Bustamante V Maceren (Full Text Case)

3/17/2015
SUPREMECOURTREPORTSANNOTATEDVOLUME048
VOL. 48, NOVEMBER 24, 1972
155
Bustamante vs. Maceren
No. L35101. November 24, 1972.

DANILO BUSTAMANTE, petitioner, vs. HONORABLE
JUDGE MAXIMO MACEREN and PEOPLE OF THE
PHILIPPINES, respondents.
Constitutional law Double jeopardy No reopening may be
ordered of a criminal case after accused has started serving
sentence.With the judgment of conviction not only promulgated
but actually carried out with petitioner having started to serve his
sentence, no order reopening the case for trial on the merits
should have been issued by the trial court. That is not in
accordance with the controlling doctrine on the constitutional
right against being twice put in jeopardy. It is true that petitioner
had in fact contributed to bringing about such a judicial deviation
by filing a motion for withdrawal of plea of guilty and
156
156
SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

waiver of commitmentfrom the correct norm. That did not

forfeit though, his right to a remedy to which he is entitled There
should not have been any approval of such a move. The
Constitution does not countenance such a step. Albeit, what did
transpire could have been due to sheer inadvertence caused by a
crowded docket. Even if the order could be looked upon as
resulting from the clarity of vision being dimmed or a diminution
in one's grasp of authoritative precedents, such afflictions at
times bother even the most diligent and conscientious occupants
of the bench.
http://www.central.com.ph/sfsreader/session/0000014c23f74fc5aad08fd2000a0094004f00ee/p/AJZ197/?username=Guest
1/16
3/17/2015
Same Same Same Rules of Court provision on finality of

judgment in criminal cases.Under section 7, Rule 120 of the
Rules of Court "A judgment of conviction may be modified or set
aside by the court rendering it before the judgment has become
final or appeal has been perfected. A judgment in a criminal case
becomes final after the lapse of the period for perfecting an
appeal, or when the sentence has been partially or totally
satisfied or served, or the defendant has expressly waived in
writing his right to appeal."
Same Same Same Withdrawal of plea of guilty does not
constitute waiver of defense of double jeopardy timely invoked.
True it is that under sec. 10 of Rule 117 of the Rules of Court, the
defense of double jeopardy is waivable, and if not raised or set up
at the proper time, is deemed waived, but the same rule provides
that"If, however, the defendant learns after he has pleaded or
has moved to quash on some other ground that the offense for
which he is now charged is an offense for which he has been
pardoned, or of which he has been convicted or acquitted or been
in jeopardy, the court may in its discretion entertain at any time
before judgment a motion to quash on the ground of such pardon,
conviction, acquittal or jeopardy/' Considering that defense
counsel raised the question of double jeopardy in favor of
petitioner during the new trial and before Judge Maceren
rendered judgment based on said new trial, it is believed that the
above principle can be applied to this case by analogy, especially
since at the time such plea was made petitioner had already fully
served the sentence imposed upon him in the previous judgment.
157
157
ORIGINAL PETITION in the Supreme Court. Certiorari.

The facts are stated in the opinion of the Court.
Hernando G. Zaide for petitioner.
Office of the Solicitor General for respondents.
FERNANDO, J.:
This suit for certiorari was filed with the avowed
correcting a judicial misstep presumably offensive
constitutional right of petitioner not to be twice1
jeopardy of punishment for the same offense.
aim of
to the
put in
While
2/16
3/17/2015
directed against respondent Judge, the source of the

alleged deviation from what is commanded by the
fundamental law could be traced to his predecessor, Judge
Jorge Coquia, now with the Court of First Instance of
Manila, to whom was imputed the reopening of a case
against petitioner after a judgment of conviction on a plea
of guilty, the issuance of a commitment order, the start of
and the actual service of the sentence by petitioner, It is
only fair to add, however, that petitioner himself was
partly responsible for giving a nudge that sent the hapless
judge down the slippery slope of the imputed erratic
conduct, there being a withdrawal by him of his plea of
guilty after the provincial fiscal filed a motion for the
modification of the penalty imposed. Nonetheless, with due
recognition of that fact, the conclusion is still unavoidable
that if there really were a failure to respect what is
guaranteed petitioner by the Constitution, a grave
jurisdictional defect was apparent when a judgment
already actually executed with the petitioner confined in
jail, would be reopened, It is thus commendable that the
present Solicitor General, Estelito Mendoza, as is his wont,
could discern the merit in petitioner's plea and would
accede to his prayer, We agree and grant certiorari.
________________
1
According to Art. III, Sec. 1, par. 20 of the Constitution: "No person
ahall be twice put in jeopardy of punishment for the same offense. If an

act is punished by a law and an ordinance, conviction or acquittal under
either shall constitute a bar to another prosecution for the same act."
158
158

