Case Digest: Roxas v. Vasquez

ISSUE:  Whether or not the Court may review or interfere with the prosecutorial prerogative of the Ombudsman. 

FACTS:  Manuel C. Roxas was the Chairman, while Ahmed S. Nacpil was a Member, of the Bids and Awards Committee of the PC-INP who invited bids for the supply of sixty-five units of fire trucks. The COA subsequently discovered that while the disbursement voucher indicated the bid price has discrepancy. DILG Secretary filed a complaint with the Ombudsman for violation of Republic Act No. 3019 against Roxas and Nacpil. 

DECISION:  Yes. The Court may interfere with the prosecutorial prerogative of the Ombudsman. 

RATIO DECIDENDI:  Ordinarily, the Court will not interfere with the discretion of the Ombudsman to determine whether there exists reasonable ground to believe that a crime has been committed and that the accused is probable guilty thereof and, thereafter, to file the corresponding information with the appropriate courts. However, the Court found that the case at bar falls under one of the recognized exceptions to this rule, more specifically, the constitutional rights of the accused are impaired and the charges are manifestly false. In cases where the Ombudsman and the Special Prosecutor were unable to agree on whether or not probable cause exists, the Court may interfere with the findings and conclusions.