Republic of the Philippines

SUPREME COURT
Manila
SECOND DIVISION
G.R. No. 179462 February 12, 2009
PEDRO C. CONSULT, Appellant,
vs.
PEOPLE OF T!E P!"L"PP"NES, Appellee,
D E C " S " O N
CRP"O MORLES, J.:
The Cout of Appeals havin!, b" Decision of Apil #$, #%%&,
'
a(i)e* the Dece)be +, #%%, Decision of the
Re!ional Tial Cout of Ma-ati Cit", .anch '$+ convictin! Pe*o C. Consulta /appellant0 of Robbe" 1ith
Inti)i*ation of Pesons, appellant 2le* the pesent petition.
The accusato" potion of the Info)ation a!ainst appellant ea*s3
That on o about the &th *a" of 4une, '+++, in the Cit" of Ma-ati, Philippines an* 1ithin the 5uis*iction of this
6onoable Cout, the above7na)e* accuse*, 1ith intent of !ain, an* b" )eans of foce, violence an*
inti)i*ation, *i* then an* thee 1illfull", unla1full" an* feloniousl" ta-e, steal an* ca" a1a" co)plainant8s
NE9IA R. SI9VESTRE !ol* nec-lace 1oth P$,:%%.%%, belon!in! to sai* co)plainant, to the *a)a!e an*
pe5u*ice of the o1ne theeof in the afoe)entione* a)ount of P$,:%%.%%.
CONTRAR; TO 9A<.
#
/E)phasis in the oi!inal, un*escoin! supplie*0
=o) the evi*ence fo the posecution, the follo1in! vesion is !athee*3
At about #3%% o8cloc- in the aftenoon of 4une &, '+++, pivate co)plainant Nelia R. Silveste /Nelia0, to!ethe
1ith Maia Viovicente /Maia0 an* Veonica A)a /Veonica0, boa*e* a tic"cle on thei 1a" to Pe)bo, Ma-ati
Cit". >pon eachin! A)bel Steet, appellant an* his bothe E*1in Consulta /E*1in0 bloc-e* the tic"cle an*
un*e thei theats, the *ive ali!hte* an* left. Appellant an* E*1in at once shoute* invectives at Nelia,
sa"in! "Putang ina mong matanda ka, walanghiya ka, kapal ng mukha mo, papatayin ka namin." Appellant
a**e* ?Putang ina kang matanda ka, wala kang kadala dala, sinabihan na kita na kahit saan kita matiempuhan,
papatayin kita."
Appellant theeafte !abbe* Nelia8s '@A !ol* nec-lace 1ith a cuci2B pen*ant 1hich, acco*in! to an
?ala5ea? in the povince, 1as of '@- !ol*, an* 1hich 1as 1oth P$,:%%, -ic-e* the tic"cle an* left sa"in!
?Putang ina kang matanda ka! Kayo mga nurses lang, anong ipinagmamalaki niyo, mga nurses lang kayo.
Kami, marami kaming mga abogado. Hindi niyo kami maipapakulong kahit kailan!"
Nelia an* he co)panions i))e*iatel" 1ent to the Pe)bo baan!a" hall 1hee the" 1ee a*vise* to un*e!o
)e*ical eBa)ination. The", ho1eve, epaie* to the Police Station, Pecinct @ in Co)e)bo, Ma-ati Cit" an*
epote* the inci*ent. The" then pocee*e* to Ca)p Ca)e 1hee the" 1ee a*vise* to etun in a fe1 *a"s
1hen an" in5uies the" su(ee* 1ee eBpecte* to )anifest.
Nine *a"s afte the inci*ent o on 4une 'C, '+++, Nelia sub)itte* a )e*ico7le!al epot an* !ave he
state)ent befoe a police investi!ato.
