Digest SONY Music vs. Judge Espanol

Sony Music vs. Judge Espanol Retrieved from: (http://www.uberdigests.info/!"/!/sony#music#philippines#vs# ( http://www.uberdigests.info/!"/!/sony#music#philippines#vs#  $udge#dolores#espanol#et#al/  $udge#dolor es#espanol#et#al/%% &acts:

In 2000, Sony Music Music Entertainm Entertainment ent (Phils.), (Phils.), Inc. sought sought the assistanc assistance e of the National National Bure Bureau au of Inve Invest stig igat atio ion n (NBI (NBI)) agen agentt avi avin n as they they com! com!la lain ine" e" that that Soli Soli" " agu aguna na #or!oration, together $ith its officers $ere engage" in the re!lication, re!ro"uction an" "istri%ution of Sony vi"eograms $ithout license an" authority from the &i"eo 'egulatory Boar" (violation of P.. P.. *+)hat Soli" aguna $as manufacturing, selling, an" "istri%uting various titles of #s in violation of Sony Music/s co!yrights (an" a violation of ' +2*1).  gent avin, in a!!lying for a search $arrant, state" %efore u"ge olores Es!a3ol that an unname" !erson !rovi"e" them information as to the !resence of !irate" #s in the !remises of Soli" aguna- that avin an" other $itnesses $ere accom!anie" %y unname" !ersons to enter the !remise an" con"uct further investigation. he 4u"ge then issue" t$o corres!on"ing search $arrants- one for !ro%a%le violation of P *+ an" the other for  !ro%a%le violation of ' '  +2*1. he search $arrants $ere su%se5uently enforce" an" items $ere sei6e" from Soli" aguna on the strength of the t$o $arrants. $a rrants. Soli" Soli" aguna aguna therea thereafte fterr !resen !resente" te" a certif certifica icatio tion n that that they are actual actually ly author authori6e i6e" " to manufacture an" sell #s %y the &'B at the same time it as7e" the court to 5uash the search $arrants an" return the items sei6e". u"ge Es!a3ol then 5uashe" the search $arrant issue" for !ro%a%le violation of P *+. u"ge Es!a3ol later 5uashe" the other $arrant %ecause of the fact that the items sei6e" as a result of the t$o $arrants $ere commingle" hence they cannot %e e8amine" !ro!erly. u"ge Es!a3ol also rule" that the issuance of the $arrant stemme" from the intimation ma"e %y !etitioners that Soli" aguna $as not authori6e" to manufacture an" sell #s %ut in fact they $ere authori6e" %y the &'B. his %eing, the $arrants are of no force an" effect %ecause of the lac7 of !ro%a%le cause.

ISSUE:

HELD:

N:.

9:N the search $arrants $ere vali";

he issuance of the search $arrant in 5uestion "i" not meet the re5uirements of !ro%a%le cause. u"ge Es!a3ol "i" not accor"ingly err in 5uashing the same, let alone gravely a%use her  "iscretion. It is also $ithin her authority to 5uash the sai" $arrants %ase" on her fin"ings $hich $ere foun" to %e vali" %y the Su!reme #ourt.