People of the Philippines vs. Lito Bejic y Antoni G.R. No. 174060, June !, 007 Ponente" J.

#hico$N%&%'io (A#)*" +n Au,ust 00 , %t ni,htti-e, Lito Bejic y Antoni .y -e%ns of fo'ce %n/ violence %n/ t%0in, %/v%nt%,e of his -o'%l %scen/%ncy %n/ influence ove' his 14 ye%'$ol/ /%u,hte' n%-e/ AAA, /i/ then %n/ the'e, 1illfully, unl%1fully, feloniously, h%ve c%'n%l 0no1le/,e of his %fo'e-entione/ /%u,hte' %,%inst he' 1ill. +n his /efense, Bejic -%/e %n %li.i th%t th%t /u'in, the ti-e of the '%pe, he 1%s not livin, 1ith the victi-. 2e s%i/ he left fo' 3&%-i& #ity to loo0 fo' % jo., %n/ then 1ent to 4%',os%tu.i,, 5%-.o%n,% /el *u' .ec%use of his -othe'6s /e%th. 2e s%i/ he h%s no 0no1le/,e of the victi-6s p'e,n%ncy %n/ h%s no i/e% 1hy the victi- 1oul/ %ccuse hi- of '%pe. +n J%nu%'y 004, the R)# 'en/e'e/ % /ecision fin/in, the %ccuse/ ,uilty .eyon/ 'e%son%.le /ou.t of 7u%lifie/ incestuous '%pe, sentencin, hi- to /e%th %n/ o'/e'in, hi- to p%y his /%u,hte' civil in/e-nity in the su- of P7!,000 %n/ -o'%l /%-%,es in the su- of P!0,000, 1ith costs. )he c%se 1%s %uto-%tic%lly '%ise/ to the *up'e-e #ou't fo' 'evie1 .ec%use of the i-position of the pen%lty of /e%th .ut 1%s 'efe''e/ to the #ou't of Appe%ls fo' p'ope' /isposition. +n 4%y 006, the #A %ffi'-e/ the R)#6s /ecision. )he #A %lso inc'e%se/ the %-ount of -o'%l /%-%,es to P7!,000 %n/ o'/e'e/ the %ccuse/ to p%y the victi- the %-ount of P !,000 %s e8e-pl%'y /%-%,es. +**9:*" 1. ;hethe' the R)# e''e/ in not fin/in, %s inc'e/i.le the co-pl%in%nt6s %lle,%tion of h%vin, .een '%pe/ . ;hethe' the R)# e''e/ in not fin/in, %s i-p'o.%.le fo' the %ccuse/$%ppell%nt to h%ve '%pe/ the p'iv%te co-pl%in%nt <. ;hethe' the R)# e''e/ in convictin, the %ccuse/$%ppell%nt of the c'i-e /espite the f%ct th%t his ,uilt 1%s not p'oven .eyon/ 'e%son%.le /ou.t 2:L=" A'ticle 66$A of the Revise/ Pen%l #o/e %s %-en/e/ .y Repu.lic Act No. ><!<, othe'1ise 0no1n %s the Anti$R%pe L%1 of 1??7, i/entifies the %cts constitutin, '%pe, to 1it" AR). 66$A. Rape@ When and How Committed.$ R%pe is co--itte/"

1A By % -%n 1ho h%ve c%'n%l 0no1le/,e of % 1o-%n un/e' %ny of the follo1in, ci'cu-st%nces"

1. )h'ou,h fo'ce, th'e%t o' inti-i/%tion@ . ;hen the offen/e/ p%'ty is /ep'ive/ of 'e%son o' othe'1ise unconscious@ <. By -e%ns of f'%u/ulent -%chin%tion o' ,'%ve %.use of %utho'ity@ %n/ 4. ;hen the offen/e/ p%'ty is un/e' t1elve B1 A ye%'s of %,e o' is /e-ente/, even thou,h none of the ci'cu-st%nces -entione/ %.ove .e p'esent. A By %ny pe'son 1ho, un/e' %ny of the ci'cu-st%nces -entione/ in p%'%,'%ph 1 he'eof, sh%ll co--it %n %ct of se8u%l %ss%ult .y inse'tin, his penis into %nothe' pe'sonCs -outh o' %n%l o'ifice, o' %ny inst'u-ent o' o.ject, into the ,enit%l o' %n%l o'ifice of %nothe' pe'son. )he ,'%v%-en of '%pe is c%'n%l 0no1le/,e o' se8u%l inte'cou'se 1ith % 1o-%n %,%inst he' 1ill o' 1ithout he' consent.D <E +n /ete'-inin, the ,uilt o' innocence of the %ccuse/ in c%ses of '%pe, the victi-Cs testi-ony is c'uci%l in vie1 of the int'insic n%tu'e of the c'i-e in 1hich only t1o pe'sons %'e no'-%lly involve/. )he %ccuse/ -%y .e convicte/ on the .%sis of the victi-Cs lone %n/ unco''o.o'%te/ testi-ony p'ovi/e/ it is cle%', positive, convincin,, %n/ consistent 1ith hu-%n n%tu'e. 2ence, the victi-Cs testi-ony -ust .e sc'utini&e/ 1ith e8t'e-e c%ution.
D 4E

