G.R. No. L-46604 - APRIL 1939 - PHILIPPINE JURISPRUDENCE CASE NUMBERCASE TITLE G.R. No. L-46604April 29, 1939 Francisco Morfe, et al. vs. Justice of the Peace of Caloocan, Rizal, et al. G.R. No. L-46026April 29, 1939 In re: Mamerto Portillo. Jesusa Portillo-Rivera vs. Strachan, Macmurray & Co., Ltd. G.R. No. L-46003April 29, 1939 Sixto de la Costa, et al. vs. Bonifacio Cleofas G.R. No. L-45965April 29, 1939 Amparo Gonzalez, et al. vs. Primitivo Trinidad, et al. G.R. No. L-45597April 29, 1939 Macaria Pascual, et al. vs. Lorenza Ramirez, et al. G.R. No. L-45479April 29, 1939 Felix Atacador vs. Hilarion Silayan, et al. G.R. No. L-45425April 29, 1939 Jose Gatchalian, et al. vs. Collector of Internal Revenue G.R. No. L-45412April 29, 1939 Venancio Araneta, et al. vs. Corme Carlos G.R. No. L-45410April 29, 1939 Macondray & Co, Inc. vs. Jose Bernabe, et al. G.R. No. L-45255April 29, 1939 Simeon Rael vs. Provincial Government of Rizal G.R. No. L-45761April 28, 1939 Juan del Rosario, et al. vs. Antonio del Rosario, et al. G.R. No. L-45625April 28, 1939 Margarita Villanueva vs. Juan Santos G.R. No. L-45464April 28, 1939 Josue Soncuya vs. Carmen de Luna G.R. No. L-45185April 28, 1939 Government of the Philippine Islands vs. Salud Aldeguer Viuda de Romero Salas G.R. No. L-45741April 27, 1939 F.y A. Garcia Diego vs. Gloria de Antonio, et al. G.R. No. L-45724April 27, 1939 Ignacio de Guzman, et al. vs. Teodoro Ibea, et al. G.R. No. L-45694April 27, 1939 Francisco Yatco vs. El Hogar Filipino G.R. No. L-45534April 27, 1939 Josefa Rizal Mercado, et al. vs. Alfredo Hidalgo Rizal G.R. No. L-45508April 27, 1939 Segunda Deveza vs. Eriberto Balmeo, et al. G.R. No. L-45506April 27, 1939 In re: Esteban M. Manzanero. Fortunato Manzanero vs. Remedios Bongon G.R. No. L-45359April 27, 1939 Jacinto M. del Saz Orozco, et al. vs. Salvador Araneta G.R. No. L-45173April 27, 1939 Red Line Transportation Co., Inc. vs. Bachrach Motor Company, Inc., et al. G.R. No. L-46492April 26, 1939 Ramon Sotelo vs. Arsenio P. Dizon, et al. G.R. No. L-46365April 26, 1939 Philippine National Bank vs. Pardo y Robles Hermanos, et al. G.R. No. L-45662April 26, 1939 Enrique Clemente vs. Dionisio Galvan G.R. No. L-45614April 26, 1939 Norberto Fordan vs. Antonio Luzon G.R. No. L-45598April 26, 1939 Tan Pho vs. Hassamal Dalamal G.R. No. L-45521April 26, 1939 In re: Bonifacio San Mateo & Tomasa Nuñez. Jose Moreno, et al. vs. Bonifacio San Mateo, et al. G.R. No. L-45519April 26, 1939 Rufina Salao, et al. vs. Teofilo C. Santos G.R. No. L-45403April 26, 1939 National City Bank of New York vs. Yek Tong Lin & Marine Insurance Company G.R. No. L-46356April 25, 1939 Fructuosa Velasco vda. de Talavera vs. Superintendent and Warden of the Correctional Institution for Women G.R. No. L-46260April 25, 1939 Pablo Tamayo vs. Francisco E. Jose, et al. G.R. No. L-46035April 25, 1939 Marcela Guanzon vs. Philippine National Bank, et al. G.R. No. L-45964April 25, 1939 People of the Philippines vs. Restituto Faller G.R. No. L-45755April 25, 1939 Asuncion Abad vs. Amando Aquino G.R. No. L-45739April 25, 1939 People of the Philippines vs. Sotero Peji Bautista G.R. No. L-45624April 25, 1939 George Litton vs. Hill & Ceron, et al. G.R. No. L-45544April 25, 1939 Collector of Internal Revenue vs. Administratrix of the Estate of Lorenzo Echarri G.R. No. L-45369April 25, 1939 Isabel Sugar Co., Inc. vs. Alfredo L. Yatco