Facts:

• Egmedio Lampaza was charged with rape against Teodora Wacay.
• The incident occurred on March 20, 1988, in Tobias Fornier, Antique, Philippines.
• The charge was filed by Assistant Provincial Fiscal Juan C. Mission Jr. on May 25, 1988.
• Lampaza allegedly used lewd design, intimidation, and violence to have carnal knowledge of Wacay without her consent.
• During the arraignment on June 9, 1988, Lampaza pleaded not guilty.
• The prosecution presented several witnesses, including Wacay, who testified about the attack.
• Wacay described being approached from behind, having her arms twisted, and being taken to an uninhabited nipa hut where she was raped under threat of a bolo.
• Wacay reported the incident to her husband and mother the same evening.
• The Regional Trial Court (RTC) found Lampaza guilty on March 14, 1994, sentencing him to 12 years and 1 day to 20 years in prison and ordering him to pay P30,000 in damages.
• Lampaza appealed, and the Court of Appeals (CA) affirmed the conviction, modifying the penalty to reclusion perpetua and increasing moral damages to P50,000.
• The CA certified the case to the Supreme Court for further review.

Issue:

• (Unlock)

Ruling:

• The Supreme Court ruled that the trial court did not err in finding that force and intimidation were used by the accused against the complainant.
• The Court held that the sexual intercourse was not consensual, rejecting the accused's claim of a romantic relationship.
• The Court found...(Unlock)

Ratio:

• The Supreme Court emphasized that force and intimidation are critical elements in establishing the crime of rape.
• The victim's testimony was deemed credible and consistent with the nature of the crime, as she described being physically overpowered and threatened with a weapon.
• Discrepancies in the victim's statements were large...continue reading