Case Summary (G.R. No. L-34290)
Crime Details and Victim Information
During the incident, Francisco Garido was driving a jeepney with multiple passengers when three men boarded the vehicle. The attackers demanded that Garido stop the jeepney before proceeding to rob the occupants of their belongings and inflicting injuries with knives. The violence resulted in the death of one passenger, Oscar Tagudin, from stab wounds. Another passenger, Claro Dabajo, sustained serious injuries but survived. Alicia Victoria also suffered from stab wounds during the attack. The sequence of events escalated with the attackers fleeing the scene after a gunshot was fired.
Arrest and Defense
Fifty-three days after the robbery, Mendoza was identified as one of the suspects and arrested. At trial, he asserted an alibi, contending he was visiting his grandmother at the time of the crime. However, his defense was undermined by the failure of his witness, Belinda Diaz, to corroborate his claims about his whereabouts. Furthermore, Alicia Victoria, a key witness, positively identified Mendoza as one of the robbers during the preliminary identification process and in a police lineup. This identification was critical to the prosecution's case.
Court Proceedings and Verdict
The trial court's proceedings examined the testimony and evidence presented by both sides. The court found Mendoza's alibi unconvincing and gave substantial weight to the eyewitness accounts, particularly that of the victims. The court ruled that the identification by Alicia Victoria, supported by the jeepney driver's testimony, was credible and consistent. The trial court ultimately convicted Mendoza of robbery with homicide, emphasizing the gravity of his actions in the commission of the crime, aggravated by craft and abuse of superiority.
Sentencing and Appeals
Initially sentenced to death, the case was automatically elevated for review due to the imposition of the death penalty. The defense counsel, appointed to represent Mendoza in the automatic review, contended that the evidence did not conclusively establish his guilt beyond reasonable doubt, citing failures in eyewitness identification. However, the reviewing court upheld the trial court's judgment, affirming the conviction while commutating the death sentence to reclusion perpetua due to a lack of requisite votes for the death penalty.
Civil Liabilities
In addition to the criminal conviction, the court addressed civil liabilities, ordering Mendoz
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Case Overview
- The case concerns a robbery with homicide and multiple serious physical injuries that occurred on April 27, 1970.
- The trial and subsequent appeal involved the defendant, Roberto Mendoza, who was accused of participating in the crime alongside two other unidentified men.
Facts of the Case
- At approximately 10:45 PM, Francisco Garido was driving a lit jeepney with several passengers from Quiapo to Pasay City.
- The jeepney stopped at the intersection of Taft Avenue and Herran Streets, where three men boarded.
- After the jeepney moved a short distance, one of the men ordered Garido to stop, leading to the three robbers attacking the passengers with knives and stealing their belongings.
- The incident resulted in serious injuries, particularly to Oscar Tagudin, who died shortly after being stabbed, and injuries to other passengers, including Alicia Victoria and Claro Dabajo.
Prosecution's Evidence
- The prosecution presented evidence showing the sequence of events during the robbery, including testimonies from the victims.
- Tagudin suffered fatal stab wounds, while Dabajo and Victoria sustained serious injuries but survived.
- Garido also received a slight injury during the attack.
- The robbers fled the scene after the attack, and a gunshot was reported during the incident.
Accusation and Arrest
- Fifty-three days post-incident, Roberto Mendoza was charged with robbery with homicide and serious p