G.R. No. L-46029April 24 1939 National Loan and Investment Board vs. Luis Meneses G.R. No. L-45978April 24, 1939 In re: Francisco Eleazar. Miguela Eleazar vs. Eusebio Eleazar G.R. No. L-45666April 24, 1939 Alfredo Valenzuela vs. People of the Philippines G.R. No. L-45413April 24, 1939 La Yebana, Co., Inc. vs. Julio L. Valenzuela, et al. G.R. No. L-46330April 22, 1939 Ireneo Abad Santos, et al. vs. Province of Tarlac, et al. G.R. No. L-45449April 22, 1939 In re: Jose A. de Aguilar. Tomas S. Ocejo vs. Consul General of Spain G.R. No. L-46570April 21, 1939 Jose D. Villena vs. Secretary of the Interior G.R. No. L-46046April 21, 1939 Procopio Gaquit vs. Doroteo Conui G.R. No. L-45595April 21, 1939 Juan Posadas, et al. vs. Go Hap, et al. G.R. No. L-45493April 21, 1939 Gerardo Garcia vs. Angel Suarez G.R. No. L-45980April 20, 1939 Maria Martinez vs. Yek Tong Lin Fire & Marine Insurance Co. G.R. No. L-45934April 20, 1939 Fortunato Diaz vs. People of the Philippines G.R. No. L-45715April 20, 1939 People of the Philippines vs. Remegio Oliveria G.R. No. L-46002April 19, 1939 Salvacio Riosa vs. Stilianopulos, Inc. G.R. No. L-45576April 19, 1939 Maximo Fuentes vs. Justice of the Peace of Pila, Laguna, et al. G.R. No. L-45531April 19, 1939 Fred Omnas, et al. vs. Pablo S. Rivera, et al. G.R. No. L-45290April 19, 1939 Ching Liu & Co. vs. Paula Mercado G.R. No. L-45190April 19, 1939 People of the Philippines vs. Antonio Aparejado, et al. G.R. No. L-45166April 19, 1939 In re: Flora Viardo. Leon C. Viardo vs. Galicano Gutierrez G.R. No. L-45126April 19, 1939 Director of Lands vs. Albino Panuncio G.R. No. L-46317April 18, 1939 Justo Quiming vs. Mariano L. de la Rosa, et al. G.R. No. L-46134April 18, 1939 In re: Proceso de Guzman. Nicolasa de Guzman vs. Angela Limcolioc G.R. No. L-46043April 18, 1939 Teresa Landrito, et al. vs. Ricardo Gonzalez, et al. G.R. No. L-46015April 18, 1939 Liberato Jimenez vs. Ines de Castro, et al. G.R. No. L-45923April 18, 1939 Choa Fun vs. El Secretario del Trabajo G.R. No. L-45803April 18, 1939 In re: Valentin D. Guidote. Vicente C. vda. de Guidote vs. Bank of the Philippine Islands G.R. No. L-45721April 18, 1939 Melchor Lamprea vs. Director of Lands, et al. G.R. No. L-45701April 18, 1939 Tirso Garcia vs. Ty Camco Sobrino G.R. No. L-45418April 18, 1939 Ambrosio Ramos, et al. vs. H.A. Gibbon, et al. G.R. No. L-45248April 18, 1939 In re: Eugenio Zuñiga del Rosario. Vicente Reyes Villavicencio vs. Santiago Quinio, et al. G.R. No. L-45643April 15, 1939 Raymundo Cordero vs. Court of First Instance of Laguna, et al. G.R. No. L-45430April 15, 1939 In re: Paulina Vasquez vda. de Garcia. Teresa Garcia vs. Luisa Garcia, et al. G.R. No. L-45340April 15, 1939 Guardianship of Braulio Marcelino. Marcela Ballestros vs. Veterans Administration G.R. No. L-45931April 14, 1939 Urbano Serrano vs. Vicente de la Cruz, et al. G.R. No. L-45687April 14, 1939 Caridad Estate of Cavite, Inc. vs. Vicente Avila, et al. G.R. No. L-45601April 14, 1939 Tavera-Luna, Inc. vs. Mariano Nable G.R. No. L-45536April 14, 1939 Pedro Amante vs. Serafin P. Hidalgo G.R. No. L-45400April 14, 1939 In re: Remigio Paquiao. Marciana Lunasco vs. Veterans Administration G.R. No. L-45310April 14, 1939 Marcos J. Rotea vs. Francisca Delupio G.R. No. L-45253April 14, 1939 Fidelity and Surety Company of the Philippine Islands vs. Isabelo G. Sanchez, et al. G.R. No. L-46428April 