PEOPLE OF THE PHIL. vs.

AURELIO LAMAHANG

EN BANC
[G.R. No. 43530. August 3, 1935.] THE PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS, plaintiff-appellee, vs. AURELIO LAMAHANG, defendant-appellant. Honesto K. Bausa for appellant. Solicitor-General Hilado for appellee. SYLLABUS 1.CRI INA! !A"# A$$E %$ $& C& I$ AN IN'E$ER INA$E CRI E. ( $)e atte*pt +),-) t)e %enal Co.e pun,s)es ,s t)at +),-) )as a log,-al relat,on to a part,-ular, -on-rete offense# t)at, +),-) ,s t)e /eg,nn,ng of t)e e0e-ut,on t)ereof /1 o2ert a-ts of t)e perpetrator lea.,ng .,re-tl1 to ,ts real,3at,on an. -onsu**at,on. $)e atte*pt to -o**,t an ,n.eter*,nate offense, ,nas*u-) as ,ts nature ,n relat,on to ,ts o/4e-t,2e ,s a*/,guous, ,s not a 4ur,.,-al fa-t fro* t)e stan.po,nt of t)e %enal Co.e. 5.I'.# I'. ( It ,s not suff,-,ent, for t)e purpose of ,*pos,ng penal san-t,on, t)at an a-t o/4e-t,2el1 perfor*e. s)oul. -onst,tute a *ere /eg,nn,ng of e0e-ut,on# ,t ,s ne-essar1 to esta/l,s) ,ts una2o,.a/le relat,on, l,6e t)e log,-al an. natural relat,on of t)e -ause an. ,ts effe-t, to t)e .ee. +),-), upon ,ts -onsu**at,on, +,ll r,pen ,nto one of t)e -r,*es .ef,ne. an. pun,s)e. /1 t)e Co.e# ,t ,s ne-essar1 to pro2e t)at su-) /eg,nn,ng of e0e-ut,on, ,f -arr,e. to ,ts -o*plete ter*,nat,on follo+,ng ,ts natural -ourse, +,t)out /e,ng frustrate. /1 e0ternal o/sta-les nor /1 t)e 2oluntar1 .es,stan-e of t)e perpetrator, +,ll log,-all1 an. ne-essar,l1 r,pen ,nto a -on-rete offense. 3.I'.# I'.# A$$E %$E' R&BBER7. ( In or.er t)at a s,*ple a-t of enter,ng /1 *eans of for-e or 2,olen-e anot)er person8s .+ell,ng *a1 /e -ons,.ere. as atte*pte. ro//er1, ,t *ust /e s)o+n t)at t)e offen.er -learl1 ,nten.e. to ta6e possess,on, for t)e purpose of ga,n, of so*e personal propert1 /elong,ng to anot)er. In t)e present -ase, t)ere ,s no e2,.en-e ,n t)e re-or. fro* +),-) su-) purpose of t)e a--use. *a1 reasona/l1 /e ,nferre.. 4.I'.# I'.# I'. ( 9ro* t)e fa-t esta/l,s)e. an. state. ,n t)e .e-,s,on, t)at t)e a--use. on t)e .a1 ,n :uest,on +as *a6,ng an open,ng /1 *eans of an ,ron /ar on t)e +all of $. 7.8s store, ,t *a1 onl1 /e ,nferre. as a log,-al -on-lus,on t)at ),s e2,.ent ,ntent,on

+as to enter /1 *eans of for-e sa,. store aga,nst t)e +,ll of ,ts o+ner. $)at ),s f,nal o/4e-t,2e, on-e )e su--ee.e. ,n enter,ng t)e store, +as to ro/, to -ause p)1s,-al ,n4ur1 to ,ts o--upants, or to -o**,t an1 ot)er offense, t)ere ,s not),ng ,n t)e re-or. to 4ust,f1 a -on-rete f,n.,ng. 5.I'.# A$$E %$E' $RE;%A;; $& '"E!!ING. ( $)e fa-t un.er -ons,.erat,on .oes not -onst,tute atte*pte. ro//er1 /ut atte*pte. trespass to .+ell,ng <%eople 2s. $a1ag an. orales, 59 %),l., =0=, an. .e-,s,ons of t)e ;upre*e Court of ;pa,n t)ere,n -,te.>. $)e a--use. *a1 /e -on2,-te. an. senten-e. for an atte*pt to -o**,t t),s -r,*e, ,n a--or.an-e +,t) t)e +e,g)t of t)e e2,.en-e an. t)e allegat,ons -onta,ne. ,n t)e ,nfor*at,on.

