!"#$%&%'%&"#() )(+ && ,&-.$%$ /0120 3 01245 (%%67 $.,89.6 !(#,.

)(9&(


!:;<=-><?;@; .A;BC><D -;<; -EFGDBBD? )>HD? IGJK;F #;C;K 9;C>J $EHDBG> %;< L;KCD? L;BDK;
20
th
Century Iox I||m v. CA [G.k. Nos. 76649-S1, August 19, 1988]

CNLN1L: Cu1lL88LZ, !8., !.
L1I1ICNLk: 201P CLn1u8? lCx llLM CC8C8A1lCn
kLSCNDLN1S: CCu81 Cl ALALS, LuuA8uC M. 8A88L1C, 8AuL
SACuLLC and lC81unL LLuLSMA

CASL: eLlLloner quesLlons Lhe appllcaLlon of Lhe consLlLuLlonal
provlslon agalnsL lllegal searches and selzures Lo ralds conducLed ln
connecLlon wlLh Lhe governmenL's anLl-fllm plracy campalgn. 1he maln
lssue hlnges on Lhe meanlng of "probable cause" wlLhln Lhe conLexL of
Lhe consLlLuLlonal provlslon agalnsL lllegal searches and selzures.

8ACkGkCUND:
AugusL 26, 1983 - eLlLloner Lhrough counsel soughL Lhe naLlonal
8ureau of lnvesLlgaLlon's (n8l) asslsLance ln Lhe conducL of searches and
selzures ln connecLlon wlLh Lhe laLLer's anLl-fllm plracy campalgn.
1hey alleged LhaL cerLaln vldeoLape ouLleLs all over MeLro
Manlla are engaged ln Lhe unauLhorlzed sale and renLlng ouL of
copyrlghLed fllms whlch consLlLuLe a flagranL vlolaLlon of
resldenLlal uecree no. 49
n8l conducLed survelllance and lnvesLlgaLlon of Lhe ouLleLs
plnpolnLed by Lhe peLlLloner and subsequenLly flled Lhree (3)
appllcaLlons for search warranLs agalnsL Lhe vldeo ouLleLs
owned by Lhe prlvaLe respondenLs ln 81C MakaLl
SepLember 4, 1983 - 1he lower courL lssued Lhe deslred search warranLs
Armed wlLh Lhe search warranLs, Lhe n8l accompanled by Lhe
peLlLloner's agenLs, ralded Lhe vldeo ouLleLs and selzed Lhe
lLems descrlbed Lhereln. An lnvenLory of Lhe lLems selzed was
made and lefL wlLh Lhe prlvaLe respondenLs.
CcLober 8, 1983 - 1he courL, acLlng on a moLlon Lo llfL search warranLs
and release selzed properLles flled by Lhe prlvaLe respondenLs, lssued an
order llfLlng Lhe Lhree (3) search warranLs lssued earller agalnsL Lhe
prlvaLe respondenLs.
!anuary 2, 1986 - 1he lower courL denled a moLlon for reconslderaLlon
flled by Lhe peLlLloner
1he peLlLloner flled a peLlLlon for cerLlorarl wlLh Lhe CA Lo annul
Lhe CcLober 8, 1983 and !anuary 2, 1986 orders of Lhe lower
courL. 1he peLlLlon was dlsmlssed.
Pence, Lhls peLlLlon

ISSULS 1C 8L kLSCLVLD:
WheLher or noL Lhe [udge properly llfLed Lhe search warranLs he
lssued earller upon Lhe appllcaLlon of Lhe n8l on Lhe basls of Lhe
complalnL flled by Lhe peLlLloner.
1. WheLher or noL search warranL was lnvalld for havlng
no probable cause
2. WheLher or noL search warranL was lnvalld for belng a
general warranL"

