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Sec. Of Justice vs Hon. Ralph Lantion & Mark Jimenez

SECRETARY OF JUSTICE, petitioner, vs. HON. RALPH C. LANTION, Presiding Judge, Regional Trial Court of Manila, Branch 25, and MARK B. JIMENEZ, respondents.

G.R. No. 139465 | 2000-01-18

D E C I S I O N 

MELO, J.: 

The individual citizen is but a speck of particle or molecule vis-á -vis the vast and overwhelming powers of government. His only guarantee against oppression and tyranny are his fundamental liberties under the Bill of Rights which shield him in times of need. The Court is now called to decide whether to uphold a citizen's basic due process rights, or the government's ironclad duties under a treaty. The bugle sounds and this Court must once again act as the faithful guardian of the fundamental writ. 

The petition at our doorstep is cast against the following factual backdrop: 

On January...