Case Digest (G.R. No. 178063)
Facts:
- Tirso Sace y Montoya was charged with rape and homicide.
- The incident occurred on September 9, 1999, around 7:00 PM in Barangay Tabionan, Gasan, Marinduque, Philippines.
- Victim AAA was at home with her 10-year-old brother BBB and a toddler nephew.
- Sace, who had been drinking since 11:00 AM, arrived and made sexual advances towards AAA.
- Sace pulled out a bladed weapon and chased AAA upstairs.
- BBB heard Sace threatening AAA to remove her clothes or be stabbed.
- CCC, the mother of AAA and BBB, arrived home and found Sace bloodied, claiming he was chasing someone.
- AAA's lifeless, half-naked body was found nearby.
- Sace initially denied involvement but later confessed to barangay officials and tanods.
- The RTC of Boac, Marinduque, convicted Sace on June 1, 2001, sentencing him to death, later reduced to reclusion perpetua by the Court of Appeals on November 20, 2006.
- Sace appealed, claiming the circumstantial evidence was insufficient to prove his guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
Issue:
- (Unlock)
Ruling:
- The Supreme Court affirmed the conviction of Tirso Sace y Montoya for rape with homicide.
- The Court upheld the Court of Appeals' decision, reducing the penalty from death to reclusion perpetua.
- The Court modified the damages awarded, incre...(Unlock)
Ratio:
- Proof beyond reasonable doubt requires moral certainty, not absolute certainty.
- Circumstantial evidence can be sufficient to establish guilt when direct evidence is unavailable.
- The prosecution's evidence established a chain of events pointing to Sace's guilt: his drunken state, his attempt to embrace AAA, his chase with a knife, his bloodied appearance, and his voluntary confession.
- BBB's testimony was credible and consistent, positively identifying Sace as the perpetrator.
- Sace's defense of denial and alibi was weak and unsupported by strong evidence.
- Sace'...continue reading
Case Digest (G.R. No. 178063)
Facts:
The case of "People vs. Sace y Montoya" involves the appellant, Tirso Sace y Montoya, who was charged with the crime of rape with homicide. The incident occurred on September 9, 1999, at around 7:00 PM in Barangay Tabionan, Municipality of Gasan, Province of Marinduque, Philippines. The victim, referred to as AAA, was at home with her 10-year-old brother BBB and a toddler nephew when Sace, who had been drinking since 11:00 AM, arrived. Despite AAA's attempts to make him leave, Sace made sexual advances, pulled out a bladed weapon, and chased AAA upstairs. BBB heard Sace threatening AAA to remove her clothes or be stabbed. CCC, the mother of AAA and BBB, arrived home with others and found Sace bloodied, claiming he was chasing someone. AAA's lifeless, half-naked body was found nearby. Sace initially denied involvement but later confessed to barangay officials and tanods. The Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Boac, Marinduque, convicted Sace on June 1, 2001, sentencing him to death, which was later reduced to reclusion perpetua by the Court of Appeals on November 20, 2006. Sace appealed, claiming the circumstantial evidence was insufficient to prove his guilt beyond reasonable doubt.