Case Digest (G.R. No. 119957)
Facts:
- Accused-appellant Rodolfo Bawar y Labog appealed his conviction for rape.
- The case was decided on September 23, 1996, by the Third Division of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, with Justice Melo as the ponente.
- On August 15, 1985, at around 12 o'clock midnight, accused-appellant entered the house of the mother-in-law of complainant Librada Opis-Montiano, where she was sound asleep.
- Accused-appellant allegedly had sexual intercourse with complainant against her will.
- Complainant did not immediately report the incident to the authorities, but filed a complaint seven days later.
- Accused-appellant and his family left Marinduque for Cavite after the case was filed.
Issue:
- (Unlock)
Ruling:
- Accused-appellant is acquitted on reasonable doubt.
- The court finds that the testimony of complainant is implausible, inconsistent, and not in accordance with the ordinary course of nature and the ordinary habits of life.
- Complainant's behavior after the alleged rape incident is inconsistent with th...(Unlock)
Ratio:
- In crimes against chastity, the testimony of the offended party should not be received with precipitate credulity.
- The court must exercise the greatest degree of care and caution in considering and analyzing a complainant's testimony.
- The evidence for the prosecution must stand or fall on its own merits and cannot draw s...continue reading
Case Digest (G.R. No. 119957)
Facts:
In the case of People v. Bawar y Labog, the accused-appellant Rodolfo Bawar y Labog was acquitted of rape charges by the Regional Trial Court of the Fourth Judicial Region in Marinduque. The prosecution's case was based on the testimony of the complainant, Librada Opis-Montiano, who alleged that Bawar had raped her in her parents-in-law's house. However, the court found inconsistencies and implausibility in the complainant's testimony, casting doubt on the veracity of her claims. The court noted that the behavior of the complainant after the alleged assault, such as not immediately reporting the incident to authorities and her nonchalant attitude, was not consistent with that of a rape victim. Additionally, the court found that the circumstances surrounding the alleged rape, including the time and place of the incident, suggested a prearranged meeting between the accused and the c...