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4TORREVILLASVNAVIDAD

A.MNo.RTJ061976
April29,2009
RULE114BAIL
Sec.8.Burdernofproofinbailapplication.Atthehearingofanapplicationforbail
filedbyapersonwhoisincustodyforthecommissionofanoffensepunishablebydeath,
reclusionperpetua,orlifeimprisonment,theprosecutionhastheburdernofshowingthat
evidenceofguiltisstrong.Theevidencepresentedduringthebailhearingshallbeconsidered
automaticallyreproducedatthetrialbut,uponmotionofeitherparty,thecourtmayrecall
anywitnessforadditionalexaminationunlessthelatterisdead,outsidethePhilippines,or
otherwiseunabletotestify.
ByJeahDominguez
FACTS:
ProvincialProsecutorManuelTorrevillassubmittedawrittenreporttothenChiefJustice
HilarioG.Davide,Jr.regardingthe"inapropriateactuation"ofJudgeRobertoA.Navidadof
theRTCofCalabayogCityinthehandlingofcasesbeforehissala.
JusticeDicdicanwrotetheformalReportofInvestigationandRecommendation.Coveredin
thereportarethefollowingcases:
PeoplevSandonganInthiscase,SPO2Rebortura,awitnesstestifiedthathedidnot
recoverashotgunfromacrimescene.SPO2Reborturawasremindedbythedefensecounsel
thathehadalreadyadmittedrecoveringashotgunearliertowhichSPO2saidhecouldnot
recallanymore.SPO2wasadjudgedincontemptofcourtbyJudgeNavidad.
JudgesDefense:HecitedSPO2Reborturaindirectcontemptofcourtbecausehefoundthe
saidwitnesslyingandtellinguntruthsatthewitnesschair.Respondentfurthercontendsthat
itwasveryevidentthenthatthesaidwitnesswastheonemastermindingthe"manufacture"
orfilingoftrumpedupcases.
PeoplevPaghunasanComplainant,inthiscase,claimsthattheaccusedhadbeencharged
withthecapitaloffenseofmurderwhichisanonbailableoffense.JudgeNavidadgranted
bailwithoutconductingahearingandwithoutaffordingtheprosecutiontheopportunityto
provethestrengthofitsevidence.
JudgesDefense:Heclaimsthatanoralpetitionforbailhadbeenpresentedinopencourt
whichwasdulyheardandpartiallyargued.Infact,theprosecutionhadallegedly
energeticallyarguedandsuggestedthatthedefensereduceitspetitionintowritingsothe
mattercanbebroughtuptotheProvincialProsecutor.Hefurthercontendsthatthe
stenographerfailedtotakedownthediscussion.(LOLPLS)
PeoplevTesoroInthiscasewhichisalsoofmurder,theaccusedfiledtorecallthe
WarrantofArrestandForJudicialDeterminationofProbableCause.Theaccusedalsoasked
tobeplacedinthecustodyofhiscounsel.JudgeNavidadgrantedtherecalloftheWarrantof
Arresteventhoughtheaccusedhadnotfiledanyoppositiontothemotiontoreinstatethe

