Case Digest (G.R. No. L-5290)
Facts:
- Defendants: Salustiano Pulido, Lazaro Pulido, and Antonio Pulido.
- Accused of violating the Election Law by illegally taking election-related documents and ballot boxes.
- Incident occurred on November 5, 1907, during a general election in Sanchez Mira, Cagayan.
- Candidates: Felipe Navarro and Juan Academia for municipal president; Mariano Acuna and Cosme Marzan for vice-presidency.
- Juan Academia and Cosme Marzan declared winners after the election.
- Municipal secretary Liberato Lopez secured election materials in a locked wardrobe after breaking into his office.
- Pulido brothers visited Lopez under the pretense of retrieving an empty demijohn.
- After their visit, Lopez found the keys to the wardrobe missing and the ballot boxes gone.
- Ballot boxes were later discovered beneath a table in the secretary's office, tampered with.
- Witnesses testified seeing the defendants with the ballot boxes and papers.
- Election protested by Felipe Navarro, leading to annulment by the Court of First Instance of Cagayan.
- Defendants convicted and sentenced to three months' imprisonment and ordered to pay one-third of the costs.
Issue:
- (Unlock)
Ruling:
- The court upheld the lower court's judgment, finding the defendants guilty.
- Each defendant sentenced to three months' impr...(Unlock)
Ratio:
- The court's decision was based on compelling evidence presented at trial.
- Witness testimonies corroborated the prosecution's claims, confirming th...continue reading
Case Digest (G.R. No. L-5290)
Facts:
The case involves the defendants Salustiano Pulido, Lazaro Pulido, and Antonio Pulido, who were accused of violating the Election Law by illegally taking certain election-related documents and ballot boxes from the office of the municipal secretary in Sanchez Mira, Cagayan. The events unfolded on November 5, 1907, during a general election where Felipe Navarro and Juan Academia were competing for the position of municipal president, while Mariano Acuna and Cosme Marzan vied for the vice-presidency. After the election, it was determined that Juan Academia and Cosme Marzan had won their respective positions. Following the counting of ballots, the board of inspectors delivered the sealed ballot boxes and other election materials to the municipal secretary, Liberato Lopez.
Due to a locked office, Lopez had to break in with the help of a policeman to secure the materials in a wardrobe, which he locked and took the key with him to his landlord's house. Later that night, while conversing with his landlord, the Pulido brothers visited Lopez under the pretense of retrieving an empty demijohn. After their departure, Lopez discovered that the keys to the wardrobe were missing. Upon returning to the municipal building, he found the wardrobe open and the ballot boxes missing. A search ensued, but the bo...