Source: http://lawlibrary.chanrobles.com/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=50695:gr-168662-2008&amp;catid=1502&amp;Itemid=566
Timestamp: 2019-04-26 03:39:17+00:00

Document:
G.R. No. 168662 - SANRIO COMPANY LIMITED v. EDGAR C. LIM, ETC.
SANRIO COMPANY LIMITED, Petitioner, v. EDGAR C. LIM, doing business as ORIGNAMURA TRADING, Respondent.
This Petition for Review on Certiorari 1 seeks to set aside the decision of the Court of Appeals (CA) in CA-G.R. CV No. 746602 and its resolution3 denying reconsideration.
As such exclusive distributor, GGI entered into licensing agreements with JC Lucas Creative Products, Inc., Paper Line Graphics, Inc. and Melawares Manufacturing Corporation.6 These local entities were allowed to manufacture certain products (bearing petitioner's copyrighted animated characters) for the local market.
217.2. In determining the number of years of imprisonment and the amount of fine, the court shall consider the value of the infringing materials that the defendant has produced or manufactured and the damage that the copyright owner has suffered by reason of infringement.
Petitioner moved for reconsideration but it was denied.22 Hence, it filed a Petition for Review in the Office of the Chief State Prosecutor of the DOJ.23 In a resolution dated August 29, 2003,24 the Office of the Chief State Prosecutor affirmed the TAPP resolution. The petition was dismissed for lack of reversible error.
Section 1. Violations penalized by special acts shall, unless otherwise provided in such acts, prescribe in accordance with the following rules: (a) after a year for offenses punished only by a fine or by imprisonment for not more than one month, or both; (b) after four years for those punished by imprisonment for more than one month, but less than two years; (c) after eight years for those punished by imprisonment for two years or more, but less than six years; and (d) after twelve years for any other offense punished by imprisonment for six years or more, except the crime of treason, which shall prescribe after twenty years; Provided, however, That all offenses against any law or part of law administered by the Bureau of Internal Revenue shall prescribe after five years. Violations penalized by municipal ordinances shall prescribe after two months.
Section 2. Prescription shall begin to run from the day of the commission of the violation of the law, and if the same may not be known at the time, from the discovery thereof and the institution of judicial proceedings for its investigation and punishment.
2. knowledge or suspicion that the copy is an infringement of the genuine article.
Although we do not agree wholly with the CA, we deny the petition.
Section 2 of Act 3326 provides that the prescriptive period for violation of special laws starts on the day such offense was committed and is interrupted by the institution of proceedings against respondent (i.e., the accused).
In the recent case of Brillantes v. Court of Appeals,31 we affirmed that the filing of the complaint for purposes of preliminary investigation interrupts the period of prescription of criminal responsibility.32 Thus, the prescriptive period for the prosecution of the alleged violation of the IPC was tolled by petitioner's timely filing of the complaint-affidavit before the TAPP.
The prosecutors in this case consistently found that no probable cause existed against respondent for violation of the IPC. They were in the best position to determine whether or not there was probable cause. We find that they arrived at their findings after carefully evaluating the respective evidence of petitioner and respondent. Their conclusion was not tainted with grave abuse of discretion.
2 Penned by Associate Justice Perlita J. Tria-Tirona and concurred in by Associate Justices Delilah Vidallon-Magtolis (retired) and Jose C. Reyes, Jr. of the Fourth Division of the Court of Appeals. Dated May 3, 2005. Rollo, pp. 51-63.
3 Dated June 22, 2005. Id., pp. 65-66.
9 Annex "J," id., pp. 132-133.
11 Search warrant no. 00-1616 issued by Manila executive judge Rebecca G. Salvador. Dated May 30, 2000. Annex "K," id., pp. 134-135.
12 Annexes "L," and "L-1," id., pp. 136-137.
13 Docketed as IS No. 2002-205. Annex "M," id., pp. 138-144.
16 Annex "N," id., pp. 145-172.
19 Id. To support his claim, respondent submitted photocopies of the receipts issued to him by JC Lucas Creative Products, Inc. and Melawares Manufacturing Corporation as evidence.
21 Penned by state prosecutor Aileen Marie S. Gutierrez and approved by chief state prosecutor Jovencito R. Zuno. Dated September 25, 2002. Annex "A," id., pp. 110-115.
22 Dated January 27, 2003. Annex "B," id., pp. 116-117.
23 Annex "T," id., pp. 207-233. Under Department of Justice Circular No. 70 (2000 NPS Rules on Appeal), 3 July 2000.
24 Signed by undersecretary Ma. Merceditas N. Gutierrez of the Department of Justice. Dated August 29, 2003. Annex "C," id., pp. 119-120.
Petitioner again moved for reconsideration but it was denied in a resolution dated March 24, 2004. Annex "D," id., pp. 121-122.
30 See Act 3326, Sec. 1.
31 G.R. NOS. 118757 & 121571, 19 October 2004, 440 SCRA 541.
32 Id., p. 563 citing People v. Olarte, 125 Phil. 895 (1967).
Section 1. Preliminary investigation defined; when required. Preliminary investigation is an inquiry or proceeding to determine whether there is sufficient ground to engender a well-founded belief that a crime has been committed and the respondent is probably guilty thereof, and should be held for trial.
34 Baviera v. Paglinawan, G.R. No. 170602, 8 February 2007, 515 SCRA 170, 184 citing Pontejos v. Office of the Ombudsman, G.R. NOS. 158613-14, 22 February 2006, 483 SCRA 83, 92.
37 Glaxosmithkline Philippines, Inc. v. Khalid Mehmood Malik, G.R. No. 166924, 17 August 2006, 499 SCRA 268, 272-273 citing Punzalan v. de la Pena, G.R. No. 158543, 21 July 2004, 434 SCRA 601.
38 Id. at 273 citing Cabahug v. People, 426 Phil. 490 (2002).
39 Id., citing Baylon v. Office of the Ombudsman and the Sandiganbayan, 423 Phil. 705 (2001).

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