In the petition filed with this Court on August 9, 1972,

there was set forth the information against petitioner, his
plea of guilty upon arraignment on December 14, 1970.
followed by a sentence of oneyear imprisonment in view of
the finding that there was incomplete selfdefense taken in
connection with three other mitigating circumstances. the
commitment papers addressed to the Provincial Warden of
Laguna on December 14, 1970, being signed the same day
with the consequence of his immediate confinement then
3/16
3/17/2015
2
and there. 'The above notwithtstanding, so the petition did

allege, there was a motion for modification of the penalty
filed by the fiscal, with the petitioner also filing a motion
for the withdrawal of the plea of guilty, to be followed by
the then Judge Coquia signing the order of December
21,
3
1970 setting aside the judgment previously rendered. After
which, according to the petition, a trial was had and
judgment promulgated on March 17, 1972 by now
respondent Judge, convicting the petitioner to suffer the
indeterminate penalty
of six years and one day to twelve
4
years and one day. Then came that portion thereof to the
effect that there was presented a motion for
reconsideration premised on the plea that the accused had
thereby been twice placed in jeopardy. Respondent Judge
apparently, while not insensible to such a plea, was of the
opinion that he lacked authority to nullify the order of
Judge5 Coquia, which competence is lodged in a higher
court. As a result, this suit was filed, the prayer being for
the nullification of the order of Judge Coquia reopening the
case as well as the decision of March 17, 1972 by
respondent Judge and his order denying the motion for
reconsideration, with a plea for the immediate release of
petitioner, who in the meanwhile had finished serving the
original oneyear sentence imposed.
For greater clarity in the statement of facts, the recital
thereof in the answer of Solicitor General Mendoza filed on
September 14, 1972 is herein quoted: "a) The petitioner
was
________________
2
Amended Petition, pars. 14.
Ibid, pars. 57.
Ibid, par. 9.
Ibid, pars. 1012.

159
159
accused of murder in an information filed with the Court of

First Instance of Laguna, Branch II, docketed as Criminal
Case No. SC145 of said court b) Upon arraignment on
4/16
3/17/2015
December 14, 1970, petitioner entered a plea of guilty, and

after proving the privileged mitigating circumstance of
incomplete selfdef ense and three (3) ordinary mitigating
circumstances, petitioner was sentenced by the trial court
as follows: [Wherefore], the Court finds the accused Danilo
Bustamante guilty of the crime of murder as charged in the
information. Considering in his favor the privileged
mitigating circumstances of incomplete selfdefense, plea of
guilty, voluntary surrender and lack of intent to commit so
grave a wrong, he is hereby sentenced to serve [one] (1)
year imprisonment, to indemnify the heirs of the offended
party in the amount of P12,000.00 and to pay the costs. The
accused is entitled to the full benefit of preventive
imprisonment he has so far served, [It is so ordered]' * * *
c) On the very same day, December 14, 1970, the judgment
abovequoted was promulgated to the petitioner, who
thereupon made an express waiver of his right to appeal * *
* d) Accordingly, the Hon. Judge Jorge Coquia, who ren
dered the aforesaid judgment, issued a commitment order
dated December 14, 1970, addressed to the Provincial
Warden of Laguna * * *, and the Provincial Warden, also
on the same day, acknowledged receipt of the body of the
petitioner, who forthwith started serving his sentence of
imprisonment on that date * * * e) Three days later or on
December 17, 1970, the Provincial Fiscal of Laguna filed a
motion for Modification of Penalty * * *, and upon receipt of
said motion, counsel for the petitioner on the same day
filed a Motion for Withdrawal of Plea of Guilty and Waiver
of Commitment * * * f) On December 21, 1970, the Hon.
Judge Jorge Coquia issued the following order: 'Submitted
for resolution is the motion for modification of penalty filed
by the Assistant Provincial Fiscal. On the other hand
accused through counsel in view of the motion of the
prosecution filed a motion for withdrawal of plea of guilty
and waiver of commitment. But in view of the motion of
accused, the motion of the prosecution has become moot
and academic and the motion filed by the accused is hereby
granted and the judgment in this case
160
160

dated December 14, 1970 is hereby set aside and the case
5/16
3/17/2015
shall be tried on the merit on January 18, 1970 at 8:30

