REPUBLI C OF THE HE PHI HI LI PPI NES
COU OURT RT OF APPEALS Mani l a
Thi r d DI VI SI ON
ERNESTO SAUL, Ac c usedAppel l ant ,
-ver sus
CAGR.No.3360M & 3361M For: Rape
PEOPLE OF OF THE PHI HI LI PPI NES, Pl ai nt i ffAppe l l ee . xx
BRI RI EF FOR OR APPELLANT
AccusedAppel l ant ,bycounsel ,and t ot hi sHonor abl e Courtr espect f ul l yfil eshi sbri eff ort heappel l ant .
PREFATORY RY STATEME MENT
An obvi ousvi ol at i on and di sr egar d oft her i ghtt odue pr ocesswa wascommi t t ed agai nstt hedef endant Appel l anti n t hi scase.
Brief for Appellant Ernesto Sau vs. People of the Philippines CA-GR No. 3360-M & 336-M Pa!e " of #
TheHonor abl eCour ti ni t sdeci si on dat ed on Jul y22 2002 find f or t he Pl ai nt i ffAppel l ee based on mer e al l egat i onsnotsupport ed by evi dencesuffici entt o dr aw a concl usi on soast ocompl ywi t h Sec.14,Art i cl eVI I Ioft he const i t ut i on.
The Honor abl e Supr emeCour ton t hi s pr emi se made pr onouncementi n acasebroughtf ort h,t hus:
“ The cour t finds occas i on t or emi nd cour t s and quasi j udi ci al bodi es t hat “ [ a] deci si on shoul d f ai t hf ul l y compl y wi t h Sect i on 14,Art i cl e VI I Ioft he Const i t ut i on whi ch pr ovi des t hat no deci si on shal l be r ender ed by any cour t[ or quasi j udi ci al body]wi t houtexpr essi ngt her ei n cl ear l yand di st i nct l yt he f act s oft he case and t he l aw on whi ch i ti s based…. I ti sar equi r ement ofduepr ocessand f ai rpl ayt hatt hepart i es t oal i t i gat i on be i nf ormed of how i t was deci ded,wi t h an expl anat i on oft he f act ual and l egal r eas ons t hat l ed t o t he concl usi ons of t he court [ or quasi j udi ci al body] . A deci si on t hatdoesnotcl ear l yand di st i nct l yst at ethef act sandl aw on whi ch i t i sbased l eavest hepart i esi nt hedarkast o how i t was r eac hed and i s espec i al l y pre j udi ci al t o t he l osi ng par t y , who i s unabl et opi npoi ntt hepossi bl eerr orsoft he court[ orquasi j udi ci albody]f orrevi ew bya 1 hi ghert ri bunal . 1
Saballla vs. NLRC, ibid, citing Nicos Industrial Corp vs CA, 206 SCRA 127
Brief for Appellant Ernesto Sau vs. People of the Philippines CA-GR No. 3360-M & 336-M Pa!e 3 of #
THE PARTI ES
Ernest oSauli st heappel l antasr epr esent edbyMi l i t ant e andAssoci at eswher epr ocessandnot i cef r om t hi scour t maybes er vedatr oom 1407 Ci t yl andCondomi ni um,Tower I I ,6871Ayal aAvenuecor nerH. V.Del acost aSt r eet ,Sal cedo Vi l l age,Makat iCi t y ,whi l eTHE PEOPLE oft hePHI LI PPI NES i st heappel l easrepr esent ed byt heRi zalPr ovi nci al Pr osecut or sOffi ce
TI MELI NESS OF THE APPEAL Accusedappel l antr ecei ved on Jul y15 2002 t heDeci si on of t he Regi onalTri alCour t dat ed Jul y 11 2002.A Not i ce of Appealwas t i mel y fil ed on Jul y 20 2002.Accused r ecei ved on Jul y 25 2002 t he Or der f r om t he Court of Appeal s di r ect i nghi mt ofil ehi sAppealBri efwi t hi n fif t een ( 15)days f r om r ecei pt . Hence, t hi st i mel ycompl i ance.
