29.
X draws a check upon request of Y, the payee, who told X that
he would merely show the check to his creditor to gain more time to
pay his account. The check bounced upon presentation by the
creditor. Under the circumstances, who can be prosecuted for estafa
based on the dishonored check?
A. Y as the one who negotiated the check contrary to the
agreement
B. X as the drawer of the check
C. Both X and Y based on conspiracy
D. None
58. Which of the following circumstances of dishonor of a check
can be a basis for prosecution under the bouncing checks law?
A. The check was returned unpaid with stamp “stop payment,”
although the drawer’s deposit was sufficient.
B. The check, drawn and issued in the Philippines, was
dishonored by the drawee bank in a foreign country.
C. The check was presented to the bank for payment 6 months
after the date of issue.
D. The drawer of the dishonored check paid its value within 5 days
from notice of dishonor
XI. Anthony drew a promissory note and asked his terminally-ill
and dying business partner Ben to sign it. The promissory note bound
Ben to pay Anthony One Million Pesos (P1,000,000) plus 12%
interest, on or before June 30, 2011.
If Ben died before the promissory note's due date and Anthony
still collected P1,000,000 with interest from Ben's estate, what
crime/s did Anthony commit? (1%)
(A) Falsification of a public document.
(B) Falsification of a private document and estafa.
(C) Estafa.
(D) Estafa thru falsification of a private document.
(E) None of the above.
36. Removing, concealing or destroying documents to defraud
another constitutes the crime of estafa if committed by
A. any public officer.
B. a public officer officially entrusted with the document.
C. private individuals who executed the same.
D. private individuals.
1. The wife of AAA predeceased his mother-in-law. AAA was accused
of defrauding his mother-in-law under a criminal information for
estafa, but the actual recital of facts of the offense charged therein, if
proven, would constitute not only the crime of estafa, but also
falsification of public document as a necessary means for committing
estafa. AAA invokes the absolutory cause of relationship by affinity.
Which statement is most accurate?
a) The relationship by affinity created between AAA and the blood
relatives of his wife is dissolved by the death of his wife and the
absolutory cause of relationship by affinity is therefore no longer
available to AAA.
b) The death of spouse does not severe the relationship by affinity
which is an absolutory cause available to AAA for estafa through
falsification of public document.
c) If AAA commits in a public document the act of falsification as a
necessary means to commit estafa, the relationship by affinity still
subsists as an absolutory cause for estafa which should be
considered separately from the liability for falsification of public
document because there is no specific penalty prescribed for the
complex crime of estafa through falsification of public document.
d) Considering that under the given situation, the two (2) crimes of
estafa and falsification of public document are not separate crimes
but component crimes of the single complex crime of estafa and
falsification of public document, the absolutory cause of relationship
by affinity is not available to AAA.
8. AA misrepresented to the complainant that he had the power,
influence, authority and business to obtain overseas employment
upon payment of placement fee. AA duly collected the placement fee
from complainant. As per certification of the Philippine Overseas
Employment Administration, AA did not possess any authority or
license for overseas employment. Is it proper to file two (2) separate
Informations for illegal recruitment under the Labor Code and for
estafa by means of deceit?
a) No. The filing of two (2) separate Informations for illegal
recruitment under the Labor Code and for estafa by means of deceit
for the same act is violative of the principle against double jeopardy.
b) No. One Information for a complex crime of illegal recruitment with
estafa by means of deceit should be filed, instead of two (2) separate
Informations.
c) No. A person convicted of illegal recruitment under the Labor Code
may not, for the same act, be separately convicted of estafa by
means of deceit.
d) Yes. A person convicted of illegal recruitment under the Labor
Code may, for the same act, be separately convicted of estafa by
means of deceit.
17. What crime is committed by one who defrauds another by taking
undue advantage of the signature of the offended party in a blank
check and by writing the payee and amount of the check to the
prejudice of the offended party?
a) estafa with unfaithfulness or abuse of confidence;
b) estafa by false pretense;
c) estafa through fraudulent means;
d) estafa by other deceits.
22. Who among the following is liable for estafa?
a) The seller of a laptop computer who failed to inform the buyer that
the laptop had a defect. (* Estafa under Art. 318, Other Deceits, RPC –
Guinhawa vs. People, GR 162822, August 25, 2005)
b) The person who ran away with a cell phone which was handed to
him upon his pretense that he had to make an emergency call.
c) The person who assured he will pay interest on the amount but
failed to do so as promised.
d) The son who induced his father to buy from him a land which the
son is no longer the owner.
50. What crime is committed by one who, having received money,
goods or any other personal property in trust or on commission, or for
administration, defrauds the offended party by denying receipt of
such money, goods or other property?
a) He commits violation of the Trust Receipt Law.
b) He commits estafa through fraudulent means.
c) He commits estafa by false pretenses.
d) He commits estafa with unfaithfulness or abuse of confidence.
