Dapat tandaan kapag ang huling araw sa pagsasampa ng kasong kriminal ay tumapat ng Linggo

DR. PERSIDA V. RUEDA-ACOSTA / MAGTANONG KAY ATTORNEY

Dear Chief Acosta,

Magandang araw! Nais kong malaman kapag ang huling araw ng period of prescription ng krimen ay tumapat ng Linggo, maaari pa bang maisampa ang “information” sa next working day? — Jessie

Dear Jessie,

Para sa inyong kaalaman, ang inyong katanungan ay tinalakay ng Korte Suprema sa kasong Rafael Yapdiangco vs. The Hon. Concepcion B. Buencamino, et al. (G.R. No. 28841, June 24, 1983, Ponente: Honorable former Associate Justice Hugo Gutierrez Jr.) kung saan nakasaad ang mga sumusunod:

“x x x x Independently of these views, it must be remembered that delay in instituting prosecutions is not only productive of expense to the State, but of peril to public justice in the attenuation and distortion, even by mere natural lapse of memory, of testimony. It is the policy of the law that prosecutions should be prompt and that statutes enforcing such promptitude should be vigorously maintained. They are not merely acts of grace, but checks imposed by the State upon itself, to exact vigilant activity from its subalterns and to secure for criminal trials the best evidence that can be obtained. (44 Phil. 405-406; emphasis supplied).

The rules contained in Section 31 of the Revised Administrative Code and Section 1, Rule 28 of the Old Rules of Court deal with the computation of time allowed to do a particular act, such as, the filing of tax returns on or before a definite date, filing an answer to a complaint, taking an appeal, etc. They do not apply to lengthen the period fixed by the State for it to prosecute those who committed a crime against it. The waiver or loss of the right to prosecute such offenders is automatic and by operation of law. Where the sixtieth and last day to file an information falls on a Sunday or legal holiday, the sixty-day period cannot be extended up to the next working day. Prescription has automatically set in. The remedy is for the fiscal or prosecution to file the information on the last working day before the criminal offense prescribes.”

Sang-ayon sa nabanggit, ang alituntunin sa prescriptive period pagdating sa mga kasong kriminal ay substantive provisions na mayroong istriktong aplikasyon. Iginiit ng Korte Suprema sa kasong nabanggit sa itaas na ang waiver o kawalan ng right to prosecute ay automatic at by operation of law. Ayon sa mataas na hukuman, kung ang huling araw sa pagsasampa ng kasong kriminal ay tumapat ng Sabado, Linggo o legal holiday, ang pagsasampa ng kaso ay hindi maaaring i-extend sa next working day. Iginiit ng Korte Suprema na “the remedy is for the fiscal or prosecution to file the information on the last working day before the criminal offense prescribes.”

Nawa ay nasagot namin ang inyong katanungan. Nais naming ipaalala sa inyo na ang opinyong ito ay nakabase sa inyong mga naisalay­say sa inyong liham at sa pagkakain­tindi namin dito. Maaaring maiba ang opinyon kung mayroong karagdagang impormas­yong ibibigay. Mas mainam kung personal kayong sasangguni sa abogado.

Maraming salamat sa patuloy ninyong pagtitiwala.