EN BANC

DECISION
September 30, 1980
A.M. No. , ,
vs.
, .
, J.:
In a sorn!"etter #omp"a$nt %ate% November 1&, 19'(, a%%resse% to t)e t)en
Se#retar* o+ J,st$#e, t)e #omp"a$nant, -r$m$t$voSantos #)ar.e% M,n$#$pa" J,%.e
Art,ro E. Cr,/ o+ t)e M,n$#$pa" Co,rt o+ B,"a#an $t) part$a"$t* an% #on%,#t
,nbe#om$n. a 0,%.e +or )av$n. $ntervene% $t) an%1or prevente% t)e #omp"a$nant
$n 2"$n. #ases $n t)e M,n$#$pa" Co,rt o+ B,"a#an. 1
3)e t)en Se#retar* o+ J,st$#e re+erre% to M,n$#$pa" J,%.e Art,ro E. Cr,/ t)e
#omp"a$nt o+ -r$m$t$vo Santos +or $mme%$ate #omment. (
In )$s #omment %ate% November ((, 19'(, t)e respon%ent J,%.e %en$e% t)e
#)ar.es. 3
3)e #omp"a$nt as re+erre% to t)e E4e#,t$ve D$str$#t J,%.e o+ t)e Co,rt o+ 5$rst
Instan#e o+ B,"a#an at Ma"o"os +or $nvest$.at$on, report an% re#ommen%at$on. 6
In )er 7eport %ate% A,.,st (3, 19'3, D$str$#t J,%.e 5"ore"$ana Castro!Barto"ome
ma%e t)e +o""o$n. 2n%$n.s:
3)e #omp"a$nt o+ -r$m$t$vo Santos, t)ere+ore, as t)e on"* one t)at stoo% +or
)ear$n..
On t)e 2rst para.rap) o+ t)e "etter!#omp"a$nt, $t as a%%,#e% b* t)e test$mon* o+
7oberto 8. 8ar#$a, a po"$#e #orpora" o+ B,"a#an, B,"a#an, )o bro,.)t t)e po"$#e
b"otter s,bpoenae% +or #onta$n$n. t)e +o""o$n. entr*:
J,ne 1, 19'(. 9 Sa .anap na $:a!10 n. ,ma.a a* na.sa%*a sa )$mp$"an s$ 8n..
;eon$"a 7o%r$.,e/!Santos at $p$na.s,mbon. s$ 3eres$ta Cr,/ sa .$naan.
pa.m,m,ra at pa.sasara n. %aanan sa :,s$na n. :an$"an. t$n%a)an. Na.b$.a* n.
:,san. "oob na pa)a*a. s$ ;eon$"a Santos :a*. ... <a"an. sa:s$ na$)arap s$ 8n..
Santos :a*a p$na.pa*,)an. ma.ba"$: at :a$"an.an %$n an. pa)a*a. n. sa:s$. =to
#)ar.es: s"an%er > #"os$n. o+ t)e ?%aan?@.
t)at as a stan%ar% operat$n. pro#e%,re, )e .ave t)e statement to )$s C)$e+ an% no
ot)er entr* s)os t)at t)e #omp"a$nant ret,rne% to t)e -o"$#e Aea%B,arters. J,%.e
Cr,/ $s )ere ron.+,""* b"ame% +or t)e +a$",re o+ $ts 2"$n., as t)e port$on )ere a
#omp"a$nantCs 0,rat s)o,"% be, as not s$.ne% b* J,%.e Cr,/, b,t #omp"a$nant
-r$m$t$vo Santos #o,"% not state t)at )$s $+e ever appeare% be+ore J,%.e Cr,/ to
e4e#,te t)e oat) nor as an* ev$%en#e presente% t)at t)e same as ever
+orar%e% to J,%.e Cr,/. 3)e "atter seems to be b"ame% +or a +a$",re )$#) as not
o+ )$s on ma:$n. an% no ev$%en#e appears t)at J,%.e Cr,/ )a% move% )eaven an%
eart) to prevent t)e 2"$n. o+ a+oresa$% oDenses $n t)e M,n$#$pa" Co,rt o+ B,"a#an.
