter-affidavits by the Tanodbayan referred the
complaint to the Presidential Security Command for fact-finding investigation and report.

We find such blatant departure from the established procedure as a dubious, but revealing attempt
to involve an office directly under the President in the prosecution was politically motivated. We
cannot emphasize too strongly that prosecutors should not allow, and should avoid, giving the
impression that their noble office is being used or prostituted, wittingly or unwittingly, for political
ends or other purposes alien to, or subversive of, the basic and fundamental objective of serving
the interest of justice evenhandedly, without fear or favor to any and all litigants alike, whether rich
or poor, weak or strong, powerless or mighty. Only by strict adherence to the established procedure
may the public's perception of the impartiality of the prosecutor be enhanced. 84

Thus, the delay of three (3) years in the termination of the preliminary investigation was
found to have been inordinate delay, which was violative of petitioner's constitutional
rights:

We find the long delay in the termination of the preliminary investigation by the Tanodbayan in the
instant case to be violative of the constitutional right of the accused to due process. Substantial
adherence to the requirements of the law governing the conduct of preliminary investigation,
including substantial compliance with the time limitation prescribed by the law for the resolution of
the case by the prosecutor, is part of the procedural due process constitutionally guaranteed by the
fundamental law. Not only under the broad umbrella of the due process clause, but under the
constitutionally guarantee of "speedy disposition" of cases as embodied in Section 16 of the Bill of
Rights (both in the 1973 and the 1987 Constitutions), the inordinate delay is violative of the
petitioner's constitutional rights. A delay of close to three (3) years cannot be deemed reasonable
or justifiable in the light of the circumstance obtaining in the case at bar. We are not impressed by
the attempt of the Sandiganbayan to sanitize the long delay by indulging in the speculative
assumption that "the delay may be due to a painstaking and grueling scrutiny by the Tanodbayan
as to whether the evidence presented during the preliminary investigation merited prosecution of a
former high-ranking government official." In the first place, such a statement suggests a double
standard of treatment, which must be emphatically rejected. Secondly, three out of the five charges
against the petitioner were for his alleged failure to file his sworn statement of assets and liabilities
required by Republic Act No. 3019, which certainly did not involve complicated legal and factual
issues necessitating such "painstaking and grueling scrutiny" as would justify a delay of almost
three years in terminating the preliminary investigation. The other two charges relating to alleged
bribery and alleged giving of unwarranted benefits to a relative, while presenting more substantial
legal and factual issues, certainly do not warrant or justify the period of three years, which it took
the Tanodbayan to resolve the case.85

Political motivation, however, is merely one of the circumstances to be factored in when

determining whether the delay is inordinate. The absence of political motivation will not
prevent this Court from granting the same "radical relief." Thus, in Angchangco v.
Ombudsman,86 this Court dismissed the criminal complaints even if the petition filed
before this Court was a petition for mandamus to compel the Office of the Ombudsman
to resolve the complaints against him after more than six (6) years of inaction:

Here, the Office of the Ombudsman, due to its failure to resolve the criminal charges against
petitioner for more than six years, has transgressed on the constitutional right of petitioner to due
process and to a speedy disposition of the cases against him, as well as the Ombudsman's own
constitutional duty to act promptly on complaints filed before it. For all these past 6 years, petitioner
has remained under a cloud, and since his retirement in September 1994, he has been deprived of
the fruits of his retirement after serving the government for over 42 years all because of the inaction
of respondent Ombudsman. If we wait any longer, it may be too late for petitioner to receive his
retirement benefits, not to speak of clearing his name. This is a case of plain injustice which calls
for the issuance of the writ prayed for.87
As in Angchangco, this Court has applied the Tatad doctrine in Duterte v.
Sandiganbayan,88Roque v. Ombudsman,89Cervantes v. Sandiganbayan,90Lopez, Jr. v.
Ombudsman,91Licaros v. Sandiganbayan,92People v. SPO4 Anonas,93Enriquez v.
Ombudsman,94People v. Sandiganbayan, First Division,95Inocentes v. People,96Almeda
v. Ombudsman,97People v. Sandiganbayan, Fifth Division,98Torres v.
99
Sandiganbayan, and Remulla v. Sandiganbayan.100

This Court, however, emphasized that "[a] mere mathematical reckoning of the time
involved is not sufficient"101 to rule that there was inordinate delay. Thus, it qualified the
application of the Tatad doctrine in cases where certain circumstances do not merit the
application of the "radical relief" sought.

Despite the promulgation of Tatad, however, this Court struggled to apply a standard test
within which to determine the presence of inordinate delay. Martin v. Ver,102 decided in
1983, attempted to introduce in this jurisdiction the "balancing test" in the American case
of Barker v. Wingo, thus:

[T]he right to a speedy trial is a more vague and generically different concept than other
constitutional rights guaranteed to accused persons and cannot be quantified into a specified
number of days or months, and it is impossible to pinpoint a precise time in the judicial process
when the right must be asserted or considered waived...

