Republic of the Philippines

SUPREME COURT
Manila
FIRST DIVISION
G.R. No. !"#!$ %u&ust '( $"")
*UDGE FE+IMON %,E+IT% III( Petitione-(
.s.
P/SUPT. GERM%N ,. DORI% an0 SPO1 CES%R R%MIRE2( Respon0ents.
D E C I S I O N
C%RPIO( *.3
The Case
,efo-e the Cou-t is a petition fo- -e.ie4 assailin& the " *ul5 $""' Decision$ an0 6
Octobe- $""' O-0e-1 of the Re&ional T-ial Cou-t of 7ue8on Cit5( ,-anch $! 9t-ial
cou-t:( in Ci.il Case No. 7;)6;11''$ fo- Da<a&es.
The %ntece0ent Facts
*u0&e Feli<on %belita III 9petitione-: file0 a co<plaint fo- Da<a&es un0e- %-ticles 1$9':
an0 9): of the Ci.il Co0e a&ainst P/Supt. Ge-<an ,. Do-ia 9P/Supt. Do-ia: an0 SPO1
Cesa- Ra<i-e8 9SPO1 Ra<i-e8:. Petitione- alle&e0 in his co<plaint that on $' Ma-ch
))#( at a-oun0 $ noon( he an0 his 4ife 4e-e on thei- 4a5 to thei- house in
,a&u<ba5an( Masbate( Masbate 4hen P/Supt. Do-ia an0 SPO1 Ra<i-e8 9-espon0ents:(
acco<panie0 b5 " uni0entifie0 police office-s( -e=ueste0 the< to p-ocee0 to the
P-o.incial PNP >ea0=ua-te-s at Ca<p ,oni Se--ano( Masbate( Masbate. Petitione- 4as
suspicious of the -e=uest an0 tol0 -espon0ents that he 4oul0 p-ocee0 to the PNP
>ea0=ua-te-s afte- he ha0 b-ou&ht his 4ife ho<e. Petitione- alle&e0 that 4hen he pa-?e0
his ca- in f-ont of thei- house( SPO1 Ra<i-e8 &-abbe0 hi<( fo-cibl5 too? the ?e5 to his
Toto5a +ite %ce .an( ba-&e0 into the .ehicle( an0 con0ucte0 a sea-ch 4ithout a 4a--ant.
The sea-ch -esulte0 to the sei8u-e of a license0 shot&un. Petitione- p-esente0 the
shot&un@s license to -espon0ents. The-eafte-( SPO1 Ra<i-e8 continue0 his sea-ch an0
then p-o0uce0 a .'A calibe- pistol 4hich he alle&e0l5 foun0 insi0e the .ehicle.
Respon0ents a--este0 petitione- an0 0etaine0 hi<( 4ithout an5 app-op-iate cha-&e( at the
PNP special 0etention cell.
P/Supt. Do-ia alle&e0 that his office -ecei.e0 a telephone call f-o< a -elati.e of Rosa Sia
about a shootin& inci0ent in ,a-an&a5 Nu-se-5. >e 0ispatche0 a tea< hea0e0 b5 SPO1
Ra<i-e8 to in.esti&ate the inci0ent. SPO1 Ra<i-e8 late- -epo-te0 that a ce-tain Billia<
Sia 4as 4oun0e0 4hile petitione-( 4ho 4as i<plicate0 in the inci0ent( an0 his 4ife Cust
left the place of the inci0ent. P/Supt. Do-ia loo?e0 fo- petitione- an0 4hen he foun0 hi<(
he info-<e0 hi< of the inci0ent -epo-t. P/Supt. Do-ia -e=ueste0 petitione- to &o 4ith hi<
to the police hea0=ua-te-s as he 4as -epo-te0 to be in.ol.e0 in the inci0ent. Petitione-
a&-ee0 but su00enl5 spe0 up his .ehicle an0 p-ocee0e0 to his -esi0ence. P/Supt. Do-ia
an0 his co<panions chase0 petitione-. Upon -eachin& petitione-@s -esi0ence( the5 cau&ht
up 4ith petitione- as he 4as about to -un to4a-0s his house. The police office-s sa4 a &un
in the f-ont seat of the .ehicle besi0e the 0-i.e-@s seat as petitione- opene0 the 0oo-. The5
also sa4 a shot&un at the bac? of the 0-i.e-@s seat. The police office-s confiscate0 the
fi-ea-<s an0 a--este0 petitione-. P/Supt. Do-ia alle&e0 that his <en also a--este0 othe-
pe-sons 4ho 4e-e i0entifie0 to be 4ith petitione- 0u-in& the shootin& inci0ent. Petitione-
4as cha-&e0 4ith ille&al possession of fi-ea-<s an0 f-ust-ate0 <u-0e-. %n a0<inist-ati.e
case 4as also file0 a&ainst petitione- befo-e this Cou-t.'