Den"in! the cha!e, appellant ban*e* it as fabicate* to spite hi) an* his fa)il" in li!ht of the follo1in!
antece*ent facts3
6e an* his fa)il" use* to ent the !oun* Doo of Nelia8s house in Pateos. Nelia is his !o*)othe. The
a*5acent house 1as occupie* b" Nelia8s paents 1ith 1ho) she often Euaele* as to 1ho) the ental
pa")ents shoul* be e)itte*. .ecause of the peception of the paents of Nelia that his fa)il" 1as patial
Page 1 of 5
to1a*s he, he paents *isli-e* his fa)il". Nelia8s fathe even 2le* a case fo )alteat)ent a!ainst hi)
1hich 1as *is)isse* an*, on leanin! of the )alteat)ent cha!e, Nelia o*ee* hi) an* his fa)il" to )ove
out of thei house an* 2le* a case a!ainst hi) fo !ave theats an* anothe fo li!ht theats 1hich 1ee
*is)isse* o in 1hich he 1as acEuitte*.
Appellant 1ent on to clai) that *espite feEuent tansfes of esi*ence to avoi* Nelia, she 1oul* tac- his
1heeabouts an* cause scan*al.
Appellant8s 1itness Daius PacaFa testi2e* that on the *ate of the alle!e* obbe", Nelia, to!ethe 1ith he
t1o co)panions, appoache* hi) 1hile he 1as at A)bel Steet in the co)pan" of Michael =ontanilla an*
4i))" Se)bano, an* as-e* hi) /PacaFa0 if he -ne1 a bal* )an 1ho is bi!Gstout 1ith a bi! tu))" an* 1ith a
siste na)e* Maia. As he eplie* in the a(i)ative, Nelia at once as-e* hi) to acco)pan" the) to appellant8s
house, to 1hich he acce*e*. As soon as the !oup eache* appellant8s house, appellant, on his /PacaFa8s0 call,
e)e!e* an* on seein! the !oup, tol* the) to !o a1a" so as not to cause touble. Retotin!, Nelia uttee*
?Mga hayop kayo, hindi ko kayo titigilan.?
Anothe *efense 1itness, Thel)a Vuesa, cooboate* PacaFa8s account.
The tial cout, hol*in! that intent to !ain on appellant8s pat ?is pesu)e* fo) the unla1ful ta-in!? of the
nec-lace, an* bushin! asi*e appellant8s *enial an* clai) of haass)ent, convicte* appellant of Robbe",
*isposin! as follo1s3
<6ERE=ORE, pe)ises consi*ee*, this Cout 2n*s accuse* PEDRO C. CONS>9TA !uilt" be"on* easonable
*oubt, as pincipal of the felon" of Robbe" 1ith Inti)i*ation of Pesons *e2ne* an* penaliHe* un*e Aticle
#+,, paa!aph No. :, in elation to Aticle #+$ of the Revise* Penal Co*e an* heeb" sentences hi) to su(e
the penalt" of i)pison)ent fo) one /'0 "ea, seven /&0 )onths an* eleven /''0 *a"s of arresto mayor, as
)ini)u), to ei!ht /@0 "eas, ei!ht /@0 )onths an* one /'0 *a" of prision mayor, as )aBi)u), appl"in! the
In*ete)inate Sentence 9a1, thee bein! no )iti!atin! o a!!avatin! cicu)stances 1hich atten*e* the
co))ission of the sai* ci)e.
The sai* accuse* is futhe o*ee* to pa" unto the co)plainant Nelia Silveste the a)ount of P$,:%%.%%
epesentin! the value of he nec-lace ta-en b" hi) an* to pa" the costs of this suit.
SO ORDERED. /Italics in the oi!inal, un*escoin! supplie*0
The appellate cout a(i)e* appellant8s conviction 1ith )o*i2cation on the penalt".
In his pesent appeal, appellant aises the follo1in! issues3
/'0 <hethe o not appellant 1as vali*l" aai!ne*I
/#0 <hethe o not appellant 1as *enie* *ue pocess havin! been epesente* b" a fa-e la1"e
*uin! aai!n)ent, pe7tial an* pesentation of pincipal 1itnesses fo the posecutionI
/$0 <hethe o not appellant has co))itte* the ci)e of 1hich he 1as cha!e*I an*
/,0 <hethe o not the posecution 1as able to pove the !uilt of the appellant be"on*
easonable *oubt. />n*escoin! supplie*0
The 2st t1o issues, 1hich appellant aise* befoe the appellate cout onl" 1hen he 2le* his Motion fo
Reconsi*eation of sai* cout8s *ecision, 1ee esolve* in the ne!ative in this 1ise3
On the )atte of accuse*7appellant8s clai) of havin! been *enie* *ue pocess, an eBa)ination of the eco*s
sho1s that 1hile accuse*7appellant 1as epesente* b" Att". 4ocel"n P. Re"es, 1ho ?see)s not a la1"e,?
