Case Digest (G.R. No. 228886)
Facts:
People of the Philippines v. Charlie Flores, Daniel Flores and Sammy Flores, G.R. No. 228886, August 08, 2018, First Division, Del Castillo, J., writing for the Court.The prosecution charged Charlie Flores (alias Alit/Alid/Bong), Daniel Flores (alias Jover Violata), and Sammy Flores (alias Ricky Violata) with murder under an Information alleging that on December 25, 2002, in Barangay Tignoan, Real, Quezon, the accused, armed with bladed weapons and acting in concert, stabbed and fatally wounded the victim, Larry Parcon. Two co-accused, Gary Badeviso and Rodel Torestre, were also named in the Information but remained at large.
At trial the prosecution presented a lone eyewitness, Eduardo Mabini, who testified that on the night in question he saw a commotion inside a well‑lit videoke bar; he identified Rodel as the first assailant, and positively identified Sammy and Daniel as the persons who stabbed Larry while Charlie held the victim by the armpits so the others could stab him; Eduardo further testified that other persons (Gary and one Belgar) also stabbed the victim. The victim was rushed to the hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival. The prosecution also produced testimony from the victim’s wife regarding burial expenses and the victim’s employment and income.
The accused offered alibi testimony. Sammy and Daniel claimed they were at the house of a logging manager in another municipality that night, supported by testimony from that manager. Charlie testified he was at home with his wife and brother‑in‑law, who likewise corroborated his presence elsewhere.
The Regional Trial Court (RTC), Branch 65, Infanta, Quezon, found the accused guilty of murder, giving credence to Eduardo’s identification and concluding that the circumstance of abuse of superior strength qualified the killing as murder; it sentenced each accused to reclusion perpetua and awarded damages (civil indemnity P75,000; moral P50,000; temperate P25,000; exemplary P30,000). The RTC ordered cases against the two fugitives archived until apprehension.
On appeal, the Court of ...(Subscriber-Only)
Issues:
- Was the prosecution able to identify the accused beyond reasonable doubt through the testimony of the lone eyewitness?
- Was the killing attended by the qualifying circumstance of abuse of superior strength so as to constitute murder under Article 248 of the Revised Penal Code, and was the penalty properly imposed?
- Were the awards of civil and exemplary damages, temperate damages, a...(Subscriber-Only)
Ruling:
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Ratio:
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Doctrine:
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