A.M.' * * * g) Subsequently, Judge Coquia was transferred
to Manila, and the case against petitioner was reassigned
to the sala presided over by the Honorable Maximo
Maceren, before whom petitioner was rearraigned on
February 1, 1971 and after petitioner entered a plea of not
guilty, said judge held a new hearing of the case on the
merits and thereafter, Judge Maceren rendered a new
judgment against petitioner on February 28, 1972,
promulgated to the petitioner on March 17, 1972, the
dispositive portion of which reads: '[Wherefore], premises
considered, the accused Danilo Bustamante y Villanueva is
hereby declared guilty beyond reasonable doubt of the
crime of Homicide, and applying the provisions of the
Indeterminate Sentence Law and considering the
mitigating circumstance of voluntary surrender in his
favor, he is hereby sentenced to suffer an indeterminate
penalty of six (6) years and one (1) day of prision mayor as
minimum to twelve (12) years and one (1) day of reclusion
temporal as maximum to indemnify the heirs of the
offended party in the sum of P12,000.00 without subsidiary
imprisonment in case of insolvency and to pay the costs.
Considering that the accused is now serving under
preventive imprisonment, he shall be credited for the
period of his preventive imprisonment pursuant to the
provisions of Rep. Act 6127.' * * * h) Petitioner filed a
Motion for Reconsideration of the above decision on March
29, 1971, in which motion petitioner questioned the
jurisdiction of the trial court to try his case anew after he
had fully served the judgment rendered by Judge Coquia
against him on December 14, 1970. Petitioner, in said
motion, argued that the judgment of December 14, 1970
against him had already become f inal when he started
serving his sentence thereunder and that therefore, the
Court thereafter lost jurisdiction over his case and that no
amount of waiver or consent on his part could bestow on
said court jurisdiction that it had already lost. At the
hearing of said motion, however, the respondent Judge
Maximo Maceren took the position that he could not nullify
an order of another judge of equal rank and that only a
higher court had the authority to nullify said order, but
that he would hold his
161
6/16
3/17/2015
161
ruling on said motion in abeyance until petitioner

could file
6
a petition for certiorari before the court * * *."
This is the petitory part of the answer of the
SolicitorGeneral: " [Wherefore], in the light of the foregoing
an I in the interest of justice, undersigned counsel
respectfully manifests that they offer no opposition to the
issuance of the writ of certiorari prayed for in this case and
that it appearing that petitioner has been confined since
December 14, 1970 up to the present, so that the period
during which he has been imprisoned already exceeds the
penalty meted out on him by the lower court in its
judgment of December 14, 1970, undersigned counsel
likewise offer no objection to custody, having already fully
served his sentence under
said judgment of the lower court
7
of December 14, 1970."
As noted at the outset, we are in agreement. Petitioner
is' entitled to the relief prayed for. With the judgment of
conviction not only promulgated but actually carried out
with petitioner having started to serve his sentence, no
such order reopening the case should have been issued by
Judge Coquia. That was not in accordance with the
controlling doctrine on the constitutional right against
being twice put in jeopardy. It is true that petitioner had in
fact contributed to bringing about such judicial deviation
from the correct norm. That did not forfeit though, his right
to a remedy to which he is entitled. There should not have
been any approval of such a move. The Constitution does
not countenance such a step. Nonetheless while
observations partaking of a critical nature should not be
stilled, they should be muted. What did transpire could
have been due to sheer inadvertence caused by a crowded
docket. Even if the order could be looked upon as resulting
from the clarity of vision being dimmed or a diminution in
one's grasp of authoritative precedents, such afflictions at
times bother even the most diligent and conscientious
occupants of the bench. At any rate, what cannot be denied
is that petitioner, as mentioned at the outset, is entitled to
his remedy.
________________
6
Answer to Amended Petition, 14.
7/16
3/17/2015
7
Ibid, 9.
162
162

