Facts:

The case involves the accused, Rolando Garcia, who was charged with the crime of rape against an eight-month-old baby named Cecilia Padua. On February 21, 1984, Cecilia's father entrusted her to the care of his grandmother, Josefa Mangali, who was living with the accused. Later in the day, Josefa left Cecilia with the accused and instructed him to bring the child home when she wakes up. When Cecilia's father returned to pick her up, he found the accused sleeping outside his bedroom while Cecilia was crying inside. He noticed blood on Cecilia's buttocks, wiped it, and took her home. Cecilia's mother then noticed burns on her face and leg, as well as blood on her rectum. They brought Cecilia to a hospital where she was examined by a nurse who found bruises on her private organ. The police were informed, and the accused was arrested.

Issue:

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Ruling:

The court found the accused guilty beyond reasonable doubt of the crime of rape. The accused was sentenced to suffer the penalty of Reclusion Perpetua, to indemnify Cecilia Padua and ...(Unlock)

Ratio:

The court based its decision on the medical examination report, which indicated that Cecilia Padua was in a non-virgin state physically. The report showed that her labia majora were reddish and edematous, and her hymen was deeply lacerated. The court considered these findings as conclusive evidence of a sexual assault against C...continue reading