Facts:

• Emilio Pimentel was the defendant, and Zacarias Riesa was the complainant.
• The incident occurred on August 15, 1907, in Paracale, Ambos Camarines.
• Pimentel was accused of estafa for allegedly defrauding Riesa by promising to secure a title certificate for Riesa's land in Manpongo, Paracale.
• Pimentel exploited Riesa's lack of knowledge by providing a document he claimed was a title certificate worth P150.
• Riesa, unable to read and trusting Pimentel, paid him P150, which included a carabao valued at P120 and a promissory note for P30.
• The document given was not a legitimate title certificate but a sworn statement before a notary public.
• The Court of First Instance found Pimentel guilty of estafa, leading him to appeal the decision based on the sufficiency of evidence.

Issue:

• (Unlock)

Ruling:

• The Supreme Court affirmed the lower court's decision, confirming that the evidence was adequate to support Pimentel's conviction for estafa.
• The court determi...(Unlock)

Ratio:

• The court noted that the evidence, including testimonies from Riesa and other witnesses, clearly indicated that Pimentel made false representations about the document he provided.
• It was highlighted that Pimentel knowingly misled Riesa, who was unaware of the document's true nature and relied on...continue reading