[A] claim that a defendant has been denied his right to a speedy trial is subject to a balancing test,
in which the conduct of both the prosecution and the defendant are weighed, and courts should
consider such factors as length of the delay, reason for the delay, the defendant's assertion or
non-assertion of his right, and prejudice to the defendant resulting from the delay, in determining
whether defendant's right to a speedy trial has been denied... 103
The Barker balancing test provides that courts must consider the following factors when
determining the existence of inordinate delay: first, the length of delay; second, the reason for
delay; third, the defendant's assertion or non-assertion of his or her right; and fourth, the prejudice
to the defendant as a result of the delay.

For a period of time, this balancing test appeared to be the best way to determine the existence of
inordinate delay. Thus, this Court applied both the Tatad doctrine and the Barker balancing test in
the 1991 case of Gonzales v. Sandiganbayan:104

It must be here emphasized that the right to a speedy disposition of a case, like the right
to speedy trial, is deemed violated only when the proceeding is attended by vexatious,
capricious, and oppressive delays; or when unjustified postponements of the trial are
asked for and secured, or when without cause or justifiable motive a long period of time
is allowed to elapse without the party having his case tried. Equally applicable is the
balancing test used to determine whether a defendant has been denied his right to a
speedy trial, or a speedy disposition of a case for that matter, in which the conduct of both
the prosecution and the defendant are weighed, and such factors as length of the delay,
reason for the delay, the defendant's assertion or non-assertion of his right, and prejudice
to the defendant resulting from the delay, are considered.105
The combination of both Tatad and the balancing test was so effective that it was again
applied in Alvizo v. Sandiganbayan,106 where this Court took note that:

[D]elays per se are understandably attendant to all prosecutions and are constitutionally
permissible, with the monition that the attendant delay must not be oppressive. Withal, it must not
be lost sight of that the concept of speedy disposition of cases is a relative term and must
necessarily be a flexible concept. Hence, the doctrinal rule is that in the determination of whether
or not that right has been violated, the factors that may be considered and balanced are the length
of delay, the reasons for such delay, the assertion or failure to assert such right by the accused,
and the prejudice caused by the delay.107

Determining the length of delay necessarily involves a query on when a case is deemed
to have commenced. In Dansal v. Fernandez,108 this Court recognized that the right to
speedy disposition of cases does not only include the period from which a case is
submitted for resolution. Rather, it covers the entire period of investigation even before
trial. Thus, the right may be invoked as early as the preliminary investigation or inquest.

In criminal prosecutions, the investigating prosecutor is given a specific period within

which to resolve the preliminary investigation under Rule 112, Section 3 of the Rules of
Court.109 Courts are likewise mandated to resolve cases within a specific time frame.
Article VIII, Section 15 of the Constitution provides:

Section 15. (1) All cases or matters filed after the effectivity of this Constitution must be decided or
resolved within twenty-four months from date of submission for the Supreme Court, and, unless
reduced by the Supreme Court, twelve months for all lower collegiate courts, and three months for
all other lower courts.

(2) A case or matter shall be deemed submitted for decision or resolution upon the filing of the last
pending, brief, or memorandum required by the Rules of Court or by the court itself.

(3) Upon the expiration of the corresponding period, a certification to this effect signed by the Chief
Justice or the presiding judge shall forthwith be issued and a copy thereof attached to the record
of the case or matter, and served upon the parties. The certification shall state why a decision or
resolution has not been rendered or issued within said period.

(4) Despite the expiration of the applicable mandatory period, the court, without prejudice to such
responsibility as may have been incurred in consequence thereof, shall decide or resolve the case
or matter submitted thereto for determination, without further delay.

Under Republic Act No. 8493, or The Speedy Trial Act of 1998, the entire trial period must
not exceed 180 days, except as otherwise provided for by this Court. 110 The law likewise
provides for a time limit of 30 days from the filing of the information to conduct the
arraignment, and 30 days after arraignment for trial to commence. 111 In order to
implement the law, this Court issued Supreme Court Circular No. 38-98112 reiterating the
periods for the conduct of trial. It also provided for an extended time limit from arraignment
to the conduct of trial:

Section 7. Extended Time Limit. - Notwithstanding the provisions of the preceding Sections 2 and
6 for the first twelve-calendar-month period following its effectivity, the time limit with respect to the
period from arraignment to trial imposed by said provision shall be one hundred eighty (180) days.
For the second twelve-month period, the time limit shall be one hundred twenty (120) days, and for
the third twelve-month period the time limit shall be eighty (80) days.

The Circular likewise provides for certain types of delay which may be excluded in the
running of the periods:
Section 9. Exclusions. - The following periods of delay shall be excluded in computing the time
within which trial must commence:

(a) Any period of delay resulting from other proceedings concerning the accused, including but not
limited to the following:
(1) delay resulting from an examination of the physical and mental condition of the accused;

(2) delay resulting from proceedings with respect to other criminal charges against the accused;

(3) delay resulting from extraordinary remedies against interlocutory orders;

(4) delay resulting from pre-trial proceedings: Provided, that the delay does not exceed thirty (30)
days;

(5) delay resulting from orders of inhibition or proceedings relating to change of venue of cases or
transfer from other courts;

(6) delay resulting from a finding of the existence of a valid prejudicial question; and

(7) delay reasonably attributable to any period, not to exceed thirty (30) days, during which any
proceeding concerning the accused is actually under advisement.
(b) Any period of delay resulting from the absence or unavailability of an essential witness.