On t)e s$4t) para.rap) o+ t)e "etter!#omp"a$nt, t)e on"* test$mon* o+ -r$m$t$vo
Santos on )$#) )$s s,sp$#$on t)at J,%.e Cr,/ as $nter+er$n. $t) a #r$m$na" #ase
2"e% b* 3eres$ta Cr,/ as )e sa J,%.e Cr,/ enter t)e room )ere an $nvest$.at$on
as be$n. #on%,#te% $n a #ase beteen )$m an% 3eres$ta Cr,/ an% t)e "atter as
sa*$n.: ?A$n%$ totoo C*an, nan%*an sa "abas s$ J,%.e Cr,/,? an% )en )e "oo:e%,
J,%.e Cr,/ as t)ere. Eet, t)e #ase as a%m$tte%"* %$sm$sse% ,pon t)e
#omp"a$nantCs $nstan#e. -r$m$t$vo Santos be"$eve% t)at t)e #ase be$n. $nvest$.ate%
b* t)e 5$s#a"Cs OF#e o,"% a"so +a"" $t)$n t)e 0,r$s%$#t$on o+ t)e M,n$#$pa" Co,rt o+
B,"a#an )ere J,%.e Cr,/ pres$%es an% so )e m$sta:en"* be"$eve% t)at J,%.e Cr,/Cs
presen#e amo,nte% to +o""o$n. ,p t)e #ase.
3)e "ast para.rap) #onta$n$n. t)e "ast .ro,n% +or t)e #omp"a$nt $s tr$v$a" an% %oes
not nee% +,rt)er #omment. 3)e test$mon* o+ -r$m$t$vo Santos )as +a$"e% to #on2rm
t)at J,%.e Cr,/ ever sa$% t)e or%s #omp"a$ne% o+ : ?Ba:$t, G3GSAN MO BA HAMI
7I3O SA JGI8ADOJ? b,t a%m$tte% t)at )e s$.ne% t)e p"ea%$n. to ,n%erta:e serv$#e
on )$s "a*er.
3)e "etter!#omp"a$nt as:s t)at J,%.e Cr,/ vo",ntar$"* $n)$b$t )$mse"+ +rom tr*$n. C$v$"
Case No. (K0 an% a""o anot)er 0,%.e to )ear $t, an% J,%.e Cr,/ s,spen%e% t)e
pro#ee%$n.s. K
A #are+," rev$e o+ t)e re#or%s o+ t)$s #ase s)os t)at t)e $nvest$.at$n. J,%.e
#orre#t"* +o,n% t)at t)e #omp"a$nant as not ab"e to prove t)e #)ar.es o+ part$a"$t*
an% #on%,#t ,nbe#om$n. a 0,%.e.
Aoever, t)e trans#r$pt o+ t)e steno.rap)$# notes s)os t)at %,r$n. t)e +orma"
$nvest$.at$on #on%,#te% on 5ebr,ar* 9, 19'3 & t)e respon%ent 0,%.e, )$"e #ross!
e4am$n$n. t)e $tness, A"berto 3. Cano, "ost )$s temper an% sa$%: ?Eo, #an .o to )e""
I %onCt #are or )ere %o *o, ant to .o Mr. Cano?. 3)$s "an.,a.e o+ t)e J,%.e $s
,nbe#om$n. o+ a m,n$#$pa" 0,%.e an% %eserves a%m$n$strat$ve pena"t*.
<AE7E5O7E, t)e respon%ent J,%.e $s )ereb* ELONE7A3ED o+ t)e #)ar.e o+
part$a"$t* b,t $s +o,n% .,$"t* o+ #on%,#t ,nbe#om$n. a 0,%.e b* ,tter$n. $ntemperate
"an.,a.e %,r$n. t)e tr$a" o+ t)e #ase. 3)e respon%ent 0,%.e $s )ereb* $mpose% a
pena"t* o+ a 2ne eB,$va"ent to one =1@ mont) sa"ar* an% arne% t)at a repet$t$on o+
t)e same or s$m$"ar oDense s)a"" be %ea"t $t) more severe"*.
SO O7DE7ED.
3ee)an:ee A#t$n. C.J., Ma:as$ar, 8,errero an% Me"en#$o!Aerrera, JJ., #on#,r.