E. Period of Prescription for Reconveyance of Real Property Based on Implied Trust Carantes v. CA, 76 SCRA 514
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Case Digests: Statutory Construction Socorro Ramirez vs Court of Appeals 248 SCRA 590 ! R! "o! 9#8## Septem$er 25 %995 &acts: A civil case for 'amages (as )le' $y petitioner Socorro Ramirez in t*e R+ R+C C of ,uezon City alleging t*at t*e private pr ivate respon'ent- .ster arcia- in a confrontation in t*e latter/s oce- allege'ly ve1e'- insulte' an' *umiliate' *er in a *ostile an' furious moo'3 an' in a manner oensive to petitioner/s 'ignity an' personalitycontrary to morals- goo' customs an' pu$lic policy!3 policy!3 n support of *er claim- petitioner pro'uce' a ver$atim transcript of t*e event! +*e transcript on (*ic* t*e civil case (as $ase' (as culle' from a tape recor'ing of t*e confrontation ma'e $y $ y petitioner! As a result of petitioner/s recor'ing of t*e event an' alleging t*at t*e sai' act of secretly taping t*e confrontation (as illegal- private respon'ent )le' a criminal case $efore t*e R+C of 6asay City for violation of RA 4200- entitle' An Act to 6ro*i$it an' 6enalize 7iretapping 7iretapping an' t*er Relate' iolations of 6rivate Communication- an' t*er 6urposes!3 pon arraignment- in lieu of a plea- petitioner )le' a ;otion to ,uas* t*e nformation on t*e groun' t*at t*e facts c*arge' 'o not constitute an oense particularly a violation of RA 4200! +*e trial court grante' t*e ;otion to ,uas*agreeing (it* petitioner! petitioner! &rom t*e trial court/s r'er- t*e private respon'ent )le' a 6etition for Revie( on Certiorari (it* t*is Court- (*ic* fort*(it* referre' t*e case to t*e CA! Respon'ent Court of Appeals promulgate' its assaile' Decision 'eclaring t*e trial court/s or'er null an' voi'! ssue: 7<" RA 4200 applies to taping of a private conversation $y one of t*e parties to a conversation! =el': >egislative intent is 'etermine' principally from t*e language of a statute! 7*ere t*e language of a statute is clear an' unam$iguous- t*e la( is applie' accor'ing to
its e1press terms- an' interpretation (oul' $e resorte' to only (*ere a literal interpretation (oul' $e eit*er impossi$le or a$sur' or (oul' lea' to an in?ustice! Section % of RA 4200 clearly an' une@uivocally maes it illegal for any person- not aut*orize' $y all parties to any private communication- to secretly recor' suc* communication $y means of a tape recor'er! +*e la( maes no 'istinction as to (*et*er t*e party soug*t to $e penalize' $y t*e statute oug*t to $e a party ot*er t*an or 'ierent from t*ose involve' in t*e private communication! +*e statute/s intent to penalize all persons unaut*orize' to mae suc* recor'ing is un'erscore' $y t*e use of @uali)er any!3 Conse@uently- as respon'ent CA correctly conclu'e'even a Bperson privy to a communication (*o recor's *is private conversation (it* anot*er (it*out t*e no(le'ge of t*e latter B(ill @ualify as a violator un'er t*is provision of RA 4200! +*e unam$iguity of t*e e1press (or's of t*e provision t*erefore plainly supports t*e vie( *el' $y t*e respon'ent court t*at t*e provision sees to penalize even t*ose privy to t*e private communications! 7*ere t*e la( maes no 'istinctions- one 'oes not 'istinguis*! Stat Con 6rinciple: >egislative intent is 'etermine' principally from t*e language of t*e statute! >egal ;a1ims: er$a >egis Bt*e statute must $e interprete' literally if t*e language of t*e statute is plain an' free from am$iguity
&AC+S: 6etitioner Socorro D! Ramirez )le' a civil case in t*e Regional +rial Court of ,uezon City alleging t*at t*e private respon'ent- .ster S! arcia- in a confrontation in t*e latterFs oce- allege'ly ve1e'- insulte' an' *umiliate' *er in a G*ostile an' furious moo'G an' in a manner oensive to *is 'ignity an' personality- contrary to moralsgoo' customs an' pu$lic policy! n support of *er claim- petitioner pro'uce' a ver$atim transcript of t*e event an' soug*t moral 'amages- attorneyFs fees an' ot*er e1penses of litigation in t*e amount of 6H%0-000!00- in a''ition to costs- interests an' ot*er reliefs a(ar'a$le at t*e trial courtFs 'iscretion! +*e transcript on (*ic* t*e civil case (as $ase' (as culle' from a tape recor'ing of t*e confrontation ma'e $y petitioner! As a result of petitionerFs recor'ing of t*e event an' alleging t*at t*e sai' act of secretly taping t*e confrontation (as illegal- private respon'ent )le' a criminal case $efore t*e Regional +rial Court of 6asay City for violation of Repu$lic Act 4200entitle' GAn Act to pro*i$it an' penalize (ire tapping an' ot*er relate' violations of private communication- an' ot*er purposes!
