JUAN PONCE ENRILE, Petitioner, ENRILE, Petitioner, vs. SANDIGANBA SANDIG ANBAYA YAN N (THIRD DIVISION), AND AND PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, Respondents. PHILIPPINES, Respondents. G.R. No. 213847 dated August 18, 2015 Ponente: Justie !uas P. "ersa#in $N "AN%
FACTS: &n June 5, 2014, t'e &((ie o( t'e &#)uds#an 'arged petitioner $nri*e and severa* ot'ers +it' p*under in t'e andigan)a-an on t'e )asis o( t'eir purported invo*ve#ent in t'e diversion and #isuse o( appropriations under t'e Prioriteve*op#ent Assistane /und PA/. &n June 10, 2014 and June 1, 2014, petitioner (i*ed 'is &#ni)us otion and upp*e#enta* &pposition pra-ing, a#ong ot'ers, t'at 'e )e a**o+ed to post )ai* s'ou*d pro)a)*e ause )e (ound against 'i#. &n Ju*Ju*- 3, 2014 2014,, a(ter a(ter t'e t'e #otion #otions s +ere +ere 'eard 'eard,, and andiga igan)a n)a-a -an n issue issued d its reso*uti reso*ution on den-ing den-ing $nri*e $nri*es s #otion, #otion, partiu* partiu*ar*ar*- on t'e #atter #atter o( )ai*, )ai*, on t'e ground o( its pre#aturit- onsidering t'at $nri*e 'ad not -et t'en vo*untari*surrendered or )een p*aed under t'e ustod- o( t'e *a+. &n t'e sa#e da- t'at t'e +arrant (or 'is arrest +as issued, $nri*e vo*untari*surrendered to iretor "ena#in aga*ong o( t'e %ri#ina* 6nvestigation and etetion Group %6G in %a#p %ra#e, ueon %it-, and +as *ater on on(ined at t'e P'i*ippine Nationa* Po*ie PNP Genera* 9ospita* (o**o+ing 'is #edia* ea#ination. ;'erea(ter, $nri*e (i*ed 'is otion (or etention at t'e PNP Genera* 9ospita*, and 'is 'is oti otion on to /i /i "ai* "ai*,, )ot' )ot' date dated d Ju*Ju*- 7, 2014 2014,, +'i +'i' ' +ere +ere 'ear 'eard d )- t'e t'e andigan)a-an andigan)a-an on Ju*- 8, 2014. 6n support o( t'e #otions, $nri*e argued argued t'at 'e s'ou s'ou*d *d )e a**o a**o+e +ed d to post post )ai* )ai* )ea )eaus use: e: a a t'e t'e Pros Prose eut utio ion n 'ad 'ad not not -et esta) esta)*is *is'e 'ed d t'at t'at t'e evide evidene ne o( 'is 'is gui*t gui*t +as +as stron strong< g< ) a*t'o a*t'oug ug' ' 'e +as +as 'arged +it' p*under, t'e pena*t- as to 'i# +ou*d on*- )e re*usion te#pora*, not re*usion perpetua< and 'e +as not a (*ig't ris=, and 'is age and p'-sia* ondition #ust (urt'er )e serious*- onsidered. andigan)a-an issued t+o reso*utions den-ing petitioners otion to /i "ai* and otion (or Reonsideration dated Ju*- 14, 2014 and August 8, 2014, respetive*-. Petitioner t'en (i*ed a Petition (or %ertiorari to assai* and annu* t'e reso*utions issued )- t'e andigan)a-an )e(ore t'e upre#e %ourt. $nri*e *ai#s t'at )e(ore udg#ent o( onvition, an aused is entit*ed to )ai* as #atter o( rig't< t'at it is t'e dut- and )urden o( t'e Proseution to s'o+ *ear*and on*usive*- t'at $nri*e o#es under t'e eeption and annot )e e*uded (ro# eno-ing t'e rig't to )ai*< t'at t'e Proseution 'as (ai*ed to esta)*is' t'at $nri*e, i( onvited o( p*under, is punis'a)*e )- re*usion perpetua onsidering t'e prese presen ne e o( t+o t+o #itig #itigati ating ng iru iru#st #stan anes es > 'is age and and 'is vo*un vo*unta tarrsurrender< t'at t'e Proseution 'as not o#e (or+ard +it' proo( s'o+ing t'at 'is gui*t (or t'e ri#e o( p*under is strong< and t'at 'e s'ou*d not )e onsidered a (*ig't ris= ta=ing into aount t'at 'e is a*read- over t'e age o( ?0, 'is #edia* ondition, and 'is soia* standing. •
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ISSUE #1: @'et'er )ai* #a- )e granted as a #atter o( rig't or o( disretion. HELD # 1:
;'e rig't to )ai* is epress*- a((orded )- etion 13, Arti*e 666 "i** o( Rig'ts o( t'e %onstitution, vi.:
A** persons, eept t'ose 'arged +it' o((enses punis'a)*e )- re*usion perpetua +'en evidene o( gui*t is strong, s'a**, )e(ore onvition, )e )ai*a)*e )- su((iient sureties, or )e re*eased on reogniane as #a- )e provided )- *a+. ;'e rig't to )ai* s'a** not )e i#paired even +'en t'e privi*ege o( t'e +rit o( 'a)eas orpus is suspended. $essive )ai* s'a** not )e reuired.