+t is % 1ell$settle/ /oct'ine th%t the testi-ony of % chil/$ victi- is ,iven full 1ei,ht %n/ c'e/ence consi/e'in, th%t 1hen % 1o-%n, especi%lly % -ino', s%ys th%t she h%s .een '%pe/, she s%ys in effect %ll th%t is necess%'y to sho1 th%t '%pe 1%s co--itte/. Fouth %n/ i--%tu'ity %'e .%/,es of t'uth %n/ since'ity.D 6E )he *up'e-e #ou't %lso %//e/ th%t it h%s hel/ in seve'%l c%ses th%t no youn, 1o-%n, especi%lly of ten/e' %,e, 1oul/ concoct % sto'y of /eflo'%tion %t the h%n/s of he' o1n f%the', %llo1 %n e8%-in%tion of he' p'iv%te p%'ts, %n/ the'e%fte' pe've't he'self .y .ein, su.ject to % pu.lic t'i%l, if she 1%s not -otiv%te/ solely .y the /esi'e to o.t%in justice fo' the 1'on, co--itte/ %,%inst he'. +t is hi,hly i-p'o.%.le th%t % ,i'l of ten/e' ye%'s, not yet e8pose/ to the 1%ys of the 1o'l/, 1oul/ i-pute to he' o1n f%the' % c'i-e so se'ious %s '%pe if 1h%t she cl%i-s is not t'ue.
D 7E

+n '%pe c%ses, 1hile /eni%l %n/ %li.i %'e le,iti-%te /efenses, .%'e %sse'tions the'eof c%nnot ove'co-e the c%te,o'ic%l testi-ony of the victi-.D<7E As the %ppell%nt f%ile/ to su.st%nti%te his /efenses of /eni%l %n/ %li.i, the e-ph%tic %n/ pl%usi.le testi-onies of AAA %n/ BBB -ust p'ev%il. . . . R%pe victi-s /o not che'ish 0eepin, in thei' -e-o'y %n %ccu'%te %ccount of the -%nne' in 1hich they 1e'e se8u%lly

viol%te/.D40E )hus, e''o'less 'ecollection of e8pe'ience c%nnot .e e8pecte/ of % 1itness. . .

