CRIMINAL

 PROCEDURE  DIGESTS  (2013  –  2014)                            ATTY.  TRANQUIL  SALVADOR  

 
A.M.  No.  MTJ-­‐01-­‐1349                    July  12,  2001     within   the   exclusive   jurisdiction   of   the   Regional   Trial  
  Courts.  
MONDEJAR  v.  BUBAN   ! Respondent   judge   admitted   to   have   issued   said   order   because  
  he   was  not  aware  of  the  SC  Circular  as  he  was  not  furnished  a  
Plaintiffs:  Bernadette  Mondejar  (accused  in  a  criminal  case  of  People  v.   copy.  He  was  only  able  to  get  a  copy  upon  instructing  his  legal  
Bernadette  and  Arlette  Mondejar  for  violation  of  B.P.  22)     researcher   to   obtain   one   from   the   Executive   Judge   of   the  
  Regional  Trial  Court  of  Tacloban  City.    
Defendant:  Judge  Marino  S.  Buban,  MTCC,  Tacloban  City  Branch  1   o April  14,  1997  !  he  lifted  the  hold  departure  order.  
  ! With   regards   to   denial   of   due   process,   respondent   judge  
CASE:  Bernadette  Mondejar  accused  Judge  Buban  with  gross  ignorance   averred  that  complainant  and  her  counsel  were  duly  notified  of  
of   the   law,   partiality,   serious   irregularity   and   grave   misconduct   for   the  scheduled  hearing  but  neither  appeared  on  said  date.  
issuing   a   hold   departure   order   against   her   (because   such   is   within   the    
exclusive  jurisdiction  of  the  RTC),  and  for  not  giving  her  an  opportunity   ISSUES  TO  BE  RESOLVED:  
to   be   heard   before   such   issuance.   Judge   Buban   claimed   that   he   was   not   1. Whether  or  not  Judge  Buban  is  guilty  of  negligence  of  the  law.  
aware  of  the  Supreme  Court  Circular.    
  RESOLUTIONS  AND  ARGUMENTS  
The   Supreme   Court   adopted   the   recommendation   of   the   Court   ISSUE   1   !   Whether   or   not   Judge   Buban   is   guilty   of   negligence   of   the  
Administrator   and   severely   reprimanded   Judge   Buban   for   an   improper   law.   !   YES.   The   Court   adopts   the   recommendation   of   the   Court  
issuance   of   a   hold   departure   order.   Ignorance   is   not   an   excuse,   Administrator   that   Judge   Buban   be   severely   reprimanded   with   a   stern  
especially  because  the  circular  is  not  a  new  circular.   warning  that  a  repetition  of  the  same  or  similar  act  in  the  future  shall  be  
  dealt  with  more  severely.  
DOCTRINE/APPLICATION:  Circular  No.  39-­‐97  limits  the  authority  to  issue    
hold-­‐departure  orders  to  criminal  cases  within  the  jurisdiction  of  second   Major   Point   1:   Circular   No.   39-­‐97   limits   the   authority   to   issue   hold-­‐
level  courts.  Judges  should  be  vigilant  for  new  developments  in  the  law   departure  orders  to  criminal  cases  within  the  jurisdiction  of  second  level  
so  they  could  properly  discharge  their  functions.   courts.    
  • Paragraph   No.   1   of   the   said   circular   specifically   provides   that  
BACKGROUND:   “hold-­‐   departure   orders   shall   be   issued   only   in   criminal   cases  
! May   31,   1999   !   In   a   sworn   letter,   Bernadette   Mondejar   within   the   exclusive   jurisdiction   of   the   regional   trial   courts.”  
charged   Judge   Buban   with   gross   ignorance   of   the   law,   partiality,   Clearly   then,   criminal   cases   within   the   exclusive   jurisdiction   of  
serious   irregularity   and   grave   misconduct   for   issuing   a   hold   first  level  courts  do  not  fall  within  the  ambit  of  the  circular,  and  
departure   order   against   her   on   October   23,   1998,   and   for   not   it  was  an  error  on  the  part  of  respondent  judge  to  have  issued  
giving  her  an  opportunity  to  be  heard  before  issuing  such  order.   one  in  the  instant  case.  
o Supreme   Court   Circular   No.   39-­‐97   provides   that   hold    
departure   orders   shall   be   issued   only   in   criminal   cases  

 
RACHELLE  ANNE  GUTIERREZ  
CRIMINAL  PROCEDURE  DIGESTS  (2013  –  2014)                            ATTY.  TRANQUIL  SALVADOR  
 
Major   Point   2:   Canon   3,   Rule   3.01   of   the   Code   of   Judicial   Conduct  
exhorts   judges   to   be   “faithful   to   the   law   and   maintain   professional  
competence.”    
• Besides,   Circular   No.   39-­‐97   is   not   a   new   circular.   It   was  
circularized   in   1997   and   violation   of   which   has   been   accordingly  
dealt   with   in   numerous   cases   before   the   Court.   Herein   judge,  
therefore,  cannot  be  excused  for  his  infraction.  
 
FINAL  VERDICT:  etc  etc  etc.  
 
NO  SEPARATE  OPINIONS  

 
RACHELLE  ANNE  GUTIERREZ