The Decision of the T-ial Cou-t
In its " *ul5 $""' Decision( the t-ial cou-t 0is<isse0 petitione-@s co<plaint.
The t-ial cou-t foun0 that petitione- 4as at the scene of the shootin& inci0ent in ,a-an&a5
Nu-se-5. The t-ial cou-t -ule0 that the police office-s 4ho con0ucte0 the sea-ch 4e-e of
the belief( base0 on -easonable &-oun0s( that petitione- 4as in.ol.e0 in the inci0ent an0
that the fi-ea-< use0 in the co<<ission of the offense 4as in his possession. The t-ial
cou-t -ule0 that petitione-@s 4a--antless a--est an0 the 4a--antless sei8u-e of the fi-ea-<s
4e-e .ali0 an0 le&al. The t-ial cou-t &a.e <o-e c-e0ence to the testi<onies of -espon0ents
4ho 4e-e p-esu<e0 to ha.e pe-fo-<e0 thei- 0uties in acco-0ance 4ith la4. The t-ial cou-t
-eCecte0 petitione-@s clai< of f-a<e;up as 4ea? an0 insufficient to o.e-th-o4 the positi.e
testi<onies of the police office-s 4ho con0ucte0 the a--est an0 the inci0ental sea-ch. The
t-ial cou-t
conclu0e0 that petitione-@s clai< fo- 0a<a&es un0e- %-ticle 1$ of the Ci.il Co0e is not
4a--ante0 un0e- the ci-cu<stances.
Petitione- file0 a <otion fo- -econsi0e-ation.
In its 6 Octobe- $""' O-0e-( the t-ial cou-t 0enie0 the <otion.
>ence( the petition befo-e this Cou-t.
The Issues
The issues in this case a-e the follo4in&3
. Bhethe- the 4a--antless a--est an0 4a--antless sea-ch an0 sei8u-e 4e-e ille&al un0e-
Section A( Rule 1 of the )6A Rules on C-i<inal P-oce0u-eD
$. Bhethe- -espon0ents a-e ci.ill5 liable fo- 0a<a&es un0e- %-ticles 1$9': an0 9): of the
Ci.il Co0eD an0
1. Bhethe- the fin0in&s in the a0<inist-ati.e case a&ainst petitione- a-e conclusi.e in this
case.
The Rulin& of this Cou-t
The petition has no <e-it.
%pplication of Section A( Rule 1 of the
)6A Rules on C-i<inal P-oce0u-e
Petitione- alle&es that his a--est an0 the sea-ch 4e-e unla4ful un0e- Section A( Rule 1
of the )6A Rules on C-i<inal P-oce0u-e. Petitione- alle&es that fo- the 4a--antless a--est
to be la4ful( the a--estin& office- <ust ha.e pe-sonal ?no4le0&e of facts that the pe-son
to be a--este0 has co<<itte0( is actuall5 co<<ittin&( o- is atte<ptin& to co<<it an
offense. Petitione- alle&es that the alle&e0 shootin& inci0ent 4as Cust -ela5e0 to the
a--estin& office-s( an0 thus the5 ha.e no pe-sonal ?no4le0&e of facts as -e=ui-e0 b5 the
Rules.
Be 0o not a&-ee.
Section A( Rule 1 of the )6A Rules on C-i<inal P-oce0u-e states3
Sec. A. %--est 4ithout 4a--antD 4hen la4ful. E % peace office- o- a p-i.ate pe-son <a5(
4ithout a 4a--ant( a--est a pe-son3
9a: Bhen( in his p-esence( the pe-son to be a--este0 has co<<itte0( is actuall5
co<<ittin&( o- is atte<ptin& to co<<it an offenseD
9b: Bhen an offense has in fact Cust been co<<itte0 an0 he has pe-sonal ?no4le0&e of
facts in0icatin& that the pe-son to be a--este0 has co<<itte0 itD an0
9c: Bhen the pe-son to be a--este0 is a p-isone- 4ho has escape0 f-o< a penal
establish<ent o- place 4he-e he is se-.in& final Cu0&<ent o- te<po-a-il5 confine0 4hile
his case is pen0in&( o- has escape0 4hile bein& t-ansfe--e0 f-o< one confine<ent to
anothe-.