57. RR convinced WW to take a job in Taiwan, assuring her of a good
salary and entitlement to a yearly vacation. WW paid to RR the
processing fee for passport and visa, but no receipt was issued for
the payment. WW was made to use the alien certificate of registration
of another person with a Chinese name and instructed on how to use
the Chinese name. The application of WW was rejected by the
Taiwanese authorities. Cases were filed against RR for illegal
recruitment and estafa. The case of illegal recruitment was
dismissed. Is RR liable for estafa?
a) RR is liable for estafa with unfaithfulness or abuse of confidence.
b) RR is liable for estafa by means of false pretenses.
c) RR is not liable for estafa because WW participated in the illegal
travel documents.
d) RR can no longer be held liable for estafa because with the
dismissal of the case against him for illegal recruitment, double
jeopardy has already set in.
65. Which of the following acts does not constitute estafa or other
forms of swindling?
a) When a person mortgages a real property by pretending to be the
owner thereof.
b) When a person disposes of the real property knowing it to be
encumbered.
c) When a person wrongfully takes real property from its lawful
possessor to the prejudice of the latter.
d) When a person mortgages real property while being a surety given
in a civil action without express authority from the court.
XVI. On June 1, 2011, Efren bought a used top-of-the-line Mercedes
Benz for P7.5 Million from Switik Trading. On the same day, he paid
P2,500,000 in cash and issued Switik Trading a check for P5,000,000
dated July 31, 2011. He then brought the car to a friend's house and
hid it in an underground garage. The check Efren issued was
dishonored for insufficiency of funds when presented for payment on
due date. Efren was asked to honor and pay the check or to return
the car, but he refused.
What crime/s did Efren commit? (1%)
(A) Carnapping.
(B Estafa and carnapping.
(C) A violation of BP Blg. 22.
(D) Estafa and a violation of BP Blg. 22.
(E) None of the above.
29. X draws a check upon request of Y, the payee, who told X that
he would merely show the check to his creditor to gain more time to
pay his account. The check bounced upon presentation by the
creditor. Under the circumstances, who can be prosecuted for estafa
based on the dishonored check?
A. Y as the one who negotiated the check contrary to the
agreement
B. X as the drawer of the check
C. Both X and Y based on conspiracy
D. None
Frank borrowed Pl,000,000 from his brother Eric. To pay the
loan, Frank issued a post-dated check to be presented for payment a
month after the transaction. Two days before maturity, Frank called
Eric telling him he had insufficient funds and requested that the
deposit of the check be deferred. Nevertheless, Eric deposited the
check and it was dishonored. When Frank failed to pay despite
demand, Eric filed a complaint against him for violation of Batas
Pambansa Big. 22 (The Bouncing Checks Law).
Was the charge brought against Frank correct? (7%)
ANSWER:
Yes, the charge is correct. Violation of Batas Pambansa Big.
22, The Bouncing Checks Law, is malum prohibitum which is
committed by mere issuance of a check without sufficient funds.
Good faith is not a defense. As long as the check was issued on
account or for value, the purpose for which the check was issued, the
terms and conditions relating to the issuance are irrelevant to the
prosecution of the offender. Hence, the request of Frank to defer the
deposit of the check as it has insufficient funds will not militate
against the prosecution for violation of BP 22.
Mr. Benjie is the owner of a hardware store specializing in the
sale of plumbing materials. On February 1, 2014, Mr. Ed, a friend and
regular customer of Mr. Benjie, visited the hardware store and
purchased several plumbing materials in the total amount of P5
million. Mr. Benjie readily accepted Mr. Ed’s payment of three (3)
postdated checks in the amount of P1 million Pesos each in view of
the assurance of Mr. Ed that the checks will be honored upon
presentment for payment. Mr. Benjie, as a consequence, immediately
delivered the materials to the house of Mr. Ed. The following day, Mr.
Ed went back to Mr. Benjie to tender another two (2) postdated
checks in the amount of P1 million each to complete the payment,
with the same assurance that the checks will be honored upon
presentment for payment. When the checks were presented for
payment, all were dishonored for insufficiency of funds and
corresponding notices of dishonour were sent and received by Mr.
Ed. One month after receipt of the notices of dishonor, Mr. Ed failed
to make good the checks. Thereafter, Mr. Benjie filed before the
public prosecutor’s office a complaint against Mr. Ed, although no
demand letter was earlier sent to Mr. Ed.
During the preliminary investigation, Mr. Benjie accepted
several amounts from Mr. Ed as partial payments. The wife of Mr.
Benjie protested and insisted that the complaint should continue
despite the partial payments. On the other hand, Mr. Ed counters that
no demand letter was earlier sent to him, that the obligation is merely
civil in character and that novation took place when Mr. Benjie
accepted the partial payments.
Discuss the criminal liability, if any, of Mr. Ed. (6%)
ANSWER:
Mr. Ed is liable of one count of Estafa under Article 315(2)(d)
for the issuance of the first 3 checks because he issued them
simultaneous with the transaction in order to defraud another.
However, the 2 other checks had been issued in payment of a preexisting obligation, hence, estafa is not
committed as the issuance of
said checks was not the efficient cause of defraudation.
Mr. Ed is also liable of 5 counts of violation of BP 22, The
Bouncing Checks Law, for the issuance of the 5 checks which were
dishonoured for insufficiency of funds. The gravamen of BP 22 is the
issuance of a worthless or bum check; deceit/fraud is not an element.
Mr. Ed’s defense of partial payments constituting novation and
absence of demand letter will not free him from the criminal liability
already incurred. The partial payments would only affect his civil
liability while his claim of absence of demand letter is negated by the
receipt of notice of dishonour.