US vs. BAUTISTA United States vs. Francisco Bautista et al November 3, 1906 Carson, J. Short version: version: Bautista, de u!man and "u!on #ere convicted o$ cons%irac& to overt'ro# t'e US (ovt in )anila. *'e& #ere in $act $ound to to 'ave been involved in in several meetin(s #'ere t'e t'e cons%irac& to overt'ro# overt'ro# t'e (overnment #as made. "u!on, in %articular, #as $ound to 'ave b een a%%ointed as a bri(adier+(eneral o$ t'e revolution arm&. o#ever, "u!on asserted t'at 'e onl& acce%ted t'e %osition -1 #it'out t'e intention o$ ta/in( $urt'er action and - in order not to ve 'is $riend #'o o$$ered t'e t'e %osition. "u!on2s counsel contended contended t'at t'e constitutional constitutional %rovision reuirin( reuirin( t'e testimon& o$ at least t#o #itnesses to t'e same overt act, or con$ession in o%en court, to su%%ort a conviction $or t'e crime o$ treason s'ould be a%%lied. Court denied a%%eal. *'e crime o$ cons%irin( to commit treason is a se%arate and distinct o$$ense $rom t'e crime o$ treason. 4n 'oldin( t'at "u!on #as a cons%irator, t'e Court considered t'at a (enuine cons%irac& #as s'o#n to 'ave eisted in t'is case, and it #as %roven t'at t'e accused voluntaril& acce%ted an a%%ointment as an o$$icer in t'at cons%irac&. FACTS Francisco Bautista, 5niceto de u!man and *omas "u!on #ere convicted in CF4 )anila o$ t'e crime o$ cons%irac& to overt'ro#, %ut do#n and destro& b& $orce t'e overnment o$ t'e United States in t'e "'ili%%ine 4slands, as de$ined and %enali!ed in Section o$ 5ct No. 9 o$ t'e "'ili%%ine Commission. 7urin( t'e latter %art o$ 1903, a 8unta #as or(ani!ed and a cons%irac& entered into b& a number o$ Fili%ino residents in on(/on( $or t'e %ur%ose o$ overt'ro#in( t'e US (ov2t in t'e "'ili%%ines b& $orce o$ arms and establis'in( in its stead a (overnment to be /no#n as t'e e%ublica Universal 7emocratica Fili%ina. "rim ui! #as reco(ni!ed as t'e titular 'ead o$ t'is cons%irac& and 5rtemio icarte as t'e c'ie$ o$ t'e militar& $orces to be or(ani!ed. n 7ecember 1903, icarte secretl& came to )anila $rom on(/on(. 5$ter 'is arrival, 'e 'eld a number o$ meetin(s in )anila and t'e ad8oinin( %rovinces #'ereat #as %er$ected t'e cons%irac& 'atc'ed in on(/on(. 5t t'ese meetin(s, ne# members #ere ta/en into t'e cons%irac& and %lans # ere made $or t'e enlistment o$ an arm& and t'e raisin( o$ mone& b& national and %rivate loans. *o t'is end, bonds #ere issued and commissions as o$$icers in t'e revolutionar& arm& #ere (ranted to a number o$ cons%irators. *'e cons%irators did in $act ta/e t'e $ield and o$$ered armed resistance to t'e constituted aut'orities aut'orities in t'e "'ili%%ines, onl& $ailin( in t'eir desi(n o$ overt'ro#in( t'e (overnment because o$ t'eir $ailure to combat success$ull& #it' t'e o$$icers o$ t'e la# #'o #ere sent a(ainst t'em and o$ t'e $ailure o$ t'e %eo%le to rise en masse in res%onse to t'eir %ro%a(anda. *omas "u!on; teac'er o$ %rimar& and secondar& sc'ools: United #it' t'e cons%irators t'ru Jose )uno!, a %rime leader o$ t'e movement "u!on 'eld several con$erences #it' )uno! #'ereat %lans #ere made $or t'e comin( insurrection 4n one con$erence, )uno! o$$ered "u!on a commission as bri(adier+(eneral o$ t'e si(nal con$erence. "u!on assured )uno! t'at 'e 'ad t'in(s in readiness, meanin( t'ereb& t'at 'e 'ad dul& or(ani!ed in accordance #it' t'e terms o$ 'is commission. • • •