kLSCLU1ICN:
ISSUL - ?es, Lhe [udge properly llfLed Lhe search warranL seeklng Lo
correcL an error commlLLed because of Lhe mlsrepresenLaLlon of Lhe
wlLnesses durlng Lhe appllcaLlon for Lhe lssuance of Lhe search warranLs.
Ma|n o|nt: 1he lower courL llfLed Lhe Lhree quesLloned search warranLs
agalnsL Lhe prlvaLe respondenLs on Lhe ground LhaL Lhe same was
granLed on Lhe mlsrepresenLaLlons of appllcanL n8l and lLs wlLnesses
LhaL Lhey !"# %&'()*"+ ,*)-+&#.& LhaL lnfrlngemenL of copyrlghL or a
plracy of a parLlcular fllm have been commlLLed, hence *) '&"+ %')/"/+&
0"1(&2 Moreover, Lhe descrlpLlon of Lhe Lhlngs Lo be searched and
selzed was general ln characLer and made lL a .&*&'"+ -"''"*3, whlch ls
lnvalld.

ISSUL (a) - ?es, lL was lnvalld for noL havlng proved probable cause.
Ma|n o|nt: 1hls consLlLuLlonal provlslon demands "no less Lhan
%&'()*"+ ,*)-+&#.& by Lhe complalnanL or hls wlLnesses of Lhe facLs
upon whlch Lhe lssuance of a search warranL may be [usLlfled" ln order
Lo convlnce Lhe [udge, and no one else, of Lhe exlsLence of a probable
cause. 1he LesLlmonles of Lhe n8l wlLnesses belle Lhe facL LhaL Lhey had
personal knowledge. ln facL only Lhe peLlLloner's wlLness had real
personal knowledge buL Lhls was noL glven credence, as Lhe masLer
Lapes of Lhe allegedly plraLed Lapes were noL shown Lo Lhe courL durlng
!"#$%&%'%&"#() )(+ && ,&-.$%$ /0120 3 01245 (%%67 $.,89.6 !(#,.)(9&(


