Answer (Petition for Habeas Corpus)

Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT OF LANAO DEL NORTE 12TH Judicial Region Branch 03, Iligan City

IN THE MA MAT TTE TER R of PE PET TITION FOR HABEAS CORPUS  AMANDA EGURO, EGURO, Petitioner, -versus-

!P"CI#$ PR%C. &o. "#1$ &o.  "#1$ '%R( PE PETI TITI TION ON FO FOR R HABEAS  CORPUS 

AGAPITO APIT! Respondent. X----------------------X------------------------------------------------------- ----------

AN%ER Respondent, by counsel, unto the )onorable Court, respectfully alleges( ADMIION and DENIAL *+Par. +, , 3,  / and  of the petition are  ADMITTED  ADMITTED.. *!ub1ect to !pecial and #ffir2ative #ffir2ative efenses efenses hereafter set forth in this  #ns4er,, Par  #ns4er Par.. 5 is specifica specifically lly DENIED fo forr 4a 4ant nt of 6n 6no4 o4le ledg dge e sufficient to for2 a belief as to the truth or falsity thereof. *3Par. 7, 8 and +0 are DENIED for 4ant of 6no4ledge sufficient to for2 a belief as to the truth or falsity thereof. *!ub1ect to !pecial and #ffir2ative #ffir2ative efenses efenses hereafter set forth in this  #ns4er,, Par.  #ns4er Par. ++, ++, + and and +3 of the petition petition are specifically DENIED DENIED for   for  4ant of 6no4ledge sufficient to for2 a belief as to the truth or falsity thereof9 */Par. + of the petition are  ADMITTED  ADMITTED99 *!ub1ect to !pecial and #ffir2ative #ffir2ative efenses efenses hereafter set forth in this  #ns4er,, Par. +/ of the petitio  #ns4er petition n are specifically DENIED DENIED   for 4ant of  6no4ledge sufficient to for2 a belief as to the truth or falsity thereof9 *5Par. + of the petition is  ADMITTED  ADMITTED..

PECIAL AND AFFIRMATI&E DEFENE Respondent re-plead all the foregoing allegations and further  allege that ---*7T'e (e)i)ion i* no) (+o(e+ . :he case of Johanna Sombong vs. Court of Appeals et. al., ;.R. &o. +++75. In general, the purpose of the 4rit of habeas corpus is to deter2ine 4hether or not a particular person is legally held. # pri2e specification of an application for a 4rit of habeas corpus, in fact, is an actual and effective, and not 2erely no2inal or 2oral, illegal restraint of liberty. :he 4rit of habeas corpus 4as devised and e=ists as a speedy and effectual re2edy to relieve persons fro2 unla4ful restraint, and as the best and only sufficient defense of  personal freedo2. # pri2e specification of an application for a 4rit of habeas corpus is restraint of liberty. :he essential ob1ect and purpose of the 4rit of habeas corpus is to in?uire into all 2anner of  involuntary restraint as distinguished fro2 voluntary, and to relieve a person therefro2 if such restraint is illegal. #ny restraint 4hich 4ill preclude freedo2 of action is sufficient. + 'unda2entally, in order to 1ustify the grant of the 4rit of  habeas corpus, the restraint of liberty 2ust be in the nature of an illegal and involuntary deprivation of freedo2 of action. :his is the basic re?uisite under the first part of !ection +, Rule +0, of the Revised Rules of Court, 4hich provides that e=cept as other4ise e=pressly provided by la4, the 4rit of habeas corpus shall e=tend to all cases of illegal confine2ent or detention by 4hich any person is deprived of his liberty. In the second part of the sa2e provision, ho4ever, Habeas Corpus 2ay be resorted to in cases 4here the rightful custody of  any person is 4ithheld fro2 the person entitled thereto. :hus, although the @rit of Habeas Corpus ought not to be issued if the restraint is voluntary, 4e have held ti2e and again that the said 4rit is the proper legal re2edy to enable parents to regain the custody of a 2inor child even if the latter be in the custody of a third person of her o4n free 4ill. 

It 2ay even be said that in custody cases involving 2inors, the ?uestion of illegal and involuntary restraint of liberty is not the underlying rationale for the availability of the 4rit as a re2edy9 rather, )'e ,+i) of habeas corpus i* (+o*ecu)ed fo+ )'e (u+(o*e of de)e+-ining )'e +ig') of cu*)od. o/e+ a c'ild0 *"2phasis supplied 1 Aillavicencio

2 !alvana

v. $u6ban, 38 Phil. 557.

v. ;aela, // Phil. 70.

