Rodolfo Valencia v. The Sandiganbayan, G.R. No. 165996, October 17, 2005

FACTS:

On February 10, 1999, petitioner Rodolfo Valencia was charged before the Sandiganbayan with violation of Section 3(e) of the Anti-graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

Upon arraignment on April 13, 1999, petitioner pleaded not guilty.

On March 24, 2003, the parties submitted a Joint Stipulation of Facts, to wit:

1. Valencia, had been the Governor of the Province of Oriental Mindoro, for having won in the gobernatorial race in the May 1992 local and provincial election;

2. During the 1992 election, Mr. Cresente Umbao of Pola, Oriental, Mindoro also ran for the position of councilor in the Municipality of Pola, Oriental Mindoro but he lost;

3. On October 17, 1992, Councilor Antonio Mercene, Jr. of Pola, Oriental, Mindoro died thus creating a permanent vacancy in the membership position of Sanguniang Bayan of Pola, Oriental Mindoro.

4. On December 1, 1992 then Governor Rodolfo G. Valencia of Oriental, Mindoro, appointed Cresente Umbao to the position of a councilor in the Municipal Council of Pola, Oriental Mindoro on the vacancy left by the death of Councilor Mercene.

The Prosecution contends that this appointment is in violation of Sec. 3(e) of R.A. 3019 as it gives among other, unwarranted benefit to Mr. Cresente Umbao who is disqualified to be appointed within a period of one year after having lost in May 1992 local election for councilor, while the accused, then Governor Rodolfo Valencia, maintains that the appointment of Lumbao was in the performance of his duty and that it was made in good faith pursuant to Sec. 45, Chapter 2, Title 2, of the Local Government Code.

The Parties reserve their rights to present documentary evidences as the need arise during the trial.

On January 12, 2004, Prosecutor Danilo Salindong rested the case based on the Joint Stipulation of Facts and waived the presentation of testimonial or documentary evidence for the prosecution.

Thereafter, petitioner filed on January 19, 2004 a Motion for Leave to File Demurrer to Evidence because the prosecution failed to present, mark or offer evidence that would substantiate the charge against him. Petitioner asserted that the Joint Stipulation of Facts is inadmissible because it lacks his signature. Even if the same be admitted, the information is dismissable for failure of the prosecution to submit evidence to establish the injury caused to the government and the presence of manifest partiality, evident bad faith or gross inexcusable negligence in the appointment of Cresente Umbao, which are among the essential elements of the crime of violation of Section 3(e) of RA No. 3019.

The prosecution filed an Opposition/Comment alleging that petitioner’s Motion for Leave to File Demurrer to Evidence is premature because the prosecution has yet to formally offer the Joint Stipulation of Facts.

On February 20, 2004, the Sandiganbayan reiterated its March 26, 2003 Resolution directing petitioner and counsels to sign the Joint Stipulation of Facts. Petitioner filed a Manifestation with Motion for Reconsideration claiming that his former counsel was not authorized to enter into any agreement and that he came to know of the existence of said stipulations only on January 12, 2004.

On March 11, 2004, the Sandiganbayan issued a Pre-trial Order embodying the Joint Stipulation of Facts.

Petitioner’s motion for reconsideration was denied on July 28, 2004.

Meanwhile, there being no temporary restraining order nor preliminary injunction issued by this Court, the prosecution proceeded with the presentation of its evidence.

 

ISSUE:

Was petitioner denied his right to speedy trial?

 

RULING:

NO. The trial court did not abuse its discretion in granting the prosecution’s request to present additional evidence. Admission of additional evidence is addressed to the sound discretion of the trial court. Considerable latitude is allowed and such discretion will not be disturbed absent a finding that the accused was denied due process of law.

It must be emphasized that the primary consideration in allowing the reopening of a case is for the accused to have his day in court and the opportunity to present counter evidence.

… In U.S. vs. Base, we held that a trial court is not in error, if it opts to reopen the proceedings of a case, even after both sides had rested and the case submitted for decision, by the calling of additional witnesses or recalling of witnesses so as to satisfy the judge’s mind with reference to particular facts involved in the case. A judge cannot be faulted should he require a material witness to complete his testimony, which is what happened in this case. It is but proper that the judge’s mind be satisfied on any and all questions presented during the trial, in order to serve the cause of justice.

Appellant’s claim that the trial court’s concession to "reopen" the case unduly prejudiced him is not well taken. We note that appellant had every opportunity to present his evidence to support his case or to refute the prosecution’s evidence point-by-point, after the prosecution had rested its case. In short, appellant was never deprived of his day in court.

In the case at bar, petitioner cannot claim denial of due process because he will have the opportunity to contest the evidence adduced against him and to prove his defenses after the prosecution concludes the presentation of its evidence. Moreover, the order of the trial court granting the reception of additional evidence for the prosecution is not technically a "reopening" of the case inasmuch as the latter had yet to formally rest its case. A motion to reopen presupposes that either or both parties have formally offered and closed their evidence. If the Court sanctions the admission of additional evidence after the case had been submitted for resolution but before judgment, with more reason therefore that we should sustain the introduction of additional evidence in the present case because the prosecution had not yet concluded the presentation of its evidence. The State is also entitled to due process in criminal cases, that is, a fair opportunity to prosecute and convict.

Furthermore, Prosecutor Salindong gravely abused his discretion by resting the case without adducing evidence for the State and without ensuring that petitioner had signed the Joint Stipulation of Facts before it was submitted to the Sandiganbayan. As a result, the prosecution was denied due process.

In light of the foregoing, the Sandiganbayan was therefore correct in allowing the State to adduce additional evidence. The State should not be prejudiced and deprived of its right to prosecute cases simply because of the ineptitude or nonchalance of the Special Prosecutor. A contrary ruling would result in a void proceedings.