DECISION

RECTO, J ?
p

$)e .efen.ant Aurel,o !a*a)ang ,s /efore t),s -ourt on appeal fro* a .e-,s,on of t)e Court of 9,rst Instan-e of Ilo,lo, f,n.,ng ),* gu,lt1 of atte*pte. ro//er1 an. senten-,ng ),* to suffer t+o 1ears an. four *ont)s of prision correccional an. to an a..,t,onal penalt1 of ten 1ears an. one .a1 of prision mayor for /e,ng an )a/,tual .el,n:uent, +,t) t)e a--essor1 penalt,es of t)e la+, an. to pa1 t)e -osts of t)e pro-ee.,ng. At earl1 .a+n on ar-) 5, 1935, pol,-e*an @ose $o*a*/,ng, +)o +as patroll,ng ),s /eat on 'elga.o an. C. R. 9uentes streets of t)e C,t1 of Ilo,lo, -aug)t t)e a--use. ,n t)e a-t of *a6,ng an open,ng +,t) an ,ron /ar on t)e +all of a store of -)eap goo.s lo-ate. on t)e last na*e. street. At t)at t,*e t)e o+ner of t)e store, $an 7u, +as sleep,ng ,ns,.e +,t) anot)er C),na*an. $)e a--use. )a. onl1 su--ee.e. ,n /rea6,ng one /oar. an. ,n unfasten,ng anot)er fro* t)e +all, +)en t)e pol,-e*an s)o+e. up, +)o ,nstantl1 arreste. ),* an. pla-e. ),* un.er -usto.1. $)e fa-t a/o2e state. +as -ons,.ere. an. .e-lare. unan,*ousl1 /1 t)e pro2,n-,al f,s-al of Ilo,lo, t)e tr,al 4u.ge an. t)e ;ol,-,torAGeneral, as -onst,tut,ng atte*pte. ro//er1, +),-) +e t),n6 ,s erroneous. It ,s our op,n,on t)at t)e atte*pt to -o**,t an offense +),-) t)e %enal Co.e pun,s)es ,s t)at +),-) )as a log,-al relat,on to a part,-ular, -on-rete offense# t)at, +),-) ,s t)e /eg,nn,ng of t)e e0e-ut,on of t)e offense /1 o2ert a-ts of t)e perpetrator, lea.,ng .,re-tl1 to ,ts real,3at,on an. -onsu**at,on. $)e atte*pt to -o**,t an ,n.eter*,nate offense, ,nas*u-) as ,ts nature ,n relat,on to ,ts o/4e-t,2e ,s a*/,guous, ,s not a 4ur,.,-al fa-t fro* t)e stan.po,nt of t)e %enal Co.e. $)ere ,s no .ou/t t)at ,n

