Topic: Local Showbiz "Tsismis" - Post them all on this thread!

[barrister]

Pwede din ba ipababa nila Lee & company ang Illegal detention case niya sa isang masmababang case na bailable? Di ba it will be up to the court pa naman kung tatanggapin yun Illegal Detention charges?

Yes, puwedeng ma-downgrade ang charges, but only at the prosecutor's preliminary investigation, not at the court's trial stage.

The investigator files the complaint with the prosecutor.  The prosecutor issues a resolution dismissing the complaint, or recommending the filing of an information in court.  The information may charge the offender with either the offense charged in the complaint, or with a lesser offense.

Once the information is filed in court, the court cannot downgrade the charges.  It must continue the proceedings, then render judgment.  The judgment can only acquit or convict. The court can convict the accused of a lesser offense, but that happens only at judgment --- at the end of the proceedings.

Normally, the investigator is the police, while the prosecutor is the Regional Prosecutor, whose resolution is appealable to the DOJ.

In this case, which sometimes happens in high-profile cases, the investigator is the NBI, while the prosecutor is the DOJ itself.

[resident_evil]

In addition to the above, once the Information is filed in court, the accused can file a Motion for Judicial Determination of Probable Cause. If the court finds that there is probable cause it will issue a Warrant of Arrest or a Commitment Order if the accused is already detained. If the court finds that there is no probable cause, it will either ask the prosecution to present additional evidence or dismiss the case.

[edboy7]

sikay ka na talaga teh! 

[barrister]

In addition to the above, once the Information is filed in court, the accused can file a Motion for Judicial Determination of Probable Cause. If the court finds that there is probable cause it will issue a Warrant of Arrest or a Commitment Order if the accused is already detained. If the court finds that there is no probable cause, it will either ask the prosecution to present additional evidence or dismiss the case.

That's not accurate.
 
If the court rules that there is no probable cause, the court cannot dismiss the case.  It can only refuse to issue a warrant of arrest.
 
There are 2 kinds of probable cause: executive and judicial.  Executive determination is made by the investigating prosecutor.  Judicial determination is made by the judge, and is limited to probable cause for the issuance of a warrant of arrest.
 
If the judge finds no probable cause for the issuance of a warrant, then he refuses to issue a warrant.  However, the judge has no authority to find absence of probable cause to hold the accused for trial.  Therefore, for lack of probable cause, the judge may validly refuse to issue a warrant, but may not validly dismiss the case.
 
This technique of filing motions for judicial determination of probable cause became in vogue in the last decade, for the purpose of setting aside the prosecutor's finding of probable cause.

Thus, the SC held:

Corollary to the principle that a judge cannot be compelled to issue a warrant of arrest if he or she deems that there is no probable cause for doing so, the judge in turn should not override the public prosecutor’s determination of probable cause to hold an accused for trial on the ground that the evidence presented to substantiate the issuance of an arrest warrant was insufficient.  It must be stressed that in our criminal justice system, the public prosecutor exercises a wide latitude of discretion in determining whether a criminal case should be filed in court, and that courts must respect the exercise of such discretion when the information filed against the person charged is valid on its face, and that no manifest error or grave abuse of discretion can be imputed to the public prosecutor.
http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2009/june2009/171188.htm

[Nelson de Leon]

So in Lee's case, there's a possibility pa na i-lower ang illegal detention kasi nasa prosecutor pa lang? I think yan kasi ang primary concern ni Lee because it's non-bailable.

[barrister]

Yes, that's right.
 

[resident_evil]

Thank you for the jurisprudence Attorney but your conclusion that "if the court rules that there is no probable cause, the court cannot dismiss the case.  It can only refuse to issue a warrant of arrest" may mislead the readers of this forum.

First, Section 5 (a) Rule 112 of the Rules on Criminal Procedure has yet to be amended.
Second, you may want to take a look at the July 26, 2013 case of Delos Santos v CA, GR No. 178947 and 179079. While the Supreme Court reversed the findings of the trial court that there was no probable cause, it did not prohibit trial courts from dismissing a case for want of probable cause. It simply laid out the guidelines on when dismissal on this ground is proper. In fact, the Supreme Court recognised the power of the trial court to dismiss a case if it finds that there is no probable cause as long as a "judge’s dismissal of a case must be done only in clear-cut cases when the evidence on record plainly fails to establish probable cause – that is when the records readily show uncontroverted, and thus, established facts which unmistakably negate the existence of the elements of the crime charged."