;'is onstitutiona* provision is repeated in etion 7, Ru*e 114 o( t'e Ru*es o( %ourt, as (o**o+s:
etion 7. %apita* o((ense or an o((ense punis'a)*e )- re*usion perpetua or *i(e i#prison#ent, not )ai*a)*e. B No person 'arged +it' a apita* o((ense, or an o((ense punis'a)*e )- re*usion perpetua or *i(e i#prison#ent, s'a** )e ad#itted to )ai* +'en evidene o( gui*t is strong, regard*ess o( t'e stage o( t'e ri#ina* proseution.
A apita* o((ense in t'e ontet o( t'e ru*e re(ers to an o((ense t'at, under t'e *a+ eisting at t'e ti#e o( its o##ission and t'e app*iation (or ad#ission to )ai*, #a- )e punis'ed +it' deat'.
;'e genera* ru*e is, t'ere(ore, t'at an- person, )e(ore )eing onvited o( an- ri#ina* o((ense, s'a** )e )ai*a)*e, un*ess 'e is 'arged +it' a apita* o((ense, or +it' an o((ense punis'a)*e +it' re*usion perpetua or *i(e i#prison#ent, and t'e evidene o( 'is gui*t is strong. 9ene, (ro# t'e #o#ent 'e is p*aed under arrest, or is detained or restrained )- t'e o((iers o( t'e *a+, 'e an *ai# t'e guarantee o( 'is provisiona* *i)ert- under t'e "i** o( Rig'ts, and 'e retains 'is rig't to )ai* un*ess 'e is 'arged +it' a apita* o((ense, or +it' an o((ense punis'a)*e +it' re*usion perpetua or *i(e i#prison#ent, and t'e evidene o( 'is gui*t is strong. &ne it 'as )een esta)*is'ed t'at t'e evidene o( gui*t is strong, no rig't to )ai* s'a** )e reognied.
As a resu*t, a** ri#ina* ases +it'in t'e o#petene o( t'e etropo*itan ;ria* %ourt, uniipa* ;ria* %ourt, uniipa* ;ria* %ourt in %ities, or uniipa* %iruit ;ria* %ourt are )ai*a)*e as #atter o( rig't )eause t'ese ourts 'ave no urisdition to tr- apita* o((enses, or o((enses punis'a)*e +it' re*usion perpetua or *i(e i#prison#ent. !i=e+ise, )ai* is a #atter o( rig't prior to onvition )- t'e Regiona* ;ria* %ourt R;% (or ano((ense not punis'a)*e )- deat', re*usion perpetua , or *i(e i#prison#ent, or even prior
to onvition (or an o((ense punis'a)*e )- deat', re*usion perpetua, or *i(e i#prison#ent +'en evidene o( gui*t is not strong.