For purposes of this subparagraph, an essential witness shall be considered absent when his
whereabouts are unknown or his whereabouts cannot be determined by due diligence. An essential
witness shall be considered unavailable whenever his whereabouts are known but his presence for
 trial cannot be obtained by due diligence.

(c) Any period of delay resulting from the fact that the accused is mentally incompetent or physically
unable to stand trial.

(d) If the information is dismissed upon motion of the prosecution and thereafter a charge is filed
against the accused for the same offense, any period of delay from the date the charge was
dismissed to the date the time limitation would commence to run as to the subsequent charge had
there been no previous charge.

(e) A reasonable period of delay when the accused is joined for trial with a co-accused over whom
the court has not acquired jurisdiction, or as to whom the time for trial has not run and no motion
for separate trial has been granted.

(f) Any period of delay resulting from a continuance granted by any court motu proprio or on motion
of either the accused or his counsel or the prosecution, if the court granted such continuance on
the basis of his findings set forth in the order that the ends of justice served by taking such action
outweigh the best interest of the public and the accused in a speedy trial.

These provisions have since been incorporated in Rule 119, Sections 1, 113 2,114 3,115 and
6,116 of the Rules of Court.

Several laws have also been enacted providing the time periods for disposition of cases.

In Republic Act No. 6975, as amended by Republic Act No. 8551, resolution of complaints
against members of the Philippine National Police must be done within ninety (90) days
from the arraignment of the accused:

Section 55. Section 47 of Republic Act No. 6975 is hereby amended to read as follows:

"Section 47. Preventive Suspension Pending Criminal Case. - Upon the filing of a complaint or
information sufficient in form and substance against a member of the PNP for grave felonies where
the penalty imposed by law is six (6) years and one (1) day or more, the court shall immediately
suspend the accused from office for a period not exceeding ninety (90) days from arraignment:
provided, however, that if it can be shown by evidence that the accused is harassing the
complainant and/or witnesses, the court may order the preventive suspension of the accused PNP
member even if the charge is punishable by a penalty lower than six (6) years and one (1) day:
provided, further, that the preventive suspension shall not be more than ninety (90) days except if
the delay in the disposition of the case is due to the fault, negligence or petitions of the respondent:
provided, finally, that such preventive suspension may be sooner lifted by the court in the exigency
of the service upon recommendation of the chief, PNP. Such case shall be subject to continuous
trial and shall be terminated within ninety (90) days from arraignment of the accused."

Republic Act No. 9165,117 Section 90 provides that trial for drug related offenses should
be finished not later than 60 days from the filing of the information:
Section 90. Jurisdiction. -

Trial of the case under this Section shall be finished by the court not later than sixty (60) days from
the date of the filing of the information. Decision on said cases shall be rendered within a period of
fifteen (15) days from the date of submission of the case for resolution.

Republic Act No. 9372,118 Section 48 mandates continuous trial on a daily basis for cases
of terrorism or conspiracy to commit terrorism:

Section 48. Continuous Trial. - In cases of terrorism or conspiracy to commit terrorism, the judge
shall set the continuous trial on a daily basis from Monday to Friday or other short-term trial calendar
so as to ensure speedy trial.

Republic Act No. 9516119 amends Presidential Decree No. 1866120 to provide for
continuous trial for cases involving illegal or unlawful possession, manufacture, dealing,
acquisition, and disposition of firearms, ammunitions, and explosives:

Section 4-B. Continuous Trial. - In cases involving violations of this Decree, the judge shall set the
case for continuous trial on a daily basis from Monday to Friday or other short-term trial calendar
so as to ensure speedy trial. Such case shall be terminated within ninety (90) days from arraignment
of the accused.
Implementing rules and regulations have also provided for the speedy disposition of
cases. The Implementing Rules and Regulations on the Reporting and Investigation of
Child Abuse Cases121 provide that trial shall commence within three (3) days from
arraignment:

Section 21. Speedy Trial of Child Abuse Cases. - The trial of child abuse cases shall take
precedence over all other cases before the courts, except election and habeas corpus cases. The
trial in said cases shall commence within three (3) days from the date the accused is arraigned and
no postponement of the initial hearing shall be granted except on account of the illness of the
accused or other grounds beyond his control.

The Revised Rules and Regulations Implementing Republic Act No. 9208,122 as amended
by Republic Act No. 10364,123 mandates the speedy disposition of trafficking cases:

Section 76. Speedy Disposition of [Trafficking in Persons] Cases. - Where practicable and unless
special circumstance require; otherwise, cases involving violation of R.A. No. 9208 shall be heard
contiguously: with hearing dates spaced not more than two weeks apart. Unnecessary delay should
be avoided, strictly taking into consideration the Speedy Trial Act and SC Circular No. 38-98 dated
11 August 1998.

Laws and their implementing rules and regulations, however, do not generally bind courts
unless this Court adopts them in procedural rules.124 In any case, this Court has already
made several issuances setting periods for the conduct of trial.

Rule 17, Section 1 of the Rules of Procedure m Environmental Cases125 provide that trial
must not exceed three (3) months from the issuance of the pre-trial order:

Section 1. Continuous trial. - The court shall endeavor to conduct continuous trial which shall not
exceed three (3) months from the date of the issuance of the pre-trial order.