:he controversy does not involve the ?uestion of personal freedo2, because an infant is presu2ed to be in the custody of  so2eone until he attains 2a1ority age. In (a**ing on )'e ,+i) in a c'ild cu*)od. ca*e! )'e cou+) deal* ,i)' a -a))e+ of an eui)ale na)u+e0 No) ound . an. -e+e legal +ig') of (a+en) o+ gua+dian! )'e cou+) gi/e* 'i* o+ 'e+ clai- )o )'e cu*)od. of  )'e c'ild due ,eig') a* a clai- founded on 'u-an na)u+e and con*ide+ed gene+all. eui)ale and 3u*)0 T'e+efo+e! )'e*e ca*e* a+e decided! no) on )'e legal +ig') of )'e (e)i)ione+ )o e +elie/ed f+o- unla,ful i-(+i*on-en) o+ de)en)ion! a* in )'e ca*e of adul)*! u) on )'e cou+)* /ie, of )'e e*) in)e+e*)* of  )'o*e ,'o*e ,elfa+e +eui+e* )'a) )'e. e in cu*)od. of one (e+*on o+ ano)'e+0 Hence! )'e cou+) i* no) ound )o deli/e+ a c'ild in)o )'e cu*)od. of an. clai-an) o+ of an. (e+*on! u) *'ould! in )'e con*ide+a)ion of )'e fac)*! lea/e i) in *uc' cu*)od. a* i)* ,elfa+e a) )'e )i-e a((ea+* )o +eui+e0 In *'o+)! )'e c'ild4* ,elfa+e i* )'e *u(+e-e con*ide+a)ion0 *"2phasis supplied Considering that the childs 4elfare is an all-i2portant factor  in custody cases, the Child and outh @elfare Code 3, une?uivocally provides that in all ?uestions regarding the care and custody, a2ong others, of the child, his 4elfare shall be the para2ount consideration. In the sa2e vein, the 'a2ily Code authoriDes the courts to, if the 4elfare of the child so de2ands, deprive the parents concerned of parental authority over the child or adopt such 2easures as 2ay be proper under the circu2stances. / :he foregoing principles considered, the grant of the 4rit in the instant case 4ill all depend on the concurrence of the follo4ing re?uisites( *+ that the petitioner has the right of custody over the 2inor9 * that the rightful custody of the 2inor is being 4ithheld fro2 the petitioner by the respondent9 and *3 )'a) i) i* )o )'e e*) in)e+e*) of )'e -ino+ conce+ned )o e in )'e cu*)od. of  (e)i)ione+ and no) )'a) of )'e +e*(onden)05 *"2phasis !upplied

*8It is i2pliedly assu2ed that the Petitioner holds her right of custody over the child, Christopher EnFo child under seven years of age shall be separated fro2 the 2other, unless the court finds co2pelling reasons to order other4ise.G :his is 2ore pronounced in case of illegiti2ate children, as the la4 e=pressly provides that illegiti2ate children shall be under the parental authority of their 2other9 *++ :his rule ho4ever is not absolute. "ven a 2other 2ay be deprived of the custody of her child 4ho is belo4 seven years of age for >co2pelling reasons9G

*+ !ection + of #.H. &o. 03-0-0-!C other4ise 6no4n as the Proposed Rule %n Custody %f Hinors #nd @rit %f Habeas Corpus in Relation :o Custody %f Hinors provides that(

6ec)ion 170 Factors to consider in determining custody 0 - In a,a+ding cu*)od.! )'e cou+) *'all con*ide+ )'e e*) in)e+e*)* of )'e -ino+ and *'all gi/e (a+a-oun) con*ide+a)ion )o 'i* -a)e+ial and -o+al ,elfa+e0 T'e e*) in)e+e*)* of )'e -ino+ +efe+ )o )'e )o)ali). of )'e ci+cu-*)ance* and condi)ion* a* a+e -o*) congenial )o )'e *u+/i/al! (+o)ec)ion! and feeling* of *ecu+i). of )'e -ino+ encou+aging )o 'i* ('.*ical! (*.c'ological and e-o)ional de/elo(-en)0 I) al*o -ean* )'e lea*) de)+i-en)al a/ailale al)e+na)i/e fo+ *afegua+ding )'e g+o,)' and de/elo(-en) of )'e -ino+0 8E-('a*i* *u((lied9 :he court shall also consider the follo4ing( X==   89 T'e de*i+e and aili). of one (a+en) )o fo*)e+ an o(en and lo/ing +ela)ion*'i( e),een )'e -ino+ and )'e o)'e+ (a+en): 8c9 T'e 'eal)'! *afe). and ,elfa+e of )'e -ino+: X== 8f9 Hai)ual u*e of alco'ol! dange+ou* d+ug* o+  +egula)ed *u*)ance*: X== 8'9 T'e -o*) *ui)ale ('.*ical! e-o)ional! *(i+i)ual! (*.c'ological and educa)ional en/i+on-en) fo+ )'e 'oli*)ic de/elo(-en) and g+o,)' of )'e -ino+: and

X== *"2phasis supplied

*+3 It is over4hel2ingly alar2ing and 4orrying that the petitioner  never 2entioned in her petition 4hat truly led herein respondent to abruptly ta6e in to his o4n custody the 2inor Christopher