The People of the Philippines vs. Gregorio Santiago – Crim Digest



FACTS: The accused was driving an automobile at the rate of 30 miles an hour on a highway 6 meter wide, notwithstanding the fact that he had to pass a narrow space between a wagon standing on one side of the road and a heap of stones on the
other side where the were two young boys, the appellant did not take the precaution required by the circumstances by slowing his machine, and did not proceed with the vigilant care that under the circumstances an ordinary prudent man
would take in order to avoid possible accidents that might occur, as unfortunately did occur, as his automobile ran over the boy Porfirio Parondo who was instantly killed as the result of the accident. was prosecuted for the crime of homicide by reckless negligence and was sentenced to suffer one year and one day of prision correccional, and to pay the costs of the trial.

ISSUES: Whether or Not the court a quo erred in not finding that it lacked jurisdiction over the person of the accused and over the subject matter of the complaint.

HELD: No, The right to prosecute and punish crimes is an attribute of sovereignty which resides in the federal government, but for the purpose of punishing crimes, this power is delegated  to subordinate government subdivisions such as territories. This delegation may be either express as in the case of the Several States of the Union and incorporated territories, like Puerto Rico and Hawaii or implied as in the case of Philippines, which is an organized territory though not incorporated  with the Union.



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