Republic of the Philippines

SUPREME COURT
Baguio City
SECOND DIVISION
G.R. No. 172896 April 19, 2010
ROO SEGURITAN y JARA, Petitioner,
vs
PEOPE O! T"E P"IIPPINES, Respon!ent
D E C I S I O N
#E CASTIO, J.:
In a cri"inal case, factual fin!ings of the trial court are generally accor!e! great #eight an!
respect on appeal, especially #hen such fin!ings are supporte! by substantial evi!ence on
recor!
$
It is only in e%ceptional circu"stances, such as #hen the trial court overloo&e!
"aterial an! relevant "atters, that this Court #ill re'calibrate an! evaluate the factual
fin!ings of the court belo# In this case, #e hol! that the trial court !i! not overloo& such
factual "atters( conse)uently, #e fin! no necessity to revie#, "uch less, overturn its factual
fin!ings
*his petition for revie# on certiorari assails the Decision
+
of the Court of ,ppeals -C,. !ate!
/ebruary +0, +112 in C,'3R CR No +4125 #hich affir"e! #ith "o!ification the
6u!g"ent
7
of the Regional *rial Court -R*C. of ,parri, Cagayan, Branch 12 in Cri"inal Case
No VI'85+ fin!ing petitioner Ro9o Seguritan y 6ara guilty beyon! reasonable !oubt of the
cri"e of ho"ici!e :i&e#ise i"pugne! is the Resolution
0
!ate! ;ay +7, +112 #hich !enie!
the ;otion for Reconsi!eration
4
/actual ,ntece!ents
On October $, $552, petitioner #as charge! #ith <o"ici!e in an Infor"ation,
2
the
accusatory portion of #hich rea!s as follo#s=
*hat on or about Nove"ber +4,$554, in the "unicipality of 3on>aga, province of Cagayan,
an! #ithin the ?uris!iction of this <onorable Court, the above'na"e! accuse!, RO@O
SE3ARI*,N y 6,R, alias Ranio, #ith intent to &ill, !i! then an! there #illfully, unla#fully an!
feloniously assault, attac& an! bo% one :ucrecio Seguritan, inflicting upon the latter hea!
in?uries #hich cause! his !eath
Contrary to la#
During the arraign"ent, petitioner entere! a plea of not guilty *hereafter, trial ensue!
*he Version of the Prosecution
In the afternoon of Nove"ber +4, $554, petitioner #as having a !rin&ing session #ith his
uncles :ucrecio Seguritan -:ucrecio., ;elchor Panis -;elchor. an! Balta>ar Panis
-Balta>ar., in the house of ;anuel !ela Cru> in Barangay Para!ise, 3on>aga, Cagayan
Petitioner, #ho #as seate! besi!e :ucrecio, clai"e! that :ucrecioBs carabao entere! his
far" an! !estroye! his crops , heate! !iscussion thereafter ensue!, !uring #hich petitioner
punche! :ucrecio t#ice as the latter #as about to stan! up PetitionerBs punches lan!e! on
:ucrecioBs right an! left te"ple, causing hi" to fall face'up to the groun! an! hit a hollo#
bloc& #hich #as being use! as an i"provise! stove
:ucrecio lost consciousness but #as revive! #ith the assistance of Balta>ar *hereafter,
:ucrecio ro!e a tricycle an! procee!e! to his house in the neighboring barangay of Calayan,
Cagayan Apon his arrival, his #ife notice! bloo! on his forehea! :ucrecio e%plaine! that he
#as stone!, then #ent !irectly to his roo" an! slept
,t aroun! 5 oBcloc& in the evening, :ucrecioBs #ife an! !aughter notice! that his co"ple%ion
has !ar&ene! an! foa"y substance #as co"ing out of his "outh ,tte"pts #ere "a!e to
revive :ucrecio but to no avail <e !ie! that sa"e night
,fter the burial of :ucrecio on Dece"ber 0, $554, his #ife learne! of petitionerBs involve"ent
in her husban!Bs !eath *hus, she sought the assistance of the National Bureau of
Investigation -NBI. NBI ;e!ico':egal Officer Dr ,ntonio Verti!o -Dr Verti!o. e%hu"e!