13, 1939 People of the Philippines vs. Irineo Tumlos G.R. No. L-45529April 13, 1939 Venancio Queblar vs. Leonardo Garduño G.R. No. L-45405April 13, 1939 In re: Rosario Olba G.R. No. L-45899April 12, 1939 Raymundo Vargas vs. Nieves Tancioco, et al. G.R. No. L-45821April 12, 1939 Socony-Vacuum Corp. vs. Leon C. Meraflores G.R. No. L-45752April 12, 1939 People of the Philippines vs. Juan Peralta, et al. G.R. No. L-45742April 12, 1939 Tiburcio Mamuyac vs. Pedro Abena G.R. No. L-45515April 12, 1939 Tolaran Menghra vs. Bulchand Tarachand, et al. G.R. No. L-45454April 12, 1939 Eulalio Garcia, et al. vs. Sinforosa C. David, et al. G.R. No. L-45375April 12, 1939 In re: Gloria Baldello. Commonwealth of the Philippines vs. Gloria Baldello G.R. No. L-45365April 12, 1939 Fulton Iron Works Co. vs. Sidney C. Schawrskopf G.R. No. L-45306April 12, 1939 Josue Soncuya vs. La Urbana, et al. G.R. No. L-45277April 12, 1939 Toribio Teodoro vs. Juan Posadas G.R. No. L-45165April 12, 1939 In re: Josefa Jimenez. Gregoria Jimenez vs. Geronimo Jimenez G.R. No. L-45123April 12, 1939 Agripino Infante vs. Marcos Dulay G.R. No. L-46530April 10, 1939 People of the Philippines vs. Catalino Rabao G.R. No. L-45898April 10, 1939 Jovita Joven vs. Marcelo T. Boncan, et al. G.R. No. L-45381April 10, 1939 Estate of Modesto Jino. Feliz Benedicto vs. Perfecto Espino G.R. No. L-45337April 10, 1939 Manila Motor Co., Inc. vs. Aniceto Maraña G.R. No. L-45302April 10, 1939 Gervasia Encarnacion, et al. vs. Provincial Sheriff of Rizal, et al. G.R. No. L-45295April 10, 1939 Rufo Arcenas vs. Inocencio del Rosario, et al. G.R. No. L-45273April 10, 1939 Luneta Motor Co. vs. Federico Abad G.R. No. L-45246April 10, 1939 Carlos N. Francisco vs. Parsons Hardware Co., Inc. G.R. No. L-45200April 10, 1939 Government of the Philippine Islands vs. Apolonia S. Zapanta, et al. G.R. No. L-45192April 10, 1939 In re: Domingo Cabantog G.R. No. L-45171April 10, 1939 In re: Manuel Abello. Eugenio Veraguth, et al. vs. Rosario Montilla, et al. G.R. No. L-45170April 10, 1939 Arsenio de Vera, et al. vs. Cleotilde Galauran G.R. No. L-45152April 10, 1939 Hilaria Sikat vs. John Canson G.R. No. L-43822April 10, 1939 In re: Involuntary Insolvency of Ruiz and Rementeria. Philippine Trust Co. vs. Hongkong & Shanghai Banking Corp. G.R. No. L-46478April 5, 1939 People of the Philippines vs. Go Ug, et al. G.R. No. L-46409April 5, 1939 Insular Motors Incorporated vs. City of Manila, et al. G.R. No. L-46144April 5, 1939 People of the Philippines vs. Francisco Cinco, et al. G.R. No. L-45955April 5, 1939 Teodorica R. Viuda de Jose vs. Julio Veloso Barrueco G.R. No. L-45748April 5, 1939 People of the Philippines vs. Franco Vera Reyes G.R. No. L-45738April 5, 1939 People of the Philippines vs. Maximiano Celorico G.R. No. L-45517April 5, 1939 Tarcila L. Trinidad vs. Orient Protective Association G.R. No. L-45210April 5, 1939 Orient Protective Assurance Association, Inc. vs. Antonio Ramos G.R. No. L-45193April 5, 1939 Emilie Elmira Renee Boudard, et al. vs. Stewart Eddie Tait G.R. No. L-45177April 5, 1939 Jose Martinez, et al. vs. Santos B. Pampolina, et al. G.R. No. L-46247April 4, 1939 San Juan de Dios Hospital vs. Municipal Council of San Rafael, et al. G.R. No. L-46239April 4, 1939 San Juan de Dios Hospital vs. Rosendo Marcos, et al. G.R. No. L-46231-35April 4, 1939 People of the Philippines vs. Paulo B. Gonzalez