MOTION TO QUASH

Category: Criminal Procedure

RULE 117 - MOTION TO QUASH

 
Section 1. Time to move to quash. – At any time before entering his plea, the accused may move to quash the complaint or information.
 

WHEN CAN THE ACCUSED FILE A MOTION TO QUASH?

>     At  any  time  before  entering  the  plea,  the  accused  may  move  to quash the complaint or information
 

AN INFORMATION WAS FILED AGAINST X.  X FILED A MOTION TO QUASH AS  THE FACTS IN  THE INFORMATION DIDN’T CONSTITUTE AN OFFENSE.  THIS WAS FILED TOGETHER WITH AN APPLICATION FOR BAIL.  IS THIS VALID?

>     Yes.  There is no inconsistency that exists between an application of an accused for bail and his filing of a motion to quash.
 
Sec.  2.  Form  and  contents.  –  The  motion  to  quash  shall  be  in writing,  signed  by  the  accused  or  his  counsel  and  shall  distinctly specify  its  factual  and  legal  grounds.  The  court  shall  consider  no
ground  other  than  those  stated  in  the  motion,  except  lack  of jurisdiction over the offense charged.
 

WHAT IS THE FORM REQUIRED FOR A MOTION TO QUASH?

1.    It must be in writing
2.    It must be signed by the accused or his counsel
3.    It must specify its factual and legal grounds
 
Sec.  3. Grounds. – The accused may move to quash the complaint or information on any of the following grounds:
 
(a) That the facts charged do not constitute an offense;
 
(b)  That  the  court  trying  the  case  has  no  jurisdiction  over  the offense charged;
 
(c)  That  the  court  trying  the  case  has  no  jurisdiction  over  the person of the accused;
 
(d)  That  the officer  who filed  the information had no authority  to
do so;
 
(e) That it does not conform substantially to the prescribed form;
 
(f)  That  more  than  one  offense  is  charged  except  when  a  single punishment for various offenses is prescribed by law;
 
(g) That the criminal action or liability has been extinguished;
 
(h)  That  it  contains  averments  which,  if  true,  would  constitute  a legal excuse or justification; and
 
(i) That the accused has been previously convicted or acquitted of the  offense  charged,  or  the  case  against  him  was  dismissed  or otherwise terminated without his express consent.
 

WHAT  ARE  THE  GROUNDS  THAT  THE  ACCUSED  MAY  INVOKE  TO QUASH A COMPLAINT OR INFORMATION? 

1.    That the facts charged don’t constitute an offense
2.    That  the  court  trying  the  case  doesn’t  have  jurisdiction  over  the offense
3.    That  the  court  trying  the  case  doesn’t  have  jurisdiction  over  the accused
4.    That the officer who filed the information didn’t have authority to do so
5.    That it doesn’t conform substantially to the form subscribed
6.    That  more  than  one  offense  is  charged  except  when  a  single punishment for various offenses is prescribed by law
7.    That criminal liability or action has been extinguished
8.    That it contains averments which, if true, would constitute a legal excuse or justification
9.    That  the  accused  has  been  previously  convicted  or  acquitted  of the offense charged, or the case against him has been dismissed or otherwise terminated without the consent of the accused
 

CAN THE COURT DISMISS THE CASE BASED ON GROUNDS THAT ARE NOT ALLEGED IN THE MOTION TO QUASH?

>     The general rule is no, the court cannot consider any ground other than those stated in the motion to quash.
>     The exception is the lack of jurisdiction over the offense charged.  If this is the ground for dismissing the case, it need not be alleged in the motion to quash since it goes into the very competence of the court to pass upon the case.
 

X FILED A MOTION TO QUASH AN INFORMATION ON THE GROUND THAT  HE  WAS  IN  THE  US  WHEN  THE  CRIME  CHARGED  WAS COMMITTED.  SHOULD THE MOTION BE GRANTED?

>     The motion should be denied
>     The accused is already making a defense
>     Matters  of  defense  are  generally  not  a  ground  for  a  motion  to quash they should be presented at the trial
 

WHAT  IS  MEANT  BY  THE  STATEMENT  THAT  A  MOTION  TO  QUASH HYPOTHETICALLY    ADMITS    ALLEGATIONS    OF    FACT    IN    THE INFORMATION?

>     It  means  that  the  accused  argues  that  assuming  that  the  facts charged are true, the information should still be dismissed based on the ground invoked by the defendant.  
>     Therefore,  since  the  defendant  assumes  that  the  facts  in  the information are true, only these facts should be taken into account and the court resolves the motion to quash.  Other facts, such as matters of defenses, which are not in the information should not be considered
>     The exceptions to the rule are when the grounds invoked to quash the  information  are  extinction  of  criminal  liability,  prescription, and former jeopardy.  In these cases, additional facts are allowed.
 

CAN THE ACCUSED MOVE TO QUASH ON THE GROUND THAT HE IS DENIED DUE PROCESS?

>     No, denial of due process is not one of the grounds for a motion to quash
 

WHAT IS THE TEST TO DETERMINE THE VALIDITY OF A MOTION TO QUASH  ON  THE  GROUND  THAT  THE  FACTS  AVERRED  IN  THE INFORMATION DON’T AMOUNT TO AN OFFENSE?

>     The test is whether the facts alleged would establish the essential elements of the crime as defined by law, and in this examination, matters aliunde are not considered
 

X  FILED  A  MOTION  TO  QUASH  ON  THE  FOLLOWING  GROUNDS: THAT  THE  COURT  LACKED  JURISDICTION  OVER  THE  PERSON  OF THE  ACCUSED  AND  THAT  THE  COMPLAINT  CHARGED  MORE  THAN ONE  OFFENSE.    CAN  THE  COURT  GRANT  THE  MOTION  ON  THE GROUND OF LACK OF JURISDICTION?

>     In the past, the answer would have been no since the SC ruled in several cases then that the motion to quash on the ground of lack of jurisdiction over the person of the accused must be based only
on  this  ground.    If  other  grounds  are  included,  there  is  waiver, and  the  accused  is  deemed  to  have  submitted  himself  to  the jurisdiction of the court.
>     The new rule, based on the decisions of the SC on Section 20 of Rule 14 of the 1997 Rules of Civil Procedure, the inclusion of other grounds  aside  from  lack  of  jurisdiction  over  the  person  of  the
defendant  in  a  motion  to  dismiss  shall  not  be  considered  as  a voluntary appearance.
 

WHAT IS THE EFFECT OF AN INFORMATION THAT WAS SIGNED BY AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON?

>     A valid information must be signed by a competent officer, which, among other requisites, confers jurisdiction over the person of the accused and the subject matter of the accusation
>     Thus, an infirmity in the information such as the lack of authority of the officer signing it cannot be cured by silence, acquiescence, express consent, or even amendment.   

   It  is  an  invalid  information  and  cannot  be  the  basis  of  criminal proceedings.  
>     A motion to quash would prosper
 

WHAT  HAPPENS  IF  THE  DEFENDANT  ENTERS  HIS  PLEA  BEFORE FILING A MOTION TO QUASH?

>     By  entering  his  plea  before  filing  the  motion  to  quash,  the defendant  waives  the  formal  objectives  to  the  complaint  or information
>     But  if  the  ground  for  the  motion  is  any  of  the  following  below, there is no waiver.  The following grounds  may be raised  at any stage of the proceeding:
1.    Failure to charge an offense
2.    Lack of jurisdiction over the offense
3.    Extinction of criminal liability
4.    Double jeopardy
>     Note: if it is a formal objection, it is deemed waived upon plea