:ucrecioBs bo!y an! perfor"e! the autopsy Dr Verti!o foun! he"ato"as in the scalp
locate! in the right parietal an! left occipital areas, a linear fracture in the right "i!!le fossa,
an! a sub!ural he"orrhage in the right an! left cerebral he"isphere Dr Verti!o conclu!e!
that :ucrecioBs cause of !eath #as trau"atic hea! in?ury
C
On ;ay +$, $552, ;elchor e%ecute! a s#orn state"ent before the 3on>aga Police Station
recounting the events on that fateful !ay, inclu!ing the punching of :ucrecio by petitioner
,t the ti"e of :ucrecioBs !eath, he #as 4$ years ol! an! earne! an annual inco"e
of P$0,11111 as a far"er
*he Version of the Defense
Petitioner !enie! hitting :ucrecio an! allege! that the latter !ie! of car!iac arrest Petitioner
clai"e! that he su!!enly stoo! up !uring their heate! argu"ent #ith the intent to punch
:ucrecio <o#ever, since the latter #as seate! at the opposite en! of the bench, :ucrecio
lost his balance an! fell before he coul! be hit :ucrecioBs hea! hit the i"provise! stove as a
result of #hich he lost consciousness
Petitioner presente! 6oel Cabebe, the ,ssistant Registration Officer of 3on>aga, Cagayan,
an! Dr Cora>on /lor, the ;unicipal <ealth Officer of Sta *eresita, Cagayan, to prove that
:ucrecio !ie! of a heart attac& *hese #itnesses i!entifie! the Certificate of Death of
:ucrecio an! the entry therein #hich rea!s= D,ntece!ent cause= *EC car!iovascular
!iseaseD
8
Ruling of the Regional *rial Court
On /ebruary 4, +11$, the trial court ren!ere! a Decision convicting petitioner of ho"ici!e
*he !ispositive portion of the Decision rea!s=
F<ERE/ORE, the Court fin!s the accuse! 3AI:*G beyon! reasonable !oubt of the cri"e
of ho"ici!e an! sentences the accuse! to an in!eter"inate sentence of 2 years an! $ !ay
of prision mayor as "ini"u" to $C years an! 0 "onths of reclusion temporal as "a%i"u"
*he accuse! is or!ere! to pay the heirs of the late :ucrecio Seguritan the a"ount
of P71,11111 as actual !a"ages an! the a"ount of P$74,77$11 as loss of earning
capacity an! to pay the costs
SO ORDERED
5
*he Decision of the Court of ,ppeals
On appeal, the C, affir"e! #ith "o!ification the 6u!g"ent of the R*C
*hus=
F<ERE/ORE, the ?u!g"ent appeale! fro" is partly ,//IR;ED, FI*< ;ODI/IC,*ION, to
rea! as follo#s= *he Court fin!s the accuse! 3AI:*G beyon! reasonable !oubt of the cri"e
of ho"ici!e an! sentences the accuse! to an in!eter"inate penalty of SIH -2. GE,RS ,ND
ONE -$. D,G of prision mayor, as "ini"u", to *FE:VE -$+. GE,RS ,ND ONE -$. D,G
of reclusion temporal, as "a%i"u" *he accuse! Ro9o Seguritan is or!ere! to pay the heirs
of the late :ucrecio Seguritan the a"ount of P 71,11111 as actual !a"ages, the a"ount
of P$74,77$11 as loss of earning capacity, P 41,11111 as "oral !a"ages an! to pay the
costs
SO ORDERED
$1
Petitioner file! a ;otion for Reconsi!eration but it #as !enie! by the C, in its Resolution
!ate! ;ay +7, +112
Issues
*hus, this petition for revie# raising the follo#ing issues=
I
*he Court of ,ppeals erre! in affir"ing the trial courtBs ?u!g"ent of conviction
II
*he Court of ,ppeals erre! in convicting the accuse! of the cri"e of ho"ici!e
$$
Our Ruling
*he petition is !enie!