Rule 14, Section 2 of the Rules of Procedure for Intellectual Property Rights Cases 126 limits the
period of presenting evidence to 60 days per party:

Section 2. Conduct of trial. - The court shall conduct hearings expeditiously so as to ensure speedy
trial. Each party shall have a maximum period of sixty (60) days to present his evidence-in-chief on
the trial dates agreed upon during the pre-trial.

Supreme Court Administrative Order No. 25-2007127 provides that trial in cases involving
the killings of political activists and members of the media must be conducted within 60
days from its commencement:

The cases referred to herein shall undergo mandatory continuous trial and shall be tenninated
within sixty (60) days from commencement of trial. Judgment thereon shall be rendered within thirty
(30) days from submission for decision unless a shorter period is provided by law or otherwise
directed by this Court.

The Guidelines for Decongesting Holding Jails by Enforcing the Right of the Accused to
Bail and to Speedy Trial128 provide for strict time limits that must be observed:
Section 8. Observance of time limits. - It shall be the duty of the trial court, the public or private
prosecutor, and the defense counsel to ensure, subject to the excluded delays specified in Rule
119 of the Rules of Court and the Speedy Trial Act of 1998, compliance with the following time
limits in the prosecution of the case against a detained accused:

(a) The case of the accused shall be raffled and referred to the trial court to which it is assigned
within three days from the filing of the information;

(b) The court shall arraign the accused within ten (10) days from the date of the raffle;

(c) The court shall hold the pre-trial conference within thirty (30) days after arraignment or within
ten (10) days if the accused is under preventive detention; provided, however, that where the direct
testimonies of the witnesses are to be presented through judicial affidavits, the court shall give the
prosecution not more than twenty (20) days from arraignment within which to prepare and submit
their judicial affidavits in time for the pre-trial conference;
 (d) After the pre-trial conference, the court shall set the trial of the case in the pre-trial order not
later than thirty (30) days from the temlination of the pre-trial conference; and

(e) The court shall terminate the regular trial within one htmdred eighty (180) days, or the trial by
judicial affidavits within sixty (60) days, reckoned from the date trial begins, minus the excluded
delays or postponements specified in Rule 119 of the Rules of Court and the Speedy Trial Act of
1998.

A dilemma arises as to whether the period includes proceedings in quasi-judicial agencies

before a formal complaint is actually filed. The Office of the Ombudsman, for example,
has no set periods within which to conduct its fact-finding investigations. They are only
mandated to act promptly. Thus, in People v. Sandiganbayan, Fifth Division,129 this Court
stated that a fact-finding investigation conducted by the Office of the Ombudsman should
not be deemed separate from preliminary investigation for the purposes of determining
whether there was a violation of the right to speedy disposition of cases:

The State further argues that the fact-finding investigation should not be considered a part of the
preliminary investigation because the former was only preparatory in relation to the latter; and that
the period spent in the former should not be factored in the computation of the period devoted to
the preliminary investigation.

The argument cannot pass fair scrutiny.

The guarantee of speedy disposition under Section 16 of Article III of the Constitution applies to all
cases pending before all judicial, quasijudicial or administrative bodies. The guarantee would be
defeated or rendered inutile if the hair-splitting distinction by the State is accepted. Whether or not
the fact-finding investigation was separate from the preliminary investigation conducted by the
Office of the Ombudsman should not matter for purposes of determining if the respondents' right
to the speedy disposition of their cases had been violated.130 (Emphasis supplied)

People v. Sandiganbayan, Fifth Division131 must be re-examined.

When an anonymous complaint is filed or the Office of the Ombudsman conducts a motu
proprio fact-finding investigation, the proceedings are not yet adversarial. Even if the
accused is invited to attend these investigations, this period cannot be counted since
these are merely preparatory to the filing of a formal complaint. At this point, the Office of
the Ombudsman will not yet determine if there is probable cause to charge the accused.

This period for case build-up cannot likewise be used by the Office of the Ombudsman
as unbridled license to delay proceedings. If its investigation takes too long, it can result
in the extinction of criminal liability through the prescription of the offense.

Considering that fact-finding investigations are not yet adversarial proceedings against
the accused, the period of investigation will not be counted in the determination of whether
the right to speedy disposition of cases was violated. Thus, this Court now holds that for
the purpose of determining whether inordinate delay exists, a case is deemed to have
commenced from the filing of the formal complaint and the subsequent conduct of the
preliminary investigation. In People v. Sandiganbayan, Fifth Division,132 the ruling that
fact-finding investigations are included in the period for determination of inordinate delay
is abandoned.

With respect to fact-finding at the level of the Ombudsman, the Ombudsman must provide
for reasonable periods based upon its experience with specific types of cases,
compounded with the number of accused and the complexity of the evidence required.
He or she must likewise make clear when cases are deemed submitted for decision. The
Ombudsman has the power to provide for these rules and it is recommended that he or
she amend these rules at the soonest possible time.