*uin! the eal" sta!es of tial, the latte 1ith*e1 he appeaance 1ith the confo)it" of the fo)e as eal"
as 4ul" #@, #%%% an* subseEuentl", appove* b" the RTC in its O*e *ate* Au!ust ,, #%%%. Theeafte,
accuse*7appellant 1as epesente* b" Att". Rainal* C. Pa!!ao fo) the Public Defen*e8s /Attone"8s0 O(ice of
Ma-ati Cit". Since the accuse*7appellant 1as alea*" epesente* b" a )e)be of the Philippine .a 1ho
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pincipall" han*le* his *efense, albeit unsuccessfull", then he cannot no1 be hea* to co)plain about havin!
been *enie* of *ue pocess.
$
/>n*escoin! supplie*0
That appellant8s 2st counsel )a" not have been a )e)be of the ba *oes not *ent the poven fact that
appellant pevente* Nelia an* co)pan" fo) pocee*in! to thei *estination. =uthe, appellant 1as a(o*e*
co)petent epesentation b" the Public Attone"s8 O(ice *uin! the pesentation b" the posecution of the
)e*ico7le!al o(ice an* *uin! the pesentation of his evi*ence. People v. Elesterio
,
enli!htens3
?As fo the cicu)stance that the *efense counsel tune* out late to be a non7la1"e, it is obseve* that he
1as chosen b" the accuse* hi)self an* that his epesentation *oes not chan!e the fact that Elesteio 1as
un*eniabl" ca"in! an unlicense* 2ea) 1hen he 1as aeste*. At an" ate, he has since been epesente*
b" a )e)be of the Philippine ba, 1ho pepae* the petition fo habeas corpus an* the appellant8s bief.?
/>n*escoin! supplie*0
On the thi* an* fouth issues. Aticle #+$ of the Revise* Penal Co*e un*e 1hich appellant 1as cha!e*
povi*es3
At. #+$. ho are guilty o! robbery. J An" peson 1ho, 1ith intent to !ain, shall ta-e an" pesonal popet"
belon!in! to anothe, b" )eans of violence a!ainst o inti)i*ation of an" peson, o usin! foce upon an"thin!,
shall be !uilt of obbe". /Italics in the oi!inal, un*escoin! supplie*0
Aticle #+,, paa!aph :, un*e 1hich appellant 1as penaliHe* povi*es3
At. #+,. Robbe" 1ith violence a!ainst o inti)i*ation of pesons J Penalties. J An" peson !uilt" of obbe"
1ith the use of violence a!ainst o inti)i*ation of an" peson shall su(e3
B B B B
:. The penalt" of pision coeccional in its )aBi)u) peio* to pision )a"o in its )e*iu) peio* in othe
cases. B B B /Citations o)itte*I italics in the oi!inalI un*escoin! supplie*0
The ele)ents of obbe" ae thus3 '0 thee is a ta-in! of pesonal popet"I #0 the pesonal popet" belon!s to
anotheI $0 the ta-in! is 1ith ani)us lucan*iI an* ,0 the ta-in! is 1ith violence a!ainst o inti)i*ation of
pesons o 1ith foce upon thin!s.
"nimus lucrandi o intent to !ain is an intenal act 1hich can be establishe* thou!h the ovet acts of the
o(en*e. It )a" be pesu)e* fo) the futive ta-in! of useful popet" petainin! to anothe, unless special
cicu)stances eveal a *i(eent intent on the pat of the pepetato.
