ni Atty. Persida Rueda-Acosta @Magtanong Kay Attorney | Mar. 5, 2025
Dear Chief Acosta,
Nahatulan ang kapatid ko ng parusang pagkakabilanggo ng walong taon. Maaari ba siyang mag-apply ng probation? — Buboy
Dear Buboy,
Una sa lahat, ang probation ay hindi isang karapatan na tinatamasa ng akusado. Ito ay isang espesyal na pribilehiyo na ipinagkakaloob sa mga kuwalipikadong nagsisisi na agad at umamin sa kanilang pananagutan, at sa gayon ay tinatalikuran ang kanilang karapatang mag-apela. Sa pagtanggap sa kanilang kapalaran at pagpayag na magbago, binibigyan sila ng Estado ng pagkakataon na maiwasan ang mantsa ng record ng pagkakulong sa pamamagitan ng pagsailalim sa rehabilitasyon sa labas ng bilangguan. Tinalakay ito ng ating Korte Suprema, sa panulat ni Honorable Associate Justice Estela M. Perlas-Bernabe, sa kasong Jaime Chua Ching vs. Fernando Ching, G.R. No. 240843, ika-03 ng Hunyo 2019. Ayon sa kasong ito, ang probation ay:
“Probation is a special privilege granted by the state to penitent qualified offenders who immediately admit their liability and thus renounce their right to appeal. In view of the acceptance of their fate and willingness to be reformed, the state affords them a chance to avoid the stigma of an incarceration record by making them undergo rehabilitation outside of prison. Some of the major purposes of the law are to help offenders develop themselves into law-abiding and self-respecting individuals, as well as assist them in their reintegration with the community. In Villareal v. People, the Court reiterated that probation is not a right enjoyed by the accused, but rather, an act of grace or clemency conferred by the State, viz.:
It is a special prerogative granted by law to a person or group of persons not enjoyed by others or by all. Accordingly, the grant of probation rests solely upon the discretion of the court which is to be exercised primarily for the benefit of organized society, and only incidentally for the benefit of the accused. The Probation Law should not therefore be permitted to divest the state or its government of any of the latter's prerogatives, rights or remedies, unless the intention of the legislature to this end is clearly expressed, and no person should benefit from the terms of the law who is not clearly within them.
Section 8 of the Probation Law states that ‘[i]n determining whether an offender may be placed on probation, the court [where the application is filed] shall consider all information relative to the character, antecedents, environment, mental and physical condition of the offender, and available institutional and community resources. [Hence,] [p]robation shall be denied if [said] court finds that: (a) the offender is in need of correctional treatment that can be provided most effectively by his commitment to an institution; (b) there is an undue risk that during the period of probation the offender will commit another crime; or (c) probation will depreciate the seriousness of the crime committed.’ Moreover, probation shall be denied outright to offenders who are deemed disqualified by the Probation Law. x x x”
Gayundin, ang pagkakaloob ng probation ay nakasalalay lamang sa pagpapasya ng hukuman para sa kapakinabangan ng lipunan. Sa pagpapasyang ito, isinasaalang-alang ang potensyal ng nagkasala na mareporma, ang mga hinihingi ng hustisya at interes ng publiko, at kasama ang iba pang nauugnay na mga pangyayari.
Kaugnay nito, nakasaad sa Presidential Decree (P.D.) No. 968, na mas kilala bilang “Probation Law of 1976,” na inamyendahan ng Republic Act (R.A.) No. 10707, ang mga hindi kuwalipikadong pagkalooban ng probation, kabilang dito ang mga nasentensyahan ng pagkakakulong ng higit sa anim na taon.
“SEC. 9. Disqualified Offenders. — The benefits of this Decree shall not be extended to those:
a. sentenced to serve a maximum term of imprisonment of more than six (6) years;
b. convicted of any crime against the national security;
c. who have previously been convicted by final judgment of an offense punished by imprisonment of more than six (6) months and one (1) day and/or a fine of more than one thousand pesos (P1,000.00);
d. who have been once on probation under the provisions of this Decree; and
e. who are already serving sentence at the time the substantive provisions of this Decree became applicable pursuant to Section 33 hereof.”
Alinsunod sa mga nabanggit, dahil lagpas anim na taon ang sentensya ng iyong kapatid, hindi naaayon sa kaso o sitwasyon niya ang probation.
Sana ay nabigyan namin ng linaw ang iyong katanungan. Ang payong aming ibinigay ay base lamang sa mga impormasyon na iyong inilahad at maaring magbago kung mababawasan o madaragdagan ang mga detalye ng iyong salaysay.
Maraming salamat sa iyong patuloy na pagtitiwala.
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