These time limits must be strictly complied with. If it has been alleged that there was delay
within the stated time periods, the burden of proof is on the defense to show that there
has been a violation of their right to speedy trial or their right to speedy disposition of
cases. The defense must be able to prove first, that the case took much longer than was
reasonably necessary to resolve, and second, that efforts were exerted to protect their
constitutional rights.133

What may constitute a reasonable time to resolve a proceeding is not determined by

"mere mathematical reckoning."134 It requires consideration of a number of factors,
including the time required to investigate the complaint, to file the information, to conduct
an arraignment, the application for bail, pre-trial, trial proper, and the submission of the
case for decision.135 Unforeseen circumstances, such as unavoidable postponements or
force majeure, must also be taken into account.

The complexity of the issues presented by the case must be considered in determining
whether the period necessary for its resolution is reasonable. In Mendoza-Ong v.
Sandiganbayan136 this Court found that "the long delay in resolving the preliminary
investigation could not be justified on the basis of the records." 137 In Binay v.
Sandiganbayan,138 this Court considered "the complexity of the cases (not run-of-the-mill
variety) and the conduct of the parties' lawyers"139 to determine whether the delay is
justifiable. When the case is simple and the evidence is straightforward, it is possible that
delay may occur even within the given periods. Defense, however, still has the burden to
prove that the case could have been resolved even before the lapse of the period before
the delay could be considered inordinate.

The defense must also prove that it exerted meaningful efforts to protect accused's
constitutional rights. In Alvizo v. Sandiganbayan,140 the failure of the accused to timely
invoke the right to speedy disposition of cases may work to his or her disadvantage, since
this could indicate his or her acquiescence to the delay:

Petitioner was definitely not unaware of the projected criminal prosecution posed against him by
the indication of this Com1 as a complementary sanction in its resolution of his administrative case.
He appears, however, to have been insensitive to the implications and contingencies thereof by
not taking any step whatsoever to accelerate the disposition of the matter, which inaction conduces
to the perception that the supervening delay seems to have been without his objection hence
impliedly with his acquiescence.141

In Dela Peña v. Sanqiganbayan,142 this Court equated this acquiescence as one that
could amount to laches, which results in the waiver of their rights:
[I]t is worthy to note that it was only on 21 December 1999, after the case was set for arraignment,
that petitioners raised the issue of the delay in the conduct of the preliminary investigation. As
stated by them in their Motion to Quash/Dismiss, "[o]ther than the counter-affidavits, [they] did
nothing." Also, in their petition, they averred: "Aside from the motion for extension of time to file
counter-affidavits, petitioners in the present case did not file nor send any letter-queries addressed
to the Office of the Ombudsman for Mindanao which conducted the preliminary investigation." They
slept on their right - a situation amounting to laches. The matter could have taken a different
dimension if during all those four years, they showed signs of asserting their right to a speedy
disposition of their cases or at least made some over acts, like filing a motion for early resolution,
to show that they were not waiving that right. Their silence may, therefore be interpreted as a waiver
of such right. As aptly stated in Alvizo, the petitioner therein was "insensitive to the implications and
contingencies" of the projected criminal prosecution posed against him "by not taking any step
whatsoever to accelerate the disposition of the matter, which inaction conduces to the perception
that the supervening delay seems to have been without his objection, [and] hence impliedly with
his acquiescence."143

This concept of acquiescence, however, is premised on the presumption that the accused
was fully aware that the preliminary investigation has not yet been terminated despite a
considerable length of time. Thus, in Duterte v. Sandiganbayan,144 this Court stated
that Alvizo would not apply if the accused were unaware that the investigation was still
ongoing:

Petitioners in this case, however, could not have urged the speedy resolution of their case because
they were completely unaware that the investigation against them was still on-going. Peculiar to
this case, we reiterate, is the fact that petitioners were merely asked to comment, and not file
counter-affidavits which is the proper procedure to follow in a preliminary investigation. After giving
 their explanation and after four long years of being in the dark, petitioners, naturally, had reason to
assume that the charges against them had already been dismissed.145

Similarly, in Coscolluela v. Sandiganbayan:146

Records show that they could not have urged the speedy resolution of their case because they
were unaware that the investigation against them was still on-going. They were only informed of
the March 27, 2003 Resolution and Information against them only after the lapse of six (6) long
years, or when they received a copy of the latter after its filing with the SB on June 19, 2009. In this
regard, they could have reasonably assumed that the proceedings against them have already been
terminated. This serves as a plausible reason as to why petitioners never followed-up on the case
altogether...

....

Being the respondents in the preliminary investigation proceedings, it was not the petitioners' duty
to follow up on the prosecution of their case. Conversely, it was the Office of the Ombudsman's
responsibility to expedite the same within the bounds of reasonable timeliness in view of its
mandate to promptly act on all complaints lodged before it. As pronounced in the case of Barker v.
Wingo:

A defendant has no duty to bring himself to trial; the State has that duty as well as the duty of
insuring that the trial is consistent with due process.147

Justice Caguioa submits that this Court should depart from Dela Peña. He explains that
the third factor of the Barker balancing test, i.e., waiver by the accused, was applied within
the context of the Sixth Amendment148 of the American Constitution in that it presupposes
that the accused has already been subjected to criminal prosecution. He submits that as
the right to speedy disposition of cases may be invoked even before criminal prosecution
has commenced, waiver by the accused should be inapplicable.

