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Venancio Figueroa y Cervantes Vs. People of the Philippines

VENANCIO FIGUEROA y CERVANTES,[1] Petitioner, versus PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, Respondent.

G.R. No. 147406 | 2008-07-14

D E C I S I O N


NACHURA, J.:

When is a litigant estopped by laches from assailing the jurisdiction of a tribunal? This is the paramount issue raised in this petition for review of the February 28, 2001 Decision[2] of the Court of Appeals (CA) in CA-G.R. CR No. 22697.

Pertinent are the following antecedent facts and proceedings:

On July 8, 1994, an information[3] for reckless imprudence resulting in homicide was filed against the petitioner before the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Bulacan, Branch 18.[4] The case was docketed as Criminal Case No. 2235-M-94.[5] Trial on the merits ensued and on August 19, 1998, the trial court...