Fo- the 4a--antless a--est un0e- this Rule to be .ali0( t4o -e=uisites <ust concu-3 9: the
offen0e- has Cust co<<itte0 an offenseD an0 9$: the a--estin& peace office- o- p-i.ate
pe-son has pe-sonal ?no4le0&e of facts in0icatin& that the pe-son to be a--este0 has
co<<itte0 it.A
Pe-sonal ?no4le0&e of facts <ust be base0 on p-obable cause( 4hich <eans an actual
belief o- -easonable &-oun0s of suspicion.# The &-oun0s of suspicion a-e -easonable
4hen( in the absence of actual belief of the a--estin& office-s( the suspicion that the
pe-son to be a--este0 is p-obabl5 &uilt5 of co<<ittin& the offense is base0 on actual facts(
i.e.( suppo-te0 b5 ci-cu<stances sufficientl5 st-on& in the<sel.es to c-eate the p-obable
cause of &uilt of the pe-son to be a--este0.! % -easonable suspicion( the-efo-e( <ust be
foun0e0 on p-obable cause( couple0 4ith &oo0 faith on the pa-t of the peace office-s
<a?in& the a--est.6
Section A( Rule 1 of the )6A Rules on C-i<inal P-oce0u-e 0oes not -e=ui-e the
a--estin& office-s to pe-sonall5 4itness the co<<ission of the offense 4ith thei- o4n
e5es. In this case( P/Supt. Do-ia -ecei.e0 a -epo-t about the alle&e0 shootin& inci0ent.
SPO1 Ra<i-e8 in.esti&ate0 the -epo-t an0 lea-ne0 f-o< 4itnesses that petitione- 4as
in.ol.e0 in the inci0ent. The5 4e-e able to t-ac? 0o4n petitione-( but 4hen in.ite0 to the
police hea0=ua-te-s to she0 li&ht on the inci0ent( petitione- initiall5 a&-ee0 then spe0 up
his .ehicle( p-o<ptin& the police autho-ities to &i.e chase. Petitione-@s act of t-5in& to &et
a4a5( couple0 4ith the inci0ent -epo-t 4hich the5 in.esti&ate0( is enou&h to -aise a
-easonable suspicion on the pa-t of the police autho-ities as to the eFistence of p-obable
cause.
Plain Vie4 Doct-ine
The sei8u-e of the fi-ea-<s 4as Custifie0 un0e- the plain .ie4 0oct-ine.
Un0e- the plain .ie4 0oct-ine( obCects fallin& in the plain .ie4 of an office- 4ho has a
-i&ht to be in the position to ha.e that .ie4 a-e subCect to sei8u-e an0 <a5 be p-esente0 as
e.i0ence.) The plain .ie4 0oct-ine applies 4hen the follo4in& -e=uisites concu-3 9: the
la4 enfo-ce<ent office- in sea-ch of the e.i0ence has a p-io- Custification fo- an int-usion
o- is in a position f-o< 4hich he can .ie4 a pa-ticula- a-eaD 9$: the 0isco.e-5 of the
e.i0ence in plain .ie4 is ina0.e-tentD an0 91: it is i<<e0iatel5 appa-ent to the office- that
the ite< he obse-.es <a5 be e.i0ence of a c-i<e( cont-aban0 o- othe-4ise subCect to
sei8u-e."
In this case( the police autho-ities 4e-e in the a-ea because that 4as 4he-e the5 cau&ht up
4ith petitione- afte- the chase. The5 sa4 the fi-ea-<s insi0e the .ehicle 4hen petitione-
opene0 the 0oo-. Since a shootin& inci0ent Cust too? place an0 it 4as -epo-te0 that
petitione- 4as in.ol.e0 in the inci0ent( it 4as appa-ent to the police office-s that the
fi-ea-<s <a5 be e.i0ence of a c-i<e. >ence( the5 4e-e Custifie0 in sei8in& the fi-ea-<s.