The right to speedy disposition of cases, however, is invoked by a respondent to any type
of proceeding once delay has already become prejudicial to the respondent. The
invocation of the constitutional right does not require a threat to the right to liberty. Loss
of employment or compensation may already be considered as sufficient to invoke the
right. Thus, waiver of the right does not necessarily require that the respondent has
already been subjected to the rigors of criminal prosecution. The failure of the respondent
to invoke the right even when or she has already suffered or will suffer the consequences
of delay constitutes a valid waiver of that right.

While the Barker balancing test has American roots, a catena of cases has already been
decided by this Court, starting from Tatad, which have taken into account the Philippine
experience.

The reality is that institutional delay149 a reality that the court must address. The
prosecution is staffed by overworked and underpaid gove1nment lawyers with mounting
caseloads. The courts' dockets are congested. This Court has already launched programs
to remedy this situation, such as the Judicial Affidavit Rule, 150 Guidelines for
Decongesting Holding Jails by Enforcing the Right of the Accused to Bail and to Speedy
Trial,151 and the Revised Guidelines for Continuous Trial.152 These programs, however,
are mere stepping stones. The complete eradication of institutional delay requires these
sustained actions.

Institutional delay, in the proper context, should not be taken against the State. Most
cases handled by the Office of the Ombudsman involve individuals who have the
resources and who engage private counsel with the means and resources to fully
dedicate themselves to their client's case. More often than not, the accused only invoke
the right to speedy disposition of cases when the Ombudsman has already rendered an
unfavorable decision. The prosecution should not be prejudiced by private counsels'
failure to protect the interests of their clients or the accused's lack of interest in the
prosecution of their case.
For the court to appreciate a violation of the right to speedy disposition of cases, delay
must not be attributable to the defense.153 Certain unreasonable actions by the accused
will be taken against them. This includes delaying tactics like failing to appear despite
summons, filing needless motions against interlocutory actions, or requesting
unnecessary postponements that will prevent courts or tribunals to properly adjudicate
the case. When proven, this may constitute a waiver of the right to speedy trial or the right
to speedy disposition of cases.

If it has been alleged that there was delay beyond the given time periods, the burden of
proof shifts. The prosecution will now have the burden to prove that there was no violation
of the right to speedy trial or the right to speedy disposition of cases. Gonzales v.
Sandiganbayan154 states that "vexatious, capricious, and oppressive delays," "unjustified
postponements of the trial," or "when without cause or justifiable motive a long period of
time is allowed to elapse without the party having his [or her] case tried" 155 are instances
that may be considered as violations of the right to speedy disposition of cases. The
prosecution must be able to prove that it followed established procedure in prosecuting
the case.156 It must also prove that any delay incurred was justified, such as the
complexity of the cases involved or the vast amount of evidence that must be presented.

The prosecution must likewise prove that no prejudice was suffered by the accused as a
result of the delay. Corpuz v. Sandiganbayan157 defined prejudice to the accused as:

Prejudice should be assessed in the light of the interest of the defendant that the speedy trial was
designed to protect, namely: to prevent oppressive pre-trial incarceration; to minimize anxiety and
concerns of the accused to trial; and to limit the possibility that his defense will be impaired. Of
these, the most serious is the last, because the inability of a defendant adequately to prepare his
case skews the fairness of the entire system. There is also prejudice if the defense witnesses are
unable to recall accurately the events of the distant past. Even if the accused is not imprisoned
prior to trial, he is still disadvantaged by restraints on his liberty and by living under a cloud of
anxiety, suspicion and often, hostility. His financial resources may be drained, his association is
curtailed, and he is subjected to public obloquy. 158

In Coscolluela v. Sandiganbayan:159
Lest it be misunderstood, the right to speedy disposition of cases is not merely hinged towards the
objective of spurring dispatch in the administration of justice but also to prevent the oppression of
the citizen by holding a criminal prosecution suspended over him for an indefinite time. Akin to the
right to speedy trial, its "salutary objective" is to assure that an innocent person may be free from
the anxiety and expense of litigation or, if otherwise, of having his guilt determined within the
shortest possible time compatible with the presentation and consideration of whatsoever legitimate
defense he may interpose. This looming unrest as well as the tactical disadvantages carried by the
passage of time should be weighed against the State and in favor of the individual.160

The consequences of delay, however, do not only affect the accused. The prosecution of
the case will also be made difficult the longer the period of time passes. In Corpuz v.
Sandiganbayan:161
Delay is a two-edge sword. It is the government that bears the burden of proving its case beyond
reasonable doubt. The passage of time may make it difficult or impossible for the government to
carry its burden. The Constitution and the Rules do not require impossibilities or extraordinary
efforts, diligence or exe1iion from courts or the prosecutor, nor contemplate that such right shall
deprive the State of a reasonable opportunity of fairly prosecuting criminals. As held in Williams v.
United States, for the government to sustain its right to try the accused despite a delay, it must
show two things: (a) that the accused suffered no serious prejudice beyond that which ensued from
the ordinary and inevitable delay; and (b) that there was no more delay than is reasonably
attributable to the ordinary processes of justice.162

The consequences of the prosecution's failure to discharge this burden are severe. Rule
119, Section 9 of the Rules of Court requires that the case against the accused be
dismissed if there has been a violation of the right to speedy trial:
Section 9. Remedy where accused is not brought to trial within the time limit. - If the accused is not
brought to trial within the time limit required by Section 1(g), Rule 116 and Section 1, as extended
by Section 6 of this rule, the information may be dismissed on motion of the accused on the ground
of denial of his right to speedy trial. The accused shall have the burden of proving the motion but
 the prosecution shall have the burden of going forward with the evidence to establish the exclusion
of time under section 3 of this Rule. The dismissal shall be subject to the rules on double jeopardy.

