Case Digest (G.R. No. 86364)
Facts:
- The case involves People of the Philippines vs. Lope Andaya, G.R. No. 86364, decided on May 6, 1991.
- Lope Andaya was convicted of raping 14-year-old Irene Pilapil.
- On February 19, 1987, Irene and her sister were sent to Andaya's workplace to collect money for household expenses.
- Instead of returning home, Andaya invited the girls to stay overnight.
- Irene testified that she was awakened to find Andaya removing her clothing and attempting to rape her.
- She was unable to shout due to Andaya covering her mouth and threatening her with a knife.
- Irene claimed she was raped three more times during the week they stayed with Andaya.
- Five months later, she disclosed the assaults to her grandmother, who reported it to the authorities.
- A medical examination on July 27, 1987, revealed a lacerated hymen that had healed.
- Andaya denied the allegations, claiming the complaint stemmed from a confrontation with Irene's mother.
- The trial court found the prosecution's evidence credible, convicting Andaya and sentencing him to reclusion perpetua, along with a P30,000 indemnity to the victim.
Issue:
- (Unlock)
Ruling:
- The Supreme Court affirmed the trial court's decision, ruling that the prosecution's evidence was sufficient to establish Andaya's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
- The Court found I...(Unlock)
Ratio:
- The Supreme Court highlighted the significance of the trial court's factual findings, especially in rape cases where witness credibility is crucial.
- Despite minor inconsistencies, Irene's testimony provided a coherent account of the events on February 19, 1987.
- The Court acknowledged the societal stigma faced by rape victims, which often discourages them from reporting incidents, making it reasonable to believe that a victim would not fabricate such serious cl...continue reading
Case Digest (G.R. No. 86364)
Facts:
In the case of People of the Philippines vs. Lope Andaya, G.R. No. 86364, decided on May 6, 1991, the accused-appellant, Lope Andaya, was convicted of raping Irene Pilapil, a 14-year-old girl. The events leading to the conviction occurred on February 19, 1987, when Milagros Bareja, the mother of Irene, sent her two daughters to Andaya's workplace at Hybrid Farm in Pinugay, Baras, Rizal, to collect money for household expenses. Instead of returning the girls home that same day, Andaya invited them to stay overnight. During the night, Irene testified that she was awakened to find Andaya removing her pajama trousers and panty. She recognized him as he positioned himself on top of her and began to penetrate her. Despite her attempts to resist, she was unable to shout due to Andaya covering her mouth and threatening her with a knife. Following this incident, Irene claimed that she was raped three more times over the course of the week she and her sister stayed with Andaya. It was only five months later that she disclosed the assaults to her grandmother, who subsequently reported the matter to the authorities. A medical examination conducted on July 27, 1987, revealed that Irene had a lacerated hymen, which had healed by the time of the examination. Andaya, in his defense, denied the allegations, claiming that he had not touched Irene and that the complaint arose from ...