Marcos vs Ruiz

MARCOS vs RUIZ

213 SCRA 177 FACTS: •

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After conducting a preliminary investigation, Asst, Fiscal of Tagbilaran City led to RTC !o"ol 2 information against #arcos for violation of !$ 22% #arcos appeared during t"e sc"eduled arraignment but as&ed for resetting because "is la'yer "as (ust 'it"dra'n from t"e case% T"e court granted "is re)uest% *ater, #arcos 'as able to settle "is obligation 'it" t"e complainants and t"e latter e+ecuted an Adavit of -esistance% !ecause of t"at, Asst% City Fiscal led a #otion to -ismiss t"e case because 'it"out t"e testimony of t"e complainants '"o 'it"dre', "e cannot successfully prosecute t"e case% -uring t"e arraignment, #arcos pleaded not guilty% ."en t"e case 'as called for "earin "earing, g, #arcos #arcos and "is la'y la'yer er alre alread ady y left% left% T"e prose prosecut cution ion proce proceede eded d in t"e presentation of its evidence and rested its case% !ecause #arcos did not attend t"e trial, t"e court forfeited "is bail bond% Counsel e+plained t"at "e 'as unable to attend t"e trial because "e "ad attended urgent matter '"ic" needed "is personal attention% /e also e+plained t"at #arcos left in belief t"at t"ere 'ould no presentation of evidence since an Adavit of -esistance 'as already led before t"e court% 0ssentially, 0ssentially, t"e 2 nd information 'as t"e same as t"e 1 st so t"e counsel of t"e accused oere oered d t"at t"at readi reading ng of inform informati ation on is 'aive 'aived d and plea plea of not guilty guilty be direct directly ly entered%

ISSUE:

. t"e court erred in in forfeiting t"e petitioner4s bail bond for "is non5appearance during trial% Stated ot"er'ise, '"at are t"e instances '"ere t"e presence of t"e accused during trial is indispensable6 #ay a counsel enter a plea in be"alf of t"e accused6

RULING:

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 T"e forfeiture forfeiture of t"e bail bond 'as inappropriate inappropriate%% A bail bond may be forfeited forfeited only in instances '"ere t"e presence of t"e accused is specically re)uired by t"e court of  t"e RoC and, despite due notice to t"e bondsmen to produce "im before t"e court on a given date, t"e accused fails to appear in person as so re)uired% nder t"e RoC, t"e accused "as to be present8 1 at t"e arraign arraignment ment pursu pursuant ant to to par% par% 9b:, Section Section 1, Rule Rule 11;< 11;< 2 at t"e t"e promulg promulgatio ation n of (udgmen (udgment, t, e+cept e+cept '"en conviction conviction is for for a lig"t lig"t oen oense se,, in '"ic '"ic" " case case t"e t"e (udg (udgme ment nt may may be pron pronou ounc nced ed in t"e t"e presence of "is counsel or representative pursuant to Section ; of Rule 12=, or unless promulgation in absentia is allo'ed under 3 rd par of said Section< and 3 '"en '"en t"e prosecu prosecutio tion n intends intends to present present 'itne 'itness sses es '"o 'ill 'ill identif identify y t"e accused%  T"us, t"e petitioner4s appearance 'as not re)uired re)uired at t"e sub(ect trial% >t is true t"at "e "as t"e rig"t to be present at every stage of t"e proceeding proceeding 9from arraignment to promulgation:, promulgation:, but "e can 'aive "is presence% T"e failure of t"e accused to appear at

t"e trial despite due notice and 'it"out (ustication is deemed an e+press 'aiver of  "is rig"t to be present% As suc", t"e trial may proceed in absentia% •

.it" regard to t"e 2 nd information, t"e court made no ruling on t"e manifestation and oer by petitioner4s counsel t"at t"e reading of t"e information is 'aived and a plea of not guilty is entered% T"e petitioner 'as neit"er made to conrm t"e manifestation nor directed to personally ma&e t"e plea% T"ere 'as no valid arraignment as it is re)uired t"at t"e accused 'ould personally enter "is plea%