Abdula vs. Guiani G.R. No.: 118821, February 18, 2000, 326 SCRA 1 FACTS: The case involves a petition for certiorari and prohibition to set aside the warrant of arrest issued by Judge Japal M. Guiani of Branch 14 of the Regional Trial Court of Cotabato City. The petitioners, Mayor Bai Unggie D. Abdula and Odin Abdula, were charged with murder in Criminal Case No. 2376. The murder complaint alleged that the petitioners paid six other individuals for the death of a certain Abdul Dimalen, the former COMELEC Registrar of Kabuntalan, Maguindanao. Initially, the Provincial Prosecutor of Maguindanao dismissed the murder charges against the petitioners and five other respondents due to lack of prima facie evidence. However, a separate information for murder was filed against one of the respondents, Kasan Mama. Subsequently, the case was ordered to be returned to the Provincial Prosecutor for further investigation. After additional evidence was presented, the Provincial Prosecutor foun...
People vs. Montilla GR No. 123872, January 30, 1998 FACTS: Appellant was apprehended by SPO1 Concordio Talingting and SPO1 Armando Clarin. The appellant, according to the two officers, was caught transporting 28 marijuana bricks contained in a traveling bag and a carton box, which marijuana bricks had a total weight of 28 kilos. People vs. Montilla These two officers later asserted in court that they were aided by an informer in the arrest of appellant. That informer had informed them the day before that a drug courier, whom said informer could recognize, would be arriving with an undetermined amount of marijuana. Read: People vs. Sucro It was the same informer who pinpointed to the arresting officers the appellant when the latter alighted from a passenger jeepney. People vs. Montilla Appellant disavowed ownership of the prohibited drugs. He claimed that he traveled with only some pocket money and without any luggage. He further averred that when he was...