The case of Paredes vs. Sandiganbayan involves two petitioners who were charged with violation of Section 3(e) of Republic Act No. 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act) for allegedly conspiring with each other and with respondent Teofilo Gelacio in awarding a contract for the construction of a road project to Gelacio's company without public bidding and despite its lack of qualifications and experience. The petitioners filed a motion to quash the information on the ground that it did not allege facts constituting an offense and that they were denied due process by the Ombudsman and the Special Prosecutor. The Sandiganbayan denied their motion and issued a warrant for their arrest. The petitioners then filed this petition for certiorari, prohibition, and mandamus with prayer for preliminary injunction before the Supreme Court, seeking to annul the resolution of the Sandiganbayan and to enjoin their prosecution.
The Supreme Court dismissed the petition for lack of merit. It held that the information sufficiently alleged all the elements of Section 3(e) of R.A. No. 3019 and that there was no violation of due process as the petitioners were given ample opportunity to submit their counter-affidavits and supporting evidence before the Ombudsman and the Special Prosecutor. It also ruled that there was no forum-shopping on the part of Gelacio, who had filed several cases arising from the same incident, as these cases involved different causes of action, parties, issues, reliefs sought, and venues.
Source: 07/03/2023(1) G.R. No. 108251 - lawphil.net.
https://lawphil.net/judjuris/juri1996/jan1996/gr_108251_1996.html Accessed 07/03/2023.
(2) Department of Agrarian Reform.
http://lis.dar.gov.ph/documents/2895 Accessed 07/03/2023.
(3) Department of Agrarian Reform.
http://lis.dar.gov.ph/documents/2895 Accessed 07/03/2023.
(4) G.R. No. 108251 January 31, 1996 - ChanRobles.
https://www.chanrobles.com/cralaw/1996januarydecisions.php?id=53 Accessed 07/03/2023.
(5) PAREDES VS. SANDIGANBAYAN- G.R. No. 108251 - Philippine Law - Digest.
https://www.digest.ph/decisions/paredes-vs-sandiganbayan-1 Accessed 07/03/2023.
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