537 Phil. 610
YNARES-SANTIAGO, J.:
Investigating prosecutor Ringcar Pinote conducted the preliminary investigation and found probable cause to indict the private [respondents] for the offense of Double Murder with Multiple Frustrated Murder. As a result, an Information was filed in the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Malabang, Lanao del Sur, Branch 12, charging [them] with the crime of Double Murder with Multiple Frustrated Murder.On December 16, 2004, the Court thru Associate Justice Minita V. Chico-Nazario rendered a decision in G.R. No. 159962 affirming the decision of the Court of Appeals and sustaining the Resolution of the Department of Justice (DOJ) dated August 4, 1999 directing the filing of two Informations for Murder with Attempted Murder, two Informations for Frustrated Murder and an Information for Attempted Murder against all the private respondents; as well as the December 1, 1999 and March 16, 2000 Resolutions of the DOJ denying private respondents' motions for reconsideration. The Court also directed the implementation of the warrants of arrest issued against them. The dispositive portion thereof reads:
The herein [private respondents] filed an urgent motion for reinvestigation. In an Order dated 23 July 1998, Acting Presiding Judge Rasad Balindong granted the petition and ordered the records returned to the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor, Marawi City.
The said office issued a Resolution dated 28 August 1998 modifying the offense charged against Anwar Balindong, Lt. Col. Jalandoni D. Cota, and PO1 Kennedy Balindong to double homicide with multiple frustrated homicide, and dropping the charges against Amer Oden Balindong and Ali Balindong. In the meantime, the Supreme Court transferred the venue from Lanao del Sur to Cotabato City x x x.
The [petitioner] filed a petition for review of the Provincial Prosecutor's Resolution before the Department of Justice (DOJ) under then Secretary Serafin Cuevas. In a Resolution dated 04 August 1999, the latter modified the said Resolution and directed the filing of two informations for murder with attempted murder, two informations for frustrated murder and an information for attempted murder against all the private [respondents]. The [latter] filed a motion for reconsideration on 01 September 1999. Meanwhile, five amended informations were filed on 04 October 1999 for the aforementioned offenses before the RTC of Maguindanao, Cotabato City, docketed as Criminal Cases No. 2503, No. 2573, No. 2574, No. 2575, and No. 2576. On 01 December 1999, the DOJ denied the petitioners' motion for reconsideration.
Subsequently, the venue was again transferred from Cotabato City to Cagayan de Oro City. x x x
On 01 January 2000, the [private respondents] filed a second motion for reconsideration of Secretary Cuevas's Resolution dated 01 December 1999. This was denied with finality in a Resolution dated 16 March 2000 by then Acting DOJ Sec. Artemio Tuquero, with a warning that no further pleadings would be entertained. Seven months later, on 10 October 2000, the [private respondents] filed a third Motion for Reconsideration before the DOJ.
In the meantime, x x x the venue of the above cases [was] transferred from Cagayan de Oro to a Special Criminal Court in Quezon City.
x x x Criminal Cases No. 2503 and No. 2573 were re-raffled to the RTC of Quezon City, Branch 219 and re-docketed as Criminal Cases Nos. Q-01-99892 and Q-01-99893. Criminal Cases Nos. 2574 to 76 were re-raffled to the RTC of Quezon City, Branch 227, and re-docketed as Criminal Cases Nos. Q-01-100542 to 44.
On 12 March 2001, then DOJ Secretary Hernando Perez resolved to grant the [private respondents'] third motion for reconsideration x x x
x x x x
Seeking to have Secretary Perez's 12 March 2001 Resolution annulled, [petitioner] filed her own motion for reconsideration with the DOJ. Upon denial of said motion, [she] filed a petition for certiorari under Rule 65 in the Court of Appeals. In a Decision dated 22 May 2003, the latter granted the petition for certiorari, reversed the DOJ Resolution dated 12 March 2001 and reinstated the DOJ Resolutions dated 04 August 1999, 01 December 1999 and 16 March 2000.
