G.R. No. 197807 - People vs. Lagman y Piring

Two Informations were filed against Cecilia Lagman y Pring covering two criminal cases:

Criminal Case No. 02-200106 charging her with murder for stabbing Jondel Mari Davantes Santiago.
Criminal Case No. 02-200107 charging her with frustrated murder (later modified to less serious physical injuries) for stabbing Violeta Sicor y Sapitula.

The incidents occurred on or about February 24, 2002 in Manila, where the accused allegedly attacked her victims with a knife, causing fatal and non-fatal stab wounds.

During the incident, eyewitness Donna Maniego, who was seated with her mother (Sicor) in a sidecar in Tondo, Manila, was first attacked by the accused when she was punched multiple times.
Immediately after, the accused turned her attention to Sicor, grabbing her and stabbing her in the buttocks with a small knife.
Maniego then left the scene to seek help at the barangay hall and, on her way to check on Jondel Santiago (her common-law spouse), witnessed the accused stab Santiago four times from a distance of 5 to 6 meters.

Donna Maniego identified the accused as the one who punched her and later stabbed Santiago and Sicor.
Sicor testified corroborating Maniego’s account by recounting how she was attacked while sharing the sidecar with Maniego.
Police testimony from PO3 Ricardo M. Alateit and PO3 Ronaldo Samson detailed the discovery of the accused, the recovery of the knife, and the procedures at the police station and hospital.

Several exhibits were admitted into evidence including the Sworn Statement of Maniego, affidavits and the arrest report prepared by Senior Police Officer Edison Bertoldo.
The sharp object (the knife) used in the stabbing was presented as Exhibit aMa, along with a laboratory examination request.

The accused, during her arraignment and subsequent trial, pleaded negatively to the charges.
Her defense centered on an alibi and a denial of killing Santiago; she claimed confrontation with Maniego over rumors about her sanity led to a slap, and asserted that she did not stab Santiago.
Medical testimony by Dr. Mario Lato noted a head laceration and a mid-pectoral wound which were argued to be inconsistent with the nature and severity of the charges.
The defense highlighted alleged inconsistencies in Maniego’s testimony, including the claim that Maniego did not witness Santiago’s stabbing directly and discrepancies regarding the relative physical sizes of the accused and the victim.

Whether the Court of Appeals (CA) erred in finding Cecilia Lagman y Pring guilty beyond a reasonable doubt for the murder of Jondel Mari Santiago.

Debate centered on the reliability of eyewitness testimony, particularly that of Maniego, and alleged inconsistencies therein.

Whether the CA improperly gave credence to the prosecution’s witnesses despite alleged inconsistencies and contradictions in their testimonies.

The defense questioned the credibility of Maniego’s testimony and noted that the judge who rendered the decision was not the one who observed the trial proceedings directly.

Whether the CA erred in determining that the killing was committed with treachery.

The defense argued that, even assuming the act occurred, the stabbing should have been characterized as a crime of passion rather than a premeditated, treacherous assault.