[resident_evil]

While the filing of a Motion for Judicial Determination of Probable Cause is considered a mere superfluity, it is not yet considered a prohibited pleading. Unless of course, there is a new ruling that I am unaware of.

[barrister]

Second, you may want to take a look at the July 26, 2013 case of Delos Santos v CA, GR No. 178947 and 179079.

You mean June 26, 2013, not July 26, 2013.

You are talking about highly exceptional cases where lack of probable cause is very clear.  Those exceptional instances ("manifest error or grave abuse of discretion") were also mentioned in the case I cited:

... courts must respect the exercise of such discretion when the information filed against the person charged is valid on its face, and that no manifest error or grave abuse of discretion can be imputed to the public prosecutor.
http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2009/june2009/171188.htm

Remember that in your prior post, you said:

If the court finds that there is no probable cause, it will either ask the prosecution to present additional evidence or dismiss the case.

wherein you were speaking in general terms rather than exceptionally, implying that the option of dismissal is a primary option rather than an exceptional option when manifest error or grave abuse of discretion is/are present.

Note that even in the Santos-Dio case you cited, the SC ordered the reinstatement of the case, on the ground that the trial court gravely abused its discretion in finding lack of probable cause.

[HDMI]

Whoa! Nose bleed! But thanks for the insights on how the law works.

Tanong lang po. Will an out of court settlement negate all the charges and counter charges from both parties and then nobody gets prosecuted?  Or the state can still pursue it irregardless of any settlement?

[barrister]

Wag n'yo kasing gawing highly technical ang discussion, nagiging boring kasi, e. 

 

Tanong lang po. Will an out of court settlement negate all the charges and counter charges from both parties and then nobody gets prosecuted?  Or the state can still pursue it irregardless of any settlement?

Strictly speaking, bawal ang compromise sa criminal cases.  Sa civil lang puwede yon.

Bakit?  Kasi pag kriminal ka, delikado ang buong Pilipnas sa iyo.  Kaya nga "People of the Phiilippines" ang plaintiff.  Kung buong Pilipinas ang plaintiff, bakit kayong dalawa lang ang nag-aaregluhan?

Pero in real life, nangyayari talaga ang compromise sa criminal cases. 

Ang procedure, kailangan ng Affidavit of Desistance by the private complainant, with the approval of the public prosecutor.  Pero ang ground ay hindi puwedeng "lack of interest."  Kailangan due to "mistake and/or misapprehension of facts."  (Kahit ang tunay na reason ay "Kasi po binayaran na ako."  )

Tapos after the affiant confirms the Affidavit in court, the prosecution moves for dismissal on the ground that they will no longer be able to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt.  The judge grants the dismissal "with prejudice," meaning hindi na puwedeng kasuhan uli for the same offense kasi double jeopardy na.
 

[resident_evil]

Hahaha. Ayos padre.

[resident_evil]

By the way, just out of curiosity bro barrister. You seem to know your procedure very well. Are you by any chance a judge or a trial prosecutor? Or private practitioner perhaps?

[oweidah]

MIRACLE hUwaw!!! http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/metro-manila/01/29/14/deniece-vhong-forced-oral-sex-tried-insert-organ

[oweidah]

imposible ! http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/metro-manila/01/29/14/nbi-denieces-rape-claim-impossible

[XanderCage]

I was crying, inconsolable, and hysterical

haha! pero dun sa cctv mukhang wala naman nangyari after nya lumabas. right after pumasok si vhong. anlabo.

[oweidah]

di ba, kung may rape'kuno, arrest'kuno dapat sa condo security muna sinumbong dinala at turnover  si vhong. Tas sila ang tatawag sa pulis. Seems out of the picture ang condo security.

[dvd_watcher]

 ^ Susmaryosep! in all seriousness ang galing mag english/magbigay ng statement sa mga post about law/etc. sa itaas ah! Nose Bleed din ako. i give my compliments talaga, galeng.

[Chain]

By the way, just out of curiosity bro barrister. You seem to know your procedure very well. Are you by any chance a judge or a trial prosecutor? Or private practitioner perhaps?

Isa po sya sa kapitapitagang atty ng PDVD sir

[qguy]

Been asking myself this question, if the group planned this mauling ahead of time, how come they did not think of the CCTV cameras ?

[newwaveboy]

Been asking myself this question, if the group planned this mauling ahead of time, how come they did not think of the CCTV cameras ?