x x x x
The petitioners thereupon filed the present petition [G.R. No. 159462] for certiorari under Rule 45 before this Court. x x x
[O]n 03 December 2003, Pairing Judge Jose Paneda of the RTC of Quezon City, Branch 219, caused the issuance of warrants of arrest against herein petitioners for the above-mentioned cases. The latter moved for the issuance of a temporary restraining order in this Court, which was granted on 18 February 2004 x x x.[3]
WHEREFORE, the petition is DENIED and the Decision of the Court of Appeals dated 22 May 2003 which annulled the DOJ Resolution dated 12 March 2001 and reinstated its Resolutions issued on 04 August 1999, 01 December 1999 and 16 March 2000 is AFFIRMED. The Temporary Restraining Order issued on 18 February 2004 by this Court is hereby LIFTED, and the Regional Trial Court of Quezon City, Branch 219, is ORDERED to implement its Resolution dated 03 December 2003 relative to the issuance of warrants of arrest against all the accused. The said Court is directed to submit a report thereon within ten (10) days from receipt hereof.Private respondents' motion for reconsideration of said Decision was denied with finality in a Resolution[5] dated June 6, 2005, thus:
Let a copy of this Decision be furnished the Department of Justice for its information and appropriate action.
SO ORDERED.[4]
The Court notes that [private respondents] have adduced no substantial or cogent arguments to warrant a modification of our Decision. They merely rehashed the arguments in their petition, which we have already passed upon. Wherefore, the Motion for Reconsideration and its supplement thereto are DENIED with FINALITY. NO FURTHER PLEADINGS WILL BE ENTERTAINED.Unfazed, respondents filed an Urgent Motion for Clarification.[6]
In view of the denial with finality of the Motion for Reconsideration and acting on the clarificatory letter of Branch Clerk of Court Edwin Paredes of Quezon City RTC, Branch 219, which we noted in our Resolution dated 02 March 2005, there is no longer any obstacle to the implementation of the existing warrants of arrest.
x x x (b) ADMONISH [private respondents] and their counsel to pay heed to the directives of this Court and against misrepresenting the import of its rulings and to desist from any further unauthorized pleadings UNDER PAIN OF CONTEMPT.Meanwhile, an Entry of Judgment[8] was issued by the Court certifying that the aforesaid Decision rendered on December 16, 2004 had become final and executory on July 5, 2005.
Sec. 3. Indirect contempt to be punished after charge and hearing. – After a charge in writing has been filed, and an opportunity given to the respondent to comment thereon within such period as may be fixed by the court and to be heard by himself or counsel, a person guilty of any of the following acts may be punished for indirect contempt:Contempt of court is defined as a disobedience to the Court by acting in opposition to its authority, justice and dignity. It signifies not only a willful disregard or disobedience of the court's orders, but such conduct which tends to bring the authority of the court and the administration of law into disrepute or in some manner to impede the due administration of justice. Contempt of court is a defiance of the authority, justice or dignity of the court; such conduct as tends to bring the authority and administration of the law into disrespect or to interfere with or prejudice party litigants or their witnesses during litigation. The power to punish for contempt is inherent in all courts and is essential to the preservation of order in judicial proceedings and to the enforcement of judgments, orders, and mandates of the court, and consequently, to the due administration of justice.[22]
x x x x
(b) Disobedience of or resistance to a lawful writ, process, order or judgment of a court, x x x.
x x x x
(d) Any improper conduct tending, directly or indirectly, to impede, obstruct, or degrade the administration of justice;
x x x x
Sec. 5. Where charge to be filed. – Where the charge for indirect contempt has been committed against a Regional Trial Court or a court of equivalent or higher rank, or against an officer appointed by it, the charge may be filed with such court. x x x. (Emphasis supplied)In the present case, private respondents are guilty of indirect contempt for filing the following:
(1) Urgent Motion for Clarification of the dispositive portion of the December 16, 2004 Decision in G.R. No. 159962;The December 16, 2004 Decision of the Court in G.R. No. 159962 clearly sustained the filing of two Informations for Murder with Attempted Murder, two Informations for Frustrated Murder and an Information for Attempted Murder against private respondents. The Court even directed the implementation of the arrest warrants against them. This, notwithstanding, private respondents filed a motion for determination of probable cause and/or the dismissal of the case against them. Worse, this was done after being admonished by the Court to pay heed to its directives under pain of contempt.
(2) Motion for Determination of Probable Cause and/or Motion to Dismiss the Case and to Quash Warrant of Arrest (with prayer for suspension of the enforcement of warrant of arrest pending hearing) filed on September 1, 2005 before Branch 100 of the RTC of Quezon City presided by Judge Christine Jacob;
(3) Motion for Reconsideration of Judge Jacob's January 4, 2006 Order denying their motion dated September 1, 2005 filed on January 24, 2006;
(4) Motion to Re-Determine the Existence or Non-Existence of Probable Cause Which May Even Warrant Dismissal- Even of the Appropriate Charges of Homicide, Frustrated and Attempted Homicide filed before Branch 83 on February 21, 2006.