FELICIDAD M. ROQUE and PRUDENCIO N. MABANGLO, petitioners, vs.

OFFICE OF THE
OMBUDSMAN; HON. OMBUDSMAN ANIANO DESIERTO; and HON. MARGARITO P.
GERVACIO, JR., Depu! O"#ud$"an %&' M(ndana&, respondents.
G.R. No. 129978, May 12, 1999
DOCTRINE: Due Process in relaion o s!ee"y "is!osiion o# cases
PONENTE: P$NG$NI%$N
FACT$) Peiioner &elici"a" M. Ro'ue (as a )c*ools Di+ision )u!erinen"en o# *e
De!ar,en o# E"ucaion, Culure an" )!ors -DEC)., assi/ne" in 0orona"al, )ou* Coa1ao,
unil *er co,!ulsory reire,en on May 17, 1991 -!!. 223, Peiion..
4Peiioner Pru"encio N. Ma1an/lo (as li5e(ise a )c*ools Di+ision )u!erinen"en o# *e
DEC), assi/ne" in Ta/u,, Da+ao Pro+ince, unil *is co,!ulsory reire,en on May 8, 1997
-i1i"..
4On 6anuary 17, 1991, 8aura ). )oriano an" Car,encia E"en T. Enri'ue9 o# *e CO$, 1y +irue
o# CO$ Re/ional O##ice $ssi/n,en Or"er No. 912177 "ae" 6anuary 8, 1991, con"uce" an
au"i on *e P9.3: ,illion allo,en release" 1y *e DEC) Re/ional O##ice No. ;I o is "i+ision
o##ices -$nne<es M an" N, Peiion..
4$s a resul o# *e au"i, au"iors )oriano an" Enri'ue9 #oun" so,e ,a=or "e#iciencies an"
+iolaion o# *e $ni2Gra# an" Corru! Pracices $c -Re!u1lic $c No. 3>19., +iolaions o# CO$
Circular Nos. 78287 an" 8?2??$, DEC) Or"er No. 1>> an" )ecion 88 o# Presi"enial Decree
No. 177? -i1i"...
4Conse'uenly, a##i"a+is o# co,!lain (ere #ile" 1e#ore *e O##ice o# *e O,1u"s,an2Min"anao
a/ains se+eral !ersons, inclu"in/ !eiioner Ma1an/lo on May 7, 1991, an" a/ains !eiioner
Ro'ue on May 1:, 1991 -i1i"...
4In an Or"er "ae" 6une 11, 1991, *e O##ice o# *e O,1u"s,an2Min"anao #oun" *e
co,!lains !ro!er #or a !reli,inary in+esi/aion. T*e case in+ol+in/ !eiioner Ma1an/lo (as
"oc5ee" as OM%2MIN2912>2>1 (*ile *a in+ol+in/ !eiioner Ro'ue (as "oc5ee" as OM%2
MIN2912>2>3 -$nne< O, Peiion..
4T*erea#er, !eiioners #ile" *eir res!eci+e couner2a##i"a+is -!. 7, Peiion..
4On Marc* 18, 1997, OM%2MIN2912>2>1, (*ic* in+ol+e" !eiioner Ma1an/lo, (as resol+e" 1y
*e O##ice o# *e O,1u"s,an2Min"anao, #in"in/ *a all *e res!on"ens @(ereA !ro1a1ly /uily
o# +iolaion o# )ecion 3 -e. an" -/. o# *e $ni2Gra# an" Corru! Pracices $c -Re!u1lic $c
3>19.. T*e sa,e (as a!!ro+e" 1y res!on"en O,1u"s,an Desiero on )e!e,1er 19, 1997.
4$n In#or,aion "ae" Marc* 18, 1997, #or Biolaion o# )ecion 3 -/. o# Re!u1lic $c 3>19, as
a,en"e", (as #ile" 1e#ore *e )an"i/an1ayan, Manila, a/ains se+eral res!on"ens, a,on/
*e,, !eiioner Pru"encio N. Ma1an/lo. T*e sa,e (as "oc5ee" as Cri,inal Case No. 27229.
4On $!ril 3>, 1997, OM%2MIN2912>2>3, (*ic* in+ol+e" !eiioner Ro'ue, (as resol+e" 1y *e
O##ice o# *e O,1u"s,an2MIn"anao, reco,,en"in/ *e #ilin/ @o# casesA an" !rosecuion o# all
*e res!on"ens #or +iolaion o# )ecion 3 -e. an" -/. o# Re!u1lic $c 3>19. T*e sa,e (as
a!!ro+e" 1y res!on"en O,1u"s,an Desiero on $u/us 22, 1997.