h%''o1in,

)he %ppell%nt is ,uilty of 7u%lifie/ '%pe %n/ not just si-ple '%pe. A'ticle 66$B of the Revise/ Pen%l #o/e, %s %-en/e/ .y Repu.lic Act No. ><!<, st%tes the ci'cu-st%nces 1hich 7u%lify o' %,,'%v%te the c'i-e of '%pe, viz" AR). 66$B. Penalties.$ R%pe un/e' p%'%,'%ph 1 of the p'ece/in, %'ticle sh%ll .e punishe/ .y reclusion perpetua. ;heneve' the '%pe is co--itte/ 1ith the use of % /e%/ly 1e%pon o' .y t1o o' -o'e pe'sons, the pen%lty sh%ll .e reclusion perpetua to /e%th. ;hen .y 'e%son o' on the occ%sion of the '%pe, the victih%s .eco-e ins%ne, the pen%lty sh%ll .e reclusion perpetua to /e%th. ;hen the '%pe is %tte-pte/ %n/ % ho-ici/e is co--itte/ .y 'e%son o' on the occ%sion the'eof, the pen%lty sh%ll .e reclusion perpetua to /e%th. ;hen .y 'e%son o' on the occ%sion of the '%pe, ho-ici/e is co--itte/, the pen%lty sh%ll .e /e%th. )he /e%th pen%lty sh%ll %lso .e i-pose/ if the c'i-e of '%pe is co--itte/ 1ith %ny of the follo1in, %,,'%v%tin,G7u%lifyin, ci'cu-st%nces" 1A ;hen the victi- is un/e' ei,hteen B1>A ye%'s of %,e %n/ the offen/e' is % p%'ent, %scen/%nt, step$p%'ent, ,u%'/i%n, 'el%tive .y cons%n,uinity o' %ffinity 1ithin the thi'/ civil /e,'ee, o' the co--on$l%1 spouse of the p%'ent of the victi-@ A ;hen the victi- is un/e' the custo/y of the police o' -ilit%'y %utho'ities o' %ny l%1 enfo'ce-ent o' pen%l institution@ <A ;hen the '%pe is co--itte/ in full vie1 of the spouse, p%'ent, %ny of the chil/'en o' othe' 'el%tives 1ithin the thi'/ civil /e,'ee of cons%n,uinity@ 4A ;hen the victi- is % 'eli,ious en,%,e/ in le,iti-%te 'eli,ious voc%tion o' c%llin, %n/ is pe'son%lly 0no1n to .e such .y the offen/e' .efo'e o' %t the ti-e of the co--ission of the c'i-e@ !A ;hen the victi- is % chil/ .elo1 seven B7A ye%'s ol/@ 6A ;hen the offen/e' 0no1s th%t he is %fflicte/ 1ith 2u-%n +--uno$=eficiency Hi'us B2+HAGAc7ui'e/ +--une =eficiency *yn/'o-e BA+=*A o' %ny othe' se8u%lly t'%ns-issi.le /ise%se %n/ the vi'us o' /ise%se is t'%ns-itte/ to the victi-@ ne8t

7A ;hen co--itte/ .y %ny -e-.e' of the A'-e/ (o'ces of the Philippines o' p%'%$-ilit%'y units the'eof o' the Philippine N%tion%l Police o' %ny l%1 enfo'ce-ent %,ency o' pen%l institution, 1hen the offen/e' too0 %/v%nt%,e of his position to f%cilit%te the co--ission of the c'i-e@ >A ;hen .y 'e%son o' on the occ%sion of the '%pe, the victih%s suffe'e/ pe'-%nent physic%l -util%tion o' /is%.ility@ ?A ;hen the offen/e' 0ne1 of the p'e,n%ncy of the offen/e/ p%'ty %t the ti-e of the co--ission of the c'i-e@ %n/ 10A ;hen the offen/e' 0ne1 of the -ent%l /is%.ility, e-otion%l /iso'/e', %n/Go' physic%l h%n/ic%p of the offen/e/ p%'ty %t the ti-e of the co--ission of the c'i-e. R%pe un/e' p%'%,'%ph of the ne8t p'ece/in, %'ticle sh%ll .e punishe/ .y prision mayor. ;heneve' the '%pe is co--itte/ 1ith the use of % /e%/ly 1e%pon o' .y t1o o' -o'e pe'sons, the pen%lty sh%ll .e prision mayor to reclusion perpetua. ;hen .y 'e%son o' on the occ%sion of the '%pe, the victi- h%s .eco-e ins%ne, the pen%lty sh%ll .e reclusion temporal. ;hen the '%pe is %tte-pte/ %n/ % ho-ici/e is co--itte/ .y 'e%son o' on the occ%sion the'eof, the pen%lty sh%ll .e reclusion temporal to reclusion perpetua. ;hen .y 'e%son o' on the occ%sion of the '%pe, co--itte/, the pen%lty sh%ll .e reclusion perpetua. ho-ici/e is

Reclusion temporal sh%ll %lso .e i-pose/ if the '%pe is co--itte/ 1ith %ny of the ten %,,'%v%tin,G7u%lifyin, ci'cu-st%nces -entione/ in this %'ticle. B:-ph%ses supplie/.A )he 7u%lifyin, ci'cu-st%nces -ust .e %lle,e/ in the info'-%tion. D4<E An/ in incestuous '%pe, %s in the c%se %t .%', the -ino'ity of the victi- %n/ he' 'el%tionship 1ith the offen/e' -ust .e cle%'ly est%.lishe/ %s the co--ission of the c'i-e itself.D44E