MURAO, JOSE PEPITO III

I. Article III Section 14, Presumption of Innocence:

People v. Aquino G.R. No. 130742

Facts:
In 1991, private complainant Marie Antoinette Dacuma supposedly entered into a deal with herein accused-
appellant Aniceta Aquino as well as Primitiva Dizon and Liberty Martinez. The deal was for Dacuma to
deliver 400 sacks of rice valued at 200,000 pesos in exchange for for postdated checks made by accused
Primitiva Dizon drawn against Pilipinas Bank. When the checks were presented for payment, the drawee
bank, for the reason that Dizon’s account was already closed, dishonored them. The words ‘Account
Closed’ are also stamped across the face of each check. Private complainant Dacuma notified the accused
but the latter could not redeem the checks.
For her defense, Aquino stated that she merely introduced Dacuma to the two other accused and that she
was present when the transaction was commenced. However, she argues that these facts are not indicative
of her being a co-principal in the crime Dizon and Martinez committed. On the strength of Dacuma’s
statements and evidences, Aniceta Aquino was convicted, as co-principal for the crime of Estafa while
Dizon and Martinez remained at large.

Issue: W/N the trial court erred in convicting Aquino?

Held:
YES. Although Aquino facilitated in the transaction, the court subscribes to her position that she was
merely interested in the deal for she was to receive a commission. Her involvement can only mean that she
was interested as a third party with interest or a co-principal. Applying the equipoise rule, the situation that
adheres to presumption of innocence shall be availed of by the court. police line up is a usual precursor of a
custodial investigation but not a part of the latter. In a police line up, the police do not specifically target
persons involved as principal suspects. Moreover, no testimony or queries are addressed to persons
involved in the police line up at least for the time period of that activity to warrant assistance counsel.
Decision of the Regional Trial Court of Kalookan is hereby REVERSED and petitioner Aquino is
ACQUITTED on the ground that her guilt has not been proven beyond reasonable doubt.