1. For the undisputed facts speak for themselves. They do

proclaim that petitioner has in his favor the protection
afforded by the jeopardy clause. He was arraigned on a
valid information before a competent court, and he pleaded
guilty. What was more, the judgment was rendered. On the
very same day, he was committed to jail and actually
started serving sentence. There was no valid justification
then for the order of Judge Coquia setting aside a decision
already in the process of execution. That amounted to a
defiance of a constitutional command. What the
fundamental law states cannot be any clearer. No person,
so it intones, "shall be8 twice put in jeopardy of punishment
for the same offense." Petitioner, as made clear in this suit
for certiorari, was made precisely to suffer such a fate.
What the Constitution condemns came to pass. This
mandate 9as made clear in the recent decision of Republic v.
Agoncillo is "a rule of finality. A single prosecution for any
offense is all the law allows. It protects an accused f rom
harassment, enables him to treat what had transpired as a
closed chapter in his life, either to exult in his freedom or to
be resigned to whatever penalty is imposed, and is a bar to
unnecessary litigation, in itself time10 consuming and
expenseproducing for the state as well."
What is more, as it is equally beyond dispute that
petitioner has served the full oneyear period imposed in
such valid judgment, he is entitled to be released as prayed
for. Legally, as categorically announced
in the leading case
11
of Gregorio v. Director of Prisons. habeas corpus would lie.
The facts in that case follow: "Alvaro Gregorio y Felipe was
charged in the municipal court of the city of Manila with
the crime of physical injuries through reckless imprudence.
He was f ound guilty and was sentenced to one month and
one day's imprisonment and to pay the cost. On appeal to
the Court of First Instance of Manila, the accused was
permitted to enter a plea of guilty to a charge of a
misdemeanor, and, with the conformity of the assistant
8/16
3/17/2015
_______________
8 Art.
9
III, Sec. 1, par. 20 of the Constitution.
L27257, August 31, 1971, 40 SCRA 579.
10
lbid, 585.
11
43 Phil 650(1922).
163
163
fiscal, was sentenced, on July 17, 1922, to pay a fine of P25

and the costs. On the same day, the accused paid into the
office of the clerk of court a total of P44.72, covering the
fine imposed and the costs. On the same day, also, the trial
judge rescinded his decision and reassigned the case for a
new trial. When the case was called, the defendant retired
his plea of guilty and substituted therefor the plea of not
guilty the prosecution presented its evidence, but the
defense refused to do so. On July 31, 1922, the trial judge
found the defendant guilty of the crime alleged in the
information and condemned him to suffer one month and
one day of arresto mayor, to indemnify Mrs. E. Christman
in the amount of P55.20 and Mrs. Robert Cetti in the
amount of P40, with subsidiary imprisonment in the case of
insolvency, and to pay the costs of both instances. It was
prior to the rendition of the judgment last mentioned that
the writ
of habeas corpus was prayed for in the Supreme
12
Court." On the above, it was the conclusion of the Court as
set forth in the opinion of Justice Malcolm: "As a general
rule, where the defendant has executed or entered upon the
execution of a valid sentence, the court cannot, even during
the fifteenday period, set it aside and render a new
sentence. * * * To paraphrase the language of the United
States Supreme Court in the case last cited, the petitioner
having paid into court the fine of P25 imposed upon him,
and that money having passed into the Treasury of the
Philippine Islands, and beyond the legal control of the
court, or of any one else but the Philippine Legislature, all
under a valid judgment, can the court vacate that judgment
entire. ly, and, without reference to what has been done
under it, impose another punishment on the prisoner? To
do so is to punish him twice for the same offense. He is not
only put in jeopardy twice, but put to actual punishment
9/16
3/17/2015
13
twice for the same thing." Considering the lapse of time in

this case and the actual service of the first sentence meted:
out. as much could be said of petitioner in this case.
______________
12
Ibid, 651652,
13
Ibid, 652653. Justice Malcolm cited United States v. Hart, 24 Phil.
578 (1913) and United States v. Vayson, 27 Phil. 447 (1914). Cf. U.S. v.
Samio, 3 Phil. 691 (1904) and United States v. De Iro, 33 Phil. 475 (1916).
164
164