Failure of the accused to move for dismissal prior to trial shall constitute a waiver of the right to
dismiss under this section.

Tatad, as qualified by Angchangco, likewise mandates the dismissal of the case if there
is a violation of the right to speedy disposition of cases. The immediate dismissal of cases
is also warranted if it is proven that there was malicious prosecution, if the cases were
politically motivated, or other similar instances. Once these circumstances have been
proven, there is no need for the defense to discharge its burden to prove that the delay
was inordinate.

To summarize, inordinate delay in the resolution and termination of a preliminary

investigation violates the accused's right to due process and the speedy disposition of
cases, and may result in the dismissal of the case against the accused. The burden of
proving delay depends on whether delay is alleged within the periods provided by law or
procedural rules. If the delay is alleged to have occurred during the given periods, the
burden is on the respondent or the accused to prove that the delay was inordinate. If the
delay is alleged to have occurred beyond the given periods, the burden shifts to the
prosecution to prove that the delay was reasonable under the circumstances and that no
prejudice was suffered by the accused as a result of the delay.

The determination of whether the delay was inordinate is not through mere mathematical
reckoning but through the examination of the facts and circumstances surrounding the
case. Courts should appraise a reasonable period from the point of view of how much
time a competent and independent public officer would need in relation to the complexity
of a given case. If there has been delay, the prosecution must be able to satisfactorily
explain the reasons for such delay and that no prejudice was suffered by the accused as
a result. The timely invocation of the accused's constitutional rights must also be
examined on a case-to-case basis.

This Court proceeds to determine whether respondent committed inordinate delay in the
resolution and termination of the preliminary investigation against petitioner.

There is no showing that this case was attended by malice. There is no evidence that it
was politically motivated. Neither party alleges this fact. Thus, this Court must analyze
the existence and cause of delay.

The criminal complaint against petitioner was filed on February 10, 2003. On August 11,
2004, the Office of the Ombudsman issued a Resolution finding probable cause against
petitioner. This Resolution, however, was modified by the Resolution dated October 18,
2004, which ordered the conduct of further fact-finding investigation against some of the
other respondents in the case. This further fact-finding was resolved by the Office of the
Ombudsman on April 12, 2005. On August 8, 2011, or six (6) years after the
recommendation to file informations against petitioner was approved by Tanodbayan
Marcelo, Assistant Special Prosecutor II Pilarita T. Lapitan submitted the informations for
Ombudsman Carpio Morales' review. Informations against petitioner were filed
on November 17, 2011.

Six (6) years is beyond the reasonable period of fact-finding of ninety (90) days. The
burden of proving the justification of the delay, therefore, is on the prosecution, or in this
case, respondent.

Respondent alleged that the delay in the filing of the informations was justified since it
was still determining whether accused Mary Ann Gadian (Gadian) could be utilized as a
state witness and it still had to verify accused Felipe Constantino's death. The
recommendation, however, to utilize Gadian as a state witness was approved by
Tanodbayan Marcelo on December 20, 2004.163 Felipe Constantino's death was verified
by the Sandiganbayan in its November 14, 2006 Order.164 There is, thus, delay from
November 14, 2006 to August 8, 2011.

This Court finds, however, that despite the pendency of the case since 2003, petitioner
only invoked his right to speedy disposition of cases when the informations were filed on
November 17, 2011. Unlike in Duterte and Coscolluela, petitioner was aware that the
preliminary investigation was not yet terminated.

Admittedly, while there was delay, petitioner has not shown that he asserted his rights
during this period, choosing instead to wait until the information was filed against him with
the Sandiganbayan.

Furthermore, the case before the Sandiganbayan involves the alleged malversation of
millions in public money. The Sandiganbayan has yet to determine the guilt or innocence
of petitioner. In the Decision dated June 17, 2010 of the Sandiganbayan acquitting
petitioner in Crim. Case No. 28331:

We wish to iterate our observation gathered from the evidence on record that the subject
transaction is highly suspect. There is a seeming acceptance of the use of questionable supporting
documents to secure the release of public funds in the province, and the apparent undue haste in
the processing and eventual withdrawal of such funds. However, obvious as the irregularities may
be, which can only lead to distrust in the ability of public officials to safeguard public funds, we are
limited to a review only of the evidence presented vis-a-vis the charges brought forth before this
Court. Thus, We cannot make any pronouncement in regard to such seeming irregularities. 165

The records of the case show that the transactions investigated are complex and
numerous. As respondent points out, there were over a hundred individuals investigated,
and eventually, 40 of them were determined to have been involved in 81 different
anomalous transactions.166 Even granting that the Commission on Audit's Audit Report
exhaustively investigated each transaction, "the prosecution is not bound by the findings
of the Commission on Audit; it must rely on its own independent judgment in the
determination of probable cause."167 Delays in the investigation and review would have
been inevitable in the hands of a competent and independent Ombudsman.