&n t'e ot'er 'and, t'e granting o( )ai* is disretionar-: 1 upon onvition )- t'e R;% o( an o((ense not punis'a)*e )- deat', re*usion perpetua or *i(e i#prison#ent< or 2 i( t'e R;% 'as i#posed a pena*t- o( i#prison#ent eeeding si -ears, provided none o( t'e iru#stanes enu#erated under paragrap' 3 o( etion 5, Ru*e 114 is present, as (o**o+s:
a ;'at 'e is a reidivist, uasiCreidivist, or 'a)itua* de*inuent, or 'as o##itted t'e ri#e aggravated )- t'e iru#stane o( reiteration< ) ;'at 'e 'as previous*- esaped (ro# *ega* on(ine#ent, evaded sentene, or vio*ated t'e onditions o( 'is )ai* +it'out va*id usti(iation< ;'at 'e o##itted t'e o((ense +'i*e under pro)ation, paro*e, or onditiona* pardon< d ;'at t'e iru#stanes o( 'i s ase indiate t'e pro)a)i*it- o( (*ig't i( re*eased on )ai*< or e ;'at t'ere is undue ris= t'at 'e #a- o##it anot'er ri#e during t'e penden- o( t'e appea*.
ISSUE #2: @'et'er petitioner is )ai*a)*e sine 'e is not (*ig't ris=. HELD # 2: YES
;'e %ourt is (urt'er #ind(u* o( t'e P'i*ippines responsi)i*it- in t'e internationa* o##unit- arising (ro# t'e nationa* o##it#ent under t'e Dniversa* e*aration o( 9u#an Rig'ts to:
up'o*d t'e (unda#enta* 'u#an rig'ts as +e** as va*ue t'e +ort' and dignito( ever- person. ;'is o##it#ent is ens'rined in etion 66, Arti*e 66 o( our %onstitution +'i' provides: E;'e tate va*ues t'e dignit- o( ever- 'u#an person and guarantees (u** respet (or 'u#an rig'ts.E ;'e P'i*ippines, t'ere(ore, 'as t'e responsi)i*it- o( proteting and pro#oting t'e rig't o( ever- person to *i)ert- and due proess, ensuring t'at t'ose detained or arrested an partiipate in t'e proeedings )e(ore a ourt, to ena)*e it to deide +it'out de*a- on t'e *ega*it- o( t'e detention and order t'eir re*ease i( usti(ied. 6n ot'er +ords, t'e P'i*ippine aut'orities are under o)*igation to #a=e avai*a)*e to ever- person under detention su' re#edies +'i' sa(eguard t'eir (unda#enta* rig't to *i)ert-. ;'ese re#edies in*ude t'e rig't to )e ad#itted to )ai*.
;'is nationa* o##it#ent to up'o*d t'e (unda#enta* 'u#an rig'ts as +e** as va*ue t'e +ort' and dignit- o( ever- person 'as aut'oried t'e grant o( )ai* not on*- to t'ose 'arged in ri#ina* proeedings )ut a*so to etraditees upon a *ear and onvining s'o+ing: 1 t'at t'e detainee +i** not )e a (*ig't ris= or a danger to t'e o##unit-< and 2 t'at t'ere eist speia*, 'u#anitarian and o#pe**ing iru#stanes.
6n our vie+, 'is soia* and po*itia* standing and 'is 'aving i##ediate*- surrendered to t'e aut'orities upon 'is )eing 'arged in ourt indiate t'at t'e ris= o( 'is (*ig't or esape (ro# t'is urisdition is 'ig'*- un*i=e*-. 9is persona* disposition (ro# t'e onset o( 'is indit#ent (or p*under, (or#a* or ot'er+ise, 'as de#onstrated 'is utter respet (or t'e *ega* proesses o( t'is ountr-. @e a*so do not ignore t'at at an ear*ier ti#e #an-ears ago +'en 'e 'ad )een 'arged +it' re)e**ion +it' #urder and #u*tip*e (rustrated #urder, 'e a*read- evined a si#i*ar persona* disposition o( respet (or t'e *ega* proesses, and +as granted )ai* during t'e penden- o( 'is tria* )eause 'e +as not seen as a (*ig't ris=. @it' 'is so*id reputation in )ot' 'is pu)*i and 'is private *ives, 'is *ong -ears o( pu)*i servie, and 'istor-s udg#ent o( 'i# )eing at sta=e, 'e s'ou*d )e granted )ai*.
;'e urrent*- (ragi*e state o( $nri*es 'ea*t' presents anot'er o#pe**ing usti(iation (or 'is ad#ission to )ai*, )ut +'i' t'e andigan)a-an did not reognie.
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