SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED VOLUME 202 23/11/2017, 13:40

PETITION to review the decision of the Court of Appeals.

Lantin, J.
The facts are stated in the opinion of the Court.
Eugenio Q. Original for respondent R. Paredes.
Raymundo Magat for respondent R. Ganzon.

_______________

* EN BANC.

379

VOL. 202, OCTOBER 3, 1991 379

Drilon vs. Court of Appeals

SARMIENTO, J.:

The Department of Justice has brought

1
suit to annul the
Decision of the Court of Appeals promulgated on October
25, 1989, prohibiting the Government from pursuing
criminal actions against the private respondents for the
death of Ireneo Longno and Lonely Chavez during early
martial law.
It appears that sometime in 1973, the private
respondents were charged with double murder before
Military Commission No. 34. On July 27, 1973, the military
promulgated a decision acquitting Raul Paredes but
sentencing
2
Rodolfo Ganzon to life imprisonment with hard
labor. Paredes was thereupon released from custody while
Ganzon was made to serve sentence until he was released
on March3
25, 1978 and placed under house arrest under
guard. In 1985, Ganzon joined the Kilusang Bagong
Lipunan (KBL), the party in power, where he was
designated as campaign manager.
In 1988, administration having changed, then Secretary
of Justice Sedfrey Ordoñez directed State Prosecutor
Aurelio Trampe to conduct a preliminary investigation
against the private respondents for the above murders. The
private respondents moved for dismissal, in Ganzon's case,
on the ground that he, Ganzon, had been extended an
absolute pardon by the President Ferdinand Marcos, and
he, having been previously convicted, can no longer be tried
anew, and in Paredes' case, on the ground that he, Paredes,
had been acquitted, Trampe, however, denied both requests
and reconsideration having been likewise denied, the

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