This is another case of unreasonable delay in the disposition of criminal case covering a period of 11 years and 23 days from the time that the accused Jayson Cruz y Teczon was arrested by the police authorities on May 26, 2003 for alleged “Rape under Art. 266-A In Relation to Art. 266-B” of the Revised Penal Code until he was finally acquitted by the Supreme Court per its decision dated June 18, 2014.
Case Of Alleged “Rape”
Jayson Cruz y Teczon was charged in an Information for alleged “Rape Under Art. 266-A In Relation To Art. 266-B” defined and penalized under the Revised Penal Code.
When arraigned the accused has entered a plea of not guilty.
After the trial, the Regional Trial Court Quezon City Branch 94 has rendered a decision dated August 21, 2007 convicting the accused and imposing upon him the penalty of reclusion perpetua (20 years and 1 day to 40 years of imprisonment) as well as to pay indemnify and pay moral damages to the private complainant.
He appeal his conviction before the Court of Appeal, contending among other things, that the Regional Trial Court has erred in convicting him since the prosecution has failed to prove to establish his guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
The Court of Appeal however has sustained the judgment of conviction of the Regional Trial Court Quezon City branch 94 in its entirety per its decision dated March 24, 2010.
Thus, he brings the ruling of the Court of Appeal before the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court on June 18, 2014 has reverse and set aside the judgment of conviction of the Regional Trial Court and acquitted the accused for the crime of “Rape Under Art. 266-A In Relation To Art. 266-B” defined and penalized under the Revised Penal Code and further order his release from the custody of the law.
Unreasonable Delay In The Resolution Of Criminal Cases
It took almost 4 years and 2 months and 26 days from the time that the accused was arrested by the police authorities on May 26, 2003 until the Regional Trial Court Quezon City branch 94 has rendered its decision dated August 21, 2007.
On appeal from the decision of the Regional Trial Court Quezon City Branch 94 to the Court of Appeal, it took almost 2 years and 7 months and 3 days before the Court of Appeal has ruled on his appeal on March 24, 2010.
From the ruling of the Court of Appeal up to the elevation of the case to the Supreme Court, it took almost 4 years and 2 months and 24 days before the latter court has finally rendered a favorable judgment of acquittal to the accused.
In truth this is another case of justice delayed is justice denied case under the Philippine laws and jurisprudence.
One could but asked why did it take almost more than 18 years before this case was finally disposed by the Supreme Court?
There must be some ways and means in order to give the constitutional rights of the accused to a speedy trial a living reality.
Case reference: People of the Philippines vs. Jayson Cruz y Teczon G.R. No. 194234 http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/pdf/web/viewer.html?file=/jurisprudence/2014/june2014/194234.pdf
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View Comments
Nothing is new in the Philippines, when it comes to trials of cases. It can go for more than a decade or two decades before this could be finally decided upon.
Sometimes, the accused has already gotten sick and eventually died in jail , when finally he is proven to be not the true culprit.
Sad, but this is how our justice system here in the Philippines. I think, even with President Duterte's term nothing can be done to shorten the trials. :(
Hi Dina,
You are absolutely right 100%. That’s the reason why I’m highlighting and reporting here all the criminal cases in our country that took for a long time to be finally resolved.
Many in our country do not know this and I doubt if the Supreme Court is publishing any case statistics as to the rate of its disposition.
It is disheartening that despite the constitutional rights of the accused to a speedy trial provided for under the constitution, the wheels of justice in our criminal justice system grinds far too slow.
You will notice that most of the acquittal pertains to drugs cases which have a logical explanation that all along that those accused of drug cases are mere victims of police frame-up and mostly comes from the poor sector of the Philippine society.
Many people in our country does not know the real statistics of all the aging cases in the criminal docket throughout the whole court from the Municipal Trial Court, Municipal Circuit Trial Court, City Court, The Regional Trial Court, The Court of Appeal up to the Supreme Court.
There is only one way to ease up and to de clogged all these cases, whether civil or criminal or otherwise, and that is for our court to function like a factory with three shift working round the clock 24 hours a day.
I see no other practical remedy than this set up although it will involve great logistical nightmares: budget, additional judges and prosecutors, additional forensic chemists to testify in court, plus the availability of the police officers to testify in court, the availability of the defense counsel etc.
I think that the Supreme Court must do more other than conducting a case inventory every 3 or 6 months or so for every court in our country.
With regards to criminal cases, especially in the Regional Trial Court, almost 70% of the criminal cases set for a given date for hearing involved drug cases. And this situation is true throughout the Philippines.
Thank you again for your comment.