:

The Cout 2n*s that un*e the above7)entione* cicu)stances suoun*in! the inci*ental encounte of the
paties, the ta-in! of Nelia8s nec-lace *oes not in*icate pesence of intent to !ain on appellant8s pat. That
intent to !ain on appellant8s pat is *i(icult to appeciate !ains li!ht !iven his un*enie* clai) that his
elationship 1ith Nelia is ife 1ith ill7feelin!s, )anifeste* b", a)on! othe thin!s, the 2lin! of co)plaints
C

a!ainst hi) b" Nelia an* he fa)il" 1hich 1ee subseEuentl" *is)isse* o en*e* in his acEuittal.
&

Absent intent to !ain on the pat of appellant, obbe" *oes not lie a!ainst hi). 6e is not necessail" scot7fee,
ho1eve.
=o) the pe7eBistin! sou elations bet1een Nelia an* he fa)il" on one han*, an* appellant an* fa)il" on
the othe, an* un*e the cicu)stances elate* above atten*ant to the inci*ental encounte of the paties,
appellant8s ta-in! of Nelia8s nec-lace coul* not have been ani)ate* 1ith ani)us lucan*i. Appellant is,
ho1eve, 5ust the sa)e, ci)inall" liable.
=o ?K1Lhen thee is vaiance bet1een the o(ense cha!e* in the co)plaint o info)ation an* that pove*,
an* the o(ense as cha!e* is inclu*e* in o necessail" inclu*es the o(ense pove*, the accuse* shall be
convicte* of the o(ense pove* 1hich is inclu*e* in the o(ense cha!e*, o of the o(ense cha!e* 1hich is
inclu*e* in the o(ense pove*.?
@

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SEC. :. <hen an o(ense inclu*es o is inclu*e* in anothe. J An o(ense cha!e* necessail" inclu*es the
o(ense pove* 1hen so)e of the essential ele)ents o in!e*ients of the fo)e, as alle!e* in the co)plaint o
info)ation, constitute the latte. An* an o(ense cha!e* is necessail" inclu*e* in the o(ense pove*, 1hen
the essential in!e*ients of the fo)e constitute o fo) pat of those constitutin! the latte.
+
/Italics in the
oi!inal, un*escoin! supplie*0
Mave coecion, li-e obbe", has violence fo one of its ele)ents. Thus Aticle #@C of the Revise* Penal Co*e
povi*es3
?At. #@C. #rave coercions. J The penalt" of prision correccional an* a 2ne not eBcee*in! siB thousan* pesos
shall be i)pose* upon an" peson 1ho, 1ithout authoit" of la1, shall, b" )eans of violence, theats o
inti)i*ation, pevent anothe fo) *oin! so)ethin! not pohibite* b" la1 o co)pel hi) to *o so)ethin!
a!ainst his 1ill, 1hethe it be i!ht o 1on!.
If the coecion be co))itte* in violation of the eBecise of the i!ht of su(a!e o fo the pupose of
co)pellin! anothe to pefo) an" eli!ious act o to pevent hi) fo) eBecisin! such i!ht o fo) *oin!
such act, the penalt" neBt hi!he in *e!ee shall be i)pose*.? /Italics in the oi!inalI un*escoin! supplie*0
The *i(eence in obbe" an* !ave coecion lies in the intent in the co))ission of the act. The )otives of the
accuse* ae the pi)e citeion3
?The *istinction bet1een the t1o lines of *ecisions, the one hol*in! to obbe" an* the othe to coecion, is
*ee)e* to be the intention of the accuse*. <as the pupose 1ith intent to !ain to ta-e the popet" of anothe
b" use of foce o inti)i*ationN Then, conviction fo obbe". <as the pupose, 1ithout authoit" of la1 but still
believin! hi)self the o1ne o the ce*ito, to co)pel anothe to *o so)ethin! a!ainst his 1ill an* to seiHe
popet"N Then, conviction fo coecion un*e Aticle ,+& of the Penal Co*e. The )otives of the accuse* ae
the pi)e citeion. An* thee 1as no co))on obbe in the pesent case, but a )an 1ho ha* fou!ht bittel"
fo title to his ancestal estate, ta-in! the la1 into his o1n han*s an* atte)ptin! to collect 1hat he thou!ht
1as *ue hi). "nimus !urandi 1as lac-in!.?