G.R. No. L-45159April 4, 1939 Government of the Philippines vs. Emilio Ma. de Moreta G.R. No. L-45696April 3, 1939 Placida Pascasio, et al. vs. Benito Guido G.R. No. L-45144April 3, 1939 M.E. Grey vs. Insular Lumber Company G.R. No. L-45112April 3, 1939 Apolonia Gomez vs. Levy Hermanos, In., et al. G.R. No. L-45080April 3, 1939 Florencia Duquillo vs. Paz Bayot G.R. No. L-43850April 3, 1939 Jose C. Bucoy vs. John R. Mcfie, Jr., et al. The Lawphil Project - Arellano Law Foundation, Inc. Francisco Morfe, et al. vs. Justice of the Peace of Caloocan, Rizal, et al. In re: Mamerto Portillo. Jesusa Portillo-Rivera vs. Strachan, Macmurray & Co., Ltd. Sixto de la Costa, et al. vs. Bonifacio Cleofas Amparo Gonzalez, et al. vs. Primitivo Trinidad, et al. Macaria Pascual, et al. vs. Lorenza Ramirez, et al. Felix Atacador vs. Hilarion Silayan, et al. Jose Gatchalian, et al. vs. Collector of Internal Revenue Venancio Araneta, et al. vs. Corme Carlos Macondray & Co, Inc. vs. Jose Bernabe, et al. Simeon Rael vs. Provincial Government of Rizal Juan del Rosario, et al. vs. Antonio del Rosario, et al. Margarita Villanueva vs. Juan Santos Josue Soncuya vs. Carmen de Luna Government of the Philippine Islands vs. Salud Aldeguer Viuda de Romero Salas F.y A. Garcia Diego vs. Gloria de Antonio, et al. Ignacio de Guzman, et al. vs. Teodoro Ibea, et al. Francisco Yatco vs. El Hogar Filipino Josefa Rizal Mercado, et al. vs. Alfredo Hidalgo Rizal Segunda Deveza vs. Eriberto Balmeo, et al. In re: Esteban M. Manzanero. Fortunato Manzanero vs. Remedios Bongon Jacinto M. del Saz Orozco, et al. vs. Salvador Araneta Red Line Transportation Co., Inc. vs. Bachrach Motor Company, Inc., et al. Ramon Sotelo vs. Arsenio P. Dizon, et al. Philippine National Bank vs. Pardo y Robles Hermanos, et al. Enrique Clemente vs. Dionisio Galvan Norberto Fordan vs. Antonio Luzon Tan Pho vs. Hassamal Dalamal In re: Bonifacio San Mateo & Tomasa Nuñez. Jose Moreno, et al. vs. Bonifacio San Mateo, et al. Rufina Salao, et al. vs. Teofilo C. Santos National City Bank of New York vs. Yek Tong Lin & Marine Insurance Company Fructuosa Velasco vda. de Talavera vs. Superintendent and Warden of the Correctional Institution for Women Pablo Tamayo vs. Francisco E. Jose, et al. Marcela Guanzon vs. Philippine National Bank, et al. People of the Philippines vs. Restituto Faller Asuncion Abad vs. Amando Aquino People of the Philippines vs. Sotero Peji Bautista George Litton vs. Hill & Ceron, et al. Collector of Internal Revenue vs. Administratrix of the Estate of Lorenzo Echarri Isabel Sugar Co., Inc. vs. Alfredo L. Yatco National Loan and Investment Board vs. Luis Meneses In re: Francisco Eleazar. Miguela Eleazar vs. Eusebio Eleazar Alfredo Valenzuela vs. People of the Philippines La Yebana, Co., Inc. vs. Julio L. Valenzuela, et al. Ireneo Abad Santos, et al. vs. Province of Tarlac, et al. In re: Jose A. de Aguilar. Tomas S. Ocejo vs. Consul General of Spain Jose D. Villena vs. Secretary of the Interior Procopio Gaquit vs. Doroteo Conui Juan Posadas, et al. vs. Go Hap, et al. Gerardo Garcia vs. Angel Suarez Maria Martinez vs. Yek Tong Lin Fire & Marine Insurance Co. Fortunato Diaz vs. People of the Philippines People of the Philippines vs. Remegio Oliveria Salvacio Riosa vs. Stilianopulos, Inc. Maximo Fuentes vs. Justice of the Peace of Pila, Laguna, et al. Fred Omnas, et al. vs. Pablo S. Rivera, et