SS.: 7*et*er or not t*e applica$le provision of Repu$lic Act 4200 'oes not apply to t*e taping of a private conversation $y one of t*e parties to t*e conversation!
R>": "o! Section % of t*e Repu$lic Act 4200 states t*at it s*all $e unla(ful for any person- not $eing aut*orize' $y all t*e parties to any private communication or spoen (or'- to tap any (ire or ca$le- or $y using any ot*er 'evice or arrangementto secretly over*ear- intercept- or recor' suc* communication or spoen (or' $y using a 'evice commonly no(n as a 'ictap*one or 'ictagrap* or 'etectap*one or (alieItalie or tape recor'er- or *o(ever ot*er(ise 'escri$e'!
+*e la( is clear an' unam$iguous! 7*ere t*e la( maes no 'istinctions- one 'oes not 'istinguis*! +*e Supreme Court arme' t*e appeale' 'ecision! +*e instant petition is *ere$y D.".D! Cost against petitioner! &acts:
A civil case 'amages (as )le' $y petitioner Socorro Ramirez in t*e ,uezon City R+C alleging t*at t*e private respon'ent- .ster arcia- in a confrontation in t*e latter/s oce- allege'ly ve1e'- insulte' an' *umiliate' *er in a *ostile an' furious moo'3 an' in a manner oensive to petitioner/s 'ignity an' personality-3 contrary to morals- goo' customs an' pu$lic policy!3
n support of *er claim- petitioner pro'uce' a ver$atim transcript of t*e event an' soug*t 'amages! +*e transcript on (*ic* t*e civil case (as $ase' (as culle' from a tape recor'ing of t*e confrontation ma'e $y petitioner!
As a result of petitioner/s recor'ing of t*e event an' alleging t*at t*e sai' act of secretly taping t*e confrontation (as illegal- private respon'ent )le' a criminal case $efore t*e 6asay R+C for violation of Repu$lic Act 4200- entitle' An Act to pro*i$it an' penalize (ire tapping an' ot*er relate' violations of private communicationan' ot*er purposes!3
6etitioner )le' a ;otion to ,uas* t*e nformation- (*ic* t*e R+C later on grante'on t*e groun' t*at t*e facts c*arge' 'o not constitute an oense- particularly a violation of R!A! 4200!
7<" t*e AntiI7iretapping Act applies in recor'ings $y one of t*e parties in t*e conversation
=el':
Jes! Section % of R!A! 4200 entitle'- 3 An Act to 6ro*i$it an' 6enalize' 7ire +apping an' t*er Relate' iolations of 6rivate Communication an' t*er 6urposes-3 provi'es:
Sec! %! t s*all $e unla(ful for any person- not $eing aut*orize' $y all t*e parties to any private communication or spoen (or'- to tap any (ire or ca$le- or $y using any ot*er 'evice or arrangement- to secretly over*ear- intercept- or recor' suc* communication or spoen (or' $y using a 'evice commonly no(n as a 'ictap*one or 'ictagrap* or 'etectap*one or (alieItalie or tape recor'er- or *o(ever ot*er(ise 'escri$e'!
+*e aforestate' provision clearly an' une@uivocally maes it illegal for any personnot aut*orize' $y all t*e parties to any private communication to secretly recor' suc* communication $y means of a tape recor'er! +*e la( maes no 'istinction as to (*et*er t*e party soug*t to $e penalize' $y t*e statute oug*t to $e a party ot*er t*an or 'ierent from t*ose involve' in t*e private communication! +*e statute/s intent to penalize all persons unaut*orize' to mae suc* recor'ing is un'erscore' $y t*e use of t*e @uali)er any3! Conse@uently- as respon'ent Court of Appeals correctly conclu'e'- even a Bperson privy to a communication (*o recor's *is private conversation (it* anot*er (it*out t*e no(le'ge of t*e latter B(ill @ualify as a violator3 un'er t*is provision of R!A! 4200!
A perusal of t*e Senate Congressional Recor's- moreover- supports t*e respon'ent court/s conclusion t*at in enacting R!A! 4200 our la(maers in'ee' contemplate' to mae illegal- unaut*orize' tape recor'ing of private conversations or communications taen eit*er $y t*e parties t*emselves or $y t*ir' persons!