Because they're brainless thugs ....... seriously, IMO hindi malayong madami na silang na-biktima sa ganitong modus - kaya ayun, dinaan na lang sa angas at yabang.

[tenderfender]

Been asking myself this question, if the group planned this mauling ahead of time, how come they did not think of the CCTV cameras ?

malalaking puno na walang lilim...
 
headlight lng ng mga kotse nila ang bright, sila nde   

nung panahon ni david buenavacz, di pa uso ang cctv. at si david b. rin ay kagaya nila (isa ring malaking puno...)

[iconlord]

Sabi ko nga sa inyo, namali ng bigay ng date at oras ng tagpuan, nag-abot,...

Seriously though, bakithindi makapasok ang PNP/NBI sa loob ng condo,..?
Ibig bang sabihin pag may ibang krimen na mangyari duon, hindi basta pwedeng mag-imbestiga ang batas sa kanila,..? Ganun ba talaga,..?

may balita po ata na kakasuhan din ng pnp/nbi ang condo admin and security agency.

[onkyo616]

di ba, kung may rape'kuno, arrest'kuno dapat sa condo security muna sinumbong dinala at turnover  si vhong. Tas sila ang tatawag sa pulis. Seems out of the picture ang condo security.

ako di nanininwala na may rape, pagkakaalam ko dito eh revenge, revenge dahil mas pogi ba si Vhong o mas nakakalalaki sya kaysa kay Cedric ha ha ha at si Babae naman eh need nya publicity kasi gusto nya mag artista o talagang may kati lang sya anyway di dapat ganon ginawa nilang sistema....ang mangbugbog

[ABCmotorparts]

Yeah, saw it in the news awhile ago,..
Its about time though, kung ang magiging basehan lang ng pulis o
ng kung sino man ang mag-iimbestiga ay ang CCTV, napakalabo ng kaso
nila Mr. Lee, mababaw ang alibi nila, huling huli ang mga time stamp,
anyway, like what I've said before, I would really love to see such personality
get punished by the law, that is kung talagang may pangil pa ang batas natin na butas,...
Would love to see them feel the brunt of the law,...

[ABCmotorparts]

ako di nanininwala na may rape, pagkakaalam ko dito eh revenge, revenge dahil mas pogi ba si Vhong o mas nakakalalaki sya kaysa kay Cedric ha ha ha at si Babae naman eh need nya publicity kasi gusto nya mag artista o talagang may kati lang sya anyway di dapat ganon ginawa nilang sistema....ang mangbugbog

Ang duda ko sir ay may something something itong si babae kay Cedric, baka nga siya pa ang financier nito,
then may sideline pa itong si babae na Mr. Suave, ng malaman nitong si Cedric na may sumasideline,
nag-plano na ito at kasama na dun ang pagbabanta rin kay babae na umayon na lang sa istorya kung hindi mawawala lahat ng suporta nya, but that just my theory,... LOL

[dvd_watcher]

Been asking myself this question, if the group planned this mauling ahead of time, how come they did not think of the CCTV cameras ?

Baka they thought about it but decided to leave it alone para matest nila what kind of POWER/CONNECTIONS they really have na miski may evidence, that they can get away with it anyway. Ya i know very lame and silly thought, joke lang 

[mykel18]

Siguro di nila akalain na magsasalita si Vhong.

[coastal]

Walang daw nangyari pero nung ngumiti si Deniece may mga pubes sa singit-singit ng mga ngipin nya!

[toys4geeks]

Siguro di nila akalain na magsasalita si Vhong.

+1

late ng 15 minutes si bong dumating sa usapan, Nakaakyat sa unit  na mahigpit daw, pero 1st time nila sinundo pa sa lobby si Vhong. 

pasok si vhong, labas si babae, sinundo o sinabihan yung tropang umakyat.
ayos yung details, negotiations sa presyo, video where vhong is asked to make a video statement,  at intimidations.
nagsori pa yung babae ke vong nung nasa prisinto for the blotter
deleted ng isa sa kabila ang text  nila  vhong ke babae (siguro pede pa hugutin yun sa SMS logs ng telco on request ano? )
obviously they are making it easy for Vhong to pay para pera agad, eh kaso PUMALAG, backfire . Laking personality ni Vhong para tumahimik lang yan.

Tama kayo parang pelikula itong Pain & Gain,


transcript inteview:
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/entertainment/01/26/14/full-transcript-vhongs-tell-all-interview