2. Support for this result is likewise supplied by the

pertinent provision of the Rules of Court. It reads thus: "A
judgment of conviction may be modified or set aside by the
court rendering it before the judgment has become final or
appeal has been perfected. A judgment in a criminal case
becomes final after the lapse of the period f or perf ecting
an appeal, or when the sentence has been partially or
totally satisfied or served, or the defendant
has expressly
14
waived in writing his right to appeal." It used to be
Section 7 of Rule 116. This provision, as noted by
Justice
15
Ozaeta, the ponente in People v. Quebral,
"is a
restatement in statutory form of the doctrine
laid down * *
16
* in * * * Gregorio
v. Director of Prisons." In De Leon v.
17
Hon. Rodriguez, this Court, interpreting the above rule
through Justice Bautista Angelo, stated: "From the above it
appears that a judgment of conviction may only be modified
or set aside before it has become final or appeal has been
perfected, and a judgment becomes final after the lapse of
the period of perfecting the appeal, or after the sentence
has been partially or totally satisfied by the defendant. It
appearing that the sentence imposed upon defendant has
already become final because he has already begun serving
the same on the very date of the promulgation of the
judgment, it is evident that the case can no longer be
reopened with a view to the modification of the sentence
which is the purpose of the order of the court. Much as we
sympathize with the move of the prosecution and the
motive behind the order of the court in view of the
10/16
3/17/2015
apparent fraud the defendant has committed with regard

to his age, the move cannot be entertained
for it will place
18
the accused in double jeopardy." It is to be noted that as in
the petition before us, the defendant in this cited decision
began serving his sentence on the same day judgment was
promulgated.
_______________
14
Rule 120, Section 7,
15
76 Phil. 294 (1946).
16
Ibid, 296. Cf. People v. Tamayo, 86 Phil. 209 (1950) and People v.
Rodillas, 89 Phil. 99 (1951).

17
18
107 Phil. 759 (1960).

Ibid, 763, Cf. People v. Paet, 100 Phil. 357 (1956) and People v.
Mamatik, 105 Phil. 479 (1959).

165
165
It is not to be lost sight of that the above rule has been

interpreted to mean that even this Court, after the f inality
of the judgment has been shown, is devoid of competence to
modify, much less reverse the same. So it was announced
in the abovecited Quebral decision. Thus: "Although the
parties f iled their respective brief s on the merits and
raised no question as to the appealability of the sentence of
the trial court, we cannot ignore our lack of jurisdiction to
entertain this appeal As stated by the trial court and
concurred in by counsel de oficio for the appellant in this
court, the sentence against the accused had become final
under section 7 of Rule 116 of the Rules of Court, inasmuch
as the said accused had commenced to serve or extinguish
it. * * * Needless to say, a final and executory judgment is
not appealable and the appellate19 court has no jurisdiction
to review, reverse, or modify it." There is this reiteration
of the above principle by Justice
Montemayor in the later
20
case of People v. Sanchez. As set forth in his opinion:
"Moreover, under Section 7 of Rule 116, Rules of Court, a
judgment in a criminal case becomes final after the lapse of
the period for perfecting an appeal, or when the sentence
has been partially or totally satisfied or served or the
defendant has expressly waived in writing his right to
11/16
3/17/2015
appeal, Under the circumstances, the sentence having

become f inal, no court, not even this High Tribunal, can
modify it21 even if erroneous, as claimed by the Solicitor
General." It is only fair to add that such an approach is
reflected in the exhaustive answer
to the amended petition
22
filed by the Solicitor General.
3. Nor did the Solicitor General, in the above answer,
ignore the possible query that may be raised as to whether
or not the withdrawal of the plea of guilty by petitioner
could, in law, amount to a waiver. This is how the matter
was treated: "True it is that under sec. 10, Rule 117 of the
Revised Rules of Court, the defense of double jeopardy is
________________
19
76 Phil. 294, 296 (1946).
20
101 Phil. 745 (1957).
21
Ibid, 748.
22
Answer to Amended Petition, 56. The Solicitor General was aided in
the preparation thereof by Asst. Solicitor General Alicia V. SempioDiy

and Solicitor Crescencia C. Salva.
166
166

waivable, and if not raised or set up at the proper time, is

deemed waived, but the same rule provides that'lf,
however, the defendant learns after he has pleaded or has
moved to quash on some other ground that the offense for
which he is now charged is an offense for which he has
been pardoned, or of which he has been convicted or
acquitted or been in jeopardy, the court may in its
discretion entertain at any time before judgment a motion
to quash on the ground of such pardon, conviction,
acquittal or jeopardy.' Considering that defense counsel
raised the question of double jeopardy in favor of petitioner
during the new trial and before Judge Maceren rendered
judgment based on said new trial, it is believed that the
above principle can be applied to this case by analogy and
that said judge, in the exercise of his discretion, should
have entertained said plea of double, jeopardy in the
interest of justice, especially since at the time such plea
was made, petitioner had already f ully served the oneyear
12/16
3/17/2015
straight sentence imposed upon him by Judge Coquia on

