ni Atty. Persida Rueda-Acosta @Magtanong Kay Attorney Pebrero 27, 2024
Dear Chief Acosta,
Habang ako ay nagdya-jogging noong isang umaga ay may napulot akong pouch na naglalaman ng mahigit Php20,000.00. Hindi ko naman alam kung kanino ito. Nakakatuksong itago na lamang ito sa kadahilanang nangangailangan ako ng pambayad ng tuition fee. Maaari ko bang gawin ito? -- Roxy
Dear Roxy,
Para sa iyong kaalaman, nakasaad sa Article 308 ng ating Revised Penal Code ang mga sumusunod:
“Article 308. Who are liable for theft. -- Theft is committed by any person who, with intent to gain but without violence against or intimidation of persons nor force upon things, shall take personal property of another without the latter’s consent.
Theft is likewise committed by:
1. Any person who, having found lost property, shall fail to deliver the same to the local authorities or to its owner;
xxx”
Kaugnay nito, sa kasong Fernando Pante y Rangasa vs. People of the Philippines, G.R. No. 218969, 18 Enero 2021, sa panulat ni Kagalang-galang na Kasamahang Mahistrado Ramon Paul L. Hernando, napagpasyahan ng ating Kagalang-galang na Korte Suprema ang mga sumusunod:
“Under Article 308, par. 2 (1) of the RPC, Theft is also committed by one’s failure to deliver lost property to its owner or local authorities. In this kind of Theft, it is essential to prove: 1) the finding of lost property; 2) the failure of the finder to deliver the same to the local authorities or its owner. In the case at bar, both the trial court and the appellate court found that the prosecution witnesses were able to prove that Word lost his bundled money after alighting from his car in front of his residence and forgetting that he had placed them in between his legs. Such fact was corroborated by the prosecution witness who testified that he positively saw the accused-minor pick up the bundle of money under Word's car. In the same vein, all three accused admitted that it was the accused-minor who found the bundle of money in front of the bakery, which they later divided among themselves in the following manner:
US$1,700.00 for Pante; and US$500.00 and US$2,350.00 for each of the two accused-minor.
Despite knowing that the money did not rightfully belong to them, Pante encouraged the two minor accused to keep the money for themselves. He also appropriated the money for himself by buying various items such as a JVC component, gas tank, and construction materials. He only returned the remainder of the money to Word when police authorities showed up in his house.
xxx.”
Ayon sa nabanggit na probisyon ng batas at kaso, ang Theft o pagnanakaw ay maaari ring magawa kung ang isang tao ay mabibigong maibalik o maihatid ang nawawalang ari-arian sa may-ari nito o sa lokal na awtoridad. Kung ito ay mapatutunayan, ang taong nagkasala ay maparurusahan ng pagkakakulong ayon sa batas.
Kung kaya sa iyong kaso, dapat mong ihatid ang napulot mong pouch na naglalaman ng pera sa mga lokal na awtoridad. Kung hindi, maaari kang makasuhan ng krimen na Theft o pagnanakaw.
Sana ay nabigyan namin ng linaw ang iyong katanungan. Ang payong aming ibinigay ay base lamang sa mga impormasyon na iyong inilahad at maaaring magbago kung mababawasan o madaragdagan ang mga detalye ng iyong salaysay.
Maraming salamat sa iyong patuloy na pagtitiwala.