Petitioner !isputes the conclusion that the fracture on the right "i!!le fossa of the s&ull,
beneath the area #here a he"ato"a !evelope! #as !ue to the blo# he !elivere! because
accor!ing to the testi"ony of Dr Verti!o, the fracture "ay also be cause! by one falling fro"
a height Petitioner also "aintains that the punches he thre# at :ucrecio ha! nothing to !o
#ith the fatal hea! in?uries the latter suffere! ,ccor!ing to hi", :ucrecio sustaine! the hea!
in?uries #hen he acci!entally hit the hollo# bloc& that #as use! as an i"provise! stove, after
falling fro" the opposite en! of the bench Petitioner insists that :ucrecio !ie! !ue to a fatal
heart attac&
In fine, petitioner conten!s that the appellate court, in affir"ing the ?u!g"ent of the trial court,
overloo&e! "aterial an! relevant factual "atters #hich, if consi!ere!, #oul! change the
outco"e of the case
Fe are not persua!e!
It is on recor! that :ucrecio suffere! t#o e%ternal in?uries an! one internal in?ury in his hea!
*he autopsy report sho#e! that :ucrecio !ie! of internal he"orrhage cause! by in?uries
locate! at the upper right portion of the hea!, left si!e of the center of his hea!, an! a
Dfracture, linear, right "i!!le fossa, he"orrhage, sub!ural, right an! left cerebral
he"isphereD
Fe fin! no reason to !oubt the fin!ings of the trial court, as affir"e! by the appellate court,
that petitioner punche! :ucrecio t#ice causing hi" to fall to the groun! ;elchor
categorically testifie! that petitioner punche! :ucrecio t#ice an! as a result, :ucrecio fell to
the groun! an! lost consciousness ;elchor #oul! not have testifie! falsely against
petitioner, #ho #as his nephe# <e even hesitate! to testify as sho#n by his e%ecution of a
s#orn state"ent ?ust after the autopsy of :ucrecio #hich reveale! that the cause of !eath
#as trau"atic hea! in?ury attribute! to petitioner
;elchorBs eye#itness account of the fist blo#s !elivere! by petitioner to :ucrecio an! the
"anner by #hich the latter fell fro" the bench an! hit his hea! on the i"provise! stove is
consistent #ith the autopsy fin!ings prepare! an! testifie! to by Dr Verti!o *hus=
% % % %
Court=
I= Fhat is the right parietal areaJ
,= *his is the right parietal area, sir
-Fitness pointing to the upper right portion of the hea!.
= ,n! then the left occipital area, this is left occipital area #ith a he"ato"a again
"easuring 41 % 01 centi"eters, sir
-Fitness pointing to the bac& left part, "i!!le bac& portion.
$+
% % % %
/iscal /eril=
I= Fhat about this #hich rea!s D/racture, linear, right "i!!le fossaD, #here is this
in?ury locate!J
% % % %
Court=
I= Fill you point that fro" your hea!J
,= % % % K,Lt the base of the brain of the s&ull, sir
If you loo& at the hea! at the cut portion, the fracture is locate! on the base of the
brain, particularly on the right "i!'cranial fossa, sir
$7
% % % %
/iscal /eril=
I= Coul! it be possible that the victi" suffere! the in?uries specifically the fracture
#hile he #as falling to the groun!, hitting soli! ob?ects in the processJ
,= Fell, #ith regar! to the he"ato"as there is a possibility Kthat it coul! be cause!
byL falling fro" a height % % % although it pro!uces he"ato"a, sir
Court=
I= /alling fro" a heightJ
,= Ges, sir
/iscal /eril=
I= If an e%ternal force is a!"inistere! to such victi", such as % % % fist blo#KsL #oul!
it accelerate this force an! cause these in?uriesJ
,= Definitely it coul! accelerate, sir
$0
Fe fin! no "erit in petitionerBs argu"ent that he coul! not be hel! liable for the hea!
fracture suffere! by :ucrecio *he height fro" #hich he stoo! to !eliver the fist blo#s
to :ucrecioBs hea! is sufficient to cause the fracture
*he testi"ony of Dr Verti!o also rule! out petitionerBs contention that :ucrecio !ie!