t)e -ase at /ar ,t +as t)e ,ntent,on of t)e a--use. to enter $an 7u8s store /1 *eans of 2,olen-e, pass,ng t)roug) t)e open,ng +),-) )e )a. starte. to *a6e on t)e +all, ,n or.er to -o**,t an offense +),-), .ue to t)e t,*el1 arr,2al of pol,-e*an $o*a*/,ng, .,. not .e2elop /e1on. t)e f,rst steps of ,ts e0e-ut,on. But ,t ,s not suff,-,ent, for t)e purpose of ,*pos,ng penal san-t,on, t)at an a-t o/4e-t,2el1 perfor*e. -onst,tute a *ere /eg,nn,ng of e0e-ut,on# ,t ,s ne-essar1 to esta/l,s) ,ts una2o,.a/le -onne-t,on, l,6e t)e log,-al an. natural relat,on of t)e -ause an. ,ts effe-t, +,t) t)e .ee. +),-), upon ,ts -onsu**at,on, +,ll .e2elop ,nto one of t)e offenses .ef,ne. an. pun,s)e. /1 t)e Co.e# ,t ,s ne-essar1 to pro2e t)at sa,. /eg,nn,ng of e0e-ut,on, ,f -arr,e. to ,ts -o*plete ter*,nat,on follo+,ng ,ts natural -ourse, +,t)out /e,ng frustrate. /1 e0ternal o/sta-les nor /1 t)e 2oluntar1 .es,stan-e of t)e perpetrator, +,ll log,-all1 an. ne-essar,l1 r,pen ,nto a -on-rete offense. $)us, ,n -ase of ro//er1, ,n or.er t)at t)e s,*ple a-t of enter,ng /1 *eans of for-e or 2,olen-e anot)er person8s .+ell,ng *a1 /e -ons,.ere. an atte*pt to -o**,t t),s offense, ,t *ust /e s)o+n t)at t)e offen.er -learl1 ,nten.e. to ta6e possess,on, for t)e purpose of ga,n, of so*e personal propert1 /elong,ng to anot)er. In t)e ,nstant -ase, t)ere ,s not),ng ,n t)e re-or. fro* +),-) su-) purpose of t)e a--use. *a1 reasona/l1 /e ,nferre.. 9ro* t)e fa-t esta/l,s)e. an. state. ,n t)e .e-,s,on, t)at t)e a--use. on t)e .a1 ,n :uest,on +as *a6,ng an open,ng /1 *eans of an ,ron /ar on t)e +all of $an 7u8s store, ,t *a1 onl1 /e ,nferre. as a log,-al -on-lus,on t)at ),s e2,.ent ,ntent,on +as to enter /1 *eans of for-e sa,. store aga,nst t)e +,ll of ,ts o+ner. $)at ),s f,nal o/4e-t,2e, on-e )e su--ee.e. ,n enter,ng t)e store, +as to ro/, to -ause p)1s,-al ,n4ur1 to t)e ,n*ates, or to -o**,t an1 ot)er offense, t)ere ,s not),ng ,n t)e re-or. to 4ust,f1 a -on-rete f,n.,ng.
BIt *ust /e /orne ,n *,n. <I Gro,3ar., p. 99> t)at ,n offenses not -onsu**ate., as t)e *ater,al .a*age ,s +ant,ng, t)e nature of t)e a-t,on ,nten.e. <accion fin> -annot e0a-tl1 /e as-erta,ne., /ut t)e sa*e *ust /e ,nferre. fro* t)e nature of t)e a-ts e0e-ute. <accion medio>. Cen-e, t)e ne-ess,t1 t)at t)ese a-ts /e su-) t)at /1 t)e,r 2er1 nature, /1 t)e fa-ts to +),-) t)e1 are relate., /1 t)e -,r-u*stan-es of t)e persons perfor*,ng t)e sa*e, an. /1 t)e t),ngs -onne-te. t)ere+,t), t)e1 *ust s)o+ +,t)out an1 .ou/t, t)at t)e1 are a,*e. at t)e -onsu**at,on of a -r,*e. A-ts sus-ept,/le of .ou/le ,nterpretat,on, t)at ,s, ,n fa2or as +ell as aga,nst t)e -ulpr,t, an. +),-) s)o+ an ,nno-ent as +ell as a pun,s)a/le a-t, *ust not an. -an not furn,s) groun.s /1 t)e*sel2es for atte*pte. nor frustrate. -r,*es. $)e relat,on e0,st,ng /et+een t)e fa-ts su/*,tte. for appre-,at,on an. t)e offense +),-) sa,. fa-ts are suppose. to pro.u-e *ust /e .,re-t# t)e ,ntent,on *ust /e as-erta,ne. fro* t)e fa-ts an. t)erefore ,t ,s ne-essar1, ,n or.er to a2o,. regretta/le ,nstan-es of ,n4ust,-e, t)at t)e *,n. /e a/le to .,re-tl1 ,nfer fro* t)e* t)e ,ntent,on of t)e perpetrator to -ause a part,-ular ,n4ur1. $),s *ust )a2e /een t)e ,ntent,on of t)e leg,slator ,n re:u,r,ng t)at ,n or.er for an atte*pt to e0,st, t)e offen.er *ust -o**en-e t)e -o**,ss,on of t)e felon1 .,re-tl1 /1 o2ert a-ts, t)at ,s to sa1, t)at t)e a-ts perfor*e. *ust /e su-) t)at, +,t)out t)e ,ntent to -o**,t an offense, t)e1 +oul. /e *ean,ngless.B

D,a.a <Dol. I, p. 4E> )ol.s t)e sa*e op,n,on +)en )e sa1s t)at Bt)e o2ert a-ts lea.,ng to t)e -o**,ss,on of t)e offense, are not pun,s)a/le e0-ept +)en t)e1 are a,*e. .,re-tl1 to ,ts e0e-ut,on, an. t)erefore t)e1 *ust )a2e an ,**e.,ate an. ne-essar1 relat,on to t)e offense.B
BCons,.er,ng ( sa1s t)e ;upre*e Court of ;pa,n ,n ,ts .e-,s,on of ar-) 51, 1F95 ( t)at ,n or.er to .e-lare t)at su-) an. su-) o2ert a-ts -onst,tute an atte*pte. offense ,t ,s ne-essar1 t)at t)e,r o/4e-t,2e /e 6no+n an. esta/l,s)e., or t)at sa,. a-ts /e of su-) nature t)at t)e1 t)e*sel2es s)oul. o/2,ousl1 .,s-lose t)e -r,*,nal o/4e-t,2e ne-essar,l1 ,nten.e., sa,. o/4e-t,2e an. f,nal,t1 to ser2e as groun. for t)e .es,gnat,on of t)e offense? . . ..B

