Facts:
Conrado Laog y Ramin was charged in the Regional Trial Court, Branch 11, Malolos, Bulacan, with the murder of
Jennifer Patawaran-Rosal under Criminal Case No. 2162-M-2000 and with the rape of
AAA under Criminal Case No. 2308-M-2000 for acts alleged to have occurred on or about June 6, 2000 in Sampaloc, San Rafael, Bulacan. The Informations alleged that appellant waylaid AAA and Jennifer while they were walking along the rice paddies, struck them with a lead pipe and stabbed them with an ice pick, that Jennifer sustained fatal stab wounds and that AAA was beaten, stabbed, and raped. AAA testified as the principal prosecution eyewitness that appellant hit her and Jennifer with a lead pipe, stabbed Jennifer several times and covered her body with grass, and thereafter hit and stabbed AAA, pulled down her undergarments, exposed her upper garments and had carnal knowledge of her; AAA later crawled to her grandfather
BBB’s farm and was brought to Carpa Hospital where she recuperated for more than three weeks, while Jennifer’s cadaver was found covered with grass and in an advanced stage of decomposition; medico-legal testimony by Dr. Ivan Richard Viray established stab wounds and hemorrhagic shock as cause of death. Appellant maintained a defense of denial and alibi, testifying that he was at home the relevant evening and that AAA and Jennifer had slept at his nipa hut the night before; his nephew Rey Laog corroborated that AAA and Jennifer had been at appellant’s house. After trial, the RTC rendered a Joint Decision on June 30, 2003 finding appellant guilty of murder under Article 248 and rape under Article 266-A par. (a) and imposed sentences of reclusion perpetua and awards of civil and exemplary damages; the Court of Appeals affirmed with modification in a Decision dated March 21, 2007, reducing exemplary damages and awarding additional actual damages, and appellant then elevated the case to this Court.
Issues:
Did the prosecution prove beyond reasonable doubt that appellant committed the crimes charged? Was the killing of Jennifer and the rape of AAA properly treated as separate offenses or as the composite crime of
rape with homicide under
Article 266-B of the Revised Penal Code, as amended by
R.A. No. 8353? Were the aggravating circumstances alleged and proven sufficient to affect the penalty and the award of exemplary damages?
Ruling:
Ratio:
Doctrine: