People of the Philippines vs Florencio Calica

G.R. No. 139178, 14 April 2004

Facts
Florencio Calica was foun !uilt" #e"on reasona#le ou#t of t$e cri%e of
%urer #" t$e Re!ional &rial Court of 'iapawan Cit", Cota#ato.
&$e trial court anc$ore t$e appellant(s con)iction on *a+ t$e testi%on" of
,o%in!a w$o clai%e to $a)e witnesse t$e a#uction of $er $us#an an
reco!ni-e t$e appellant w$en t$e #onnet %ae of .nitte clot$ co)erin! $is
$ea was loosene, t$us, e/posin! t$e latter(s face0 *#+ t$e testi%on" of $er
"oun! au!$ter ,olores w$o corro#orate, in part, $er %ot$er(s testi%on"0 an,
*c+ t$e testi%on" of 1lias 2alo! an A!ustin Alon-o, for%er )olunteer %e%#ers
of t$e C3,F, t$at t$e %e%#ers of t$e C3,F le #" Co%%aner 2ero 4ope-
a#ucte an .ille t$e )icti% #ecause $e was suspecte of #ein! a %e%#er of
t$e N2A.
&$e appellant insists t$at t$e prosecution utterl" faile to pro)e $is !uilt #e"on
reasona#le ou#t of t$e cri%e c$ar!e. Not one of t$e witnesses presente #"
t$e prosecution personall" witnesse t$e a#uction an .illin! of t$e )icti%
5!%eio 2ispis.
3el
5n cri%inal prosecution, accusation is not s"non"%ous wit$ !uilt. 5t is incu%#ent
on t$e prosecution to pro)e t$e !uilt of t$e accuse #e"on reasona#le ou#t. 6"
reasona#le ou#t is %eant t$at ou#t en!enere #" an in)esti!ation of t$e
w$ole proof an an ina#ilit", after suc$ in)esti!ation, to let t$e %in rest eas"
upon t$e certaint" of !uilt. &$ere is a nee, t$erefore, for t$e %ost careful
scrutin" of t$e e)ience of t$e prosecution, #ot$ oral an ocu%entar",
inepenentl" of w$ate)er efense t$e accuse %a" offer. &$e prosecution %ust
rel" on t$e stren!t$ of its own e)ience an not on t$e e)ience of t$e accuse.
&$e wea.ness of t$e efense of t$e accuse oes not relie)e t$e prosecution of
its responsi#ilit" of pro)in! t$e !uilt of t$e accuse #e"on reasona#le ou#t.
78
5n
e)er" case, t$e o)erriin! consieration is not w$et$er t$e court ou#ts t$e
innocence of t$e accuse, #ut w$et$er it entertains reasona#le ou#t as to $is
!uilt. 9$ere t$e pieces of e)ience a!ainst t$e accuse are insufficient or
ou#tful to eter%ine t$e !uilt of t$e accuse wit$ %oral certaint", $e s$oul #e
ac:uitte. ;peculations, sur%ises an pro#a#ilities cannot ta.e t$e place of proof
#e"on reasona#le ou#t.