Escobal vs Garchitorena (Remedial Law)

ARNEL ESCOBAL  

vs.  

HON. FRANCIS GARCHITORENA, Presiding Justice of the Sandiganbayan, xxx, Hon. David C. Naval, RTC Judge

(jurisdiction of the Sandiganbayan vis-à-vis of the RTC)

G.R. No. 124644; February 5, 2004; CALLEJO, SR., J.

FACTS:

Petitioner Escobal is a graduate of the PMA, a member of the AFP and the Philippine Constabulary, as well as the Intelligence Group of the Philippine National Police. On March 16, 1990, the petitioner was conducting surveillance operations on drug trafficking at a café bar and restaurant in Naga City when he somehow got involved with a shooting incident that resulted to the death of Rodney Nueca.

Escobal was preventively suspended from the service. When arraigned, he pleaded not guilty. Thereafter, he filed a Motion to Quash the Information alleging that the court martial, not the RTC, had jurisdiction over criminal cases involving PNP members and officers. RTC denied the motion.

Trial proceeded. The prosecution rested its case and petitioner presented his evidence. On July 20, 1994, the petitioner filed a Motion to Dismiss the case. Citing Republic of the Philippines v. Asuncion, et al., he argued that since he committed the crime in the performance of his duties, the Sandiganbayan had exclusive jurisdiction over the case. The RTC dismissed the motion but ordered the conduct of a preliminary hearing to determine whether or not the crime charged was committed by the petitioner in relation to his office as a member of the PNP.

On July 31, 1995, the trial court issued an Order declaring that the petitioner committed the crime charged while not in the performance of his official function. The trial court added that nonetheless, upon the enactment of R.A. No. 7975, the issue had become moot and academic since the amendatory law transferred the jurisdiction over the offense charged from the Sandiganbayan to the RTC. The petitioner did not have a salary grade of "27" as provided for in or by Section 4(a)(1), (3) thereof.

The trial court nevertheless ordered the prosecution to amend the Information pursuant to the ruling in Republic v. Asuncion and R.A. No. 7975, and to include therein an allegation that the offense charged was not committed by the petitioner in the performance of his duties/functions, nor in relation to his office.

The petitioner filed a MR of the said order, reiterating that based on his testimony and those of his witnesses, the offense charged was committed by him in relation to his official functions. He asserted that R.A. No. 7975, which was enacted on March 30, 1995, could not be applied retroactively.

The RTC ordered the public prosecutor to file a Re-Amended Information and to allege that the offense charged was committed by the petitioner in the performance of his duties/functions or in relation to his office; and, conformably to R.A. No. 7975, to thereafter transmit the same to the Sandiganbayan.

The Sandiganbayan returned the records of the case to the RTC, contending that the latter has jurisdiction over the case.

ISSUE:

Whether the case falls in the jurisdiction of the Sandiganbayan or of the RTC

HELD:

The case is within the jurisdiction of the RTC.

Under Section 4(a) of P.D. No. 1606 as amended by P.D. No. 1861, the Sandiganbayan had exclusive jurisdiction in all cases involving the following:

(1) Violations of Republic Act No. 3019, as amended, otherwise known as the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, Republic Act No. 1379, and Chapter II, Section 2, Title VII of the Revised Penal Code;

(2) Other offenses or felonies committed by public officers and employees in relation to their office, including those employed in government-owned or controlled corporations, whether simple or complexed with other crimes, where the penalty prescribed by law is higher than prision correccional or imprisonment for six (6) years, or a fine of P6,000.00 ….

For the Sandiganbayan to have exclusive jurisdiction under the said law over crimes committed by public officers in relation to their office, it is essential that the facts showing the intimate relation between the office of the offender and the discharge of official duties must be alleged in the Information. It is not enough to merely allege in the Information that the crime charged was committed by the offender in relation to his office because that would be a conclusion of law. The amended Information filed with the RTC against the petitioner does not contain any allegation showing the intimate relation between his office and the discharge of his duties. Hence, the RTC had jurisdiction over the offense charged when on November 24, 1995, it ordered the re-amendment of the Information to include therein an allegation that the petitioner committed the crime in relation to office. The trial court erred when it ordered the elevation of the records to the Sandiganbayan. It bears stressing that R.A. No. 7975 amending P.D. No. 1606 was already in effect.

Under Sec. 2 of said law, even if the offender committed the crime charged in relation to his office but occupies a position corresponding to a salary grade below "27," the proper Regional Trial Court or Municipal Trial Court, as the case may be, shall have exclusive jurisdiction over the case. In this case, the petitioner was a Police Senior Inspector, with salary grade "23." He was charged with homicide punishable by reclusion temporal. Hence, the RTC had exclusive jurisdiction over the crime charged conformably to Sections 20 and 32 of Batas Pambansa Blg. 129, as amended by Section 2 of R.A. No. 7691.

The petitioner’s contention that R.A. No. 7975 should not be applied retroactively has no legal basis. It bears stressing that R.A. No. 7975 is a substantive procedural law, which may be applied retroactively.