Article 14- Aggravating Circumstances Dr.

Escuardra, a psychiatric doctor at the

People vs Haloc
Facts: Jessie Haloc who was armed with 24-inch
bolo went to the victims’ (Allan and Arnel Dela Cruz)
house in attempt to strike their father (Ambrosio). The
father was able to escape the blow but unfortunately,
Haloc took out his spite on the children, (5 of them
were following him). Haloc was able to hack Allan on
the arm and taking Arnel and cutting his neck which
severed his jugular veins ad nearly decapitating his
head which resulted to Arnel’s death.
Mental Hospital in Cadlan, said that Haloc was not
treated by her but confirmed that he was a patient in
said hospital.
RTC: rejected the defense of insanity (no evidence to
show that he had been totally deprived of reason);
Haloc guilty beyond reasonable doubt of murder
and attempted murder.
CA: affirmed RTC (the mental condition of Haloc
improved; in his last visit, he showed no psychotic
signs and symptoms)

Haloc was charged with attempted murder Issue: WON there are aggravating circumstances
as well as murder. present in this case

On the original date of Haloc’s arraignement,
the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) manifested that
Haloc could not be interviewed effectively as he
seemed to me mentally unfit to which the Haloc was
then subject to a psychiatric evaluation that the court
granted.
Ruling: YES. There is disregard of age. Seeing as
the two victims are minors and the aggressor (Haloc)
was of the right age, there is a disregard of age in
this case.

The test results show that he is fit for trial and

in the following arraignment, he pleaded not guilty to
both charges and invoked that he was insane.

The accused’s sister, Araceli, testified that the

victims were his neighbors and was angry at them
since they were always noisy and he couldn’t sleep.
She was not present during the actual hacking
incident but was there after he had hacked the
children and went near him, he gave his bolo to her
and she noticed that her brother, Haloc, was not his
usual self, that he seemed different. He had blazing
eyes. He was very fierce.

Days prior to the incident, Araceli visited the

Haloc in his house and learned that he has been
drinking alcohol since he couldn’t sleep and that Haloc
was brought to the hospital by her and got treated (got
well and was not violent).

Haloc’s wife, Susan, testified that Haloc was

brought to the Mental Hospital in Caldan (2003) due to
a mental disorder. He was cured with the medicine
given to him and in 2008 Haloc’s mental disorder
started again once he was drinking again. In the same
year, Haloc was brought to Dr. Gregorio which
prescribed him medicine (4 tablets) which made him
well. After a month, Haloc again suffered his mental
disorder where she noticed that his eyes glazing. He
couldn’t work in the farm normally and he could not
recognize her.