recalledarrestwarrant.Therespondentgrantedthemotionforjudicialdeterminationof
probablecausefiledbytheaccusedwithoutactingonthemotiontoreinstaterecalledwarrant
ofarrestfiledbytheprosecution.TheaccusedWASplacedinthecustodyofhiscounsel.
JudgesDefense:Hequashedthewarrantofarrestforfailureoftheprosecutiontoadduce
evidence.Furthermore,thepreliminaryinvestigationwasallegedlyimproperlyconducted
witha"tutored"allegedsoleeyewitness.
ISSUE:WhetherornotJudgeNavidadshouldbeheldadministrativelyliableforgross
inefficiency?
HELD:YES.
BasedonJusticeDicdicansinvestigationandontheevidencepresentedinthiscase,
theJusticeconcludesthattherespondentdidnotconducttherequisitehearingbeforehe
grantedbailtotheaccused,inviolationofSections8and18,Rule114oftheRevisedRules
ofCriminalProcedure.
Jurisprudenceisrepletewithdecisionsontheproceduralnecessityofahearing,
whethersummaryorotherwise,relativetothegrantofbail,especiallyincasesinvolving
offensespunishablebydeath,reclusionperpetua,orlifeimprisonment,whetherbailisa
matterofdiscretion.UnderthepresentRules,ahearingismandatoryingrantingbailwhether
itisamatterofrightordiscretion.Itmustbestressedthatthegrantorthedenialofbail,in
caseswherebailisamatterofdiscretion,hingesontheissueofwhetherornottheevidence
ofguiltoftheaccusedisstrong,andthedeterminationofwhetherornottheevidenceis
strongisamatterofjudicialdiscretionwhichremainswiththejudge.Inorderforthelatterto
properlyexercisehisdiscretion,hemustfirstconductahearingtodeterminewhetherthe
evidence,hemustfirstconductahearingtodeterminewhethertheevidenceofguiltisstrong.
Infact,evenincaseswherethereisnopetitionforbail,ahearingshouldstillbeheld.Ithas
beenheldthatsucherrorcannotbecharacterizedasmeredeficiencyinprudence,discretion
andjudgmentbutapatentdisregardofwellknownrulesand,therefore,constitutiveofgross
ignoranceofthelaw.
Further,intheTesorocase,Ingrantingthesaidmotiononthesamedaywhenitwas
filed,therespondentactedprematurelyandincongruouslyinallowingtheaccusedtobe
placedunderthecustodyofcounselwhen,infact,thefreedomoftheaccusedhadyettobe
curtailed.Thebasicruleisthattherighttobail,orinthiscasetobereleasedonrecognizance,
canonlybeavailedofbyapersonwhoisinthecustodyofthelaworotherwisedeprivedof
hisliberty.Therespondentalsodeprivedtheprosecutionoftheopportunitytoprovethatthe
evidenceofguiltofsaidaccusedisstrong,consideringthattheaccusedwaschargedwith
murder.Likewise,ingrantingthemotiontorecallthewarrantofarrest,therespondentdid
notallowtheprosecutionsufficienttimetoopposesaidmotion.Thereisnoshowingthat
respondentconductedahearingtodeterminewhetherornottherewasprobablecausewhich
respondentcontendswasmadethebasisofhisrecallofthewarrantofarrestpreviously
issued.
ItisclearthatJudgeNavidadnotonlyfailedtoperformhisdutiesinaccordancewith
theRules,buthehasalsobeenactingwillfully,andgrosslydisregardinganddefyingthelaw
andcontrollingjurisprudence.Verily,hisactionsindicateablatantcontemptforthelawand
therulesofprocedure.

Intheend,recommendeddismissal+fineofP40,000.
*buthewaswasfelledbyabulletofanassassinsohesdeadnanomore
dismissal(thecourtjustsaidthisinpassingsaendaftertheyrantedabouthimsomuch
btwtherantsarehereingreen)
YOUCANOPTNOTTOSAYTHISNA:
DuringfurtherinvestigationsitwasalsofoundoutthathewasSUPERINEFFICIENT.
RANDOMSHITHEDID:
Hegrantedbailtoothermurdercases.
Healsodowngradednumerouscrimes(examplemurdertojusthomicide)even
thoughthequalifyingcircumstanceswereproved.
ANDGETTHIS,hehad51pendingcasesunresolvedwithinthe90dayperiod.
Respondentjudgeascribeshisinactioninfiftyone(51)casestotheinadvertenceof
hiscourtpersonnelandthefailureofthepoliceofficerstomakeareturnofthe
warrantsofarrest.Thisistotallyunacceptable.Ajudgecannottakerefugebehindthe
inefficiencyofhiscourtpersonnel,forthelatterarenotguardiansofthejudges
responsibilities.Efficientcourtmanagementisprimarilythedutyofthepresiding
judge.
Also,therewasacasewhereherefusedtoinhibithimselfeventhoughtherewouldbe
obviousprejudice:helivedinthebuildingofthePlaintiff.
Also,therewasANENTIREFUCKINGMONTHwherehejustdidntshowupto
work.MAY2007.Likewise,amongotherthings,inhisCertificatesofServicefor
May,2007,respondentdeclaredthathewasonsickleaveonMay16,17,18and21,
andonvacationleavefromMay22,23,24and25.ExecutiveJudgeReynaldo
Clemensdeclared,however,thatrespondentwasabsentfortheentiremonthofMay
2007.MYGOD.
Eversincehesteppedinthejudiciary,numerouscaseshavebeenfiledagainsthim.While
severalofthechargesweredismissed,thishoweverisnotatallreflectiveofhisinnocence,
becausetheissuesraisedinthesecaseswerejudicialinnature,hence,improperforan
administrativecharge,orrespondenthadalreadyinhibitedfromthecase,orcomplainants
failedtoattendtheinvestigationconductedbyinvestigatingjustices/judgesandfailedto
substantiatetheircharges.Respondentjudgescomportmentshowsthatheisnotanupright
manofthelawwhodeservestositonthebench.HAHAHHASORRYNAGRRANT
YUNGCOURTSWEAR.

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