4T(o In#or,aions si,ilarly "ae" $!ril 3>, 1997, #or +iolaion o# )ecion 3 -/. o# Re!u1lic $c
3>19, as a,en"e", an" #or Biolaion o# )ecion 3 -e. o# Re!u1lic 3>19, as a,en"e", (ere #ile"
1e#ore *e )an"i/an1ayan, Manila. T*e In#or,aions c*ar/e" se+eral res!on"ens, a,on/
(*o, (as !eiioner Ro'ue. T*e cases (ere "oc5ee" as Cri,inal Case No. 271>? an"
Cri,inal Case No. 271>:, res!eci+ely.
4On $u/us 17, 1997, !eiioners insiue" *e insan !eiion #or ,an"a,us !re,ise" on *e
alle/aion *a C@aA#er *e iniial Or"ers #in"in/ *e cases !ro!er #or !reli,inary in+esi/aion
(ere issue" on 6une@,A 1991 an" *e su1se'uen su1,ission o# *eir couner2a##i"a+is, unil *e
!resen@,A or ,ore *an si< -:. years, no resoluion *as 1een issue" 1y *e Pu1lic Res!on"en
@an" noA case @*asA 1een #ile" (i* *e a!!ro!riae cour a/ains *e *erein PeiionerD -!ar. 3, !.
7, Peiion..
4On No+e,1er 27, 1997, *is Eonora1le Cour issue" a e,!orary resrainin/ or"er "irecin/
res!on"ens o cease an" "esis #ro, #ur*er !rocee"in/ (i* *e cases #ile" a/ains
!eiioners.F
@2A
On $u/us 21, 1998, !eiioners as5e" *e Cour o cie res!on"ens in cone,!, conen"in/
*a a cri,inal in#or,aion (as #ile" in +iolaion o# *e Te,!orary Resrainin/ Or"er -TRO.. In
co,!liance (i* *is CourDs Resoluion "ae" Oco1er 21, 1998,
@3A
*e res!on"ens #ile" *eir
Co,,en o *e Peiion #or Cone,!.
@7A
ISSUE) G*e*er or no *ere (as un"ue an" un=usi#ia1le "elay in resol+in/ @*eA co,!lains
a/ains !eiioners -res!on"ens *erein. (*ic* +iolae" *eir consiuional ri/* o s!ee"y
"is!osiion o# cases
HELD) Hes, *ere (as. T*e )u!re,e Cour *el" *a clearly, *e "elay o# al,os si< years
"isre/ar"e" *e o,1u"s,anDs "uy, as ,an"ae" 1y *e Consiuion
@12A
an" Re!u1lic $c No.
:77>,
@13A
o ac promptly on co,!lains 1e#ore *i,. More i,!oran, i +iolae" *e !eiionersD
ri/*s o "ue !rocess an" o a s!ee"y "is!osiion o# *e cases #ile" a/ains *e,. $l*ou/*
res!on"ens ae,!e" o =usi#y *e si< ,on*s nee"e" 1y O,1u"s,an Desiero o re+ie( *e
reco,,en"aion o# De!uy O,1u"s,an Ger+asio, no e<!lanaion (as /i+en (*y i oo5 al,os
si< years #or *e laer o resol+e *e Co,!lains.
@17A
T*us, in Angchangco, Jr. v. Ombudsman,
*is Cour "is,isse" a Co,!lain *a *a" 1een !en"in/ 1e#ore *e O##ice o# *e O,1u"s,an
#or ,ore *an si< years, rulin/ as #ollo(s:
4$#er a care#ul re+ie( o# *e #acs an" circu,sances o# *e !resen case, *e Cour #in"s *e
inor"inae "elay o# ,ore *an si< years 1y *e O,1u"s,an in resol+in/ *e cri,inal co,!lains
a/ains !eiioner o 1e +iolai+e o# *is consiuionally /uaranee" ri/* o "ue !rocess an" a
s!ee"y "is!osiion o# *e cases a/ains *i,, *us (arranin/ *e "is,issal o# sai" cri,inal
cases...F
@1?A
)i,ilarly, in Tatad v. Sandiganbayan,
@1:A
*is Cour "is,isse" *e Co,!lains, (*ic* *e
*en tanodbayan (as a1le o resol+e only a#er *e la!se o# *ree years since *e cases *a"
1een su1,ie" #or "is!osiion, +i9.:
4Ge #in" *e lon/ "elay in *e er,inaion o# *e !reli,inary in+esi/aion 1y *e Tano"1ayan in
*e insan case o 1e +iolai+e o# *e consiuional ri/* o# *e accuse" o "ue
!rocess. )u1sanial a"*erence o *e re'uire,ens o# *e la( /o+ernin/ *e con"uc o#
!reli,inary in+esi/aion, inclu"in/ su1sanial co,!liance (i* *e i,e li,iaion !rescri1e" 1y
*e la( #or *e resoluion o# *e case 1y *e !rosecuor, is !ar o# *e !roce"ural "ue !rocess
