Astorga vs People FACTS: On September 1, 1997, Regional Special Operations Group (RSOG) o t!

e "epartment o #n$ironment an% &atural Resources ("#&R) O ice &o' (, Tacloban Cit) sent a team to t!e islan% o "aram, *estern Samar to con%uct intelligence gat!ering an% orest protection operations in line +it! t!e go$ernment,s campaign against illegal logging' T!e team +as compose% o Forester -- .oises %ela Cru/, Scaler *eni re%o .aniscan, Forest Ranger Renato .ilitante, an% Tree .ar0er Crisanto 1elias, +it! #lpi%io #' Simon, C!ie o t!e Forest 1rotection an% 2a+ #n orcement Section, as team lea%er' T!e team +as escorte% b) S1O3 An%res 4' Cinco, 5r' an% S1O1 Ru o Capo6uian' -n 4rg)' 4agaca), "aram, *estern Samar, t!e team notice% t+o )ac!t7li0e boats being contructe%' T!e) learne% t!at suc! boats belonge% to a certain .ic!ael Figueroa' 8o+e$er, t!e o+ner +as not +it!in t!e premises so t!e) continue% +it! t!eir searc!' -n 4rg)' 2ucob72ucob, t!e team spotte% t+o boats measuring 1( meters in lengt! an% 9 meters in brea%t! being constructe%' T!ere t!e) sa+ t!e petitioner .a)or 4enito Astorga o "aram, Samar' 8eate% altercation ensue% bet+een .a)or an% t!e team' .a)or slappe% Simon an% uttere% o ensi$e remar0s against t!e group' .a)or also calle% or rein orcement +!ic! consist o arme% men +!o came a e+ minutes a ter t!eir encounter' A ter+ar%s, t!e team +as broug!t to "aram, in t!e !ouse o .a)or Astorga +!erein t!e) +ere ser$e% %inner an% alco!olic %rin0s' T!e team +as not alble to lea$e t!e !ouse unti :am t!e ne;t %a)' Subse6uentl), t!e members o t!e regional team ile% a case or arbitrar) %etention against .a)or Astorga be ore t!e San%iganba)an' "uring trial, t!e complainants, !o+e$er ile% t!eir a i%a$it o %esistance' &ot+it!stan%ing t!e a i%a$it, t!e San%iganba)an con$icte% t!e accuse%' Suc! in%ing +as a irme% b) t!e Supreme Court in its :<<3 "ecision' .a)or Astorga ile% a .otion or Reconsi%eration but it +as %enie% +it! inalit)' 8o+e$er, on a : n% .otion or Reconsi%eration, t!e Supreme Court procee%e% t o re$erse it %ecision' -SS=#: *!et!er or not .a)or Astorga can ca ac6uitte%' 8#2": >es' Arbitrar) "etention is committe% b) an) public o icer or emplo)ee +!o, +it!out legal groun%s, %etains a person' T!e elements o t!e crime are: 1' T!at t!e o en%er is a public o icer or emplo)ee' :' T!at !e %etains a person' 3' T!at t!e %etention is +it!out legal groun%s' T!e %eterminati$e actor in Arbitrar) "etention, in t!e absence o actual p!)sical restraint, is ear' Fear is a state o min% an% is necessaril) sub?ecti$e -n t!e present case, t!e pri$ate complainants +ere not able to testi ) against t!e !erein petitioner or t!e) !a$e signi ie% t!eir %esistance' As suc!, t!e groun% o ear cannot be establis!e%' T!e Supreme Court in its Resolution in :<<@, ac6uitte% .a)or Astorga'