[G.R. No. 129296. September 25, 2000] PEOPLE PEOPLE OF THE PHILIP PHILIPPIN PINES, ES, pl!"t pl!"t!## !##$pp $ppell ellee, ee, %&. '(E )'L*E+ )'L*E+ *EL' *EL' -R+, -R+, //&e$ppell"t. FACTS:
SPO 3r/elo T!p, member o# t4e pol!/e #or/e o# )!ll%ere, Ne% )!/, te&t!#!e t4t t ro" 1015 .m. o# September 27, 1996, 4e re/e!%e t!p #rom " ""me !"#ormer bot t4e pre&e"/e o# mr!8" pl"tt!o", lleel o:"e b 'be )le *el -r t S!t!o (l", Ib", )!ll%ere, Ne% )!/. T4e pro4!b!te pl"t& :ere lleel pl"te /lo&e to ppell"t;& <'(E )'L*E+ *EL' -R+= 4t. Pol!/e I"&pe/tor 'le8"ro R. Pr"o, -4!e# o# Pol!/e o# )!ll%ere, Ne% )!/ t4e" #orme re/t!o" tem #rom 4!& opert!%e& to %er!# t4e report. 't ppro>!mtel 500 o;/lo/? '.3. t4e #ollo:!" , &! pol!/e tem, //omp"!e b t4e!r !"#ormer, le#t #or t4e &!te :4ere t4e mr!8" pl"t& :ere lleel be!" ro:". '#ter t4ree$4or, p4!ll tre? #rom t4e "ere&t br" ro, t4e pol!/e opert!%e& rr!%e t t4e pl/e p!"po!"te b t4e!r !"#orm"t. T4e pol!/e #o" ppell"t lo"e !" 4!& "!p 4t. T4e, t4e", pro/eee to loo? ro" t4e re :4ere ppell"t 4 4!& ?!"!" " &: &e%e" <@= #!%e$#oot 4!4, #lo:er!" mr!8" pl"t& !" t:o ro:&, ppro>!mtel 25 meter& #rom ppell"t;& 4t. PO2 (lt (lt &?e &?e ppell ppell"t "t :4o o:"e o:"e t4e pro4!b pro4!b!te !te pl"t& pl"t& ", ", //or //or!" !" to (lt, (lt, t4e ltter ltter m!tte t4t t4e :ere 4!&. T4e pol!/e proote t4e &e%e" mr!8" pl"t&, :4!/4 :e!4e 2.197 2.197 ?!lor ?!lorm& m&.. T4e pol!/e pol!/e too? too? p4oto& p4oto& o# ppell ppell"t "t &t"! &t"!" " be&!e be&!e t4e /""b! /""b!&& pl"t& pl"t&.. 'ppell"t :& t4e" rre&te. O"e o# t4e pl"t&, :e!4!" 1.090 ?!lorm&, :& &e"t to t4e P4!l! P4!l!pp! pp!"e "e Nt!o" Nt!o"l l Pol!/e Pol!/e -r!me -r!me Lbor Lbortor tor !" (omb (ombo", o", Ne% Ne% )!/ )!/ #or "l&! "l&!&. &. I"&pe/ I"&pe/tor tor Pre% Pre% Fbro& Fbro& L:!&, L:!&, t4e -r!me -r!me Lbor Lbortor tor #ore"& #ore"&!/ !/ "l&t "l&t,, te&t! te&t!#!e #!e t4t t4t po" po" m!/ro&/op!/ e>m!"t!o" o# &! pl"t, &4e #o" /&tol!t!/ 4!r& /o"t!"!" /l/!m /rbo"te, po&!t!%e !"!/t!o" #or mr!8". S4e "e>t /o"/te /4em!/l e>m!"t!o", t4e re<& o# :4!/4 /o"#!rme 4er !"!t!l !mpre&&!o"&. S4e #o" & #ollo:& ASPE-I3EN S(3ITTE* E>4 A'A $ 1.090 rm& o# proote &&pe/te mr!8" pl"t pl/e !"&!e :4!te &/? :!t4 mr?!"&. mr?!"&. > > > AFIN*INGS AFIN*INGS Bl!tt!%e Bl!tt!%e e>m!"t!o" e>m!"t!o" /o"/te o" t4e bo%e &tte &tte &pe/!me" &pe/!me" %e POSITI)E re< to t4e te&t #or 3r!8", pro4!b!te r.A '(E )'L*E+ *EL' -R+, t4e //&e, :& #o" !lt beo" re&o"ble obt b tr!l /ort o# /lt!%t!" mr!8" pl"t& p"!