CRIMINAL PROCEDURE | PEOPLE V. LARA, G.R. NO. 199877, 13 AUGUST 2012
PEOPLE V. LARA,
G.R. NO. 199877, 13 AUGUST 2012,
TOPIC/DOCTRINE
The right to counsel is deemed to have
arisen at the precise moment custodial investigation begins and being made to
stand in a police line-up is not the starting point or a part of custodial
investigation. Further, jurisdiction over the person of the accused may be
acquired through compulsory process such as a warrant of arrest or through his
voluntary appearance, such as when he surrenders to the police or to the court.
Any objection to the arrest or acquisition of jurisdiction over the person of
the accused must be made before he enters his plea, otherwise the objection is
deemed waived.
FACTS
On appeal,
Lara pointed out several errors that supposedly attended his conviction. First, that he was arrested without a warrant under
circumstances that do not justify a warrantless arrest rendered void all
proceedings including those that led to his conviction. Second, he was not assisted by counsel when the police
placed him in a line-up to be identified by the witnesses for the prosecution
in violation of Section 12, Article III of the Constitution. The police line-up
is part of custodial investigation and his right to counsel had already
attached.
ISSUE
Whether the identification made by Sumulong, Atie and Manacob in
the police line-up is inadmissible because Lara stood therein without the
assistance of counsel;
Whether Lara’s supposedly illegal arrest may be raised for the
first time on appeal for the purpose of nullifying his conviction;
RULING
No in all instances.
The court ruled that the
right to counsel is deemed to have arisen at the precise moment custodial
investigation begins and being made to stand in a police line-up is not the
starting point or a part of custodial investigation. Further, jurisdiction over
the person of the accused may be acquired through compulsory process such as a
warrant of arrest or through his voluntary appearance, such as when he
surrenders to the police or to the court. Any objection to the arrest or
acquisition of jurisdiction over the person of the accused must be made before
he enters his plea, otherwise the objection is deemed waived.