al. Ching Liu & Co. vs. Paula Mercado People of the Philippines vs. Antonio Aparejado, et al. In re: Flora Viardo. Leon C. Viardo vs. Galicano Gutierrez Director of Lands vs. Albino Panuncio Justo Quiming vs. Mariano L. de la Rosa, et al. In re: Proceso de Guzman. Nicolasa de Guzman vs. Angela Limcolioc Teresa Landrito, et al. vs. Ricardo Gonzalez, et al. Liberato Jimenez vs. Ines de Castro, et al. Choa Fun vs. El Secretario del Trabajo In re: Valentin D. Guidote. Vicente C. vda. de Guidote vs. Bank of the Philippine Islands Melchor Lamprea vs. Director of Lands, et al. Tirso Garcia vs. Ty Camco Sobrino Ambrosio Ramos, et al. vs. H.A. Gibbon, et al. In re: Eugenio Zuñiga del Rosario. Vicente Reyes Villavicencio vs. Santiago Quinio, et al. Raymundo Cordero vs. Court of First Instance of Laguna, et al. In re: Paulina Vasquez vda. de Garcia. Teresa Garcia vs. Luisa Garcia, et al. Guardianship of Braulio Marcelino. Marcela Ballestros vs. Veterans Administration Urbano Serrano vs. Vicente de la Cruz, et al. Caridad Estate of Cavite, Inc. vs. Vicente Avila, et al. Tavera-Luna, Inc. vs. Mariano Nable Pedro Amante vs. Serafin P. Hidalgo In re: Remigio Paquiao. Marciana Lunasco vs. Veterans Administration Marcos J. Rotea vs. Francisca Delupio Fidelity and Surety Company of the Philippine Islands vs. Isabelo G. Sanchez, et al. People of the Philippines vs. Irineo Tumlos Venancio Queblar vs. Leonardo Garduño In re: Rosario Olba Raymundo Vargas vs. Nieves Tancioco, et al. Socony-Vacuum Corp. vs. Leon C. Meraflores People of the Philippines vs. Juan Peralta, et al. Tiburcio Mamuyac vs. Pedro Abena Tolaran Menghra vs. Bulchand Tarachand, et al. Eulalio Garcia, et al. vs. Sinforosa C. David, et al. In re: Gloria Baldello. Commonwealth of the Philippines vs. Gloria Baldello Fulton Iron Works Co. vs. Sidney C. Schawrskopf Josue Soncuya vs. La Urbana, et al. Toribio Teodoro vs. Juan Posadas In re: Josefa Jimenez. Gregoria Jimenez vs. Geronimo Jimenez Agripino Infante vs. Marcos Dulay People of the Philippines vs. Catalino Rabao Jovita Joven vs. Marcelo T. Boncan, et al. Estate of Modesto Jino. Feliz Benedicto vs. Perfecto Espino Manila Motor Co., Inc. vs. Aniceto Maraña Gervasia Encarnacion, et al. vs. Provincial Sheriff of Rizal, et al. Rufo Arcenas vs. Inocencio del Rosario, et al. Luneta Motor Co. vs. Federico Abad Carlos N. Francisco vs. Parsons Hardware Co., Inc. Government of the Philippine Islands vs. Apolonia S. Zapanta, et al. In re: Domingo Cabantog In re: Manuel Abello. Eugenio Veraguth, et al. vs. Rosario Montilla, et al. Arsenio de Vera, et al. vs. Cleotilde Galauran Hilaria Sikat vs. John Canson In re: Involuntary Insolvency of Ruiz and Rementeria. Philippine Trust Co. vs. Hongkong & Shanghai Banking Corp. People of the Philippines vs. Go Ug, et al. Insular Motors Incorporated vs. City of Manila, et al. People of the Philippines vs. Francisco Cinco, et al. Teodorica R. Viuda de Jose vs. Julio Veloso Barrueco People of the Philippines vs. Franco Vera Reyes People of the Philippines vs. Maximiano Celorico Tarcila L. Trinidad vs. Orient Protective Association Orient Protective Assurance Association, Inc. vs. Antonio Ramos Emilie Elmira Renee Boudard, et al. vs. Stewart Eddie Tait Jose Martinez, et al. vs. Santos B. Pampolina, et al. San Juan de Dios Hospital vs. Municipal Council of San Rafael, et al. San Juan de Dios Hospital vs. Rosendo Marcos, et al. People of the Philippines vs. Paulo B. Gonzalez Government of the Philippines vs. Emilio Ma. de Moreta Placida Pascasio, et al. vs. Benito Guido M.E. Grey vs. Insular Lumber Company Apolonia Gomez vs. Levy Hermanos, In., et al. Florencia Duquillo vs. Paz Bayot Jose C. Bucoy vs. John R. Mcfie, Jr., et al. The Lawphil Project - Arellano Law Foundation, Inc.
