Yu V Honrado (Rule 126)
Yu V Honrado (Rule 126)
Yu V Honrado (Rule 126)
G.R. No. 50025. August 21, 1980. SECOND DIVISION. (AQUINO, J.)
FACTS:
Detective Carlos Nuestro of the police department filed an application for a search warrant alleging that he
has been informed based from a verified report that Alfonso Yu was in possession of metric tons of
unstripped assorted cast iron engine blocks embezzled.
Nuestro testified that he had personal knowledge that Alfonso Yu kept the said engine blocks, which were
"embezzled"; that the said goods were purchased by Refuerzo from Marcelo Steel Corporation; that Refuerzo
paid for the goods with a check which was dishonored for insufficient funds; that Refuerzo sold the engine
blocks to the Soledad Junk Shop and that Refuerzo was later apprehended and detained.
Respondent Judge issued a search warrant, commanding any peace officer to search the premises of the
Soledad Junk Shop.
Nuestro and other policemen seized from the Soledad Junk Shop metric tons of engine blocks.
Spouses Yu filed with respondent Judge a motion to set aside the search warrant and for the return of the
engine blocks. Yus motion was denied.
Parallel to the search warrant proceeding was the complaint for estafa filed by Marcelo Steel Corporation
against Refuerzo, Soledad Yu and other confederates.
Fiscal found that Yu was not a co-conspirator and that she was an innocent purchaser for value.
Fiscal found that Refuerzo and other confederates defrauded Marcelo Steel Corporation as the value of scrap
materials were not paid and that the Soledad Junk Shop paid for the scrap materials. Thus, Refuerzo and
others were charged for estafa.
It is imperative that a resolution be rendered as to the conflicting claims of the Yu spouses and Marcelo Steel
Corporation with respect to the scrap engine blocks.
ISSUE:
Is the search warrant void because it was issued without probable cause on the basis of Nuestro's hearsay
testimony?
RULING:
Marcelo Steel Corporation is ordered to return and deliver to the Yu spouses within ten days from notice of
the entry of judgment in this case the 42.8 tons of scrap engine blocks in question. No costs.