Case 57

Chavez v. CA
FACTS: thisisapetitionforhabeascorpus.Petitionerinvokingjurisdictionofthe
SupremeCourtthatheisentitledtobefreedfromimprisonmentupongroundthattrial
which resulted his conviction, he was denied of his constitutional right not to be
compelledtotestifyagainsthimself.Judgmentofconvictionwasforqualifiedtheftofa
motorvehicle.Informationwasfiledagainsttheaccusedtogetherwithotheraccusedthat
theyconspired,withintenttogainandabuseofconfidencewithouttheconsentofowner
DyLim,tookthevehicle.Alltheaccusedpleadnotguilty.
[NOTE:Youdonthavetoincludewritingthispart,thisisonlyforreference:
Prosecutionversionofwhathappened:
ChavezsawLeedrivingthethunderbird(car)andaskedifitisforsale.Leeanswered
yes.ChavezmetSumilangandinformedaboutthecar.ThetwowenttoAsistioandmade
aplantocapitalizeonRomeoVasquez'reputationasawealthymoviestar,introduce
himasabuyertosomeonewhowassellingacarand,afterthedeedofsaleissigned,by
trickerytorunawaywiththecar.Asistiowouldthenregisterit,sellittoathirdperson
foraprofit.Chavezknowntobeacaragentwasincludedintheplan.Hefurnishedthe
nameofJohnsonLeewhowassellinghisThunderbird.Chavezarrangedthemeeting
withLee.TheyagreedonthepriceandwenttoDySunkwhichistheregisteredownerof
the car. Deed of sale was drawn and signed by Sumilang. At Eugene's, a man
approachedSumilangwithanotewhichstatedthatthemoneywasreadyattheDalisay
Theater.Sumilangthenwroteonthesamenotethatthemoneyshouldbebroughttothe
restaurant.AtthesametimeherequestedLeetoexhibitthedeedofsaleofthecartothe
notebearer.The
Thunderbirdwasparked,foundthatitwasgone.Theythenimmediatelyreporteditsloss
tothepolice.Muchlater,theNBIrecoveredthealreadyrepaintedcarandimpoundedit.
Chavez,SumilangandAsistioconvergedthatsamedayatBarrioFiesta,arestaurantat
Highway 54 near the Balintawak monument in Caloocan. There, Asistio handed to
Sumilang P1,000.00 cash and a golf set worth P800.00 as the latter's share in the
transaction.Onthe14thofNovember,theregistrationofthecarwastransferredinthe
name of Sumilang in Cavite City, and three days later, in the name of Asistio in
Caloocan.
Sumilangsverson(oneoftheaccused):
SumilangsawChavezatgasstationandtoldabouttheThunderbird.Theyraisedthe
money.ChavezwenttoSumilanghouseandaskedifhewasreadyfortherestofmoney.
Heaffirmed.AtEugenesSumilangsawPascualandwarnedChavezwasasmartagent
andadvisedthatSumilangshouldbecareful.Thenthedeedofsalewasexecuted.Twoor
three days after, Asistio offered to buy the car of Sumilang and tendered the down
payment.)

TheTrialcourtgavecredencetothetestimonyofSumilang.AstoChavez,histestimony
establishedhisguiltbeyondreasonabledoubtandbrandedhimSelfconfessedculprit.
ISSUE:WhetherornotconstitutionalrightofChavezagainstselfincriminationhad
beenviolated?
HELD: Petitionerwasenvelopedbyacoerciveforce;theydeprivedhimofhiswillto
resist; they foreclosed choice. With all these, we have no hesitancy in saying that
petitionerwasforcedtotestifytoincriminatehimself,infullbreachofhisconstitutional
righttoremainsilent.Itcannotbesaidnowthathehaswaivedhisright.Hedidnot
volunteertotakethestandandinhisowndefense;hedidnotofferhimselfasawitness;
onthecontrary,heclaimedtherightuponbeingcalledtotestify.Thereisnowaiverof
the privilege. "To be effective, a waiver must be certain and unequivocal, and
intelligently, understandably, and willingly made; such waiver following only where
libertyofchoicehasbeenfullyaccorded.Afteraclaimawitnesscannotproperlybeheld
tohavewaivedhisprivilegeonvagueanduncertainevidence.SupremeCourtdecision:
Petitiongranted.Accusedmustbedischarge.