of a heart attac& *he fact that :ucrecioBs cause of !eath is internal he"orrhage
resulting fro" the hea! in?uries suffere! !uring his encounter #ith the petitioner an!
the certainty that he ha! no heart proble" are evi!ent in the follo#ing portion of Dr
Verti!oBs testi"ony=
,tty ,ntonio=
I= Di! you notice anything unusual in the heart of :ucrecio SeguritanJ
,= Fell, #ith regar! to our e%a"ination of the heart Gour <onor I li"it only the
e%a"ination on the ato"ic portion, gross fin!ings, #hen #e say gross fin!ings that
can be seen by the eyes an! so if for e%a"ple other that the fin!ings on the brain, if I
have not seen "y in?ury fro" the brain then "y ne%t e%a"ination to conte"plate
#oul! be to bring a portion of each particular organ to ;anila an! have it sub?ecte!
to a hispathologic e%a"ination over the "icroscope But then #e foun! out that there
is an in?ury to the brain so #hy shoul! I no# perfor" a hispathologic e%a"ination on
the heart, #hen in fact there is alrea!y a gross fin!ing on the brain, "eaning that the
cause of !eath no# is of course, this trau"atic in?ury, sir
Court=
I= Suppose! the victi" ha! a heart attac& first an! then fell !o#n later, can you
!eter"ine then % % % the cause of !eathJ
,= Fell, your <onor as I sai! a #hile ago I opene! up the heart, I e%a"ine! the heart
grossly an! there #as no fin!ings that #oul! fin! to a heart attach on its function, the
heart #as o&ay an! coronaries #ere not thic&ene! so I sai! #ell M grossly there #as
no heart attac&
$4
% % % %
Court=
I= Since you #ere con!ucting ?ust a cursory e%a"ination of the heart, "y )uestion
again is that, coul! you have !eter"ine! by further e%a"ination #hether the victi"
suffere! a heart attac& before the in?uries on the hea! #ere inflicte!J
,= *hat is #hy sir, I sai!, I e%a"ine! the heart an! I foun! out that there #as noting
#rong #ith the heart, an! #hy shoul! I insist on further e%a"ining the heart
$2
*he notation in the Certificate of Death of :ucrecio that he !ie! of a heart attac& has no
#eight in evi!ence Dr Cora>on /lor, #ho signe! sai! !ocu"ent testifie! that she !i! not
e%a"ine the ca!aver of :ucrecio She state! that a circular governing her profession !i! not
re)uire her to con!uct an e%a"ination of :ucrecioBs corpse, as long as the infor"ant tells her
that it is not a "e!ico'legal case Renato Si!antes -Renato., the brother'in'la# of :ucrecio
#ho applie! for the latterBs !eath certificate, ha! no &no#le!ge of the real cause of his !eath
*hus, Dr /lor #as "ista&enly infor"e! by Renato that the cause of :ucrecioBs !eath #as
heart attac&
*he petitioner belate!ly conten!s that the !elay in the autopsy of :ucrecioBs bo!y an! its
e"bal"ing co"pro"ise! the results thereof *o substantiate his clai", he )uotes the boo&
entitle! :egal ;e!icine authore! by Dr Pe!ro Solis, vi>=
Da !ea! bo!y "ust not be e"bal"e! before the autopsy *he e"bal"ing flui! "ay ren!er
the tissue an! bloo! unfit for to%ilogical analyses *he e"bal"ing "ay alter the gross
appearance of the tissues or "ay result to a #i!e variety of artifacts that ten! to !estroy or
obscure evi!enceD
Dthe bo!y "ust be autopsie! in the sa"e con!ition #hen foun! at the cri"e scene , !elay in
the perfor"ance "ay fail or "o!ify the possible fin!ings thereby not serving the interest of
?usticeD
$C
PetitionerBs reliance on this citation is "isplace! Petitioner faile! to a!!uce evi!ence that
the one "onth !elay in the autopsy in!ee! "o!ifie! the possible fin!ings <e also faile! to
substantiate his clai" that the e"bal"ing flui! ren!ere! the tissue an! bloo! of :ucrecio
unfit for to%ilogical analysis
/urther, it is settle! that courts #ill only consi!er as evi!ence that #hich has been for"ally
offere!