+*e nature of t*e conversations is immaterial to a violation of t*e statute! +*e su$stance of t*e same nee' not $e speci)cally allege' in t*e information! 7*at R!A! 4200 penalizes are t*e acts of secretly over*earing- intercepting or recor'ing private communications $y means of t*e 'evices enumerate' t*erein! +*e mere allegation t*at an in'ivi'ual ma'e a secret recor'ing of a private communication $y means of a tape recor'er (oul' suce to constitute an oense un'er Section % of R!A! 4200! As t*e Solicitor eneral pointe' out in *is C;;."+ $efore t*e respon'ent court: "o(*ere Bin t*e sai' la( is it re@uire' t*at $efore one can $e regar'e' as a violator- t*e nature of t*e conversation- as (ell as its communication to a t*ir' person s*oul' $e professe'!3
6etitioner/s contention t*at t*e p*rase private communication3 in Section % of R!A! 4200 'oes not inclu'e private conversations3 narro(s t*e or'inary meaning of t*e (or' communication3 to a point of a$sur'ity! +*e (or' communicate comes from t*e latin (or' communicare- meaning to s*are or to impart!3 n its or'inary signi)cation- communication connotes t*e act of s*aring or imparting signi)cationcommunication connotes t*e act of s*aring or imparting- as in a conversation- or signi)es t*e process $y (*ic* meanings or t*oug*ts are s*are' $et(een in'ivi'uals t*roug* a common system of sym$ols Bas language signs or gestures3
+*ese 'e)nitions are $roa' enoug* to inclu'e ver$al or nonIver$al- (ritten or e1pressive communications of meanings or t*oug*ts3 (*ic* are liely to inclu'e t*e emotionallyIc*arge' e1c*ange- on &e$ruary 22- %988- $et(een petitioner an' private respon'ent- in t*e privacy of t*e latter/s oce! Any 'ou$ts a$out t*e legislative $o'y/s meaning of t*e p*rase private communication3 are- furt*ermoreput to rest $y t*e fact t*at t*e terms conversation3 an' communication3 (ere interc*angea$ly use' $y Senator +aKa'a in *is .1planatory "ote to t*e Eill!
Rule involve': $i le1 non 'istinguit nec nos 'istinguere 'e$emos! 7*ere t*e la( maes no 'istinctions- one 'oes not 'istinguis*! ssue: Does t*e antiI(iretapping la(- RA 4200- allo( parties to a conversation to tape it (it*out t*e consent of all t*ose involve'L 7*at (as construe': +*e (or' any3 in Sec! % of RA 4200: t s*all $e unla(ful for A"J person- not $eing aut*orize' $y all t*e parties to any private communication or spoen (or'- to tap any (ire or ca$le- or $y using any ot*er 'evice or arrangement- to secretly over*ear- intercept- or recor' suc* communication or spoen (or' $y using a 'evice commonly no(n as a Dictap*one or 'ictagrap* or 'etectap*one or (alieI talie or tape recor'er- or *o(ever ot*er(ise 'escri$e'! &acts of t*e case: Soccoro Ramirez (as scol'e' $y .ster arcia insi'e arcia/s oce! Ramirez tape' t*e conversation an' later )le' c*arges against arcia for insulting an' *umiliating *er- using as evi'ence t*e transcript of t*e conversation$ase' on t*e tape recor'ing! arcia )le' criminal c*arges against Ramirez for violating t*e antiI(ire tapping act$ecause it (as 'one (it*out *er no(le'ge an' consent! Ramirez claime' t*at (*at t*e la( for$i's is for ot*er parties- (*o are not part of t*e conversation- to recor' it using t*e instruments enumerate' in t*e la( Bt*ere (as an earlier case t*at (as 'ismisse' $ecause t*e instrument use' (as not mentione' in t*e la(! +*e trial court rule' in favor of Ramirez- granting a motion to @uas* on t*e groun' t*at t*e facts c*arge' 'o not constitute an oense- $ut t*e Court of Appeals reverse' it! Ratio: &irst- t*e court note' t*at t*e provision maes it clear t*at it is illegal for any person to secretly recor' a conversation- unless aut*orize' $y all parties involve'! +*e la( maes no 'istinction as to (*et*er t*e party soug*t to $e penalize' $y t*e statute oug*t to $e a party ot*er t*an or 'ierent from t*ose involve' in t*e private communication!3 +*e congressional recor's also s*o(e' t*at t*e intent (as t*at permission must $e soug*t from all parties in t*e conversation! +*is is a complete $an on tape recor'e' conversations taen (it*out t*e aut*orization of all t*e parties-3 Sen! +ana'a sai' 'uring t*e 'eli$erations! +*e provision sees to penalize even t*ose privy to t*e private communications! 7*ere t*e la( maes no 'istinctions- one 'oes not 'istinguis*!3 Decision: 6etition 'enie'! Decision of CA arme'! Costs against Ramirez!
