GARCIA vs. CA G.R. No. 128213 December 13, 2005 FACTS:
The trial court hel that the crime char!e a!ai"st the #etitio"er as to $alsi%icatio" o% a &rivate Docume"t 'hich is e%i"e a" #e"ali(e u"er Article 1)2 *2+, i" relatio" to Article 1)1 *+ o% the Revise Revise &e"al &e"al Coe Coe 'as #rove" #rove" be-o" be-o" reaso" reaso"abl ablee oubt oubt a" se"te" se"te"ce ce the #etiti #etitio" o"er er to su%%e su%%er r im#riso"me"t. The #etitio"er a##eale to the Court o% A##eals *CA+ but the a##ellate court a%%irme the co"victio". The #etitio"er, Avella Garcia e"tere i"to a verbal a!reeme"t 'ith Alberto ui/aa, r. o" ctober 10 %or the sale o% the latters house a" lot locate at 4 &. Gome( t., 6a"alu-o"!, 6etro 6a"ila %or &1,200,000. A" ear"est mo"e- a" o'"#a-me"t o'"#a-me"t i" the amou"t o% &10,000 a" &155,000 &155,000 res#ectivel'ere !ive" to Alberto b- Avella. Avella. A subse7ue"t subse7ue"t #a-me"t o% &5,000 'as mae o" a"uar- 21, 11. Alberto "otice that alteratio"s 'ere mae to the recei#t #re#are b- Avella Avella 'ith re!ar to the last tra"sactio". Alberto i"stitute a crimi"al actio" be%ore the %%ice o% the Cit- &rosecutor o% &asa- Citchar!i"! that Avella Avella ha mae it a##ear that he receive &55,000 'he" he receive o"l- &5,000. The Cit&rosecutor %ou" that a #rima %acie case o% violatio" o% Article 1)2 o% the Revise &e"al Coe ha bee" committe b- Avella a" %ile the corres#o"i"! I"%ormatio". Avella amitte that she i i" %act alter the recei#t but claime that it 'as o"e i" the #rese"ce a" at the re7uest o% Alberto. At the time o% #a-me"t, Avella o"l- ha &5,000 i" cash 'hich she ha"e over to Alberto a" the" #romise him a bi!!er sum i" the %uture. Three a-s later, o" a"uar- 24, 11, Avella calle u# 6r. Celso Cu"a"a", a" architect, %rom 'hom she ase to borro' &50,000. Celso elivere to Avella &50,000 'hich the latter, i" the %ormers #rese"ce, ha"e over to Alberto. 9ith res#ect to the alteratio", Avella e:#lai"e that Alberto i "ot have 'ith him his co#- o% the a"uar- 21, 11 recei#t a" so he tol her to /ust ;a; i" her co#- the amou"t o% &50,000 to mae it &55,000. Avella Avella accee to the re7uest a" mae the cha"!es i" %ro"t o% Alberto 'hile he 'as cou"ti"! the mo"e-. Avella Avella sai she sho'e the altere recei#t to Alberto but that he 'as "ot able to a%%i: his si!"ature thereo" because he 'as i" a hurr- to leave. The trial court %ou" Avellas accou"t u"'orth- o% belie%. The court state i" its ecisio" that i%, b- her claim, she mae the cha"!es i" the recei#t 'hile Alberto 'as cou"ti"! the mo"e- it 'oul "ot have tae" more tha" %ive *5+ seco"s to a%%i: his si!"ature thereo" eve" i% he 'as i" a hurr- to leave. ISSUE:
9hether or "ot the #etitio"er is liable %or $alsi%icatio" o% a &rivate Docume"t. HELD:
The u#reme Court a%%irme the ecisio" o% the Court o% A##eals. The eleme"ts o% the crime o% %alsi%icatio" u"er Article 1)1 *+ o% the Revise &e"al Coe are< *1+ that there be a" alteratio" *cha"!e+ or i"tercalatio" *i"sertio"+ o" a ocume"t= *2+ that it 'as mae o" a !e"ui"e ocume"t= *3+ that the alteratio" or i"tercalatio" has cha"!e the mea"i"! o% the ocume"t= a" *4+ that the cha"!es mae the ocume ocume"t "t s#ea s#ea someth somethi"! i"! %alse. %alse. 9he" 9he" these these are commi committe tte b- a #rivat #rivatee i"ivi i"iviua uall o" a #rivat #rivatee ocume"t the violatio" 'oul %all u"er #ara!ra#h 2, Article 1)2 o% the same coe, but there must be, i" aitio" to the a%oresai eleme"ts, i"e#e"e"t evie"ce o% ama!e or i"te"tio" to cause the same to a thir #erso". Give" the amissio"s o% Avella that she altere the recei#t, a" 'ithout co"vi"ci"! evie"ce that the alteratio" 'as 'ith the co"se"t o% #rivate com#lai"a"t, the Court hols that all %our *4+ eleme"ts have bee" #rove" be-o" reaso"able oubt. As to the re7uireme"t o% ama!e, this is reail- a##are"t as it 'as mae to a##ear that Alberto ha receive &50,000 'he" i" %act he i "ot. >e"ce, Avellas co"victio".
