Facts:

• The case involves People of the Philippines vs. Larry Cachapero y Basilio, G.R. No. 153008, decided on May 20, 2004.
• Larry Cachapero was charged with rape under Article 266-A of the Revised Penal Code and Republic Act No. 7610.
• The incident occurred in March 1998 in Camiling, Tarlac, involving a seven-year-old victim, Anna Laurence Toledo.
• The Information filed on December 1, 1998, alleged that Cachapero used force and intimidation to sexually assault Anna.
• The Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Camiling, Tarlac, arraigned Cachapero on October 2, 2000, where he pleaded not guilty.
• The prosecution's evidence indicated that Cachapero forced Anna to lie down and assaulted her while she was playing with friends.
• The abuse was revealed when a teacher overheard a student discussing it, leading to an investigation.
• Medical examination showed old hymenal lacerations consistent with sexual abuse.
• Cachapero's defense was based on denial and alibi, claiming he was at home during the incident and suggesting family feuds motivated the charges.
• The RTC found Cachapero guilty, sentencing him to reclusion perpetua and ordering damages to the victim, which he appealed to the Supreme Court.

Issue:

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Ruling:

• The Supreme Court affirmed Larry Cachapero's conviction for statutory rape, ruling that the appeal lacked merit.
• The Court upheld the trial court's findings on the credibility of the victim's testimony an...(Unlock)

Ratio:

• The Supreme Court stated that the exact time of the rape is not a crucial element of the crime.
• The Information's approximation of "sometime in March 1998" was sufficient under Section 11 of Rule 110 of the Rules of Court.
• Any objections to the Information's form must be raised before arraignment; Cachapero waived this right by not doing so.
• The Court emphasized that the testimony of a s...continue reading