The dismissal of the complaints, while favorable to petitioner, would undoubtedly be

prejudicial to the State. "[T]he State should not be prejudiced and deprived of its right to
prosecute the criminal cases simply because of the ineptitude or nonchalance of the
Office of the Ombudsman."168 The State is as much entitled to due process as the
accused. In People v. Leviste:169

[I]t must be emphasized that the state, like any other litigant, is entitled to its day in court, and to a
reasonable opportunity to present its case. A hasty dismissal such as the one in question, instead
of unclogging dockets, has actually increased the workload of the justice system as a whole and
caused uncalled - for delays in the final resolution of this and other cases. Unwittingly, the
precipitate action of the respondent court, instead of easing the burden of the accused, merely
prolonged the litigation and ironically enough, unnecessarily delayed the case - in the process,
causing the very evil it apparently sought to avoid. Such action does not inspire public confidence
in the administration of justice.170

This Court finds that there is no violation of the accused's right to speedy disposition of
cases considering that there was a waiver of the delay of a complex case. Definitely,
granting the present Petitions and finding grave abuse of discretion on the part of the
Sandiganbayan will only prejudice the due process rights of the State.

This Court now clarifies the mode of analysis in situations where the right to speedy
disposition of cases or the right to speedy trial is invoked.

First, the right to speedy disposition of cases is different from the right to speedy trial.
While the rationale for both rights is the same, the right to speedy trial may only be invoked
in criminal prosecutions against courts of law. The right to speedy disposition of cases,
however, may be invoked before any tribunal, whether judicial or quasi-judicial. What is
important is that the accused may already be prejudiced by the proceeding for the right
to speedy disposition of cases to be invoked.

Second, a case is deemed initiated upon the filing of a formal complaint prior to a conduct
of a preliminary investigation. This Court acknowledges, however, that the Ombudsman
should set reasonable periods for preliminary investigation, with due regard to the
complexities and nuances of each case. Delays beyond this period will be taken against
the prosecution. The period taken for fact-finding investigations prior to the filing of the
formal complaint shall not be included in the determination of whether there has been
inordinate delay.

Third, courts must first determine which party carries the burden of proof. If the right is
invoked within the given time periods contained in current Supreme Court resolutions and
circulars,171 and the time periods that will be promulgated by the Office of the
Ombudsman, the defense has the burden of proving that the right was justifiably invoked.
If the delay occurs beyond the given time period and the right is invoked, the prosecution
has the burden of justifying the delay.

If the defense has the burden of proof, it must prove first, whether the case is motivated
by malice or clearly only politically motivated and is attended by utter lack of evidence,
and second, that the defense did not contribute to the delay.

Once the burden of proof shifts to the prosecution, the prosecution must prove first, that
it followed the prescribed procedure in the conduct of preliminary investigation and in the
prosecution of the case; second, that the complexity of the issues and the volume of
evidence made the delay inevitable; and third, that no prejudice was suffered by the
accused as a result of the delay.

Fourth, determination of the length of delay is never mechanical. Courts must consider
the entire context of the case, from the amount of evidence to be weighed to the simplicity
or complexity of the issues raised.

An exception to this rule is if there is an allegation that the prosecution of the case was
solely motivated by malice, such as when the case is politically motivated or when there
is continued prosecution despite utter lack of evidence. Malicious intent may be gauged
from the behavior of the prosecution throughout the proceedings. If malicious prosecution
is properly alleged and substantially proven, the case would automatically be dismissed
without need of further analysis of the delay.

Another exception would be the waiver of the accused to the right to speedy disposition
of cases or the right to speedy trial. If it can be proven that the accused acquiesced to the
delay, the constitutional right can no longer be invoked.

In all cases of dismissals due to inordinate delay, the causes of the delays must be
properly laid out and discussed by the relevant court.

Fifth, the right to speedy disposition of cases or the right to speedy trial must be timely
raised. The respondent or the accused must file the appropriate motion upon the lapse of
the statutory or procedural periods. Otherwise, they are deemed to have waived their right
to speedy disposition of cases.

WHEREFORE, the Petitions are DENIED. The Temporary Restraining Order dated
February 5, 2014 is LIFTED. The Sandiganbayan is DIRECTED to resolve Case No. SB-
11-CRM-0456 and Case No. SB-11-CRM-0457 with due and deliberate dispatch.

The period for the determination of whether inordinate delay was committed shall
commence from the filing of a formal complaint and the conduct of the preliminary
investigation. The periods for the resolution of the preliminary investigation shall be that
provided in the Rules of Court, Supreme Court Circulars, and the periods to be
established by the Office of the Ombudsman. Failure of the defendant to file the
appropriate motion after the lapse of the statutory or procedural periods shall be
considered a waiver of his or her right to speedy disposition of cases.

The ruling in People v. Sandiganbayan, Fifth Division172 that fact-finding investigations

are included in the period for determination of inordinate delay is ABANDONED.

SO ORDERED.