I STATEMENT OF FACTS
Brief for Appellant Ernesto Sau vs. People of the Philippines CA-GR No. 3360-M & 336-M Pa!e $ of #
l . 1 Er nes t o Sauli s a fif t y sev en ( 57)ye ar s ol d man who dr i ves a passe nger j eep as a means ofl i ve l i hood. The pri vat ecompl ai nant ,Chri st i nedel aCruzi st heni eceoft he accused who was t hen st udyi ng atSampal oc El ement ar y School ,Tanay, Ri zal ; 1. 2 Pr i vat ecompl ai nantal l ege dt hatshewas r aped by her uncl e, accuse dappel l ant i n t he i nst ant case, on t wo occasi ons,i nt he af t er noon ofMar ch 24 and Mar ch 29, 1998i nsi det hepassengerj eepbei ngdri ven byt hel at t er ; 1. 3 The passenge rj eep was par ked i n a br oad dayl i ght i nf r ontofseveralhouses. Thej eep hadpart i al l ygl assdoor s wi t ht he back dooropen and t he wi nd shi el d notcover ed wher et he offense char ged was al l egedl y commi t t ed by t he accusedappel l ant ; 1. 4 On t he dat es oft he al l eged commi ssi on oft he offense char ged,t heaccusedappel l antwasengaged wi t h hi susual wor k,t r anspor t i ngpassenger susi nghi svehi cl e; 1. 5 The Medi calReportoft he al l ege dr ape was made on Apr i l 9, 1999, a l apse of mor et han a year af t er t he commi ssi on oft heal l egedoffensec har ged.
I I ASSI GNMENT OF ERRORS
Thet r i alcour tcommi t t edt hef ol l owi nger r or s:
Brief for Appellant Ernesto Sau vs. People of the Philippines CA-GR No. 3360-M & 336-M Pa!e % of #
1. Thepr osecut i on’ sevi dencei si nsuffici entt o pr ove t he gui l t of t he accusedappel l ant beyondr easonabl edoubt ; 2. The Tr i al court er r ed on i mposi ng t he addi t i onal penal t y of ci vi li ndemni t y and mor aldamages t hat i s not suppor t ed by l aw andt hef act sal l eged byappel l ee.
I I I ARGUMENTS
1. The pr osecuti on’ s evi dence i si nsuffi ci ent t o prove t he gui l t of t he accusedappel l ant beyond r easonabl e doubt;
I ti st heConst i t ut i onalri ghtoft heappel l antt hat “ ev er y ci r cumst ance f avori ng t he i nnocence of t he accuse d mustbe dul yt aken i nt o account . The pr oof agai nsthi m mustsurvi ve t he t es tofr eason” ( Dur an vs.Cour tofAppeal s,71 SCRA 68) . Thusi ti st hesol e dut y oft he pr osecut i on t o pr ese ntevi dencesuffici ent t o pr ove t he accused gui l tbeyond r easonabl e doubt . Theevi dencepr esent ed byt hepr osecut i on howeveri n t hi scase,i si nsuffici entand hasbeen cl ear l yr ebut t ed
Brief for Appellant Ernesto Sau vs. People of the Philippines CA-GR No. 3360-M & 336-M Pa!e 6 of #
by count er vai l i ng pr oofby appel l ant . The f ol l owi ng f act s ar e pr ese nt ed by appel l ant t ot hi s honor abl e cour t whi ch t he l ower cour t has f ai l ed t o t ake cr edence.
a.
Del ay i n Fi l i ng Compl ai nt Renders Rape Char geDoubtf ul .
The al l eged r ape was c ommi t t ed on Mar ch 24 and 29 of 1998, however ,t he appel l ant was ar r ai gned onl y on August24,1999. Char ges was onl yf ormal l y fil ed a ye ar af t er . Heraffi davi twas onl y execut ed on Apr i l9,1999 ( Exhi bi t“ A” ) . Thi s cr eat esmuch doubtas t ot he cl ai m oft he al l ege d vi ct i m. TheSupr emeCour thasal r eady r ul ed t hat t he “ del ay i n fil i ng cr i mi nal pr oceedi ngs f or r ape may r esul t i n adver se i nf er ence agai nst t he compl ai nant ”( Peopl evs .Cuet o,84SCRA 774) . b. I ncredi bl e.
