G.R. No. 243167 - Municipality of Payao, Zamboanga Sibugay vs. Municipality of Imelda, Zamboanga Sibugay

Petitioner Benjie Lagao y Garcia was charged with homicide for allegedly assaulting and fatally injuring Anthony Sumad-ong Nerida on February 20, 2008, in Bauang, La Union.
The Information stated that petitioner willfully and feloniously attacked the victim using a hard object, which caused fatal injuries resulting in the victim’s death.

The prosecution presented three witnesses: Ricardo de Guzman, Ryan Cruz, and Alfredo Nerida, Sr. (victim’s father).
De Guzman testified that he saw the victim with a bleeding nose and an open head wound, heard the victim say petitioner was the assailant, and observed that the victim did not seek medical attention but continued drinking.
Cruz corroborated De Guzman’s testimony, describing a head wound about three inches long and that the victim identified petitioner as the attacker.
Nerida, Sr. confirmed the victim told him petitioner caused the injuries, and that these injuries resulted in the victim’s death two days later. He also identified petitioner as his nephew and neighbor.
Defense witnesses included the petitioner himself, who denied any altercation or infliction of injuries, and Dr. Bernardo Parado, who conducted an autopsy.
Dr. Parado testified that the victim’s laceration was superficial and stated that the cause of death was cardio-respiratory arrest secondary to hypovolemic shock from intracranial hemorrhage due to blunt force injury to the occipital area.
The death certificate, prepared by Dr. Mark Anthony M. Cuevas and admitted as common exhibit, indicated respiratory failure secondary to sepsis, acute pancreatitis, and pneumonia as the cause of death.

The Regional Trial Court (RTC) found petitioner guilty beyond reasonable doubt of homicide and sentenced him to suffer prision mayor and reclusion temporal; it also awarded damages to the victim’s heirs.
The Court of Appeals (CA) affirmed the RTC’s decision and denied the motion for reconsideration.
Petitioner filed a petition for review on certiorari before the Supreme Court, asserting the prosecution failed to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt and challenging the admissibility and weight of prosecution witnesses’ testimonies.

Whether the Court of Appeals erred in affirming the judgment of conviction of homicide despite the failure of the prosecution to prove petitioner’s guilt beyond reasonable doubt.