Professional Documents
Culture Documents
RATIO:
LAWS:
(3)Therightofthepeopletobesecureintheirpersons,houses,
papersandeffectsagainstunreasonablesearchesandseizuresshallnot
beviolated,andnowarrantsshallissuebutuponprobablecause,tobe
determinedbythejudgeafterexaminationunderoathoraffirmationof
thecomplainantandthewitnesseshemayproduce,andparticularly
describingtheplacetobesearched,andthepersonsorthingstobe
seized."(Art.III,Sec.1,Constitution.)
SEC.3.Requisitesforissuingsearchwarrant.Asearchwarrant
shallnotissuebutuponprobablecauseinconnectionwithonespecific
offensetobedeterminedbythejudgeorjusticeofthepeaceafter
examination under oath or affirmation of the complainant and the
witnesseshemayproduce,andparticularlydescribingtheplacetobe
searchedandthepersonsorthingstobeseized.
"Nosearchwarrantshallissueformorethanonespecificoffense.
"SEC.4.Examinationoftheapplicant.Thejudgeorjusticeofthe
peacemust,beforeissuingthewarrant,personallyexamineonoathor
affirmationthecomplainantandanywitnesseshemayproduceand
take their depositions in writing, and attach them to the record, in
additiontoanyaffidavitspresentedtohim."(Rule126,RevisedRules
ofCourt.)
The examination of the complainant and the witnesses he may
produce,requiredbyArt.III,Sec.1,par.3,oftheConstitution,andby
Secs.3and4,Rule126oftheRevisedRulesofCourt,shouldbe
conductedbythejudgehimselfandnotbyothers.
Personal examination by the judge of the complainant and his
witnessesisnecessarytoenablehimtodeterminetheexistenceornon
existenceofaprobablecausepursuanttoArt.III,Sec.1,par.3,ofthe
Constitution,andSec.3,Rule126oftheRevisedRulesofCourt,both
of which prohibit the issuance of warrants except "upon probable
cause."
taxesatsource).
Inthecaseatbar,nopersonalexaminationatallwasconductedby
respondentJudgeofthecomplainant(respondentDeLeon)andhis
witness(respondentLogronio).Whileitistruethatthecomplainants
applicationforsearchwarrantandthewitnessprintedformdeposition
weresubscribedandsworntobeforerespondentJudge,thelatterdid
not ask either of the two any question the answer to which could
possibly be the basis for determining whether or not there was
probablecauseagainsthereinpetitioners
oThethirdistheviolationofSec.208(unlawfulpursuitofbusiness
oroccupation);
AfterrespondentJudgewasthroughwiththehearing,DeputyClerk
Gonzales, stenographer Gaspar, complainant De Leon and witness
LogroniowenttorespondentJudgeschamberandinformedtheJudge
that they had finished the depositions. Respondent Judge then
requestedthestenographertoreadtohimherstenographicnotes.
oandthefourthistheviolationofSec.209(failuretomakeareturn
ofreceipts,sales,businessorgrossvalueofoutputactuallyremovedor
topaythetaxduethereon).
[THE SEARCH WARRANT DOES NOT PARTICULARLY
DESCRIBETHETHINGSTOBESEIZED]Thedescriptiondoesnot
meettherequirementinArtIII,Sec.1,oftheConstitution,andofSec.
3,Rule126oftheRevisedRulesofCourt,thatthewarrantshould
particularlydescribethethingstobeseized.
TheparticipationofrespondentJudgeintheproceedingswhichledto
the issuance of Search Warrant No. 2M70 was thus limited to
listeningtothestenographersreadingsofhernotes,toafewwordsof
warningagainstthecommissionofperjury,andtoadministeringthe
oathtothecomplainantandhiswitness.Thiscannotbeconsidera
personalexamination.
OTHER ISSUES [SEARCH WARRANT: ISSUED FOR MORE
THANONEOFFENSEinvalid]Thesearchwarrantinquestionwas
issuedforatleastfourdistinctoffensesundertheTaxCode.
o ThefirstistheviolationofSec.46(a),Sec.72andSec.73(the
filingofincometaxreturns),whichareinterrelated.
o ThesecondistheviolationofSec.53(withholdingofincome
Note:
The search warrant was also declared void because Judge Ruiz
failed to personally examine the complaint and his witness, the
search warrant was issued for more than 1 specific offense and
the search warrant does not particularly describe the things to
be seized.