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Facts: Arvin Mercado, a municipal credit union employee, is arrested on suspicion of embezzlement and is taken to a dim, windowless interrogation room. He is not informed of his right to counsel or to remain silent. Investigators threaten to publicly disclose his salary irregularities and to suspend him from his job if he does not answer. After about 50 minutes, Arvin signs a handwritten confession admitting involvement in the scheme. The statement is later used at his trial. Arvin contends that the statement was obtained in violation of his right against self-incrimination.
(a) Identify the controlling doctrine governing the right against self-incrimination in Philippine law.
(b) Analyze whether Arvin’s statement is admissible, given custodial interrogation without counsel, focusing on the voluntariness requirement and the safeguards for the right against self-incrimination.
(c) If Arvin had previously invoked his right to counsel and the interrogation continued, would the result be different? Briefly explain.