!:;<=-><?;@; .A;BC><D -;<; -EFGDBBD? )>HD? IGJK;F #;C;K 9;C>J $EHDBG> %;< L;KCD? L;BDK;
Lhe appllcaLlon. 1he presenLaLlon of Lhe masLer Lapes of Lhe copyrlghLed
fllms from whlch Lhe plraLed fllms were allegedly copled, was necessary
for Lhe valldlLy of search warranLs agalnsL Lhose who have ln Lhelr
possesslon Lhe plraLed fllms. 1he courL cannoL presume LhaL dupllcaLe
or copled Lapes were necessarlly reproduced from masLer Lapes LhaL lL
owns.
1hls consLlLuLlonal rlghL embodled ln Sec. 2, Art. III of the
Const|tut|t|on proLecLs a clLlzen agalnsL wanLon and
unreasonable lnvaslon of hls prlvacy and llberLy as Lo hls person,
papers and effecLs. We have explalned ln Lhe case of eople v.
8urgos clLlng vlllanueva v. Cuerubln why Lhe rlghL ls so
lmporLanL: WhaL ls soughL Lo be guarded ls a man's prerogaLlve
Lo choose who ls allowed enLry Lo hls resldence. ln LhaL haven of
refuge. Lhe sLaLe, however powerful, does noL as such have
access excepL under Lhe clrcumsLances above noLed, for ln Lhe
LradlLlonal formulaLlon, hls house, however humble, ls hls casLle.
1hus ls ouLlawed any unwarranLed lnLruslon by governmenL,
whlch ls called upon Lo refraln from any lnvaslon of hls dwelllng
and Lo respecL Lhe prlvacles of hls llfe."
ln Lhe case of 8urgos, Sr. v. Chlef of SLaff, Al, we deflned
probable cause for a valld search "as such facLs and
clrcumsLances whlch would lead a reasonably dlscreeL and
prudenL man Lo belleve LhaL an offense has been commlLLed
and LhaL Lhe ob[ecLs soughL ln connecLlon wlLh Lhe offense are
ln Lhe place soughL Lo be searched." Powever, Lhls also
demands LhaL complalnanL or wlLness have personal knowledge
of Lhe facLs Lo consLlLuLe probable cause.
ln Lhe lnsLanL case, Lhe lower courL llfLed Lhe search warranLs
for fallure of wlLnesses Lo show personal knowledge and
esLabllsh probable cause upon re-examlnaLlon:
o All 3 wlLnesses durlng Lhe lnlLlal appllcaLlon proceedlngs
LesLlfled of Lhelr own personal knowledge yeL ALLy.
8eyes of Lhe n8l sLaLed LhaL Lhe counsel of 20
Lh
CenLury
lox wlll LesLlfy on Lhe vldeo casseLLes, so he dld noL
have personal knowledge of Lhe alleged plracy.
o 8acanl also sald LhaL casseLLes were plraLed wlLhouL
sLaLlng Lhe manner of plraLlng and LhaL lL was ALLy.
uomlngo who had knowledge of Lhe facL.
o ALLy. uomlngo, on Lhe oLher hand, clalms LhaL Lhe re-
Laplng of Lhe allegedly plraLed Lapes was from masLer
Lapes allegedly belonglng Lo Lhe 1wenLleLh CenLury lox,
because whlch ls accordlng Lo hlm ls of hls personal
knowledge.
o AL Lhe MoLlon for 8econslderaLlon, ALLy. 8eyes furLher
LesLlfled LhaL Lhe masLer Lapes were shown Lo hlm and
he made comparlsons of Lhe Lapes wlLh Lhose
purchased by Lhelr man 8acanl, however, such masLer
Lapes or Lhe allegedly plraLed Lapes were noL shown Lo
Lhe CourL durlng appllcaLlon, glvlng some mlsglvlngs as
Lo Lhe veraclLy of Lhe bare sLaLemenL of Lhe agenLs on
Lhe wlLness sLand.
o Cnly Lhe peLlLloner's counsel had personal knowledge
LhaL Lhe conflscaLed Lapes owned by Lhe prlvaLe
respondenLs were plraLed Lapes Laken from masLer
Lapes belonglng Lo Lhe peLlLloner. Powever, hls
LesLlmony was seL aslde ln vlew of Lhe facL LhaL Lhe
masLer Lapes of Lhe allegedly plraLed Lapes were noL
shown Lo Lhe courL durlng Lhe appllcaLlon.
1he presenLaLlon of Lhe Lapes, was vlLal for Lhe valldlLy of search
warranLs as Lhe essence of a copyrlghL lnfrlngemenL ls Lhe
slmllarlLy or aL leasL subsLanLlal slmllarlLy of Lhe purporLed
plraLed works Lo Lhe copyrlghLed work. Pence, Lhe appllcanL
musL presenL Lo Lhe courL Lhe copyrlghLed fllms Lo compare
Lhem wlLh Lhe purchased evldence of Lhe vldeo Lapes allegedly
plraLed Lo deLermlne wheLher Lhe laLLer ls an unauLhorlzed
reproducLlon of Lhe former. 4!5( +5*,".& )6 3!& 0)%7'5.!3&# 65+8(
3) 3!& %5'"3&# 65+8( 81(3 /& &(3"/+5(!&# 3) ("35(67 3!&
'&915'&8&*3( )6 %')/"/+& 0"1(&2 :&'& "++&."35)*( "( 3) 3!&
&;5(3&*0& )6 3!& 0)%7'5.!3&# 65+8( 0"**)3 (&'<& "( /"(5( 6)' 3!&
5((1"*0& )6 " (&"'0! -"''"*32
!"#$%&%'%&"#() )(+ && ,&-.$%$ /0120 3 01245 (%%67 $.,89.6 !(#,.)(9&(


