People vs. Judge Auxencio C. Dacuycuy, 173 scra 90 Summary

PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, represented by the Provincial Fiscal of Leyte, petitioner, vs. HON. JUDGE AUXENCIO C. DACUYCUY, CELESTINO S. MATONDO, SEGUNDINO A. CAVAL and CIRILO M. ZANORIA, respondents.

G.R. No. L-45127 | 1989-05-05

(Undue) Delegation of legislative powers (Sufficient Standard Test and Completeness Test)

Law allowing a judgeto inflict punishment of imprisonment in its discretion without designated limits is invalid
Delegation of legilsative powers, lack of sufficient standard, courts given discretion to fix period of imprisonment without setting limits for maximum or minimum period
Criminal jurisdiction of the court is determined by the statute in force at the time of the commencement of the action
Penalty is grossly disproportionate to the crime is an insufficient basis to declare the law unconstitutional on the ground that it is cruel and unusual
Delegation of Powers, Tests for Valid Delegation
Bill of rights; the fact that the punishment authorized by the statute is severe does not make it cruel or unusual

D E C I S I O N

REGALADO, J.:

Involved in this special civil action is the unique situation, to use an euphemistic phrase, of an alternative penal sanction of imprisonment imposed by law but without a specification as to the term or duration thereof.

As a consequence of such legislative faux pas or oversight, the petition at bar seeks to set aside the decision of the then Court of First Instance of Leyte, Branch IV, dated September 8, 1976, 1 penned by herein respondent judge and granting the petition for certiorari and prohibition with preliminary injunction filed by herein private respondents and docketed therein as Civil Case No. 5428,...