Brief for Appellant Ernesto Sau vs. People of the Philippines CA-GR No. 3360-M & 336-M Pa!e of #
Wi t ht hepr es enceatt hepr emi sesand t he al l egedr apewasconsummat edon t hef r ontseat s oft hej eepneyatapubl i car eaon br oad dayl i ght , t he oppor t uni t yt o commi tt he r ape i s har dl y pr esent . Mor et han t hat t he al l eged r ape was commi t t ed at3: 00 o’ cl ock i nt he af t er noon,“ t he el ement s ofsecr ecy had been t ot al l yi gnor ed of di sr egar ded whi ch i s qui t e unbel i ev abl e and i ncr edi bl ei n such a cri me ofr ape. ” ( Peopl e vs. Leones,117 SCRA 382) . Especi al l yt he f actt hat t he r ape was consummat ed on t he f r ont seat s whi l et he vi ct i m was si t t i ng i s hi ghl y unnat ur al f r om r ape cases,consi der i ng t he smal lspace t o al l ow qui ck movement , whi ch at t he cr os s exami nat i on ofpr ose cut i on wi t nes s John Guda t est i fied t hat “ When t hey r et ur ned af t er 4 mi nut es , acc used and vi ct i m, who wer ef ul l y dr essed, wer e st i l l occupyi ng t he f r ont seat s” . Thi st est i mony i si ncr edul ous,f or how can t he accused r emove hi s cl ot hes,r ape t he vi ct i m on
Brief for Appellant Ernesto Sau vs. People of the Philippines CA-GR No. 3360-M & 336-M Pa!e ' of #
t he f r ontseat ,and has enough t i me f orbot h of t hem t or edr essj usti n 4mi nut es. c. Long Si l ence Runs Count er t o
Nat ur al
Reacti on.
Despi t et heavai l abi l i t yofr esour cest ospeak t o,t hevi ct i m sl epton herr i ght son r eport i ngt he al l eged r ape. “ Needl ess t o st at e,such conduct r uns count er t o t he nat ur al r eac t i on of an out r aged mai den despoi l ed ofherhonorxxx. I n fine,t he compl ai nant ’ st est i mony i nt he i nst ant case l acks t hat st amp of absol ut et r ut h and candorneces saryt o over comet heconst i t ut i onal pr esumpt i on ofi nnocence. ”( Peopl e vs.Romer o, Jr . ,117SCRA 897) .
ensi ve wounds,use ofweapons d. Absence ofdef and at t emptt oaskf orhel p.
The absence ofdef ensi ve wounds on t he medi calr eportofDr .Wi nst on Tan,( Exhi bi t“ D” )
Brief for Appellant Ernesto Sau vs. People of the Philippines CA-GR No. 3360-M & 336-M Pa!e # of #
and t he absence ofuseofany deadl y weapons r uns count er t o t he al l eg at i on of f or ce and i nt i mi dat i on. The absence ofany act i on on t he partoft he vi ct i m t o cal lf or hel p or shoutf or assi st ancet aki ngi nt oconsi derat i on t heal l egedl y r apeswer ecommi t t ed on apubl i car ea,whi ch i s i n t he di r ect acces s of near by ci vi l i ans, r uns much doubt as t o t he cr edi bi l i t y of t he commi ssi on oft heoffenseand agai nstt hebasi c normsofagi r lofgood r eput e.
e. The
i nconsi st ency
of t he
pr osecut i on’ s
wi t ness’t est i mony.
Theevi denceoft hepr osecut i on i st ai nt ed wi t h
i nconsi st enci es,
uncer t ai nt i es
and
i mpl ausi bi l i t yt hat scor n t he cr edence of t hi s Court ,i tmustber ej ect ed asa f eebl econcoct i on. I n t he t es t i mony of t he al l ege d vi ct i m she narr at ed t hatshe at t ended sc hoolon Mar ch 24, 1998.
However t hi s was r ebut t ed by t he
Brief for Appellant Ernesto Sau vs. People of the Philippines CA-GR No. 3360-M & 336-M Pa!e 0 of #
t es t i mony ofsc hoolt eacher Sev er o Val dez who pr esent ed Form 1 orSchoolRegi st er( Exhi bi t“ 7” ) wer e she nar r at ed t hatshe was absenton t hat day . Thi swascorr oborat edbyt het est i monyofa sc hool mat e of t he al l ege d vi ct i m, Chr i st opher Padi ost est i fiedt hatshewasabsentf ort hewhol e mont h ofMar ch, t hat she di d not at t end t he gr aduat i on r ehearsal . On t heal l eg edr apeon Mar ch 29,1998,t he vi ct i m st at ed i n hert est i mony t hatshe and her nephewswi t ht heaccuseddr ovet hej eept owar ds t he st or e ofMr .Cabansag f orr echar gi ng oft he accused’ s bat t er y . Howev er , Dani l o Cabansag t es t i fied t hathe was onl y abl et o pur chase t he bat t er ychar geronl yatMay16,1998asevi dence by Sal esI nvoi ce( Exhi bi t“ 5” )i ssued by Cabaci al Mer chandi zi ngand wasonl ybee n abl et o began t hebusi nessonl yon t he19th,t husnegat i ngt he pl ausi bi l i t yofhert est i monyofaMar ch 29t ri pt o Mr .Cabansagst or e.
