Case Digest (G.R. No. 252865)
Facts:
People of the Philippines v. YYY, G.R. No. 252865, August 04, 2021, Supreme Court Second Division, Inting, J., writing for the Court.The prosecution filed five separate Informations (Crim. Cases Nos. 09-1411 to 09-1415) in the Regional Trial Court (RTC), Branch 63, Camarines Sur, charging YYY (accused-appellant) with five counts of statutory rape under Article 266-A, paragraph (1)(d) of the Revised Penal Code as amended by Republic Act No. 8353. The complaints alleged sexual assaults occurring on January 24–26, 2007 against two siblings, AAA (born March 8, 2004) and BBB (born October 7, 1998), then aged two and eight respectively. When arraigned on August 25, 2009, accused-appellant pleaded not guilty.
At trial, the victims testified that between January 24 and 26, 2007 the accused removed their clothes and inserted his penis into their vaginas on multiple occasions; both victims identified accused-appellant as the perpetrator and reported pain on insertion. The medico-legal reports (BRO-MG-08-111 and BRO-MG-08-110) showed no recent extragenital injuries and no laceration of the hymen. Accused-appellant denied the charges, asserted an alibi (working elsewhere those dates), and claimed he was only 17 years old at the time; his mother and a neighbor testified for the defense but did not produce documentary proof of his date of birth.
The RTC, in a Decision dated February 13, 2018, found accused-appellant guilty beyond reasonable doubt of four counts of statutory rape (acquitting him in one count, Crim. Case No. 09-1413) and sentenced him to reclusion perpetua with damages (as detailed in the RTC dispositive). Accused-appellant appealed to the Court of Appeals (CA). In a Decision dated October 1, 2019 (CA‑G.R. CR‑HC No. 11075), the CA affirmed the RTC’s conviction but modified the quantum of damages awarded, treating the offense against ...(Subscriber-Only)
Issues:
- Did the Court of Appeals err in affirming accused-appellant’s conviction for statutory rape and qualified statutory rap...(Subscriber-Only)
Ruling:
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Ratio:
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Doctrine:
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