Case Digest (G.R. No. L-4153)
Facts:
- Pablo Guevara was charged with the murder of his lawful wife.
- The trial occurred in the Philippines, resulting in a guilty verdict and a life imprisonment sentence.
- Accessory penalties included a 1,000 pesos indemnity to the deceased's heirs and payment of trial costs.
- Guevara's confessions before and during the trial significantly supported the prosecution's case.
- He attempted to invoke self-defense during the proceedings, but the lower court did not consider this defense.
- The deceased was involved in an adulterous relationship, corroborated by her lover's testimony.
- Guevara's anger was further fueled by a previous complaint from his wife seeking custody of their daughter.
- The lower court viewed the wife's actions as immediate provocation, leading to Guevara's loss of self-control.
Issue:
- (Unlock)
Ruling:
- The court upheld the lower court's decision not to consider the self-defense argument due to lack of evidence.
- The penalty of life imprisonment was affirmed as appropriate for the crime of parricide.
- The cour...(Unlock)
Ratio:
- The self-defense claim lacked sufficient evidence, leading to its dismissal by the lower court.
- Parricide, as defined under Article 402 of the Penal Code, warranted a severe penalty of life imprisonment.
- Although mitigating circumstances were acknowledged, they did not justify a...continue reading
Case Digest (G.R. No. L-4153)
Facts:
In the case of The United States vs. Pablo Guevara, G.R. No. 4153, decided on January 25, 1908, the defendant, Pablo Guevara, was charged with the murder of his lawful wife. The trial took place in the Philippines, where Guevara was found guilty and subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment. The court also imposed accessory penalties as prescribed by Article 54 of the Penal Code, which included an indemnity of 1,000 pesos to the heirs of the deceased and the payment of trial costs. The prosecution's case was significantly supported by confessions made by Guevara both before and during the trial. During the proceedings, Guevara recounted the events leading to the crime, attempting to invoke the mitigating circumstance of self-defense. However, the lower court did not consider this defense, and thus, the appellate court also refrained from addressing it. The facts revealed that the deceased had been involved in an adulterous relationship, which was corroborated by the testimony of her lover. The wife had previously filed a complaint against Guevara, seeking custody of their only daughter, which further incited Guevara's anger. The lower court's decision was based on the understanding that the wife's actions constituted immediate pr...