In 2,e+ of t)e forego,ng, +e are of t)e op,n,on, an. so )ol. t)at t)e fa-t un.er -ons,.erat,on .oes not -onst,tute atte*pte. ro//er1 /ut atte*pte. trespass to .+ell,ng <%eople 2s. $a1ag an. orales, 59 %),l., =0=, an. .e-,s,ons of t)e ;upre*e Court of ;pa,n t)ere,n -,te.>. Gn.er art,-le 5F0 of t)e Re2,se. %enal Co.e, t),s offense ,s -o**,tte. +)en a pr,2ate person s)all enter t)e .+ell,ng of anot)er aga,nst t)e latter8s +,ll. $)e a--use. *a1 /e -on2,-te. an. senten-e. for an atte*pt to -o**,t t),s offense ,n a--or.an-e +,t) t)e e2,.en-e an. t)e follo+,ng allegat,on -onta,ne. ,n t)e ,nfor*at,on? B. . . t)e a--use. ar*e. +,t) an ,ron /ar for-e. t)e +all of sa,. store /1 /rea6,ng a /oar. an. unfasten,ng anot)er for t)e purpose of enter,ng sa,. store . . . an. t)at t)e a--use. .,. not su--ee. ,n enter,ng t)e store .ue to t)e presen-e of t)e pol,-e*an on /eat @ose $o*a*/,ng, +)o upon )ear,ng t)e no,se pro.u-e. /1 t)e /rea6,ng of t)e +all, pro*ptl1 approa-)e. t)e a--use. HHH.B Gn.er t)e -,r-u*stan-es of t),s -ase t)e pro),/,t,on of t)e o+ner or ,n*ate ,s presu*e.. <G. ;. 2s. &strea, 5 %),l., 93# G. ;. 2s. ;,l2ano, 31 %),l., 509# G. ;. 2s. $,-son, 55 %),l., =E# G. ;. 2s. es,na, 51 %),l., =15# G. ;. 2s. D,llanue2a, 1F %),l., 515# G. ;. 2s. %anes, 55 %),l., 595.> Aga,nst t)e a--use. *ust /e ta6en ,nto -ons,.erat,on t)e aggra2at,ng -,r-u*stan-es of n,g)tt,*e an. for*er -on2,-t,ons, ( ,nas*u-) as t)e re-or. s)o+s t)at se2eral f,nal 4u.g*ents for ro//er1 an. t)eft )a2e /een ren.ere. aga,nst ),* ( an. ,n ),s fa2or, t)e *,t,gat,ng -,r-u*stan-e of la-6 of ,nstru-t,on. $)e /rea6,ng of t)e +all s)oul. not /e ta6en ,nto -ons,.erat,on as an aggra2at,ng -,r-u*stan-e ,nas*u-) as t),s ,s t)e 2er1 fa-t +),-) ,n t),s -ase -onst,tutes t)e offense of atte*pte. trespass to .+ell,ng.

$)e penalt1 pro2,.e. /1 t)e Re2,se. %enal Co.e for t)e -onsu**ate. offense of trespass to .+ell,ng, ,f -o**,tte. +,t) for-e, ,s prision correccional ,n ,ts *e.,u* an. *a0,*u* per,o.s an. a f,ne not e0-ee.,ng %1,000 <art. 5F0, par. 5># t)erefore t)e penalt1 -orrespon.,ng to atte*pte. trespass to .+ell,ng ,s t+o .egrees lo+er <art. 51>, or, arresto mayor ,n ,ts *,n,*u* an. *e.,u* per,o.s. Be-ause of t)e presen-e of t+o aggra2at,ng -,r-u*stan-es an. one *,t,gat,ng -,r-u*stan-e t)e penalt1 *ust /e

,*pose. ,n ,ts *a0,*u* per,o.. %ursuant to art,-le 59 of t)e sa*e Co.e, t)e a--use. ,s not ent,tle. to -re.,t for oneA)alf of ),s pre2ent,2e ,*pr,son*ent. ")erefore, t)e senten-e appeale. fro* ,s re2o6e. an. t)e a--use. ,s )ere/1 )el. gu,lt1 of atte*pte. trespass to .+ell,ng, -o**,tte. /1 *eans of for-e, +,t) t)e aforesa,. aggra2at,ng an. *,t,gat,ng -,r-u*stan-es an. senten-e. to t)ree *ont)s an. one .a1 of arresto *a1or, +,t) t)e a--essor1 penalt,es t)ereof an. to pa1 t)e -osts. Avancea, C.J., Abad Santos, Hull an. ic!ers, JJ., -on-ur.