GR L 3582; (November, 1950) (Digest)
G.R. No. L-3582; November 29, 1950
THE PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, plaintiff-appellant, vs. EMILIO SANTOS Y BAUTISTA, defendant-appellee.
FACTS
The accused, Emilio Santos y Bautista, was charged in the Court of First Instance of Manila with attempted bribery. The information alleged he offered and delivered a one-peso bill to a Manila police officer to dissuade him from performing his duty to arrest the accused and file a charge for obstruction of a public street. The trial court dismissed the case for lack of jurisdiction, holding that the offense was not within its jurisdictional authority.
ISSUE
Whether the Court of First Instance had jurisdiction over the crime of attempted bribery as charged.
RULING
No. The Supreme Court affirmed the dismissal order. Applying its prior ruling in Uy Chin Hua vs. Dinglasan, the Court held that the penalty for the attempted crime of bribery, where the consummated crime is penalized by arresto mayor in its medium and maximum periods, is destierro in its minimum and medium periods. Since offenses punishable by destierro fall under the jurisdiction of justice of the peace and municipal courts, the Court of First Instance correctly ruled it had no jurisdiction over the case.
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