Ci.il +iabilit5 Un0e- %-ticle 1$ of the Ci.il Co0e
Petitione- alle&es that -espon0ents a-e ci.ill5 liable un0e- pa-a&-aphs 9': an0 9): of
%-ticle 1$ of the Ci.il Co0e.
Pa-a&-aphs 9': an0 9): of %-ticle 1$ of the Ci.il Co0e -especti.el5 state3
%-t. 1$. %n5 public office- o- e<plo5ee( o- an5 p-i.ate in0i.i0ual( 4ho 0i-ectl5 o-
in0i-ectl5 obst-ucts( 0efeats( .iolates o- in an5 <anne- i<pe0es o- i<pai-s an5 of the
follo4in& -i&hts an0 libe-ties of anothe- pe-son shall be liable to the latte- fo- 0a<a&es3
F F F F
9': F-ee0o< f-o< a-bit-a-5 o- ille&al 0etentionD
F F F F
9): The -i&ht to be secu-e in one@s pe-son( house( pape-s( an0 effects a&ainst un-easonable
sea-ches an0 sei8u-esD
F F F F
In this case( it 4as establishe0 that petitione- 4as la4full5 a--este0 4ithout a 4a--ant an0
that fi-ea-<s 4e-e .ali0l5 sei8e0 f-o< his possession. The t-ial cou-t foun0 that petitione-
4as cha-&e0 4ith ille&al possession of fi-ea-<s an0 f-ust-ate0 <u-0e-. Be a&-ee 4ith the
t-ial cou-t in -eCectin& petitione-@s alle&ation that he 4as <e-el5 f-a<e0;up. Be also a&-ee
4ith the t-ial cou-t that -espon0ents 4e-e p-esu<e0 to be pe-fo-<in& thei- 0uties in
acco-0ance 4ith la4. >ence( -espon0ents shoul0 not be hel0 ci.ill5 liable fo- thei-
actions.
Res *u0icata Does Not %ppl5
Respon0ents -aise the 0efense of -es Cu0icata a&ainst petitione-@s clai< fo- 0a<a&es.
Res Cu0icata has t4o aspects3 ba- b5 p-io- Cu0&<ent an0 conclusi.eness of Cu0&<ent
p-o.i0e0 un0e- Section '!9b: an0 9c:( Rule 1)( -especti.el5( of the ))! Rules of Ci.il
P-oce0u-e 4hich p-o.i0e3
Sec. '!. Effect of Cu0&<ents o- final o-0e-s. The effect of a Cu0&<ent o- final o-0e-
-en0e-e0 b5 a cou-t of the Philippines( ha.in& Cu-is0iction to p-onounce the Cu0&<ent o-
final o-0e-( <a5 be as follo4s3
F F F
9b: In othe- cases( the Cu0&<ent o- final o-0e- is( 4ith -espect to the <atte- 0i-ectl5
a0Cu0&e0 o- as to an5 othe- <atte- that coul0 ha.e been -aise0 in -elation the-eto(
conclusi.e bet4een the pa-ties an0 thei- successo-s in inte-est b5 title subse=uent to the
co<<ence<ent of the action o- special p-ocee0in&( liti&atin& fo- the sa<e thin& an0
un0e- the sa<e title an0 in the sa<e capacit5D an0
9c: In an5 othe- liti&ation bet4een the sa<e pa-ties o- thei- successo-s in inte-est( that
onl5 is 0ee<e0 to ha.e been a0Cu0&e0 in a fo-<e- Cu0&<ent o- final o-0e- 4hich appea-s
upon its face to ha.e been so a0Cu0&e0( o- 4hich 4as actuall5 an0 necessa-il5 inclu0e0
the-ein o- necessa-5 the-eto.