"u!on a%%ealed 'is conviction, sa&in( t'at: : 'e 'ad never united 'imsel$ #it' t'e cons%irators e 'ad acce%ted t'e a%%ointment as bri(adier+(eneral #it' no intention o$ ever ta/in( an& $urt'er action in t'e matter and merel& because 'e did not #is' to ve 'is $riend )uno! b& re$usin( to do so. <'en )uno! o$$ered 'im t'e a%%ointment as bri(adier+(eneral, bri(adier+(eneral, 'e did so in a 8o/in( tone and "u!on "u!on did not /no# t'at icarte #as in )anila or(ani!in( t'e cons%irac&. • •
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ISSUE: <'et'er ISSUE: <'et'er "u!on is (uilt& o$ cons%irac& in vie# o$ 'is claims t'at 'e onl& too/ on t'e role o$ bri(adier+(eneral #it' no intention o$ ta/in( $urt'er action +++ =>S, cons%irac& is di$$erent $rom treason REASONING "u!on2s claims on a%%eal cannot be acce%ted as true in vie# o$ a #ritten statement si(ned b& "u!on at t'e time 'e #as $irst arrested, #'ic' reads in %art: ?. 5re &ou a %art o$ 'is ne# revolution %resided over b& icarte@ + 5. =es, sir.
?. <'at is t'e em%lo&ment - empleo #'ic' &ou 'ave in t'is or(ani!ation, and #'o is it #'o invited &ou to 8oin it@ + 5. J. . )uAo!, #'o is (eneral o$ division o$ t'is ne# or(ani!ation, s%o/e to me #it' muc' instance, as/in( me to acce%t em%lo&ment as bri(adier+(eneral, c'ie$ o$ si(nal cor%s, to #'ic' 4, on account o$ 'is reuest and in vie# o$ t'e $act t'at t'e said )uAo! is a $riend o$ mine $rom m& &out', acceded; nevert'eless 4 'ave or(ani!ed absolutel& not'in( in res%ect to t'is matter. ?. 7id &ou acce%t t'e em%lo&ment and did t'e& (ive &ou an& commission $or it@ + 5. =es, sir; 4 acce%ted said em%lo&ment and alt'ou(' t'e& (ave me an order to or(ani!e in m& bri(ade 4 did not do it, because 4 'ad neit'er t'e con$idence nor t'e #ill. ?. 4$ &ou didnt 'ave $ait' in t'e said aut'ori!ation nor t'e #ill to carr& out #'at #as intrusted to &ou, #'& did &ou acce%t em%lo&ment as (eneral o$ t'e bri(ade@ + 5. 4 acce%ted it on account o$ $riends'i% and not to ve a $riend, but 4 never 'ave t'e intention o$ $ul$illin( t'e obli(ations. "u!on, #'en on t'e stand in 'is o#n be'al$, did not den& t'at 'e made t'is statement, but 'e attem%ted to e%lain it a#a& b& sa&in( t'at #'en 'e made it 'e #as so ecited t'at 'e did not /no# 8ust #'at 'e #as sa&in(. e does not alle(e t'at im%ro%er means #ere ta/en to %rocure t'e con$ession, and it #as %roven at t'e trial t'at it #as $reel& and voluntaril& made and not t'e result o$ violence, intimidation, t'reat, menace, or %romise o$ re#ard or lenienc&. "u!on a%%ears to be an intelli(ent man and #as $or ei('teen &ears a sc'ool+teac'er and later a tele(ra%' o%erator under t'e S%anis' overnment, and durin( t'e insurrection 'e 'eld a commission as an o$$icer in t'e si(nal cor%s o$ t'e revolutionar& arm&. is con$ession is clear and intelli(ible and in no # a& su%%orts 'is %retense t'at 'e #as so ecited as not to /no# #'at 'e #as sa&in( #'en 'e made it, and its trut' and accurac& in so $ar it incul%ates 'im is sustained b& ot'er evidence o$ record in t'is case. Puzon contended that the accetance or ossession o! an aoint"ent as an o!!icer o! the "i#itar$ !orces o! the