December 14, 1970, and was already entitled to be released
from custody after
such full service of his penalty under
23
said judgment." Thus it would appear there is no legal bar
to the remedy prayed for by petitioner.
4. There is thus implicit in the approach taken by the
Solicitor General the thought that the rights assured an
accused, while intended for his protection, being relieved of
the apprehension that once indicted, conviction must
automatically follow, are impressed with a larger end in
view. Their presence in the Constitution attests to a belief,
underlying our governmental system, that public interest is
thereby promoted. It is of course desirable that crime
should not go unpunished, but every one unfortunate
enough to be proceeded against must be shown to be guilty
thereof. What is more, the state as the dispenser of justice
should not subject him to greater and other punishment
than the law allows. For Justice Laurel, the constellation of
constitutional rights which an accused
is vouchsafed is
24
"sacred" and not a mere "excrescence." There should be a
"strict regard
________________
23
Ibid, 67.
24
Bermudez v. Castillo, 64 Phil. 483, 493 (1937),

167
167

25
for [them]." That is the view of Cushman who could

affirm: "There is no more accurate index of a nation's
regard for civil liberty than is to be found in the laws and
procedures
by which it deals with persons accused of
26
crime." Dumbauld would remind us that the importance of
such restrictions on the power of government is to be found
"not in the particular specific types of action prohibited, but
in the general principle that keeps alive in the public mind
27
the doctrine that governmental power is not unlimited." It
is understandable therefore why law and policy unite in the
conclusion that the petition should be granted.
WHEREFORE, the petition for certiorari is granted and
the order of Judge Coquia of December 21, 1970 as well as
13/16
3/17/2015
the decision of respondent Judge Maceren of February 28,

1972 are hereby set aside and declared null and void, and
petitioner, having fully served his valid sentence of
December 14, 1970, is hereby ordered released forthwith.
Without pronouncement as to costs.
Concepcion, C.J., Zaldivar, Castro, Teehankee,
Barredo, Makasiar, Antonio and Esguerra, JJ., concur.
Makalintal, J., is on official leave.
Petition granted.
Notes.A. defendant in a legal prosecution is in legal
jeopardy when placed on trial under the following
conditions: (1) in a court of competent jurisdiction (2) upon
a valid complaint or information (3) after he has been
arraigned and (4) after he has pleaded to the complaint or
information. (U.S. vs. Ballentine, 4 Phil. 672 People vs.
Macabuhay, 16 SCRA 239 People vs. Obsania, 23 SCRA
1249). In a word, double jeopardy may be said to have
_______________
25
People v. Castaeda, 63 Phil. 480, 485 (1936).
26
Civil Liberties in the United States, 135 (1956).
27
The Bill of Rights, 140 (1957). Cf. Lawless, The Machinery of
Criminal Justice in England and the United States, 21 Syracuse Law

Review 10611093 (1970).
168
168

attached the moment a defendant is arraigned upon a valid

indictment before a competent court and for any reason
over which the state has control, the trial is not concluded
without his consent, or if the same is concluded, the
defendant is already in jeopardy and can no longer be tried
consequently for the same offense.
The doctrine of double jeopardy, however, admits of
several exceptions, such as: (1) if it is discovered later that
the court had no jurisdiction to try the case against the
defendant at the previous trial (2) when the trial judge
dies before the termination of the trial, or became unable
14/16
3/17/2015
by reason of sickness or otherwise to conclude the trial (3)

if through fraud on the part of the accused there was a
mistrial, as when the defendant conspired to prevent the
attendance of prosecution witnesses (4) if the defendant
should appeal from the decision of the court rendered at
the termination of the trial of a superior court and the
latter for errors committed reverses the sentence and
remands the case for a new trial. (See U.S. vs. Padilla, 4
Phil. 511 See also annotation on Double Jeopardy at 12
SCRA 561572 (5) the recall of a prosecution witness to
another additional direct questions while the prosecution
has not yet closed its evidence is allowable, such recall not
constituting a violation of the rule on jeopardy (People vs.
Taruc, 5 SCRA 132) (6) a retrial of a criminal case wherein
a void judgment was promulgated does not place the
accused in jeopardy (Ong Siu vs. Paredes, 17 SCRA 661)
The defense of double jeopardy is waivable. (People vs.
Quimsing, 12 SCRA 556). Thus, where the accused did not
seasonably object to the appeal of the prosecution on the
ground that such an appeal would place him in double
jeopardy, he is deemed to have waived his constitutional
immunity from double jeopardy (People vs. Casiano, 1
SCRA 478). The waiver of the plea of double jeopardy,
however, is only possible when, after an accused has been
prosecuted and acquitted or convicted, a new complaint or
prosecution would entitle the accused to such a defense
(Ibid.).
169
169
Lakas ng Manggagawang Pilipino vs. Benguet

