Case Digest (G.R. No. 140604)
Facts:
Dr. Rico S. Jacutin v. People of the Philippines, G.R. No. 140604, March 06, 2002, the Supreme Court Third Division, Vitug, J., writing for the Court.Petitioner Dr. Rico S. Jacutin, then City Health Officer of Cagayan de Oro City, was charged by Information dated July 22, 1996 before the Sandiganbayan, Fourth Division, with Sexual Harassment under Republic Act No. 7877 for acts allegedly committed on December 1, 1995 against Juliet Q. Yee, a 22‑year‑old nursing graduate who sought employment assistance from petitioner. Petitioner pleaded not guilty and trial ensued.
The factual narrative accepted by the Sandiganbayan was that Juliet first went to petitioner's office on November 28 and 29, 1995 seeking employment; petitioner told her of a possible vacancy in a family planning research project and asked her to return December 1 for an interview and purported "physical examination" related to the research. On the afternoon of December 1 she met petitioner, accompanied him in his car under the belief the visit related to the research, and he then allegedly lowered her pants, inserted his hand into her panties, fondled her breasts and touched other intimate parts, while at various times indicating he could help with her employment and urging her not to tell anyone. He gave her P300 afterward; she initially told only part of the incident to her mother and later revealed more to relatives and sought counseling for psychological trauma.
Petitioner denied the allegations, asserting alibi that he was at a meeting of the Committee on Awards on the afternoon of December 1 and producing a photocopy of a plane ticket for travel to Davao on December 4 as evidence of his schedule; he further claimed the complaint was political harassment and that there were inconsistencies in the prosecution's evidence. Several other women (Vivian Yu, Iryn Lago Salcedo, and Farah Dongallo y Alkuino) testified about petitioner's alleged prior perverse behavior, which the Sandiganbayan considered corroborative.
The Sandiganbayan, Fourth Division, rendered judgment on November 5, 1999, finding petitioner guilty of Sexual Harassment under Sections 3 and 7 of RA 7877, sentencing him to six months' imprisonment and a P20,000 fine, and ordering indemnity to the offended party in the amounts...(Subscriber-Only)
Issues:
- Does Republic Act No. 7877 apply to and criminalize petitioner's conduct in this case?
- Was petitioner denied due process or the presumption of innocence because the prosecution's evidence was insufficient to sustain a conviction and because the Sandiganbayan erred in its factual finding...(Subscriber-Only)
Ruling:
- (Subscriber-Only)
Ratio:
- (Subscriber-Only)
Doctrine:
- (Subscriber-Only)