IRISKRISTINEBALOISALBERTOandBENJAMIND.BALOISv.THEHON.

COURT
OFAPPEALS,etal.
G.R.Nos.182130&182132
June19,2013
PERLASBERNABE,J.

Facts:
Onseparateoccasions,GilAnthonyCaliangaallegedlyrapedIrisKristineAlberto,who
wasthenaminor.Onanotherincident,itwasallegedthatrespondentsabductedIristhroughforce
andintimidation.RespondentsraisedthesweetheartdefenseandconsentonthepartofIris.The
Prosecutor dismissed all the charges against respondents, except the charge of Child Abuse
againstrespondentGilforhavingsexualintercoursewithIrisbytakingadvantageofherminority
andhismoralinfluenceasapastoroftheirchurch.
On appeal, the DOJ Secretary found probable cause to charge: (a) Gil for Rape, in
relationtoSection5(b),ArticleIIIofRA7610;(b)Gil,Jessebel,Atty.ReynaandGraceforone
(1)counteachofSeriousIllegalDetentionandRape,inrelationtoSection5(b),ArticleIIIofRA
7610;and(c)Gil,Atty.ReynaandArturoforone(1)counteachofForcibleAbductionwith
Rape. However, these were revoked by the CA when it granted respondents petition for
certiorari.

Issue:
Whetherthereisprobablecausetochargerespondentsofthecrimes

Ruling:
Yes,astothecrimeofrape.No,astotheothercrimes.Probablecausedoesnotmean
"actualandpositivecause"nordoesitimportabsolutecertainty.Itismerelybasedonopinion
andreasonablebelief.Probablecausedoesnotrequireaninquiryintowhetherthereissufficient
evidence to procure a conviction; it is enough that it is believed that the act or omission
complainedofconstitutestheoffensecharged.
TheDOJSecretarydidnotgravelyabusehisdiscretioninfindingthatprobablecause
existsforthecrimeofrapeagainstGil,Atty.ReynaandArturo,astheelementsofrapeappearto
bepresent.However,theDOJSecretarygravelyabusedhisdiscretioninfindingthatprobable
causeexistsforthecrimeofSeriousIllegalDetentionasrecordsarebereftofanyevidenceto
support a finding that Iris was illegally detained or restrained of her movement. The DOJ
Secretarylikewisecommittedgraveabuseofdiscretioninfindingprobablecauseforthecrimeof
ForcibleAbductionwithRapeastherewasnoevidencetoprovethatIriswasrestrainedofher
liberty.Evenifitisassumedthattherewassomeformofabduction,ithasnotbeenshownnor
evensufficientlyallegedthatthetakingwasdonewithlewddesigns.