Consolidated, Inc.
LEGAL RESEARCH SERVICE

See SCRA Quick IndexDigest, volume 1, page 375 on
Constitutional Law 6 7 and 8. Page 617 on Criminal
Procedure 9. Page 710 on Double Jeopardy 1 2 and
3. Volume 2, page 1054 on Judgments 1 2 5 13 15
and 19.
See Velayo's Digest, volume 5, page 1 on Constitutional
Law 6 7 and 8. Volume 7, page 1 on Criminal
Procedure 13. Volume 8, page 169 on Double Jeopardy
1 2 3 5 6 7 8 9 10 and 11.
15/16
3/17/2015
Fernando, The Bill of Rights, 1972 edition.

Jacinto, Criminal Procedure, 1965 edition.
Padilla, Criminal Procedure Annotated, 1971 edition.
Moran, Comments on the Rules of Court, vol. 4, 1970
edition.
________________
Copyright2015CentralBookSupply,Inc.Allrightsreserved.
16/16

Bustamante V Maceren (Full Text Case)

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Bustamante V Maceren (Full Text Case)

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Bustamante V Maceren (Full Text Case)

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

3/17/2015

VOL. 48, NOVEMBER 24, 1972

Bustamante vs. Maceren

No. L35101. November 24, 1972.

SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

waiver of commitmentfrom the correct norm. That did not

Same Same Same Rules of Court provision on finality of

VOL. 48, NOVEMBER 24, 1972

Bustamante vs. Maceren

ORIGINAL PETITION in the Supreme Court. Certiorari.

directed against respondent Judge, the source of the

According to Art. III, Sec. 1, par. 20 of the Constitution: "No person

ahall be twice put in jeopardy of punishment for the same offense. If an

SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

In the petition filed with this Court on August 9, 1972,

and there. 'The above notwithtstanding, so the petition did

Amended Petition, pars. 14.

Ibid, pars. 57.

Ibid, pars. 1012.

VOL. 48, NOVEMBER 24, 1972

Bustamante vs. Maceren

accused of murder in an information filed with the Court of

December 14, 1970, petitioner entered a plea of guilty, and

SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

shall be tried on the merit on January 18, 1970 at 8:30

VOL. 48, NOVEMBER 24, 1972

Bustamante vs. Maceren

ruling on said motion in abeyance until petitioner

Answer to Amended Petition, 14.

SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

1. For the undisputed facts speak for themselves. They do

III, Sec. 1, par. 20 of the Constitution.

L27257, August 31, 1971, 40 SCRA 579.

VOL. 48, NOVEMBER 24, 1972

Bustamante vs. Maceren

fiscal, was sentenced, on July 17, 1922, to pay a fine of P25

twice for the same thing." Considering the lapse of time in

Ibid, 652653. Justice Malcolm cited United States v. Hart, 24 Phil.

SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

2. Support for this result is likewise supplied by the

apparent fraud the defendant has committed with regard

Rule 120, Section 7,

76 Phil. 294 (1946).

Rodillas, 89 Phil. 99 (1951).

107 Phil. 759 (1960).

Mamatik, 105 Phil. 479 (1959).

VOL. 48, NOVEMBER 24, 1972

Bustamante vs. Maceren

It is not to be lost sight of that the above rule has been

appeal, Under the circumstances, the sentence having

76 Phil. 294, 296 (1946).

101 Phil. 745 (1957).

Answer to Amended Petition, 56. The Solicitor General was aided in

the preparation thereof by Asst. Solicitor General Alicia V. SempioDiy

SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

waivable, and if not raised or set up at the proper time, is

straight sentence imposed upon him by Judge Coquia on

Bermudez v. Castillo, 64 Phil. 483, 493 (1937),