Case Digest (G.R. No. 2424)
Facts:
- The case The United States vs. Cosme Guzman et al. was decided on February 17, 1906, under G.R. No. 2424.
- Dionisio Ceferino was the main defendant; Generoso Hernandez initially charged but later withdrew his appeal.
- Ceferino faced accusations of falsifying and passing counterfeit revenue stamps.
- Counterfeit stamps were discovered in various banks in Manila, including the Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China, the Guaranty Trust Company, and the International Banking Corporation.
- There was no direct evidence linking Ceferino to the counterfeit stamps.
- The prosecution relied on Ceferino's alleged written confession at a police station, where he claimed to have purchased $80 worth of stamps from Amado F. Roque and sold them to Exequiel A. Serrano.
- Ceferino's confession did not explicitly state that the stamps were counterfeit.
- Roque was also charged but acquitted; Serrano testified for the government and denied buying stamps from Ceferino.
- No evidence connected Serrano to a separate incident involving counterfeit stamps from January 1904.
- The trial court found Ceferino guilty, but he appealed due to insufficient evidence.
Issue:
- (Unlock)
Ruling:
- The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Dionisio Ceferino, reversing the lower court's judgment and sentence.
- The Court determined that the evidence was insu...(Unlock)
Ratio:
- The Court emphasized that a conviction must be based on sufficient evidence.
- Ceferino's alleged confession was found inadequate as it did not clearly indicate that the stamps were counterfeit.
- The acquittal of Roque and Serrano weakened the prosecution's case, as no direct link was established betw...continue reading
Case Digest (G.R. No. 2424)
Facts:
In the case of The United States vs. Cosme Guzman et al., G.R. No. 2424, decided on February 17, 1906, the primary defendant was Dionisio Ceferino, while Generoso Hernandez was also initially charged but later withdrew his appeal. The case emerged from allegations that Ceferino had falsified and passed counterfeit revenue stamps. During the trial, substantial evidence was presented indicating that a considerable quantity of counterfeit internal revenue stamps had been discovered in various banks in Manila, including the Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China, the Guaranty Trust Company, and the International Banking Corporation. However, there was no direct evidence linking Ceferino to these counterfeit stamps. The prosecution's case primarily relied on an alleged written confession made by Ceferino at a police station, where he claimed to have purchased $80 worth of stamps from Amado F. Roque and subsequently sold them to Exequiel A. Serrano. Notably, Ceferino's confession did not specify that the stamps were counterfeit. Roque, from whom Ceferino claimed to have acquired the stamps, was also charged but was acquitted, as was Serrano, who testified on behalf of the government and denied ever purchasing stamps from Ceferino. Additionally, while there was an atte...