'%
/Italics in the oi!inalI citations o)itte*I un*escoin! supplie*0
The Cout 2n*s that b" appellant8s e)plo")ent of theats, inti)i*ation an* violence consistin! of, inte alia,
uttein! of invectives, *ivin! a1a" of the tic"cle *ive, an* -ic-in! of the tic"cle, Nelia 1as pevente* fo)
pocee*in! to he *estination.
Appellant is thus !uilt" of !ave coecion 1hich caies the penalt" of prision correccional an* a 2ne not
eBcee*in! PC,%%%. Thee bein! no a!!avatin! o )iti!atin! cicu)stance, the penalt" shall be i)pose* in its
)e*iu) te). Appl"in! the In*ete)inate Sentence 9a1, the )ini)u) that )a" be i)pose* is an"1hee fo)
one /'0 )onth an* one /'0 *a" to siB /C0 )onths of arresto mayor, as )ini)u), an* fo) t1o /#0 "eas, fou /,0
)onths an* one /'0 *a" to fou /,0 "eas an* t1o /#0 )onths of prision correccional, as )aBi)u).
<6ERE=ORE, the Cout SETS ASIDE the challen!e* Cout of Appeals Decision an* anothe is en*ee*
2n*in! appellant, Pe*o C. Consulta, M>I9T; be"on* easonable *oubt of Mave Coecion an* sentences hi) to
su(e the in*ete)inate penalt" of fo) siB /C0 )onths of aesto )a"o as )ini)u), to thee /$0 "eas an* siB
/C0 )onths of pision coeccional )e*iu) as )aBi)u).
Appellant is futhe o*ee* to etun the nec-lace, failin! 1hich he is o*ee* to pa" its value, Thee
Thousan* =ive 6un*e* /P$,:%%0 Pesos.
Costs *e o2cio.
SO ORDERED.
CONC!"T CRP"O MORLES
"ssociate $ustice
<E CONC>R3
Page 4 of 5
LEONRDO . #U"SUM$"NG
Associate 4ustice
%hairperson
DNTE O. T"NG
Associate 4ustice
PRES$"TERO %. &ELSCO, %R.
Associate 4ustice
RTURO D. $R"ON
Associate 4ustice
A T T E S T A T I O N
I attest that the conclusions in the above Decision ha* been eache* in consultation befoe the case 1as
assi!ne* to the 1ite of the opinion of the Cout8s Division.
LEONRDO . #U"SUM$"NG
Associate 4ustice
Chaipeson
C E R T I = I C A T I O N
Pusuant to Section '$ of Aticle VIII of the Constitution, an* the Division Chaipeson8s Attestation, I cetif"
that the conclusions in the above Decision ha* been eache* in consultation befoe the case 1as assi!ne* to
the 1ite of the opinion of the Cout8s Division.
RE'NTO S. PUNO
Chief 4ustice
Foo()o(e*
'
Penne* b" Associate 4ustice Estela M. Pelas7.enabe, 1ith the concuence of Associate
4ustices Maina 9. .uHon an* 9ucas P. .esa)inI CA ollo, pp. 'CC7'&C.
#
Reco*s, p. '.
$
&ollo, p. 'C+
,
M.R. No. C$+&', Ma" +, '+@+, '&$ SCRA #,$, #,+.
:
People v. Re"es, M.R. '$:C@#, Mach #C, #%%$, $++ SCRA :#@
C
EBhibit ?#? J Info)ation fo Malteat)ent, EBhibit ?,? J 9i!ht Theats, EBhibit ?:? J Mave
Theats.
&
Vi*e EBhibit ?$? J O*e !antin! Supple)ental Motion to Ouash /Malicious Mischief0, fol*e
', eco*s, pp. #%#7#%$, EBhibit ?,? J O*e *is)issin! the info)ation fo 9i!ht Theats.
@
Rules of Cout, Rule '#%, Section ,.
+
I*. at Section :
'%
'nited (tates v. )illa "brille, $C Phil. @%&, @%+ /'+'&0.
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