EVANGELISTA v. PEOPLE FACTS: Virgilio Mercado met Jeng Evangeli ta t!ro"g! E co#$or%er& 'en Magalong.

("ring meeting& com)lainant * Magalong tal%ed a+o"t t!e ca ino * )etitioner told t!em t!at !e !a a ,riend $!o ,re-"ent t!e ca ino. T!erea,ter& com)lainant a %ed )etitioner to introd"ce !im to !i ,riend * t!e latter agreed. One time& com)lainant met )etitioner $!o told !im to accom)an. !im to t!e ca ino at t!e P!il. Village /otel * t!e. +oarded a ta0i $1 2a,,. J"ta. 'e,ore )roceeding to t!e ca ino& )etitioner "gge ted t!at t!e. go to !i ,riend& C!ito Areola3 !o" e ,ir t a t!e. $o"ld teac! !im !o$ to gam+le * $in in t!e ca ino. Petitioner& toget!er $it! 2e. Santo * Areola ta"g!t com)lainant t!e r"diment o, t!e game o, +lac%4ac% * +accarat a $ell a !o$ to c!eat +. " ing certain tric% and ignal . T!erea,ter& )etitioner * !i ,riend in,ormed com)lainant t!at +e,ore )roceeding to t!e ca ino& !e3ll )la. again t a ric! man ,rom 'acolod named Minong $1 Areola acting a t!e dealer * re-"e ted com)lainant to de)o it !i mone. to t!em. /e de)o ited P567 and 8.S.9:;6 or a total o, P5<7 $ere re)laced $1 )la tic c!i) & to )etitioner * !i ,riend on t!eir a "rance t!at !e $ill $in in t!e card game +. " ing t!e )re#arranged ignal * tric% ta"g!t to !im. At ,ir t& com)lainant $a $inning a )etitioner * !i ,riend $ere em)lo.ing t!e tric% * ignal t!e. ta"g!t !im. '"t !e tarted lo ing $!en )etitioner et. al to))ed giving !im t!e )re#arranged ignal . =it! a ,e$ remaining c!i) le,t ,rom !i $inning $ort! P>6&666.66& com)lainant decided to to) )la.ing ,or ,ear o, lo ing !i ca)ital +"t )etitioner and !i ,riend re," ed *& in tead& tared menacingl. at !im. T!erea,ter& com)lainant a %ed t!em to ret"rn !i mone. $1c !e !ad earlier de)o ited +"t t!e. told !im !e !ad lo t all !i mone. in t!e card game. A oon a com)lainant reali?ed t!at !e $a +eing c!eated& !e a %ed )ermi ion to leave $it! 2a,,. J"ta * $a allo$ed a,ter !e !ad e0ec"ted a letter& t!e content o, $1c !e can3t remem+er ince it $a onl. dictated to !im +. Santo . Petitioner $a arre ted at t!e P!il. 'an%ing Cor). +. )olicemen $!o accom)anied com)lainant. Cor)oral 2ogelio Ca tillo te ti,ied d"ring t!e trial t!at $!en !e inve tigated )etitioner& t!e latter ver+all. admitted !i g"ilt to !im. Petitioner denied )artici)ating in t!e alleged deceit,"l and ,ra"d"lent card game and maintained t!at !e a$ t!em )la. @'lac% Jac%@ $!ile !e onl. $atc!ed t!e game and t!at $!en !e lo t& Mr. Mercado till $anted to )la.& +"t !ad no more mone.& o& t!e. et anot!er date ,or t!em to )la.. In ,act& Mr. Mercado )re)ared a letter to !i )la.mate a %ing t!em to )la. again. 2TC convicted !im ,or e ta,a. CA a,,irmed 2TC deci ion Petitioner no$ contend t!at !e !o"ld +e ac-"itted on t!e gro"nd t!at !i g"ilt $a not )roven +e.ond rea ona+le do"+t. 8nder Art. :5;& )ar. :A+B& 2PC& e ta,a i committed +. an. )er on $!o !all de,ra"d anot!er +. re orting to ome )ractice to in "re "cce in a gam+ling game. C Evidence ,or )ro ec"tion )roved t!at com)lainant $a deceived into )arting $it! !i mone. on )etitionerD a "rance t!at !e $o"ld $in in t!e card game +. " ing t!e )re#arranged ignal and tric% ta"g!t to !im. =!ile it i tr"e t!at com)lainant con ented to )etitionerD c!eme to de,ra"d Minong& ,act remain t!at it $a com)lainant $!o ended ") +eing c!eated +. )etitioner and !i ,riend ince t!e latter !el)ed one anot!er to victimi?e com)lainant and to dive t !im o, all !i mone.. C All t!e e ential element o, e ta,a are )re ent in in tant ca e. T!" & )art. re )on i+le ,or "c! ,ra"d or damage& cannot e ca)e criminal re )on i+ilit. even t!o"g! t!e o,,ended )art. con ented to )artici)ate in t!e illegal or amoral tran action. Fact t!at com)lainant $a l"red +. )etitioner in a ,ra"d"lent card game can3t erve a a gro"nd ,or di crediting com)lainantD te timon.& rat!er !i inveiglement to )artici)ate in t!e ,ra"d"lent

card game $a )art o, t!e c!eme to de,ra"d !im. /EL(: Petition ,or revie$ on certiorari& (ENIE( ,or lac% o, merit.