G.R.No.

L4221,August30,1952
MARCELOD.MONTENEGRO,petitionerappellant,vs.GEN.MARIANOCASTAEDA,
andCOLONELEULOGIOBALAO,respondentsappellees.
SuspensionofthePrivilegeoftheWritHabeasCorpusasaPoliticalQuestionbeinga
PrerogativebythePresident
October18,1950,Maximino,thesonofthepetitioner,MarceloMontenegroandotherswere
arrestedatManilaforbeinginvolvedwithacommunisticorganizationinthecommissionofacts
ofrebellion,insurrectionorsedition.
Oct21,Marcelo,submittedanapplicationforawritofhabeascorpusseekingthereleaseofhis
sonforheisstillunderthecustodyofGeneralCastaedaandColonelBalao(therespondents).
Oct.22,PresidentElpidioQuirino,issuedproclamationNo.210,suspendingtheprivilegeof
the writ of habeas corpus in some parts ofLuzonin order to stifle the emergence of
theHukbalahapguerillas.
Marcelothenfiledbeforethecourttoreleasehissonfromtherespondentscustodybecausethere
wasnocauseinarrestinghimandthatthesaidproclamationshouldnotbeappliedtoMaximino
becausehehadbeenarrestedbeforethepromulgationofthesaidproclamationanditwouldgo
againsttheprohibitionagainstbillofattainder.
CastanedaetalarguedthatthecourthasnojudicialauthorityoverthematterinvokingthePPand
thepreviousrulinginBarcelonvsBaker.
AppealofMontenegro:
1. Thatproclamationisunconstitutionalbecauseitpartakesofbillofattainder,oran
expostfactolaw;andunlawfullyincludesseditionwhichundertheConstitutionis
notagroundforsuspension.
H:theargumentisdevoidofmerit.Theprohibitionappliesonlytostatutes.Abillofattainderis
alegislativeact,whichinflictspunishmentwithoutjudicialtrial.Thewritwasinaccordancewith
thepowersvestedinthePresident bytheconstitution, anditis deemedanexceptiontothe
generalprohibitionagainstexpostfactolawsandbillsofattainder(iftheresconflictbetween
prohibitionandsuspension).
Althoughundertheconstitution,groundsforsuspensionoftheprivilegeofwritareinvasion,
insurrection, rebellion or imminent danger and clearly sedition is not included, it will not
invalidatethewholeproclamationandisconsideredimmaterialinthecase,becauseMaximinois
confinednotonlyforseditionbutforgraveroffenseofrebellionandinsurrection.Andalso,the
orderofsuspensionaffectsthepowerofthecourtsandoperatesimmediatelyonallpetitions
thereinpendingatthetimeofitspromulgation.
2. Thereisnostateofinvasion,insurrectionorrebellion,orimminentdangerthereof,
theonlysituationspermittingdiscontinuanceofthewritofhabeascorpus

H:Duringthisperiod,thereareintermittentsortiesandlightningattacksbyorganizedbandsin
differentplaceswhichheargues(Montenegro)as,suchsortiesareoccasional,localizedand
transitory, which is just overt insurrection and rebellion not cases of invasion, insurrection,
rebellion or imminent danger. Here, President concluded in the proclamation, and the other
connectedtherewith,thatthereis actualdanger rebellionwhichmayextendthroughoutthe
country. Such declaration implying much more than imminent danger of rebellion amply
justifiesthesuspensionofthewrit.
DelegateFrancisco:thatitshouldnotbenecessarythatthereexistarebellion,insurrectionor
invasioninorderthathabeascorpusmaybesuspended.Itshouldbesufficientthatthereexists
notadangerbutanimminentdanger,andtheword,imminent,shouldbemaintained.Whenthere
existsanimminentdanger,theStaterequiresforitsprotectionandforthatofallthecitizensthe
suspensionofhabeascorpus.
WhetherornotMontenegrospetitionshouldbegranted.
DENIED.
ProclamationofthePresidentsuspendingthewritofhabeascorpuswasheldvalidandefficient
inlawtosuspendallproceedingspendinguponhabeascorpus,whichwasissuedandserved
priortothedateoftheproclamation.
Supported by Barcelon v. Baker: the authority to decide whenever the exigency has arisen
requiringthesuspensionbelongstothe Presidentandhisdecisionisfinalandconclusive
uponthecourtsanduponallotherpersons.
Inthelightofthisprecedent,theconstitutionalauthorityofthePresidenttosuspendincaseof
imminentdangerofinvasion,insurrectionorrebellionunderarticleVIImaynotcorrectlybe
placedindoubt.
POSSIBLEQUESTIONS(regardingthiscaseandsabuongSec15)
WhatisawritofHC?
Itisawritororderdirectedtothepersondetaininganotherandcommandinghimtoproducethe
bodyoftheprisoneratacertaintimeandplace,withthedayandthecauseofhisdetention,todo,
submittoand,receivewhatsoeverthecourtorjudgeawardingthewritshallconsiderinthat
behalf.
WhataretheinstanceswhenthewritofHCmaybeavailedof?
Sec1.,Rule102oftheRevisedRulesofCourt, maybeavailedofillegalconfinementor
detentionbywhichanypersoniswithheldfromthepersonentitledthereto.
Thereareotherinstances,however,whenthewritofHCmayalsobeavailedof.Itmaybe

