Valenton, Francis Angelo T.

Criminal Law 2

1S

People vs. Teehankee (G.R. No. 111206-08)

Facts: The plaintiff-appellee is the People of the Philippines. The accused-appellant is Claudio
Teehankee, Jr. In the case at bar, on July 12, 1991, a certain Jussi Olavi Leino invited Roland
Chapman, Maureen Hultman and other friends to attend a party at his house in Forbes Park,
Makati. As the pary ended, they proceeded to a pub where students of International School hang
out. After that, they transferred to another pub in Makati. Later on, their group returned to
Roxy’s house to pick up a friend of Maureen. The latter then requested Leino to take her home at
Dasmarinas Village in Makati. When they entered the said village, Maureen asked Leino to stop
at Mahogany Street. She said she wanted to sneak her way to her house by walking so that her
parents would not know that she was going home late. Leino offered to walk with her. As they
walk, a car driven by the accused came up from behind and stopped on the middle of the road.
The accused alighted and approached them and asked them who whey were. Leino thought that
the herein accused just wanted to check their identities. The accused then took his id. Later on,
Chapman came. The accused shot him, and later on shot the Leino and Maureen. Three separate
cases were filed against the accused. He was found liable for murder and two frustrated murder.
Later on, Maureen died, hence, one information was amended form frustrated murder to murder.

Issue: Is the accused liable for murder.

Held: The Supreme Court said that with respect to the killing of Chapman, it cannot be said that
there is the presence of the qualifying circumstance of treachery. The Supreme Court said that
such act was merely a result of rash and impetuous impulse on the part of the accused, and such
act was not deliberate, negating the circumstance of treachery. With respect to the shooting of
the killing of the Maureen and Leino, there is the presence of the qualifying circumstance of
treachery.