&4ble "er &e/t!o" 9 o# *"ero& *r& '/t o# 19@2, & me"e " :& &e"te"/e to &##er t4e pe"lt o# et4 b let4l !"8e/t!o". T4e //&e$ppell"t /o"te"e t4ere :& "l:#l &er/4 " t4t t4e /ort erre !" e/lr!" t4e mr!8" pl"t&, & e%!e"/e e&p!te t4t :& t4e pro/t o# " !llel &er/4C erre !" /o"%!/t!" t4e //&e o# %!olt!o" o# &e/t!o" 9 <*"ero& *r& '/t=, Repbl!/ '/t No. 6725 e&p!te o# t4e !"m!&&!b!l!t o# t4e e%!e"/eC " r%el erre !" !mpo&!" t4e &preme pe"lt o# et4 po" t4e //&e e&p!te #!lre o# t4e /ort to pro%e t4t t4e l" :4ere t4e I"!" Hemp :ere /lt!%te :& pbl!/ l" o" t4e &&mpt!o" t4t t4e //&e pl"te. Issues stated:
1. D& t4e &er/4 " &e!re o# t4e mr!8" pl"t& !" t4!& /&e l:#l 2. D& t4e &e e%!e"/e <&e!re o# mr!8" pl"t&= !" t4e /&e !"&t )le m!&&!ble . H& t4e pro&e/t!o" pro%e t4t )le :& !lt beo" re&o"ble obt HELD:
T4e Spreme -ort RE)ERSE* t4e e/!&!o" o# t4e Re!o"l Tr!l -ort " t4e ppell"t :& 'BITTE* 1. " 2. No. I" t4e !"&t"t /&e, t4ere :& "o &er/4 :rr"t !&&e b 8e #ter per&o"l eterm!"t!o" o# t4e e>!&te"/e o# probble /&e. Contention For t4e ppellee, t4e O##!/e o# t4e Sol!/!tor Ge"erl re& t4t t4e re/or& /lerl &4o: t4t t4ere :& "o &er/4 me b t4e pol!/e tem, !" t4e #!r&t pl/e. T4e OSG po!"t& ot t4t t4e mr!8" pl"t& !" e&t!o" :ere ro:" !" " "#e"/e lot " & e/4 re: bot #!%e <5= #eet tll, t4e :ere %!&!ble #rom #r, " :ere, !" #/t, !mme!tel &potte b t4e pol!/e o##!/er& :4e" t4e re/4e t4e &!te. T4e &e!e mr!8" pl"t& :ere, t4&, !" pl!" %!e: o# t4e pol!/e o##!/er&. Ruling De #!" "o re&o" to &b&/r!be to Sol!/!tor Ge"erl;& /o"te"t!o" t4t :e ppl t4e Apl!" %!e:A o/tr!"e. For t4e o/tr!"e to ppl, t4e #ollo:!" eleme"t& m&t be pre&e"t <= pr!or %l! !"tr&!o" b&e o" t4e %l! :rr"tle&& rre&t !" :4!/4 t4e pol!/e re lell pre&e"t !" t4e pr&!t o# t4e!r o##!/!l t!e&C
T4e -o"&t!tt!o" pl!"l e/lre& t4t " per&o" "er !"%e&t!t!o" #or t4e /omm!&&!o" o# " o##e"&e &4ll 4%e t4e r!4t <1= to rem!" &!le"tC <2= to 4%e /ompete"t " !"epe"e"t /o"&el pre#erbl o# 4!& o:" /4o!/eC " <= to be !"#orme o# &/4 r!4t&. T4e&e r!4t& /""ot be :!%e e>/ept !" :r!t!" " !" t4e pre&e"/e o# /o"&el. '" !"%e&t!t!o" be!"& :4e" !t !& "o lo"er e"erl !"!r bt &trt& to #o/& o" prt!/lr per&o" & &&pe/t, !.e., :4e" t4e pol!/e !"%e&t!tor &trt& !"terrot!" or e>/t!" /o"#e&&!o" #rom t4e &&pe/t !" /o""e/t!o" :!t4 " llee o##e"&e. T4e mome"t t4e pol!/e tr to el!/!t m!&&!o"& or /o"#e&&!o"& or e%e" pl!" !"#ormt!o" #rom per&o" &&pe/te o# 4%!" /omm!tte " o##e"&e, 4e &4ol t t4t 8"/tre be &&!&te b /o"&el, "le&& 4e :!%e& t4e r!4t !" :r!t!" " !" t4e pre&e"/e o# /o"&el. I" t4e !"