TIMOTEO V. CRUZ, vs. FRANCISCO G. H.
SALVA July 25, 1959
G.R. No. L-12871
Ponente: Montemayor, J.
Facts:
● This is a petition for certiorari and prohibition with preliminary injunction filed by Timoteo
V. Cruz against Francisco G. H. Salva, in his capacity as City Fiscal of Pasay City, to
restrain him from continuing with the preliminary investigation he was conducting in
September, 1957 in connection with the killing of Manuel Monroy which took place on
June 15, 1953 in Pasay City.
● The Court of First Instance of Pasay City found Oscar Castelo, Jose de Jesus, Hipolito
Bonifacio, Bienvenido Mendoza, Francis Berdugo and others guilty of the crime of
murder of Manuel Monroy and sentenced them to death.
● Pending appeal of the aforementioned case, President Magsaysay ordered a
reinvestigation of the case.
● In lieu of that, intelligence agents of the Philippine Constabulary and investigators of
Malacañang conducted the investigation and questioned a number of people pointing to
persons, other than those convicted, as the real killers of Manuel Monroy.
● Counsel for Oscar Castelo et al wrote to respondent Fiscal Salva to conduct a
reinvestigation of the case presumably on the basis of the affidavits and confessions
obtained by those who had investigated the case at the instance of Malacañang.
● Counsel for the appellants filed a motion for new trial. The Chief of Philippine
Constabulary sent to the Office of Fiscal Salva copies of the same affidavits and
confessions and written statements, of which the motion for new trial was based, and
respondent Salva proceeded to conduct a reinvestigation.
● In relation with said preliminary investigation being conducted by the committee,
petitioner Timoteo Cruz was subpoenaed by respondent to appear at his office on
September 21, 1957. On September 19, 1957, petitioner Timoteo Cruz wrote to
respondent Salva asking for the transfer of the preliminary investigation from September
21, due to the fact that his counsel, Atty. Crispin Baizas, would attend a hearing on that
same day in Naga City. Thus, Fiscal Salva set the preliminary investigation on
September 24.
● On that day, Atty. Baizas appeared for petitioner Cruz, questioned the jurisdiction of the
committee, particularly respondent Salva, to conduct the preliminary investigation since
the murder case of Manuel Monroy was pending appeal in this Court, and on the same
day filed the present petition for certiorari and prohibition. The SC gave due course to
the petition for certiorari and prohibition and issued a writ of preliminary injunction
thereby stopping the preliminary investigation being conducted by respondent Salva.
● Petitioner Cruz argued that since the principal case Castelo et al is pending appeal
before the SC, no court, much less a prosecuting attorney like respondent Salva, had
any right or authority to conduct a preliminary investigation or reinvestigation of the case
for that would be obstructing the administration of justice and interfering with the
consideration on appeal of the main case wherein appellants had been found guilty and
convicted and sentenced; neither had respondent authority to cite him to appear and
testify at said investigation.
● Respondent Salva, however, contends that if he subpoenaed petitioner Cruz, it was
because of the latter's oral and personal request to allow him to appear at the
investigation with his witnesses for his own protection, possibly, to controvert and rebut
any evidence therein presented against him. Salva claims that were it not for this request
and if, on the contrary, Timoteo Cruz had expressed any objection to being cited to
appear in the investigation Salva would never have subpoenaed him.
Issue: Whether the preliminary investigation can push through
Ruling: Yes.
● When petitioner asked the respondent that the investigation, scheduled for September
21, 1957, be postponed because his attorney would be unable to attend, Timoteo Cruz
expressed no opposition to the subpoena, not even a hint that he was objecting to his
being cited to appear at the investigation.
● Normally, when a criminal case handled by a fiscal is tried and decided and appealed to
a higher court, the functions of the fiscal has been terminated. However, Salva was able
to justify his reinvestigation because in the principal case, one of the accused, Salvador
Realista y de Guzman, was not included in the trial.
● The duty of the fiscal is not only to prosecute and secure conviction of the guilty but also
to protect the innocent.
● Thus, the writ of preliminary injunction was dissolved. The investigation may be
continued.
● However, Salva failed to conduct the investigation properly. He should have done it
privately in his office and not publicly in the session hall of MTC of Pasay where
microphones were installed and media people were present. He should not also allowed
the media to ask questions. the SC was disturbed and annoyed by such publicity.
Therefore, Salva is publicly reprehended and censured.
● Petition partly granted and partly denied.
