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Question
In Cebu City, Atty. de la Cruz is charged with Estafa, a non-capital offense. At arraignment, the accused pleads guilty in open court. He is represented by counsel. The judge conducts only a brief in-court inquiry and immediately imposes a sentence. The court’s record contains a separate document titled Stipulation of Facts, signed by the accused and the prosecutor, detailing the elements of Estafa and the facts admitted by the accused. There is no on-record recital of the facts or of the voluntariness of the plea, and the judge did not address the accused’s rights or voluntariness. Based on the rule governing guilty pleas in non-capital offenses, is the plea and conviction valid? Explain why or why not, and indicate the relief that should be granted if the plea/conviction is invalid.