Republic of the Philippines

SUPREME COURT
Manila
EN BANC
DECISION
April 2! "#$
%&R& No& '(2))*
T+E PEOP'E O, T+E P+I'IPPINES! plaintiff(appellee!
-s&
TEODORO SABIO! .efen.ant(appellant&
Antonio T& .e /esus for .efen.ant an. appellant&
Office of the Solicitor %eneral for plaintiff an. appellee&
! /&0
At about si1 p&2& of April "2! "#$)! Teo.oro Sabio 3as s4uattin5 3ith a frien.! Ir-in5 /urilla! in the
pla6a of Central Manapla! Manapla! Ne5ros Occi.ental& Ro2eo Bacobo an. t3o others 7 Ruben
Mi8osa an. 'eonar.o %arcia 7 approache. the2& All of the2 3ere close an. ol. frien.s&
Ro2eo Bacobo then as9e. Sabio 3here he spent the hol: 3ee9& At the sa2e ti2e! he 5a-e Sabio a
;foot9ic9 5reetin5<! touchin5 Sabio=s foot 3ith his o3n left foot& Sabio thereupon stoo. up an. .ealt
Ro2eo Bacobo a fist blo3! inflictin5 upon hi2 a lacerate. 3oun.! >? inch lon5! at the upper li. of the
left e:e& It too9 fro2 "" to "2 .a:s to heal an. pre-ente. Ro2eo Bacobo fro2 3or9in5 .urin5 sai.
perio. as e2plo:ee of @ictorias Millin5 Co&! Inc&
Sabio 3as thereafter prosecute. for less serious ph:sical inAuries& In the 2unicipal court he 3as foun.
5uilt: an. sentence. to i2prison2ent of B 2onths an. "C .a:s plus costs& In the Court of ,irst
Instance! ho3e-er! to 3hich he appeale.! he 3as foun. 5uilt: but 3ith the 2iti5atin5 circu2stance of
pro-ocation! so that the penalt: i2pose. 3as one D"E 2onth an. fi-e DBE .a:s of arresto 2a:or plus
in.e2nit: of P"CC an. costs&
Defen.ant appeale. fro2 this Au.52ent to Us to raise as a pure 4uestion of la3 the sole issue of
3hether! un.er the facts is .eter2ine. belo3! a fist blo3 .eli-ere. in retaliation to a ;foot(9ic9
5reetin5< is an act of self(.efense an.For Austif:in5 circu2stance entitlin5 the accuse. to ac4uittal an.
relief fro2 all liabilities! ci-il an. cri2inal&
A pri2or.ial re4uisite for self(.efense is unla3ful a55ression DArt& ""! Re-& Penal Co.eE& An. for
unla3ful! a55ression to be present! there 2ust be real .an5er to life or personal safet: DPeople -s&
Beatri6 Gu2an! $" Phil& H$E& ,or this reason! a 2ere push or a sho-e! not follo3e. b: other acts! has
been hel. insufficient to constitute unla3ful a55ression DPeople -s& Gu2an! supraE& A pla:ful 9ic9 7 the
lo3er court reAecte. .efen.ant=s clai2 that it 3as a ;-icious 9ic9< 7 at the foot 2: 3a: of 5reetin5
bet3een frien.s 2a: be a practical Ao9e! an. 2a: e-en hurtI but it is not a serious or real attac9 on a
person=s safet:& Appellant=s sub2ission that it a2ounts to unla3ful a55ression cannot therefore be
sustaine.& As ri5htl: foun. b: the Court of ,irst Instance! such 9ic9 3as onl: a 2ere sli5ht
pro-ocation&
Reference is 2a.e to a .ecision of the Supre2e Court of Spain Dpro2& /an& 2C! "#C*! 2 /ur& Cri2& "2)(
"2BE! consi.erin5 a slap on the face an unla3ful a55ression& No parit: lies bet3een sai. case an. the
present& Since the face represents a person an. his .i5nit:! slappin5! it is a serious personal attac9& It is
a ph:sical assault couple. 3ith a 3illful .isre5ar.! na:! a .efiance! of in in.i-i.ual=s personalit:& It 2a:
therefore be fre4uentl: re5ar.e. as placin5 in real .an5er a person=s .i5nit:! ri5hts an. safet:& A
frien.l: 9ic9 .eli-ere. on a person=s foot ob-iousl: falls short of such personal a55ression&
Jherefore! the Au.52ent appeale. fro2 is hereb: affir2e. in toto& Costs a5ainst appellant& So or.ere.&
Concepcion! C&/&! Re:es! /&B&'&! Di6on! Re5ala! Ma9alintal! Kal.i-ar! Sanche6 an. Castro! //&! concur&