availedwhere,asaconsequenceofjudicialproceeding:
1. Therehasbeenadeprivationofaconstitutionalrightresultinginarestraintofaperson.
2. Thecourthasnojurisdictiontoimposethesentence.
3. Anexcessivepenaltyhasbeenimposed,inwhichcasethesentenceisvoidastosuch
excess.
WhencanapresidentsuspendtheprivilegeofthewritofHabeasCorpus?
UnderSec.18,Art7(1987),thePresidentcansuspendtheprivilegeofthewritofHCONLYON
2Grounds,thus:
1. Invasion
2. Rebellionwhenthepublicsafetyrequiresit.
NOTE: that the grounds of insurrection and imminent danger of invasion or rebellion, as
providedinthe1935and1973constitutionwereDELETED.
Whatissuspendedincaseofinvasionorrebellionwhenpublicsafetyrequiresit?
ItisthePRIVILEGEitselfNOTthewritofHC.
IsthepowerofthePresidenttosuspendtheprivilegeofthewritofHCabsolute?
No,itissubjecttolimitationsreferto(Sec.18,Art7,1987).
Whataretheimplicationsofthelimitations?
1st:TheoldrulingsinBarcelonav.BakerandinMontenegrov.Castaedatothe
effectthat:
a. TheexecutiveDepartmenthasthesuperiorcompetencetoassessthepeaceandorder
conditioninthecountry.
b. ThatthesuspensionoftheprivilegeofwritofHCisapoliticalquestionarealready
abandoned.
NOW:theSCdoesnotonlyhavethepowertodeterminetheexecutivearbitrarinessin
arrivingatthesuspensionbutalsothepowertodetermineandreviewinanappropriate
proceedingfiledbyanycitizen,thefactualbasisoftheproclamationofMartialLawor
thesuspensionoftheprivilegeofthewritortheextensionthereof.(Sec18,Par3,1987C)
2nd: Alleged threats of invasion or rebellion can be sufficiently handled by the
Presidentbyexercisingthepowergrantedtohim,thus:
wheneveritbecomesnecessary,hemaycallsuchAFtopreventorsuppresslawless
violence,invasionorrebellion.
It is for this reason: THAT THE GROUNDS FOR SUSPENSION OF THE
PRIVILEGEOFTHEWRITOFHCarelimitedonlytoACTUALINVASIONOR

ACTUALREBELLION, whenpublicsafetyrequiresit.Thesearethesamegrounds
forplacingthePHoranypartthereofunderML.
3rd:thesuspensionoftheprivilegeofthewritshallapplyonlytopersonsJUDICIALLY
CONNECTEDWUTHINVASION.Thepurposeofthisprovisionistorequireallthose
detainedto be immediatelyturned over tothe jud. Authorities, thereby avoidingsad
experiencesduringMLyearswhenoneisdetainedwithoutchargesforalongperiodof
time.
CanthecourtsinquireonthepresidentialsuspensionoftheprivilegeofthewritofHC?
Sec18,Par3ofArt7,1987Cfinallysettlesthisissueasthearguments,fororagainst,in
Barcelonv.Baker,Montenegrov.Castaeda,Lansangv.Garcia,Padillav.Enrileandin
Morales v. Enrile. Thesuspensionof the privilege is therefore subject to judicial
review.
Whatparticularlyisthesubjectofinquiryandjudicialreview?
TheSCmayreview,inanappropriateproceedingfiledbyanycitizen,thesufficiencyof
thefactualbasisoftheproclamationofMLorthesuspensionofthewritortheextension
thereof.
CanthecourtsmayrestrainthePresidentfromsuspendingthewritofHCorplacethePH
oranypartthereofunderML?
Theexerciseofsaidpowerispredicatedonthefactthatthereisanemergencysituation,
whichneedsanimmediateactionofthepresident.WhenthePresexercisesthatpower
based on the intelligence reports gathered and given to him, that is a judgment call
reposedtonooneexcepttohim,subjectonlytothelimitationthattheSCmayreview,in
an appro. Proceeding filed byany citizen, the sufficiency of the factual basis of the
proclamationofMLorthesuspensionofthepriv.ofHC.
Thisiswhatshouldbethesubjectofinquiryandjudicialreview.
IsthererighttobailduringthesuspensionoftheprivofHC?
ByexpressprovisionofSec13,Art3:therighttobailshallnotbeimpairedevebwhen
theprivilegeofthewritofHCissuspended.
However,thisruleisnotapplicablewhentheevidenceisstrong.Thisshallbedetermined
bythejudgebasedontheevidencepresented.