Brief for Appellant Ernesto Sau vs. People of the Philippines CA-GR No. 3360-M & 336-M Pa!e of #
f . Al i bi .
Accused was physi cal l yi mpossi bl et o commi tt he c r i meofr ape. On Mar ch 24 hewas busyengaged i n dr i vi nghi spassengerj eep,asa schoolser vi ce. Thi s was corr obor at ed by El ena Padi os,mot herofoneofhi spassenger swhor ode on t he j ee p on t hatsame day . They arr i ved at sc hoolar ound 2: 00 p. m.and l ef tat5: 30 p. m.at t heaf t er noon.
g. Mot i ve. TheRamosr ul i ngasappr eci at edbyt het r i al courti ni t sdeci si on cannotbet aken cr edencef or t hecompl ai ntwasa concoct i on ofawel lpl anned r evenge oft he f ami l y oft he al l eged vi ct i m. As pr ovi ded i nt he t est i mony oft he appel l ant ,t hi s began when t heaccused had an al t er cat i on wi t h t he vi ct i m’ s f at her r egar di ng money mat t er s. Thi s cr eat ed a r i f tbet ween t hem. Despi t et hi s,
Brief for Appellant Ernesto Sau vs. People of the Philippines CA-GR No. 3360-M & 336-M Pa!e " of #
t heaccused r emai ned pat i entand ki nd t o al l ow her ni ece,t o pl ay and wat ch t el evi si on i n hi s r esi dence. Pl us, t he vi ct i m had a hi st ory of del i nquency . Bar angay Secr et ary Jai me Ruel o t es t i fied dur i ng t r i al t hat Mari cel Del a Cr uz, vi ct i m’ s si st er r epor t ed t o hi m att he bar angay hal lt hat t he vi ct i m went wi t h her cl assmat e wi t houtaski ngper mi ssi on f r om herpar ent sand she had notr et ur ned. Thi scr eat esmuch doubt ast ot heveraci t yofherr eput at i on.
h. Sol e assert i on of the al l eged vi ct i m i s not
more than enough t o overt urn the bur den of pr ooft opr ovetheaccused gui l t .
The Royer as r ul i ng as st at ed i nt he t r i al cour t ’ s deci si on,does not appl yi nt he case at bar ,f or t he f act s pr evi ousl y st at ed has cr eat ed mor e t han suffici ent cont r ary pr oof ,t o al l ow r e v er s aloft het r i alc our t ’ sr ul i ng.
Brief for Appellant Ernesto Sau vs. People of the Philippines CA-GR No. 3360-M & 336-M Pa!e 3 of #
2. The Tr i al court err ed on i mposi ng the addi t i onal
penal t y of ci vi li ndemni t y and mor al damages t hat i s notsupport ed byl aw and t he f act sal l eged by appel l ee.
Thet r i alcour tf ai l edt oconsi dert hef ol l owi ngar t i cl es:
a.
Ar t i cl e2234 oft heCi vi lCode pr ovi des“ t hatt he pl ai nt i ff mustshow t hathei sent i t l ed t omor exxx damagesxxxbef or et hecour tmayc onsi derxxx. ”
b.