Republic of the Philippines
SUPREME COURT
Manila
EN BANC
G.R. No. L-46604 April 29, 1939
FRANCISCO MORFE and CATALINO BOLOS,petitioners,
vs.
THE JUSTICE OF THE PEACE OF CALOOCAN, RIZAL, and ALBINO CELESTINO and RICARDO CELESTINO,respondents.
Yuseco, Arteche and Adbon for petitioners.
De los Reyes, Dimagiba and Reyes for respondents.
VILLA-REAL,J.:
To prevent the respondent justice of the peace of Caloocan, Rizal, from receiving and docketing or continuing to take cognizance of the complaints for frustrated murder filed by the respondents against the petitioners after the complaints for less serious physical injuries against the same petitioners had been dismissed; and to compel said respondent justice of the peace to hear and decide on its merits and without further delay criminal case No. 10476 entitled "Peoplevs.Albino Celestino et al.," for less serious physical injuries, the aforesaid petitioners Francisco Morfe and Catalino Bolos have filed the present combined petition for prohibition andmandamus.
The pertinent and essential facts for the resolution of the question of law raised by the instant petition are as follows:
On September 29, 1938, a complaint forestafaagainst the herein petitioner, Francisco Morfe, was filed in the justice of the peace court of Coloocan, Rizal. On October 15th of the same year, said accused was temporarily released upon filing a bond.
On October 18, 1938, as a regular of a quarrel between the aforesaid petitioner and the respondents, a complaint for less serious physical injuries was filed against Francisco Morfe, who is alleged to have inflicted the same upon the persons of Albino Celestino and Ricardo Celestino (criminal case No. 10477).
On the same day, October 18, 1938, as a result of the same quarrel, a complaint also for less serious physical injuries, was filed against the other petitioner, Catalino Bolos, who is alleged to have inflicted the same upon the persons of Albino Celestino and Ricardo Celestino (criminal case No. 10478).
On the same day, October 18, 1938, a complaint for less serious physical injuries was filed against Albino Celestino, Felipe Celestino and Ricardo Celestino, who allegedly inflicted said injuries upon the persons of the petitioner Francisco Morfe (criminal case No. 10476).
The accused having been arraigned on October 19, 1938 by the reading of the respective complaints against of them, they pleaded not guilty, each giving a bond for his temporary release.
The four cases above-mentioned having been called for trial on the merits on January 19, 1939, Francisco Morfe appeared in criminal case No. 10473 forestafaand asked for the dismissal of the complaint on the ground that the facts alleged therein are not sufficient to confer jurisdiction on the justice of the peace court of Coloocan, Rizal, or to constitute the crime ofestafawith which he charged. Up to the filing of the present petition, the accused-petitioner, Francisco Morfe, has not been notified of any resolution on his motion for dismissal.
