Gian Paulo Villaflor Vs - Dindo Vivar Y Gozon G.R. No. 134744 January 16, 2001 Doctrine: The Issues

GIAN PAULO VILLAFLOR vs.
DINDO VIVAR y GOZON The Issues

G.R. No. 134744 January 16, 2001
I. Whether the court motu propio order the dismissal of two (2) criminal cases for serious physical
DOCTRINE: injuries and grave threats on the ground that the public prosecutor failed to conduct a preliminary
investigation?--NO
The absence of a preliminary investigation does not impair the validity of an information or render it
defective. Neither does it affect the jurisdiction of the court or constitute a ground for quashing the II. Whether the failure of the public prosecutor to conduct a preliminary investigation be considered a
information. Instead of dismissing the information, the court should hold the proceeding in abeyance ground to quash the criminal Informations for serious physical injuries and grave threats filed against
and order the public prosecutor to conduct a preliminary investigation. the accused-respondent.--NO
FACTS: HELD:
1. An Information for slight physical injuries was filed against Vivar for alleged mauling of Villaflor by I. Lack of Preliminary Investigation
respondent outside the Fat Tuesday Bar. After the severe beating he took from respondent, petitioner
again met respondent who told him, "Sa susunod gagamitin ko na itong baril ko" ("Next time, I will use Preliminary investigation is "an inquiry or proceeding to determine whether sufficient ground to
my gun on you"). engender a well-founded belief that a crime has been committed and the respondent is probably
guilty thereof, and should be held for trial." A component part of due process in criminal justice,
2. When the injuries sustained by petitioner turned out to be more serious than they had appeared at preliminary investigation is a statutory and substantive right accorded to the accused before trial. To
first, an Information for more serious physical injuries was filed against respondent. deny their claim to a preliminary investigation would be to deprive them of the full measure of their
right to due process.18
3. The earlier charge of slight physical injuries was withdrawn.
However, the absence of a preliminary investigation does not impair the validity of the information or
4. At the same time, another Information for grave threats was filed against respondent. otherwise render it defective. Neither does it affect the jurisdiction of the court or constitute a ground
for quashing the information. The trial court, instead of dismissing the information, should hold in
abeyance the proceedings and order the public prosecutor to conduct a preliminary investigation.
5. Respondent posted a cash bond for serious physical injuries case.
Furthermore, we do not agree that a preliminary investigation was not conducted. In fact, the
6. Instead of filing a counter-affidavit Vivar filed a Motion to Quash the Information in Criminal Case
assistant city prosecutor of Muntinlupa City made a preliminary investigation for slight physical
for grave threats saying that it was absorbed since it was made in connection with the charge of
injuries. The said Information was, however, amended when petitioner's injuries turned out to be
serious physical injuries. Thus, he concluded,grave threats case should be dismissed, as the trial court
more serious and did not heal within the period specified in the RPC.
did not acquire jurisdiction over it.
We believe that a new preliminary investigation cannot be demanded by respondent. This is because
7. MTC denied the Motion to Quash.MR denied. So Vivar was arraigned.
the charge made by the public prosecutor was only a formal amendment.
Grounds: -1) Jurisdiction is conferred by law and the case filed is grave threats which is within
the jurisdiction of this Court. 2)Motion to quash is a prohibited [pleading] under the rule on
summary procedure The filing of the Amended Information, without a new preliminary investigation, did not violate the
8. Respondent filed a Petition for Certiorari with the RTC of Muntinlupa City. MR denied right of respondent to be protected from a hasty, malicious and oppressive prosecution; an open and
Decision: There’s grave abuse of discretion in declaring and denying the MOTION TO QUASH. public accusation of a crime; or from the trouble, the expenses and the anxiety of a public trial. The
Grounds:MQ filed in interior court is a prohibited pleading HOWEVER it would appear that the Amended Information could not have come as a surprise to him for the simple and obvious reason
criminal charges were filed without the preliminary investigation by the Prosecutor's Office. Although that it charged essentially the same offense as that under the original Information. Moreover, if the
preliminary investigation in cases triable by interior courts is not a matter of right, the provision of original charge was related to the amended one, such that an inquiry would elicit substantially the
"An Act Converting the Municipality of Muntinlupa Into Highly Urbanized City To Be Known as the City same facts, then a new preliminary investigation was not necessary.
of Muntinlupa" provides that the city prosecutor shall conduct preliminary investigations of ALL
crimes, even violations of city ordinances. II. Motion to Quash
Absence of a preliminary investigation does not affect the jurisdiction of the court over the case
or constitute a ground for quashing the information.
Section 3, Rule 117 of the Revised Rules of Criminal Procedure provides the grounds on which an
accused can move to quash the complaint or information. These are: (a) the facts charged do not
constitute an offense; (b) the court trying the case has no jurisdiction over the offense charged (c) the
court trying the case has no jurisdiction over the person of the accused; (d) the officer who filed the
information had no authority to do so; (e) the information does not conform substantially to the
prescribed form; (f) more than one offense is charged, except in those cases in which existing laws
prescribe a single punishment for various offense; (g) the criminal action or liability has been
extinguished; (h) information contains averments which, if true, would constitute a legal excuse or
justification; and (I) the accused has been previously convicted or is in jeopardy of being convicted or
acquitted of the offense charged.25
Nowhere in the above-mentioned section is there any mention of a lack of a preliminary investigation
as a ground for a motion to quash. Moreover, such motion is a prohibited pleading under Section 19
of the Revised Rules on Summary Procedure. In the present case, the RTC therefore erred in granting
herein respondent's Motion to Quash.
Furthermore, we stress that the failure of the accused to assert any ground for a motion to quash
before arraignment, either because he had not filed the motion or had failed to allege the grounds
therefor, shall be deemed a waiver of such grounds. In this case, he waived his right to file such
motion when he pleaded not guilty to the charge of grave threats.
DISPOSITION: WHEREFORE, the petition is GRANTED, and the assailed Orders of the Regional Trial
Court of Muntinlupa City are REVERSED. No costs.

Gian Paulo Villaflor Vs - Dindo Vivar Y Gozon G.R. No. 134744 January 16, 2001 Doctrine: The Issues

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Gian Paulo Villaflor Vs - Dindo Vivar Y Gozon G.R. No. 134744 January 16, 2001 Doctrine: The Issues

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Gian Paulo Villaflor Vs - Dindo Vivar Y Gozon G.R. No. 134744 January 16, 2001 Doctrine: The Issues

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

GIAN PAULO VILLAFLOR vs.

DINDO VIVAR y GOZON The Issues

You might also like