People vs.

Rodil
G.R. No. L-35156 November 20, 1981
Makasiar, J.
Facts:
At about 100 !"#$o#k i% t&e a'ter%oo% o' A(ri$ 2), 19*1, t&e +e#ease+, ,- Lt.
Gui$$ermo Masa%a a%+ &is #om(a%io%s .ere &avi%/ a $u%#& at a restaura%t. 0&e1
sa. 2$oro Ro+i$ outsi+e t&e sai+ restaura%t .it& a /u% tu#ke+ i% &is .aist. Lt.
Masa%a, t&e% i% #ivi$ia% #$ot&i%/ a%+ a##om(a%ie+ b1 ,- so$+ier 3ir/i$io 2i+e$,
a((roa#&e+ Ro+i$ a%+ aske+ t&e $atter .&et&er t&e /u% tu#ke+ i% &is .aist &a+ a
$i#e%se. Ro+i$ move+ o%e ste( ba#k.ar+ as i' tr1i%/ to +ra. &is /u%. 4o.ever, ,-
so$+ier 3ir/i$io 2i+e$ imme+iate$1 /rabbe+ Ro+i$"s /u% 'rom Ro+i$"s .aist a%+ /ave it
to Lt. Masa%a. A'ter.ar+s, Lt. Masa%a aske+ Ro+i$ to /o i%si+e t&e restaura%t 'or
i%terro/atio%. 5&i$e t&e1 .ere i% t&e same tab$e, Ro+i$ re'use+ to #ou%tersi/% t&e
re#ei(t 'or t&e /u% ma+e b1 Lt. Masa%a a%+ i%siste+ t&at &is /u% be retur%e+ to
&im. A$ter#atio% e%sue+, a%+ t&erea'ter, Ro+i$ su++e%$1 (u$$e+ out a 6(a%aksak6 a%+
.it& it stabbe+ Lt. Masa%a severa$ times, #ausi%/ t&e $atter7s +eat& severa$ &ours
a'ter t&e stabbi%/ i%#i+e%t. -&ie' o' ,o$i#e ,rimo ,a%a$i/a%, .&o &a((e%e+ to be i%
t&e restaura%t +uri%/ t&e i%#i+e%t, /rabbe+ Ro+i$ 'rom be&i%+ to a((re&e%+ &im.
8% t&e #rimi%a$ (rose#utio% 'or t&e ki$$i%/ o' Lt. Masa%a, it .as a$$e/e+ i% t&e
i%'ormatio% t&at &e .as mur+ere+ .it& evi+e%t (reme+itatio% a%+ trea#&er1.
A##use+ 2$oro Ro+i$, o% a##ou%t o' t&e a'orme%tio%e+ 9ua$i'1i%/ #ir#umsta%#es, .as
'ou%+ /ui$t1, be1o%+ reaso%ab$e +oubt, o' t&e #rime o' mur+er b1 t&e -ir#uit
-rimi%a$ -ourt o' ,asi/, Ri:a$.
Issue: 5&et&er or %ot t&e a((re#iatio% b1 t&e -ir#uit -rimi%a$ -ourt o' ,asi/ o' t&e
9ua$i'1i%/ #ir#umsta%#es o' evi+e%t (reme+itatio% a%+ trea#&er1 i% t&e i%sta%t #ase
.as (ro(er.
Held:
0&e vi#tim a%+ t&e assai$a%t .ere 'a#e to 'a#e .&e% t&e stabbi%/ i%#i+e%t
&a((e%e+, &e%#e, trea#&er1 is %ot (rese%t be#ause 'or trea#&er1 to be #o%si+ere+,
it must be s&o.% t&at t&e a##use+ em($o1e+ mea%s +ire#t$1 a%+ s(e#ia$$1 te%+i%/
to i%sure t&e ki$$i%/ .it&out risk to &imse$'. Like.ise, evi+e%t (reme+itatio% #a%%ot
be a((re#iate+ i% t&e #ase at bar. 0&ere .as %o +e$iberate a%+ me+itate+ ($a% o%
t&e (art o' t&e a##use+ to stab Lt. Masa%a a%+ t&e same .as a mere resu$t o' a%
a$ter#atio% .&i#& o##urre+ .&e% t&e $atter #o%;s#ate+ t&e /u% o' t&e 'ormer.
4o.ever, t&e a//ravati%/ #ir#umsta%#e o' +isre/ar+ o' ra%k s&ou$+ be a((re#iate+
be#ause it is obvious t&at t&e vi#tim, ,-. Lt. Masa%a, i+e%ti;e+ &imse$' as a ,-
o<#er to t&e a##use+ .&o is mere$1 a member o' t&e A%ti-=mu//$i%/ >%it a%+
t&ere'ore i%'erior bot& i% ra%k a%+ so#ia$ status to. t&e vi#tim. 0&e a//ravati%/
#ir#umsta%#e o' #o%tem(t o', or i%su$t to, (ub$i# aut&orit1 u%+er (ara/ra(& 2 o'
Arti#$e 1) o' t&e Revise+ ,e%a$ -o+e #a% $ike.ise be a((re#iate+ i% t&e #ase at bar.
0&e evi+e%#e o' t&e (rose#utio% #$ear$1 estab$is&e+ t&at -&ie' o' ,o$i#e ,rimo
,a%a$i/a% o' 8%+a%/, .&o is #o%si+ere+ to be a (ub$i# aut&orit1, .as (rese%t as &e
.as taki%/ &is $u%#& i% t&e same restaura%t .&e% t&e i%#i+e%t o##urre+. As a matter
o' 'a#t, t&e sai+ #&ie' o' (o$i#e .as t&e o%e .&o embra#e+ or /rabbe+ t&e a##use+
'rom be&i%+, .reste+ t&e +a//er 'rom &im a%+ t&erea'ter brou/&t &im to t&e
mu%i#i(a$ bui$+i%/ o' 8%+a%/. A%+ a((e$$a%t a+mitte+$1 k%e. &im eve% t&e% as t&e
to.% #&ie' o' (o$i#e. Ro+i$ .as 'ou%+ /ui$t1 o' &omi#i+e a//ravate+ b1 #o%tem(t o'
or i%su$t to a (ub$i# aut&orit1 or +isre/ar+ o' t&e res(e#t +ue t&e o?e%+e+ (art1 o%
a##ou%t o' &is ra%k.