Monta v. People

Summary

This criminal case involved petitioner Dandy Monta y Ramos challenging his conviction and the validity of his warrantless arrest before the Supreme Court. The RTC convicted him, and the Court of Appeals affirmed the conviction. The Supreme Court denied his petition, ruling that he had waived his right to question the arrest's validity by failing to raise the issue before arraignment. The Court found the warrantless arrest lawful under Section 5(a), Rule 113, as the accused was actually committing an offense in the arresting officer's presence. The decision reinforces the established principle that failure to timely question an arrest's legality constitutes waiver of that right, and emphasizes the validity of warrantless arrests when offenses are committed in the officer's presence.