consirac$ shou#d not %e considered as evidence a&ainst hi", citin( several US cases. *'e Court, 'o#ever, $ound t'e case at 'and to be distin(uis'ed $rom suc' cited cases b& t'e $act t'at t'e record clearl& disclose t'at t'e accused actuall& and voluntaril& acce%ted t'e a%%ointment in uestion and in doin( so assumed al l t'e obli(ations im%lied b& suc' acce%tance, and t'at t'e c'ar(e in t'is case is t'at o$ cons%irac&, and t'e $act t'at t'e accused acce%ted t'e a%%ointment is ta/en into consideration merel& as evidence o$ 'is criminal relations #it' t'e cons%irators. US vs. Reyes: 5ccused #as c'ar(ed #it' treason. Court $ound t'at mere acce%tance o$ a commission b& t'e de$endant, not'in( else bein( done b& 'im or b& 'is com%anions, #as not an overt actD o$ treason #it'in t'e meanin( o$ t'e la#. US vs. Nunez et al: 5ccused #ere c'ar(ed #it' bri(anda(e. Court 'eld t'at aside $rom t'e %ossession o$ commissions in an insur(ent band, t'ere #as no evidence to s'o# t'at it t'e& 'ad committed t'e crime and, Emoreover, t'at it a%%eared t'at t'e& 'ad never united #it' an& %art& o$ bri(ands and never 'ad been in an& #a& connected #it' suc' %arties unless t'e %'&sical %ossession o$ t'ese a%%ointments %roved suc' relation,E and t'at it a%%eared t'at eac' one o$ t'e de$endants E#ere se%aratel& a%%roac'ed at di$$erent times b& armed men #'ile #or/in( in t'e $ield and #ere virtuall& com%elled to acce%t t'e commissions.E US vs. dela Serna et al: *'e mere %ossession o$ an a%%ointment -as colonel o$ t'e %ula8anes, #'en it is not s'o#n t'at t'e %ossessor eecuted some eternal act b& t'e virtue o$ t'e same, does not constitute su$$icient %roo$ o$ (uilt o$ t'e de$endant. 4t is uite conceivable t'at a (rou% o$ cons%irators mi('t a%%oint a %erson in no #ise connected #it' t'em to some 'i(' o$$ice in t'e cons%irac&, in t'e 'o%e t'at suc' %erson #ould a$ter#ards acce%t t'e commission and t'us unite 'imsel$ #it' t'em, and it is even %ossible t'at suc' an a%%ointment mi('t be $or#arded in t'e mail or ot'er#ise, and t'us come into t'e %ossession o$ t'e %erson t'us nominated, and t'at suc' a%%ointment mi('t be $ound in 'is %ossession, and, not#it'standin( all t'is, t'e %erson in #'ose %ossession t'e a%%ointment #as $ound mi('t be entirel& innocent o$ all intention to 8oin t'e cons%irac&, never 'avin( aut'ori!ed t'e cons%irators to use 'is name in t'is manner nor to send suc' a commission to 'im. But 'here a &enuine consirac$ is sho'n to have e(isted as in t'is case, and it is roven that the accused vo#untari#$ acceted an aoint"ent as an o!!icer in that consirac$ , #e t'in/ t'at this !act "a$ roer#$ %e ta)en into consideration as evidence o! his re#ations 'ith the consirators. Counsel $or "u!on contend t'at t'e constitutional %rovision reuirin( t'e testimon& o$ at least t#o #itnesses to t'e same overt act, or con$ession in o%en court, to su%%ort a conviction $or t'e crime o$ treason s'ould be a%%lied in t'is case, but t'is court 'as al#a&s 'eld, in con$ormance #it' t'e decisions o$ t'e Federal courts o$ t'e United States, t'at the cri"e o! consirin& to co""it treason is a searate and distinct o!!ense !ro" the cri"e o! treason , and t'at t'is constitutional %rovision is not a%%licable in suc' cases. Jud(ment a$$irmed.
