Facts:

• The case involves The United States vs. Ambrosio Estabillo and Roman Estabillo.
• The appellants were charged with murder (assassination) on June 14, 1906, in Pura, Tarlac.
• Ambrosio Estabillo, the vice-president of Pura, and his nephew Roman, along with Isidro Leones, planned an attack on Aglipayano priest Leocadio Soriano.
• They ambushed Soriano near the Aglipayano church, where Ambrosio choked him and ordered his companions to bind him.
• Ambrosio inflicted multiple wounds with a bolo, ultimately decapitating Soriano.
• The victim's body was buried, and a revolver found with Soriano was hidden by Roman on Ambrosio's orders.
• The lower court found both Estabillos guilty of murder, sentencing them to life imprisonment and requiring indemnification for the victim's heirs.
• The prosecution presented confessions from Isidro Leones and testimonies from police officers regarding admissions by Ambrosio.
• The defense claimed Ambrosio was with his wife during the murder, but her testimony contradicted this claim.

Issue:

• (Unlock)

Ruling:

• The trial court did not err in admitting the confessions and statements as evidence.
• The evidence was sufficient to establish the guilt of both Ambrosio and Roman Estabillo beyond a reasonable doubt...(Unlock)

Ratio:

• The Supreme Court upheld the trial court's decision, stating that the confessions were admissible as they were made voluntarily.
• Isidro Leones' extrajudicial confession, despite being repudiated, supported the evi...continue reading