$8
*he allegation that the results of the autopsy are un#orthy of cre!ence #as base!
on a boo& that #as neither "ar&e! for i!entification nor for"ally offere! in evi!ence !uring
the hearing of the case *hus, the trial court as #ell as the appellate court correctly
!isregar!e! the" *he prosecution #as not even given the opportunity to ob?ect as the boo&
or a portion thereof #as never offere! in evi!ence
$5
, for"al offer is necessary since ?u!ges are re)uire! to base their fin!ings of fact an!
?u!g"ent only M an! strictly M upon the evi!ence offere! by the parties at the trial *o rule
other#ise #oul! !eprive the opposing party of his chance to e%a"ine the !ocu"ent an!
ob?ect to its a!"issibility *he appellate court #ill have !ifficulty revie#ing !ocu"ents not
previously scrutini>e! by the court belo#
+1
,ny evi!ence #hich a party !esires to sub"it to
the courts "ust be offere! for"ally because a ?u!ge "ust base his fin!ings strictly on the
evi!ence offere! by the parties at the trial
+$
Fe are not i"presse! #ith petitionerBs argu"ent that he shoul! be hel! liable only for
rec&less i"pru!ence resulting in ho"ici!e !ue to the absence of intent to &ill :ucrecio Fhen
!eath resulte!, even if there #as no intent to &ill, the cri"e is ho"ici!e, not ?ust physical
in?uries, since #ith respect to cri"es of personal violence, the penal la# loo&s particularly to
the "aterial results follo#ing the unla#ful act an! hol!s the aggressor responsible for all the
conse)uences thereof
++
,ccor!ingly, ,rticle 0 of the Revise! Penal Co!e provi!es=
,rt 0 Cri"inal liability M Cri"inal liability shall be incurre!=
$ By any person co""itting a felony -delito. although the #rongful act !one be !ifferent
fro" that #hich he inten!e!
% % % %
Petitioner co""itte! an unla#ful act by punching :ucrecio, his uncle #ho #as "uch ol!er
than hi", an! even if he !i! not inten! to cause the !eath of :ucrecio, he "ust be hel! guilty
beyon! reasonable !oubt for &illing hi" pursuant to the above')uote! provision <e #ho is
the cause of the cause is the cause of the evil cause!
+7
Consi!ering the foregoing !iscussion, #e fin! that both the trial court an! the appellate court
correctly appreciate! the evi!ence presente! before the" Both courts !i! not overloo& facts
an! circu"stances that #oul! #arrant a reevaluation of the evi!ence ,ccor!ingly, there is
no reason to !igress fro" the settle! legal principle that the appellate court #ill generally not
!isturb the assess"ent of the trial court on factual "atters consi!ering that the latter as a
trier of facts, is in a better position to appreciate the sa"e
/urther, it is settle! that fin!ings of fact of the trial court are accor!e! greatest respect by the
appellate court absent any abuse of !iscretion
+0
*here being no abuse of !iscretion in this
case, #e affir" the factual fin!ings of the trial court
Penalty an! Da"ages
*he penalty for <o"ici!e un!er ,rticle +05 of the Revise! Penal Co!e is reclusion
temporal the range of #hich is fro" $+ years an! one !ay to +1 years. ,pplying the
In!eter"inate Sentence :a#, the penalty ne%t lo#er in !egree is prision mayor the range of
#hich is fro" si% years an! one !ay to $+ years In this case, #e fin! that the "itigating
circu"stance of no intention to co""it so grave a #rong as that co""itte!, atten!e! the
co""ission of the cri"e *hus, the appellate court correctly i"pose! the in!eter"inate
penalty of si% years an! one !ay ofprision mayor, as "ini"u", to $+ years an! one !ay