&t"t /&e :e #!" t4t, #rom t4e &trt, t!p&ter 4 #r"!&4e t4e pol!/e ppell"t;& "me & :ell & t4e lo/t!o" o# ppell"t;& #rm, :4ere t4e mr!8" pl"t& :ere lleel be!" ro:". D4!le t4e pol!/e opert!o" :& &ppo&el me"t to merel A%er!#A &! !"#ormt!o", t4e pol!/e /4!e# 4 l!?e:!&e !&&e !"&tr/t!o"& to rre&t ppell"t & &&pe/te mr!8" /lt!%tor. T4&, t t4e t!me t4e pol!/e tl?e to ppell"t !" 4!& #rm, t4e ltter :& lre "er !"%e&t!t!o" & &&pe/t. T4e e&t!o"!" b t4e pol!/e :& "o lo"er e"erl !"!r. 3oreo%er, :e #!" ppell"t;& e>tr8!/!l /o"#e&&!o" #l:e :!t4 re&pe/t to !t& m!&&!b!l!t. For /o"#e&&!o" to be m!&&!ble, !t m&t &t!&# t4e #ollo:!" re!reme"t& <1= !t m&t be %ol"trC <2= !t m&t be me :!t4 t4e &&!&t"/e o# /ompete"t " !"epe"e"t /o"&elC <= !t m&t be e>pre&&C " <7= !t m&t be !" :r!t!". T4e re/or& &4o: t4t t4e m!&&!o" b ppell"t :& %erbl. It :& l&o "/o"&elle. ' %erbl m!&&!o" lleel me b " //&e r!" t4e !"%e&t!t!o", :!t4ot t4e &&!&t"/e o# /o"&el t t4e t!me o# 4!& rre&t " e%e" be#ore 4!& #orml !"%e&t!t!o" !& "ot o"l !"m!&&!ble #or be!" %!olt!%e o# t4e r!4t to /o"&el r!" /r!m!"l !"%e&t!t!o"&, !t !& l&o 4er&. Summary of ruling in no. 3 F!r&t, & erl!er po!"te ot, t4e &e!e mr!8" pl"t& :ere obt!"e !" %!olt!o" o# ppell"t;& /o"&t!tt!o"l r!4t& !"&t "re&o"ble &er/4e& " &e!re&. T4e &er/4 " &e!re :ere %o! ab initio #or 4%!" bee" /o"/te :!t4ot t4e re!&!te 8!/!l :rr"t. T4e pro&e/t!o";& %er o:" e%!e"/e /lerl e&tbl!&4e& t4t t4e pol!/e 4 &##!/!e"t t!me to obt!" :rr"t. T4ere :& "o &4o:!" o# &/4 re"/ or "e/e&&!t #or t4e :rr"tle&& &er/4 or t4e !mme!te &e!re o# t4e mr!8" pl"t& &b8e/t o# t4!& /&e. To re!terte, &! mr!8" pl"t& /""ot be t!l!e to p ro%e ppell"t;& !lt :!t4ot r""!" #ol o# t4e /o"&t!tt!o"l r"tee& !"&t !llel &er/4e& " t4e !"m!&&!b!l!t o# e%!e"/e pro/re pr&"t to " "l:#l &er/4 " &e!re. Se/o", t4e /o"#e&&!o" o# o:"er&4!p o# t4e mr!8" pl"t&, :4!/4 ppell"t lleel me to t4e pol!/e r!" !"%e&t!t!o", !& "ot o"l 4 er& bt l&o %!olt!%e o# t4e (!ll o# R!4t&. T4e prporte /o"#e&&!o" :& me :!t4ot t4e &&!&t"/e o# /ompete"t " !"epe"e"t /o"&el, & m"te b t4e -4rter. T4&, &! /o"#e&&!o" /""ot be &e to /o"%!/t ppell"t :!t4ot r""!" #ol o# t4e -o"&t!tt!o";& re!reme"t t4t &&pe/t !" /r!m!"l !"%e&t!t!o" m&t 4%e t4e &er%!/e& o# /ompete"t " !"epe"e"t /o"&el r!" &/4 !"%e&t!t!o". I" &m, bot4 t4e ob8e/t e%!e"/e " t4e te&t!mo"!l e%!e"/e & to ppell"t;& %ol"tr /o"#e&&!o" o# o:"er&4!p o# t4e pro4!b!te pl"t& rel!e po" to pro%e ppell"t;& !lt #!le to meet t4e te&t o# -o"&t!tt!o"l /ompete"/e.
