Marcelo v. Sandiganbayan G.R. No. 109242, January 26, 1999 Facts: On ebruary 10, 19!9, 19!9, Jacin"o Mere"e, a le""er le""er carrier in "#e Ma$a"i %en"ral &o'" &o'" O((ice O((ice,, di' di'clo clo'ed 'ed "o #i' c#ie(, c#ie(, &ro)ec &ro)ec"o "o *u+agan *u+agan,, "#e ei'"enc ei'"ence e o( a grou- re'-on'ible (or (or "#e -il(erage o( +ail +a""er in "#e -o'" o((ice. o((ice. +ong "#o'e +en"ioned +en"ioned by Mere"e Mere"e /ere rnold rnold &a'icolan &a'icolan,, an e+ergency e+ergency laborer laborer a''ign a''igned ed a' a bag o-ener o-ener in "#e &rin"ed &rin"ed Ma""er Ma""er' ' Sec"io Sec"ion, n, and Reden"or Reden"or guinaldo, a +ail 'or"er o( "#e Ma$a"i &o'" O((ice. or "#i' rea'on, *u+agan 'oug 'oug#" #" "#e "#e aid aid o( "#e "#e Na"i Na"ion onal al u ure reau au o( nve nve'" '"ig iga" a"io ion n in a--r a--re# e#en endi ding ng "#e grou- re'-on'ible (or +ail -il(erage in "#e Ma$a"i &o'" &o'" O((ice. On ebruary 1, 1, 19!9, N 3irec"or 3irec"or Salvador Ranin di'-a"c#ed di'-a"c#ed N agen"' "o ega'-i 5illage (ollo/ing a re-or" "#a" "#e grou- /ould '"age a "#e(" o( +ail +a""er on "#a" day. *u+agan acco+-anied a "ea+ o( N agen"' co+-o'ed o( Senior gen" rle' 5ela and "/o o"#er agen"' in a -riva"e car. " 2:00 -.+., a -o'"al delivery )ee-, driven by one enry Orindai, /a' -ar$ed in (ron" o( "#e 7'guerra uilding on delan"ado S"ree". &a'icolan alig#"ed (ro+ "#e )ee- bringing /i"# #i+ a +ail bag. 8-on reac#ing +or'olo S"., &a'icolan gave "#e +ail bag "o "/o -er'on', /#o /ere la"er iden"i(ied a' Ronn Ronnie ie Ro+e Ro+ero ro and -e"i -e"i"i "ion oner er i"o i"o Marc Marcel elo. o. *#e *#e la"" la""er er "ran "ran'( '(er erre red d "#e "#e con"en"' o( "#e +ail bag "o a "ravelling bag. Mean/#ile, "#e N "ea+ led by agen" 5ela, u-on 'eeing &a'icolan going "o/ard' +or'olo S"., +oved "#eir car and '"ar"ed "o/ard' +or'olo S". *#ey /ere )u'" in "i+e "o 'ee &a'icolan #and #andin ing g over over "#e "#e +ail +ail bag bag "o Marc Marcel elo o and Ro+e Ro+ero ro.. " "#a" "#a" -oin -oin", ", " ""y "y.. Sacaguing and rle' 5ela arre'"ed "#e "/o accu'ed. *#e N agen"' (ollo/ed "#e -o'"al delivery )ee-, over"oo$ i", and arre'"ed a rre'"ed &a'icolan. *#e N agen"' broug#" &a'icolan, Marcelo, and Ro+ero "o "#eir Romero, Marcelo Marcelo,, and Pasicolan Pasicolan were asked asked to affix #eadu #eaduar" ar"er er'. '. Romero, their signatures on the envelopes of the letters . *#ey *#ey did 'o in "#e -re'ence -re'ence o( "#e +e+ber' +e+ber' o( "#e N d+ini'"ra" d+ini'"ra"ive ive and nve'"iga" nve'"iga"ive ive S"a(( and "#e -eo-le "ran'ac"ing bu'ine'' /i"# "#e N a" "#a" "i+e. ccording "o 3irec"or Ranin, "#ey reuired "#e accu'ed "o do "#i' in order "o iden"i(y "#e le""er' a' "#e very 'a+e le""er' con(i'ca"ed (ro+ "#e+. ca'e (or qualified theft /a' (iled be(ore "#e Sandiganbayan /#erein "#e accu'ed /ere declared guilty . ssue!s": #e"#er or no" "#e le""er' 'igned by "#e -e"i"ioner /ere inad+i''ible a' evidence. #eld: *#e Supreme $ourt held that the letters were valid evidence . " i' $no/n "#a" during cu'"odial inve'"iga"ion, a -er'on #a' "#e rig#" "o re+ain 'ilen" and "#e rig#" "o an a""orney. ny ad+i''ion or con(e''ion +ade in "#e ab'ence o( coun'el i' inad+i''ible a' evidence. ur"#er+ore, no -er'on '#all be co+-el co+-elle led d "o be a /i"ne /i"ne'' '' again'" again'" #i+'el(. #i+'el(. n "#e in'"an" in'"an" ca'e, ca'e, even even "#oug# "#oug# "#e -e"i"ion -e"i"ioner er /a' a'$ed "o 'ig 'ign n "#e le""er' le""er',, the letters are still
admissible as evidence because the accused was convicted not only by means of these letters but also by testimonies made by the %& agents . Moreover, "#e Su-re+e %our" #eld "#a" the letters were validly sei'ed as an incident of a valid arrest and therefore can stand on their own. *#e decision of the Sandiganbayan is affirmed.