consiuionally /uaranee" 1y *e #un"a,enal la(. Not only under the broad umbrella of the
due process clause, but under the constitutional guarantee of speedy disposition of cases as
embodied in Section ! of the "ill of #ights $both in the %&' and the %(& )onstitutions*, the
inordinate delay is violative of the petitioners constitutional rights. A delay of close to three $'*
years cannot be deemed reasonable or +ustifiable in the light of the circumstances obtaining in
the case at bar. Ge are no i,!resse" 1y *e ae,! o# *e )an"i/an1ayan o sanii9e *e lon/
"elay 1y in"ul/in/ in *e s!eculai+e assu,!ion *a C"elay ,ay 1e "ue o a !ainsa5in/ an"
/ruelin/ scruiny 1y *e Tano"1ayan as o (*e*er *e e+i"ence !resene" "urin/ *e
!reli,inary in+esi/aion ,erie" !rosecuion o# a #or,er *i/*2ran5in/ /o+ern,en o##icial.D In
*e #irs !lace, suc* a sae,en su//ess a "ou1le san"ar" o# rea,en, (*ic* ,us 1e
e,!*aically re=ece". )econ"ly, *ree ou o# *e #i+e c*ar/es a/ains *e !eiioner (ere #or *is
alle/e" #ailure o #ile *is s(orn sae,en o# asses an" lia1iliies re'uire" 1y Re!u1lc $c 3>19,
(*ic* cerainly "i" no in+ol+e co,!licae" le/al an" #acual issues necessiain/ suc*
C!ainsa5in/ an" /ruelin/ scruinyD as (oul" =usi#y a "elay o# al,os *ree years in er,inain/
*e !reli,inary in+esi/aion. T*e o*er (o c*ar/es relain/ o alle/e" 1ri1ery an" alle/e"
/i+in/ @o#A un(arrane" 1ene#is o a relai+e, (*ile !resenin/ ,ore su1sanial le/al an" #acual
issues, cerainly "o no (arran or =usi#y *e !erio" o# *ree years, (*ic* i oo5 *e Tano"1ayan
o resol+e *e case.F -E,!*asis su!!lie"..
Ge are no !ersua"e" 1y res!on"ensD ar/u,en *a *e Peiion #or ,andamus 1eca,e
,oo an" aca"e,ic (*en *e Co,!lains (ere resol+e" 1y *e O##ice o# *e O,1u"s,an #or
Min"anao an" *e In#or,aions (ere #ile". T*e sa,e conenion (as re=ece" in Tatad v.
Sandiganbayan, (*erein *e Cour "eclare" *a *e lon/ an" une<!laine" "elay in *e
resoluion o# *e cri,inal co,!lains a/ains !eiioners (as no correce" 1y *e e+enual #ilin/
o# *e In#or,aions. T*e Cour rule":
4I *as 1een su//ese" *a *e lon/ "elay in er,inain/ *e !reli,inary in+esi/aion s*oul" no
1e "ee,e" #aal, #or e+en *e co,!lee a1sence o# a !reli,inary in+esi/aion "oes no (arran
"is,issal o# *e in#or,aion. True 222 @#orA *e a1sence o# a !reli,inary in+esi/aion can 1e
correce" 1y /i+in/ *e accuse" suc* in+esi/aion. %u an un"ue "elay in *e con"uc o# a
!reli,inary in+esi/aion canno 1e correce", #or unil no(, ,an *as no ye in+ene" a "e+ice
#or sein/ 1ac5 i,e.F
4< < < *e inor"inae "elay in er,inain/ *e !reli,inary in+esi/aion an" #ilin/ *e in#or,aion
in *e insan case is +iolai+e o# *e consiuionally /uaranee" ri/* o# *e !eiioner o "ue
!rocess an" *e s!ee"y "is!osiion o# cases a/ains *i,. $ccor"in/ly, *e in#or,aions < < <
s*oul" 1e "is,isse" < < <.F
@17A
$l*ou/* !eiioners !raye" only #or *e issuance o# a rulin/ "irecin/ *e "is,issal o#
O,1u"s,an Case Nos. OM%2MIN2912>2>1 an" OM%2MIN2912>2>3, *is Cour, in *e ineres
o# *e s!ee"y "is!osiion o# cases, resol+es o "is,iss *e a1o+e cases "irecly. T*is rulin/ is in
line (i* Angchangco, in (*ic* *e Cour "is,isse" *e co,!lains ouri/*, al*ou/* !eiioner
*erein sou/* ,erely o co,!el *e o,1u"s,an o "o so.