,a- b5 p-io- Cu0&<ent an0 conclusi.eness of Cu0&<ent 0iffe- as follo4s3
The-e is Gba- b5 p-io- Cu0&<entG 4hen( as bet4een the fi-st case 4he-e the Cu0&<ent 4as
-en0e-e0 an0 the secon0 case that is sou&ht to be ba--e0( the-e is i0entit5 of pa-ties(
subCect <atte-( an0 causes of action. In this instance( the Cu0&<ent in the fi-st case
constitutes an absolute ba- to the secon0 action. Othe-4ise put( the Cu0&<ent o- 0ec-ee of
the cou-t of co<petent Cu-is0iction on the <e-its conclu0es the liti&ation bet4een the
pa-ties( as 4ell as thei- p-i.ies( an0 constitutes a ba- to a ne4 action o- suit in.ol.in& the
sa<e cause of action befo-e the sa<e o- othe- t-ibunal.a..phi
,ut 4he-e the-e is i0entit5 of pa-ties in the fi-st an0 secon0 cases( but no i0entit5 of
causes of action( the fi-st Cu0&<ent is conclusi.e onl5 as to those <atte-s actuall5 an0
0i-ectl5 cont-o.e-te0 an0 0ete-<ine0 an0 not as to <atte-s <e-el5 in.ol.e0 the-ein. This
is the concept of -es Cu0icata ?no4n as Gconclusi.eness of Cu0&<ent.G State0 0iffe-entl5(
an5 -i&ht( fact o- <atte- in issue 0i-ectl5 a0Cu0icate0 o- necessa-il5 in.ol.e0 in the
0ete-<ination of an action befo-e a co<petent cou-t in 4hich Cu0&<ent is -en0e-e0 on the
<e-its is conclusi.el5 settle0 b5 the Cu0&<ent the-ein an0 cannot a&ain be liti&ate0
bet4een the pa-ties an0 thei- p-i.ies 4hethe- o- not the clai<( 0e<an0( pu-pose( o-
subCect <atte- of the t4o actions is the sa<e.$
Fo- -es Cu0icata to appl5( the follo4in& -e=uisites <ust be p-esent3
9a: the fo-<e- Cu0&<ent o- o-0e- <ust be finalD
9b: it <ust be a Cu0&<ent o- o-0e- on the <e-its( that is( it 4as -en0e-e0 afte- a
consi0e-ation of the e.i0ence o- stipulations sub<itte0 b5 the pa-ties at the t-ial of the
caseD
9c: it <ust ha.e been -en0e-e0 b5 a cou-t ha.in& Cu-is0iction o.e- the subCect <atte- an0
the pa-tiesD an0
90: the-e <ust be( bet4een the fi-st an0 secon0 actions( i0entit5 of pa-ties( of subCect
<atte-( an0 of cause of actionD this -e=uisite is satisfie0 if the t4o actions a-e substantiall5
bet4een the sa<e pa-ties.1
Bhile the p-esent case an0 the a0<inist-ati.e case a-e base0 on the sa<e essential facts
an0 ci-cu<stances( the 0oct-ine of -es Cu0icata 4ill not appl5. %n a0<inist-ati.e case
0eals 4ith the a0<inist-ati.e liabilit5 4hich <a5 be incu--e0 b5 the -espon0ent fo- the
co<<ission of the acts co<plaine0 of.' The case befo-e us 0eals 4ith the ci.il liabilit5
fo- 0a<a&es of the police autho-ities. The-e is no i0entit5 of causes of action in the cases.
Bhile i0entit5 of causes of action is not -e=ui-e0 in the application of -es Cu0icata in the
concept of conclusi.eness of Cu0&<ent(A it is -e=ui-e0 that the-e <ust al4a5s be i0entit5
of pa-ties in the fi-st an0 secon0 cases.
The-e is no i0entit5 of pa-ties bet4een the p-esent case an0 the a0<inist-ati.e case. The
a0<inist-ati.e case 4as file0 b5 ,enCa<in Sia +ao 9Sia +ao: a&ainst petitione-. Sia +ao is
not a pa-t5 to this case. Respon0ents in the p-esent case 4e-e not pa-ties to the
a0<inist-ati.e case bet4een Sia +ao an0 petitione-. In the p-esent case( petitione- is the
co<plainant a&ainst -espon0ents. >ence( 4hile -es Cu0icata is not a 0efense to petitione-@s
co<plaint fo- 0a<a&es( -espon0ents ne.e-theless cannot be hel0 liable fo- 0a<a&es as
0iscusse0 abo.e.
B>EREFORE( 4e DENH the petition. Be %FFIRM the " *ul5 $""' Decision an0 6
Octobe- $""' O-0e- of the Re&ional T-ial Cou-t of 7ue8on Cit5( ,-anch $!( in Ci.il
Case No. 7;)6;11''$.
SO ORDERED.