Ar t i cl e66 oft heRevi sed PenalCodepr ovi des:“ I n i mposi ng fines t he c our t s may fix any amount wi t hi nt hel i mi t sest abl i shed by l aw xxx,butmor e par t i c ul ar l yt ot heweal t hormeansoft hec ul pr i t . ”
Thet r i alcour tawar ded mor aldamageson bot h count s ofr ape. Thi s awar d was r ender ed wi t houtbei ng al l eged, pr ov ed and pr ay ed by t he appel l e. Damages ar e never pr es umedbutmustbepr ov enbycompet entev i dence,whi ch t he pr osecut i on has f ai l ed t o do. Al so t he t r i al cour t i mposedaci vi li ndemni t yon bot h count s,f ai l i ngt oconsi der
Brief for Appellant Ernesto Sau vs. People of the Philippines CA-GR No. 3360-M & 336-M Pa!e $ of #
t hef actt hatt heaccused i sa57 ye arol d man whosemai n sour ce ofi ncome i s manni ng hi sj eep as a sc hoolser vi ce. Thus t he awar ds ar e bot h cont r ary t ol aw and f r om t he basi cnor msoff ai rpl ayandequi t y .
PRAYER
he accusedappel l ant r espect f ul l y WHEREFORE, t pr ayst hatDeci si onsoft het ri alcourtberever sed,setasi de and nul l i fied,and t hej udgmentber ender ed i nf avoroft he accusedappel l antas pr ayed f ori n hi s answer ;t o di smi ss t he t wo count s ofr ape f or hi s gui l thas notbeen pr ove n beyondr easonabl edoubt .
Accusedappel l antf ur t her pr ays f or such ot her r el i ef asmaybej ustandequi t abl ei nt hepr emi ses.
Januar y11,2010.
Brief for Appellant Ernesto Sau vs. People of the Philippines CA-GR No. 3360-M & 336-M Pa!e % of #
REYNALDO GREGORI O T.MI LI TANTE I I I Counself orAccusedAppel l ant I BPLi f et i meNO.05672 Rol lNo.56123 MCLE I ICompl i anceNo.0003743 Mi l i t ant eandAssoci at es Rm 1407Ci t yl and Condomi ni um TowerI I 6817Ayal aAve.cornerH. V.del acost aSt r eet Sal cedo Vi l l age,Makat iCi t y
Brief for Appellant Ernesto Sau vs. People of the Philippines CA-GR No. 3360-M & 336-M Pa!e 6 of #
VERI FI CATI ON/CERTI FI CATI ON
I , ERNESTO SAUL, of l egal age, Fi l i pi no and a r esi dentofBarangayRoad,Tanay,Ri zalaf t erhavi ng been dul y swor n t o i n accor dance wi t h l aw, do her ebydeposeandsay:
l .Iam t heaccusedappel l anti nt hef or egoi ngBri ef ;
2. Icausedt hepr epar at i on oft hef oregoi ngpl eadi ng;
3.Ihaver ead t he same and t he al l egat i ons t her ei n ar et r ue and cor r ec t ofmy per sonalknowl edge or basedon aut hent i cr ecor ds.
Brief for Appellant Ernesto Sau vs. People of the Philippines CA-GR No. 3360-M & 336-M Pa!e of #
4.Ihavenotcommenced anyot heract i on i nvol vi ng t he same i ssues i nt he Supr eme Cour tor di ffer ent di vi si onst her eoforanyot hert ri bunaloragency.
I N WI TNESS WHEREOF,Ihav e affixed my si gnat ur e t hi s
dayof
2010atMakat iCi t y .
ERNESTO SAUL
obef oremet hi s SUBSCRI BED AND SWORN t
dayof
2010atMakat iCi t y , Phi l i ppi nes.Affi antexhi bi t edt ome hi sCommuni t yTaxCer t i ficat eNo.CC 123456i ss uedat Tanay ,Ri zalon January04,2010.
At t y .Jaci nt odel aCruz Not aryPubl i c
Brief for Appellant Ernesto Sau vs. People of the Philippines CA-GR No. 3360-M & 336-M Pa!e ' of #
Not ari alCommi ssi on unt i lDec30, 2010 PTR NO.023456/01/05/10/Makat i
Doc.No. :39 Pageno. : 8 Book no. : I Ser i esof2010
CopyFur ni shed: Officeoft hePr ovi nci alPr osecut or Tanay ,Ri zal EXPLANATI ON
Pur suantt oSect i on I I ,Rul e13oft he1997Rul esof Court ,t hef or egoi ngBri efi ssentbyregi st eredmai lduet o l ack ofmessenger i alper sonnelandt i meconst r ai nti nt he fil l i ngt he r e of .
Brief for Appellant Ernesto Sau vs. People of the Philippines CA-GR No. 3360-M & 336-M Pa!e # of #
REYNALDO GREGORI O T.MI LI TANTE I I I
