Case Digest (G.R. No. 227748)
Facts:
People of the Philippines v. Eddie Verona, Efren Verona and Edwin Verona, G.R. No. 227748, June 19, 2019, Supreme Court Second Division, Carpio, J., writing for the Court.The criminal Information, signed by Provincial Prosecutor Teresita S. Lopez, charged Eddie Verona, Efren Verona, and Edwin Verona with murder under Article 248 of the Revised Penal Code for the killing on October 27, 1998 of Manuel Tingoy, a jeepney conductor in Tanauan, Leyte. The accusatory portion described a scheme in which several members of the Verona family allegedly flagged down the victim’s jeepney and, by means of bolos, stabbed and hacked the victim causing multiple fatal wounds.
At arraignment on November 22, 1999, the accused pleaded not guilty and a pretrial conference was held on December 7, 1999. The prosecution presented two witnesses: Eva Castafio (referred to elsewhere in the record as Eva Castano), an eyewitness who was riding a motorcycle behind the jeepney, and Dr. Nemia Yebron-Sangrano, the Municipal Health Officer, who produced the medico-legal necropsy report (Exhibit A) and a sketch (Exhibit B). The defense presented three witnesses: the accused-appellants Edwin Verona, Efren Verona, and their father Dioscoro Verona. Dioscoro died while under detention during the pendency of the case; Eddie Verona remained at large.
The Regional Trial Court (Branch 6, Tacloban City) in its February 20, 2012 Judgment convicted Efren and Edwin of murder with treachery, abuse of superior strength, intent to kill, and conspiracy; it sentenced each to reclusion perpetua without eligibility for parole and ordered indemnities and damages. The Court of Appeals, in a Decision dated August 1, 2016 (CA‑G.R. CEB‑CR HC No. 01481), affi...(Pro-only)
Issues:
- Whether Efren and Edwin were proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt of murder under Article 248 of the Revised Penal Code.
- Whether the testimony of prosecution eyewitness Eva Castafio/Castano was credible and reliable to identify Efren and Edwin as perpetrators.
- Whether conspiracy among the accused was established.
- Whether treachery and abuse of superior strength were properly appr...(Pro-only)
Ruling:
- (Pro-only)
Ratio:
- (Pro-only)
Doctrine:
- (Pro-only)