ABANADO VS. BAYONA, 677 SCRA 595

ABANADO VS. BAYONA, 677 SCRA 595

Facts:
Petitioner filed an information to the MTC and raffled to the respondent. Petitioner requested the court to issue a warrant of arrest to the accused in the said information. All documents was submitted the the petitioner except the denied resolution of the Investigating prosecutor. The Respondent ordered the petitioner to produced the said resolution which the petitioner refused as it he is not mandated to produce the said document. The respondent filed a contempt case against the Petitioner which the petitioner retaliated by filing this administrative case.

Issue:
Whether the MTC has jurisdiction in conducting a preliminary Investigation

RULING:
No, the conduct of a preliminary investigation is primarily an executive function.30 Thus, the courts must consider the rules of procedure of the Department of Justice in conducting preliminary investigations whenever the actions of a public prosecutor is put in question. The DOJ-NPS Manual states that the resolution of the investigating prosecutor should be attached to the information only “as far as practicable.” Thus, such attachment is not mandatory or required under the rules.