Criminal cases Nos. 10477 and 10478 against Francisco Morfe and Catalino Bolos, respectively, for less serious physical injuries, were not called for trial immediately, until December 16, 1938, for the reason that the offended parties, Albino Celestino and Ricardo Celestino, were then confined in the Philippines General Hospital as a result of the injuries they had received. The trial was not, however, held because Atty. Felix Valencia asked for postponement. On January 23, 1939, on motion of the offended parties, the justice of the peace dismissed the aforesaid criminal cases Nos. 19477 and 10478.
Criminal case No. 10476 in which the respondents, Albino Celestino and Ricardo Celestino, are accused, was called for hearing on December 16, 1938; but was postponed on motion of Atty. Felix Valencia, who appeared as private prosecutor. The case having been again for trial on January 19, 1939, the respondents, Albino Celestino and Ricardo Celestino, announced their intention to file complaints for frustrated murder against the petitioners, and by agreement of the parties the trial of said case was postponed. As one of the attorneys for the petitioners asked the provincial fiscal of Rizal to examine the records of the criminal cases for frustrated murder, the hearing of the case was suspended until the records were returned on March 2, 1939.
On January 24, 1939, complaints for frustrated murder in criminal cases Nos. 10576 and 10577 were filed with the respondent justice of the peace in place of those for less serious physical injuries. Before said justice of the peace could issue the corresponding warrants of arrest, one of the attorneys for the petitioners asked the provincial fiscal to examine all the records of the criminal cases for frustrated murder aforementioned.
On February 10, 1939, petitioners filed with the respondent justice of the peace a special appearance in which they challenged the jurisdiction and competency of said justice of the peace to receive and docket said complaints. Up to the filing of the present petition, the said justice of the peace has not resolved the foregoing objection, nor has he issued any warrant of arrest in said criminal cases for frustrated murder.
The principal question of procedure law to be decided in this case is whether or not the facts alleged in the petition for prohibition andmandamusare sufficient to justify the granting of the remedies prayed for.
As we have said, the petition now before us is one formandamusand prohibition. The remedy ofmandamushas for its object to compel an inferior tribunal in the proper case, as a justice of the peace court, to comply with a function which the law specially prescribes as a duty resulting from its office when there is no other plain, speedy and adequate remedy (sec. 222, Code of Civil Procedure); and that of prohibition has for its object that of preventing an inferior tribunal in the proper case, as a justice of the peace court, from executing or continuing to execute an act in excess of its jurisdiction, when there is no other plain, speedy and adequate remedy in the ordinary course of law (section 226, Code of Civil Procedure).
As to the petition formandamus, the causes of the delay in the hearing of criminal case No. 10476 entitled "Peoplevs.Albino Celestino et al.," for less serious physical injuries, against the herein petitioners, were the postponement prayed for by Atty. Felix Valencia, who appeared as private prosecutor; the agreement entered into by all the parties to suspend the hearing by reason of the announced intention of the respondents to file a complaint for frustrated murder against the petitioners, and the fact that one of the attorneys for the petitioners asked the provincial fiscal of Rizal to examine the records of the criminal cases for frustrated murder, agreeing to wait for the result of the investigation.
As to that prohibition, the respondent justice of the peace had and has the power to dismiss the complaints for less serious physical injuries either on petition of the complainants or upon his own for the reason that the cognizance and decision of the crime of less serious physical injuries complained of are within his jurisdiction. He also has authority to receive and docket the new complaints for frustrated murder in place of the former ones, which were filed by the same respondents against the petitioners, and to conduct only the summary and preliminary investigation inasmuch as it is not within his jurisdiction to take cognizance of complaints or informations for the crime of frustrated murder or decide the same, but within that of the proper Court of First Instance.
We, therefore, find that in so far as the petition formandamusis concerned, it not appearing that the respondent justice of the peace has abused his discretion in not hearing and immediately deciding criminal case No. 10476, the petition referred to is without basis.
Touching the petition for prohibition, the respondent justice of the peace having jurisdiction to receive and docket the complaints for frustrated murder filed by the respondents against the petitioners and to conduct the summary as well as the preliminary investigation thereof, said petition does not likewise lie.
Wherefore, there being no merit whatever in the combined petition for prohibition andmandamusbefore us, we hereby dismiss the same with costs against the petitioners. So ordered.
Avanceña, C. J., Imperial, Diaz, Laurel, Concepcion and Moran, JJ., concur.