!:;<=-><?;@; .A;BC><D -;<; -EFGDBBD? )>HD? IGJK;F #;C;K 9;C>J $EHDBG> %;< L;KCD? L;BDK;
kLSCLU1ICN: So LhaL lacklng ln persuaslve effecL, Lhe allegaLlons by Lhe
wlLnesses are noL supporLed by compeLenL evldence and for LhaL maLLer
Lhe probable cause hovers ln a grey area, resolvable ln favor of
respondenLs hereln.
o WheLher or noL search warranL was lnvalld for belng a
general warranL"
M|nor o|nt: 'Cocoon,' Lhe flrsL vldeo Lape menLloned ln Lhe search
warranL, was noL even duly reglsLered or copyrlghLed ln Lhe hlllpplnes.
So, LhaL lacklng ln Lhe requlslLe presenLaLlon Lo Lhe CourL of Lhe masLer
Lape and plraLed copy of Lhe same, Lhere was no way Lo deLermlne
wheLher Lhere really was plracy, or copylng of Lhe fllm of Lhe
complalnanL 1wenLleLh CenLury lox."

ISSUL (b) - ?es, lL was lnvalld for belng a general warranL"
Ma|n o|nt: 1he search warranL was Loo general ln descrlpLlon and
could resulL ln Lhe conflscaLlon of all lLems found ln any vldeo sLore. ln
facL, Lhls acLually happened ln Lhe lnsLanL case.
As was held ln 8urgos v. Chlef of SLaff, Al and SLanford v. SLaLe
of 1exas: anoLher facLor whlch makes Lhe search warranLs under
conslderaLlon consLlLuLlonally ob[ecLlonable ls LhaL Lhey are ln
Lhe naLure of general warranLs. Slnce undoubLedly, a slmllar
concluslon can be deduced from Lhe descrlpLlon of Lhe arLlcles
soughL Lo be conflscaLed under Lhe quesLloned search warranLs
noL ln Lhe orlglnal conLemplaLlon of Lhe [udge.
1he lLems soughL Lo be selzed were descrlbed as follows:
1elevlslon seLs, vldeo CasseLLes 8ecorders, rewlnders, Lape
head cleaners, accessorles, equlpmenLs and oLher machlnes
used or lnLended Lo be used ln Lhe unlawful reproducLlon, sale,
renLal/lease dlsLrlbuLlon of Lhe above-menLloned vldeo Lapes
whlch she ls keeplng and conceallng ln Lhe premlses above-
descrlbed."
1elevlslon seLs, vldeo casseLLe recorders, remlnders and Lape
cleaners are arLlcles LhaL are generally connecLed wlLh, or
relaLed Lo a leglLlmaLe buslness noL necessarlly lnvolvlng plracy
of lnLellecLual properLy or lnfrlngemenL of copyrlghL laws.
Pence, lncludlng Lhese arLlcles wlLhouL speclflcaLlon and/or
parLlcularlLy LhaL Lhey were really lnsLrumenLs ln vlolaLlng an
AnLl-lracy law makes Lhe search warranL Loo general whlch
could resulL ln Lhe conflscaLlon of all lLems found ln any vldeo
sLore. Whlch ln facL happened, as a Lelevlslon seL, a rewlnder,
and a whlLeboard llsLlng 8eLamax Lapes, vldeo casseLLe cleaners
vldeo casseLLe recorders as reflecLed ln Lhe 8eLurns of Search
WarranLs, are lLems of leglLlmaLe buslness engaged ln Lhe vldeo
Lape lndusLry, and whlch could noL be Lhe sub[ecL of selzure.
1he appllcanL and hls agenLs Lherefore exceeded Lhelr auLhorlLy
ln selzlng perfecLly leglLlmaLe personal properLy usually found ln
a vldeo casseLLe sLore or buslness esLabllshmenL.

IINAL VLkDIC1: We flnd no grave abuse of dlscreLlon on Lhe parL of Lhe
lower courL when lL llfLed Lhe search warranLs lL earller lssued agalnsL
Lhe prlvaLe respondenLs. 1he lnsLanL peLlLlon ls dlsmlssed. 1he
quesLloned declslon and resoluLlon of Lhe CourL of Appeals are afflrmed.