of reclusion temporal, as "a%i"u"
,s regar!s the a"ount of !a"ages, civil in!e"nity "ust also be a#ar!e! to the heirs of
:ucrecio #ithout nee! of proof other than the fact that a cri"e #as co""itte! resulting in the
!eath of the victi" an! that petitioner #as responsible therefor
+4
,ccor!ingly, #e a#ar! the
su" of P41,11111 in line #ith current ?urispru!ence
+2
*he a#ar! of P$74,77$11 for the loss of earning capacity #as also in or!er
+C
*he
prosecution satisfactorily prove! that the victi" #as earning an annual inco"e of P$0,11111
fro" the harvest of pineapples Besi!es, the !efense no longer i"pugne! this a#ar! of the
trial court
<o#ever, the other a#ar!s of !a"ages "ust be "o!ifie! It is error for the trial court an! the
appellate court to a#ar! actual !a"ages of P71,11111 for the e%penses incurre! for the
!eath of the victi" Fe peruse! the recor!s an! !i! not fin! evi!ence to support the plea for
actual !a"ages *he e%penses incurre! in connection #ith the !eath, #a&e an! burial of
:ucrecio cannot be sustaine! #ithout any tangible !ocu"ent to support such clai" Fhile
e%penses #ere incurre! in connection #ith the !eath of :ucrecio, actual !a"ages cannot be
a#ar!e! as they are not supporte! by receipts
+8
1avvphi1
In lieu of actual !a"ages, the heirs of the victi" can still be a#ar!e! te"perate !a"ages
Fhen pecuniary loss has been suffere! but the a"ount cannot, fro" the nature of the case,
be proven #ith certainty, te"perate !a"ages "ay be recovere! *e"perate !a"ages "ay
be allo#e! in cases #here fro" the nature of the case, !efinite proof of pecuniary loss
cannot be a!!uce!, although the court is convince! that the aggrieve! party suffere! so"e
pecuniary loss
+5
In this regar!, the a"ount of P+4,11111 is in accor!ance #ith recent
?urispru!ence
71
;oral !a"ages #as correctly a#ar!e! to the heirs of the victi" #ithout nee! of proof other
than the fact that a cri"e #as co""itte! resulting in the !eath of the victi" an! that the
accuse! #as responsible therefor
7$
*he a#ar! of P41,11111 as "oral !a"ages confor"s
to e%isting ?urispru!ence
7+
$"ERE!ORE, the petition is #ENIE# *he Decision of the Court of ,ppeals in C,'3R CR
No +4125 fin!ing petitioner Ro9o Seguritan y 6ara guilty of ho"ici!e an! sentencing hi" to
suffer the penalty of si% years an! one !ay of prision mayor as "ini"u", to $+ years an!
one !ay of reclusion temporal as "a%i"u", an! to pay the heirs of :ucrecio Seguritan the
a"ounts of P41,11111 as "oral !a"ages an! P$74,77$11 as loss of earning capacity
is A!!IRME# %i&' MO#I!ICATION that petitioner is further or!ere! to pay P+4,11111 as
te"perate !a"ages in lieu of actual !a"ages, an! P41,11111 as civil in!e"nity
SO ORDERED
MARIANO C. #E CASTIO
,ssociate 6ustice
FE CONCAR=
ANTONIO T. CARPIO
,sso
Boholst.docx 11.docx
c
iate 6ustice
Chairperson
ARTURO #. (RION
,ssociate 6ustice
RO(ERTO A. A(A#
,ssociate 6ustice
JOSE PORTUGA PERE)
,ssociate 6ustice
, * * E S * , * I O N
I attest that the conclusions in the above Decision ha! been reache! in consultation before
the case #as assigne! to the #riter of the opinion of the CourtBs Division
ANTONIO T. CARPIO
,ssociate 6ustice
Chairperson, Secon! Division
C E R * I / I C , * I O N
Pursuant to Section $7, ,rticle VIII of the Constitution, an! the Division ChairpersonBs
attestation, it is hereby certifie! that the conclusions in the above Decision ha! been reache!
in consultation before the case #as assigne! to the #riter of the opinion of the CourtBs
Division
RE*NATO S. PUNO
Chief 6ustice