#case digest

04.02.19 //

27 out of 147 cases

FACTS: On November 25, 2005, Police Senior Inspector Sofronio Bayan received information from an unidentified informant that Marvin Buya would be transporting marijuana from Barangay Lun-Oy, San Gabriel, La Union to the Poblacion of San Gabriel, La Union. Acting on this information, a checkpoint was set up, and two individuals, Victor Romana Cogaed and Santiago Sacpa Dayao, were apprehended with bags containing what appeared to be marijuana.

ISSUE: The key question is whether the search and seizure of marijuana from Cogaed were valid and incidental to a lawful arrest.

RULING: The court held that the search and seizure were not valid because they were not incidental to a lawful arrest. Rule 113, Section 5 of the Rules of Court outlines instances where a warrantless arrest is allowed. None of these circumstances were present at the time of Cogaed's arrest, as he had not committed, was not committing, nor was about to commit a crime.

For a warrantless arrest to be lawful, two elements must concur: (1) the person must execute an overt act indicating that he has just committed, is committing, or attempting to commit a crime, and (2) such overt act is done in the presence or within the view of the arresting officer. These elements were absent when Cogaed was arrested. No overt acts within plain view suggested that Cogaed was in possession of drugs at that time.

Cogaed was also not an escapee prisoner, which would have qualified for the last allowable warrantless arrest. Additionally, any implied acquiescence to the search could not be considered valid consent, as it might have been a mere passive conformity under intimidating or coercive circumstances. Cogaed's lack of aggressive objection was seen as a natural reaction to the coercive environment created by the excessive intrusion of the police officers into his private space.

FACTS: Gina Lao and Chi Ming Tsoi got married on May 22, 1988. However, no sexual intercourse occurred during the first four nights of their marriage, and this pattern continued even during their honeymoon in Baguio City, where they were accompanied by family members.

Despite sharing the same room and bed for several months, there was no attempt at sexual intimacy. Gina Lao underwent a physical examination, which confirmed her virginity. Chi Ming Tsoi does not want an annulment and insists that the issues in their marriage can be reconciled.

ISSUE: The main question before the court is whether Chi Ming Tsoi's persistent refusal to engage in sexual relations with Gina Lao constitutes psychological incapacity.

RULING: The Supreme Court rules that Chi Ming Tsoi's prolonged and inexplicable refusal to consummate the marriage is indicative of a serious personality disorder, demonstrating an "utter insensitivity or inability to give meaning and significance to the marriage" as defined by Article 36 of the Family Code.

The Court considers Chi Ming Tsoi's senseless and protracted refusal equivalent to psychological incapacity. This decision is based on the understanding that the prolonged denial of sexual intercourse, a fundamental aspect of marital life, is a clear sign of psychological incapacity. The Court emphasizes that continuous non-fulfillment of the marital obligation to procreate children through sexual cooperation can eventually lead to the deterioration of the marriage's integrity.

Facts: Petitioner Tañada is asking the court to issue a writ of mandamus, a legal order, to compel certain government officials (respondents) to publish various presidential decrees, letters of instructions, general orders, proclamations, executive orders, letters of implementation, and administrative orders in the Official Gazette.

Issue: The main question before the court is whether the publication in the Official Gazette is an absolute requirement for these laws to become effective.

Respondents' Argument: The government officials argue that the publication in the Official Gazette is not necessary if the laws themselves specify when they will become effective. In other words, they believe that if a law has its own provision stating when it takes effect, then publication is not crucial for its validity.

Ruling: The court rules that publication is indeed required. The court refers to Article 2 of the Civil Code, emphasizing that the purpose of this article is to ensure that the public is adequately informed about the laws that regulate their actions and conduct as citizens. Without proper notice and publication, the principle "ignorantia legis non excusat" (ignorance of the law excuses no one) cannot be applied fairly.

The court states that the publication of all presidential issuances "of a public nature" or "of general applicability" is mandated by law. This includes decrees that impose fines, forfeitures, penalties, or any burden on the people, such as tax and revenue measures. The court emphasizes that the publication of such laws is a requirement of due process – a legal principle ensuring that citizens are informed of the laws that may affect them before being held accountable.

However, the court clarifies that presidential issuances that apply only to specific individuals or groups, like administrative and executive orders, may not need to be published, assuming that they have been effectively communicated to those concerned.

G.R. No 159966 30 March 2005

Case Digest

Facts:

Julian Lin Carulasan Wang was born in Cebu City on February 20, 1998 to parents Anna Lisa Wang and Sing-Foe Wang who were then not yet married to each other. When his parents subsequently got married on September 22, 1998, they executed a deed of legitimation of their son so that the child’s name was changed from Julian Lin Carulasan to Julian Lin Carulasan Wang.

