PEOPLE V. GROSPE

157 SCRA 154

 

FACTS:

Parolan was an authorized wholesale dealer of SMC.  He was charged with violations of BP22 and estafa for allegedly issuing checks in favor of SMC but  when  the  check  was  presented,  it  was  dishonored  for  having insufficiency  funds.    This  is  even  more  aggravated  by  the  allegation  that Paralan failed to make good the check to the prejudice of SMC.
 

HELD:

Estafa  by  postdating  or  issuing  a  bad  check  may  be  a  transitory  or continuing  offense.    Its  basic  elements  of  deceit  and  damage  may  arise independently in separate places.  In this case, it did and jurisdiction may be conferred in any of the two places wherein the two elements arose.  
 
For  while  the  subject  check  was  issued  in  Bulacan,  it  wasn't  completely drawn  thereat,  but  in  Pampanga.    What  is  of  decisive  importance  is  the delivery thereof.  The delivery of the instrument is the final act essential to its  consummation  as  an  obligation.    For  although  the  check  was  received
by   the   SMC   Supervisor   in   Bulacan,   that   was   not   delivery   in   the contemplation of law.  The rule is that the issuancve as well as the delivery of the check must be to a person who takes it as a holder, which  means the  payee  or  indorser  of  a  bill  or  note,  who  is  in  possession  of  it,  or  the bearer  thereof.    The  said  representative  had  to  forward  the  check  to  the SMC regional office, who thereafter forwarded it to the Finance Officer and later on to the depository bank.