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Natividad v. Felix

February 4, 1994

Facts:

PNP requested Tarlac Provincial Prosecutor to investigate Mayor Natividadsinvolveent in t!e deat! o" #ourdes $quinos !usband, %everino $quino, at t!e

&aos Police %tation.

'uring t!e investigation, PNP (led anot!er co)laint *it! t!e Tarlac Munici)al

+ircuit +ourt, *!ic! directed Mayor Natividads arrest *it! bail. e )osted bail *it!

t!e Manila &T+, *!ic! later issued an order recalling *arrant. $"ter conducting t!e

)reliinary investigation, M+T+ deterined t!at t!ere *as )robable causeto !old

Natividad "or urder *it! bail.

T!e Provincial Prosecutor a))roved t!e (ling o" in"oration against Natividad and

#lerina in t!e Tarlac &T+ -*!ere on. Felix *as t!e udge/.0arrant o" arrest *asissued.

)on seeing t!at t!e M+T+ udge "ailed to conduct t!e second staged in t!e

)reliinary investigation, &T+ recalled t!e *arrant and reanded t!e case "or

"urt!er )reliinary investigation. $ )anel o" )rosecutors later !eld t!at )robable

cause exists. T!e in"oration *as aended, additionally c!arging +abaong, #lerina

and Millado. $n arrest *arrant *as issued *it!out bail.

Mayor Natividad alleged t!at t!ere *as no )reliinary investigation, and t!at on.

Felix !ad no urisdiction because it *as t!e 2budans, not t!e )rovincial

)rosecutor, *!o !ad urisdiction to conduct t!e )reliinary investigation and t!att!e )ro)er court *as t!e %andiganbayan. on.Felix denied Mayor Natividads

otion, and coitted t!e latter to Tarlac Penal +olony.

3ssue:

0!et!er or not on. Felex coitted grave abuse o discretion in aditting t!e

aended in"oration (led by t!e )rovincial (scal and in directing Natividads arrest

eld:

No.

&atio:

T!e latest la* on %andiganbayan -P' 1565/ states t!at t!ere are 7 requireents "or

an oense to "all under t!e %andiganbayans urisdiction: 1/ oense coitted by

a )ublic o8cer ust be in relation to !is o8ce, and 7/ t!at t!e )enalty be !ig!er

t!at )rision correccional or i)risonent"or 5 years or a (ne o" P5,666.T!e

7ndrequireent *as et, but t!e 1strequireent *asnt because t!e oense

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c!arged *as urder. T!e oense could not !ave been coitted in t!e

)er"orance o" t!e ayors res)onsibility to aintain )eace and order. T!e alleged

act doesnt "all under any o" t!e "unctions o" t!e unici)al ayor in t!e #ocal

overnent +ode. $ssuing arguendo t!at t!e 1strequireent *as satis(ed,

2budsan !as only )riary urisdiction over cases cogniable by t!e

%andiganbayan, not exclusive original urisdiction. T!e 2budsan is not anexclusive aut!ority but a concurrent aut!ority *it! siilarly aut!oried agencies. e

ay ta;e over t!e investigation at any stage "ro any investigative governent

agency. is investigatory )o*ers are but directory in nature.-$lso, Natividad *asnt

denied due )rocess as !e !as been aorded every o))ortunity to )resent !is

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