Case Digest (G.R. No. 258194)
Facts:
People of the Philippines v. XXX, G.R. No. 258194, May 29, 2024, Supreme Court First Division, Hernando, J., writing for the Court. The plaintiff-appellee is the People of the Philippines; the accused-appellant is XXX. The private offended party is identified in the records as AAA (a minor); other investigating and corroborating actors included the National Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, and City Health Officer Dr. Vito C. Borja II.Accused-appellant was charged in eight separate informations arising from events between December 31, 2016 and January 11, 2017: three counts of acting as a procurer of a child prostitute in violation of Section 5(a)(1) of Republic Act No. 7610; two counts of sexual intercourse with a child exploited in prostitution in violation of Section 5(b) of RA 7610; and three counts of trafficking in persons in violation of Section 4(a) of Republic Act No. 9208, as amended by RA 10364 (qualified trafficking where the victim is a child). During arraignment, accused pleaded not guilty.
At trial the prosecution presented five witnesses, including the victim (AAA), her father, an NBI investigator, a DSWD social worker, and the City Health Officer. AAA testified to being recruited by accused-appellant, being offered to multiple male clients for payment on December 31, 2016, January 4 and January 11, 2017, and to two separate occasions (January 3 and January 5, 2017) when accused-appellant himself had sexual intercourse with her—once by force and once under the pretext of relieving vaginal pain (when he reportedly applied toothpaste/Colgate to his penis). Medico-legal examination showed healed hymenal lacerations at 6 and 11 o’clock, cervical secretions, and a positive gonococcal infection. The defense presented only the accused, who denied the acts, asserted an alibi and that he was not the individual charged, and testified that he first met AAA only on January 15, 2017.
The Regional Trial Court, Branch 28, Naga City, in a Judgment dated October 26, 2018, found accused-appellant guilty as charged on all counts and imposed various prison terms (including life imprisonment on the RA 9208 counts) and monetary damages. Accused appealed to the Court of Appeals. In CA-G.R. CR-HC No. 12128, the Court of Appeals in a Decision dated January 29, 2020 (penned by Associate Justice Edwin D. Sorongon, First Division), denied the appeal but ...(Pro-only)
Issues:
- Was accused-appellant’s guilt for the charged offenses proven beyond a reasonable doubt? ...(Pro-only)
Ruling:
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Ratio:
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Doctrine:
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