The parents of Julian Lin Carulasan Wang plan to stay in Singapore for a long time because they will let him study there together with his sister named Wang Mei Jasmine who was born in Singapore. Since in Singapore middle names or the maiden surname of the mother are not carried in a person’s name, they anticipate that Julian Lin Carulasan Wang will be discriminated against because of his current registered name which carries a middle name. Julian and his sister might also be asking whether they are brother and sister since they have different surnames. Carulasan sounds funny in Singapore’s Mandarin language since they do not have the letter “R” but if there is, they pronounce it as “L.” It is for these reasons that the name of Julian Lin Carulasan Wang is requested to be changed to Julian Lin Wang.

Issue: 

Whether or not dropping of middle name of a minor child is allowed under Philippine laws.

Held:

G.R. No. 103695 March 15, 1996

Case Digest

Facts:

On 1988, private respondent spouses Jaime B. Caranto and Zenaida P. Caranto filed for the adoption of Midael C. Mazon, then fifteen years old, who had been living with private respondent Jaime B. Caranto since he was seven years old. When private respondents were married on January 19, 1986, the minor Midael C. Mazon stayed with them under their care and custody. The Solicitor General opposed the petition insofar as it sought the correction of the name of the child from "Midael" to "Michael." He argued that although the correction sought concerned only a clerical and innocuous error, it could not be granted because the petition was basically for adoption, not the correction of an entry in the civil registry under Rule 108 of the Rules of Court. The RTC dismissed the opposition of the Solicitor General. According to the trial court, the error could be corrected in the same proceeding for adoption to prevent multiplicity of actions and inconvenience to the petitioners.

Issue:

Whether or not the RTC acquired jurisdiction over the private respondents' petition for adoption.

Held:

Yes. The instant case involves an obvious clerical error in the name of the child sought to be adopted. In this case the correction involves merely the substitution of the letters “CH” for the letter “D”, so that what appears as “Midael” as given name would read as “Michael”. Even the Solicitor General admits that the error is a plainly clerical one.

G.R. No. L-41427 June 10, 1988

Case Digest

Facts:

A complaint was filed by petitioner with the CFI of Quezon City against Consuelo David for the purpose of stopping and enjoining her by injunction from using the surname Tolentino. Respondent filed her answer admitting she has been using and continues to use the surname Tolentino. Trial court rendered a decision in favor of the petitioner. On appeal, the Court of Appeals reversed the decision of the trial court.

The petitioner filed a motion for reconsideration but the same was denied. Hence, this appeal

Issue:

Whether or not there is usurpation when a divorced woman continues to use the surname of her former husband.

Held:

No. Philippine law is silent whether or not a divorced woman may continue to use the surname of her husband because there are no provisions for divorce under Philippine law.

Art 371 is not applicable because it contemplates annulment while the present case refers to absolute divorce where there is severance of valid marriage ties. Effect of divorce was more akin to death of the spouse where the deceased woman is continued to be referred to as “Mrs. of the husband” even if he has remarried.

There was no usurpation of the petitioner’s name and surname. Usurpation implies injury to the interests of the owner of the name. It consists with the possibility of confusion of identity.

The elements of usurpation were 1. Actual use of another’s name, 2. Use is unauthorized, 3. Use of another’s name is to designate personality or identity of a person.

G.R. No. 84698 February 4, 1992

Case Digest

Facts:

A stabbing incident caused the death of Carlitos Bautista, an enrolled 3rdyear commerce student, while on the second-floor premises of the Philippine School of Business Administration (PSBA). The parents filed suit in the RTC against PSBA for their alleged negligence, recklessness and lack of security precautions, means and methods before, during and after the attack on the victim. It was established that his assailants were not members of the school's academic community but were elements from outside the school. Defendants sought to have the suit dismissed, alleging that since they are presumably sued under Article 2180 of the Civil Code, the complaint states no cause of action against them, as jurisprudence on the subject is to the effect that academic institutions, such as the PSBA, are beyond the ambit of the rule in the afore-stated article. The trial court overruled petitioners' contention and denied their motion to dismiss. Hence, this petition.

Issue:

Whether or not PSBA may be held liable.

Held:

NO. Because the circumstances of the present case evince a contractual relation between the PSBA and Carlitos Bautista, the rules on quasi-delict do not really govern. A perusal of Article 2176 shows that obligations arising from quasi-delicts or tort, also known as extra-contractual obligations, arise only between parties not otherwise bound by contract, whether express or implied.

When an academic institution accepts students for enrollment, there is established a contract between them, resulting in bilateral obligations which both parties are bound to comply with. For its part, the school undertakes to provide the student with an education that would presumably suffice to equip him with the necessary tools and skills to pursue higher education or a profession. On the other hand, the student covenants to abide by the school’s academic requirements and observe its rules and regulations. Necessarily, the school must ensure that adequate steps are taken to maintain peace and order within the campus premises and to prevent the breakdown thereof.