G.R. No.

91716 October 3, 1991

PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, plainti!appellee, "#. SE$ERINO %&'POS (
)EL& TORRE, acc*#e+!appellant, et. al.
F&%TS, &n in-or.ation 3 /a# 0le+ on Septe.ber 1, 1926 b( 1#t &##t.
Pro"incial Fi#cal Paci0co S. 3*la+o acc*#in4 5OSE N&PIG6IT, SE$ERINO
%&'POS, P&3LITO 3&7NOS& alia# 8Pablin4,8 59&N P&NTONI&L, P&%IFI%O
OLI$EROS, RO'7 OLI$EROS, PEPE OLI$EROS, 5OSE OLI$EROS, 5I''7
SIL$&NO, ISL&O &L3OROTO, 5OHN )OE alia# 8&.a(8, '&R$IN )OE, alia#
8Tonio,8 %RISTINO )OE, alia# 8Lan+o8, EPIF&NIO )OE, alia# 8Ronnie,8 &GOSTO
)OE, alia# 83o4+ol8, an+ SER$ILL&NO )OE alia# 8L*cio8, o- t:e cri.e o-
'9LTIPLE '9R)ER an+ FR9STR&TE) '9R)ER. Ho/e"er, o- t:e #e"eral
per#on# acc*#e+, onl( 5o#e Napi4;it, Pablito 3a(no#a, an+ Se"erino %a.po#
/ere arre#te+.
Nobo+( I+enti0e+ t:e per#on# re#pon#ible in t:e .a*lin4 an+ :ac;in4
o- t:e Hilar+e# -a.il( e<cept t:e #on, 'acario Hilar+e#. It /a# 'acario
Hilar+e# /:o i.plicate+ acc*#e+ Se"erino %a.po# a# a .e.ber o- t:e 4ro*p
re#pon#ible -or t:e ;illin4 o- t:e Hilar+e# co*ple an+ t:eir #on, Santo#.
Pro#ec*tion pre#ente+ a S/orn State.ent =E<:ibit 8)8 to 8)!6!e8>, o-
acc*#e+ Se"erino %a.po# +ate+ &*4*#t 6,1926, e<ec*te+ b( t:e acc*#e+
/:ile :e /a# *n+er c*#to+( o- t:e Sta. %atalina Police Station /:ereb( :e
a+.itte+ :i# participation in t:e a##a*lt in ?*e#tion /it: t:e in-or.ation t:at
:e an+ :i# co.panion# /ere actin4 onl( on t:e or+er# o- 'a(or 5o#e
Napi4;it, t:e( bein4 t:e political -ollo/er# o- #ai+ 'a(or. He al#o +eclare+
t:at :e re4rette+ :a"in4 #i4ne+ t:e in#tr*.ent o- con-e##ion, at t:e #a.e
ti.e #a(in4 t:at i- t:e pro.i#e o- t:e late Errol Electona to -ree :i. a-ter
#i4nin4 #ai+ in#tr*.ent /a# reali@e+ t:en :e /o*l+ not :a"e entertaine+
#*c: re4ret# =I+., p. 3A>.
ISS9E, B:et:er or not t:ere /a# a "iolation o- t:e con#tit*tional ri4:t o-
t:e acc*#e+.
HEL), T:e a+.i##ion# .a+e b( t:e acc*#e+!appellant +*rin4 c*#to+ial
in"e#ti4ation a# reCecte+ in :i# #/orn #tate.ent cannot be a+.i##ible in
e"i+ence -or :i# #tate.ent be-ore Patrol.an 3ataller /a# 4i"en in 4ro##
"iolation o- :i# con#tit*tional ri4:t# a# 4*arantee+ *n+er &rticle I$, Section
DE o- t:e 1973 %on#tit*tion =no/ &rticle III, Section 1D o- t:e 1927
%on#tit*tion>.
Ina#.*c: a# t:e recor+# are bere-t o- an( proo- t:at t:e acc*#e+!
appellant ;no/in4l( reFecte+ :a"in4 a la/(er a##i#t :i. +*rin4 t:e ta;in4 o-
t:e e<traF*+icial con-e##ion in ?*e#tion. T:e ban a4ain#t *nco*n#elle+
con-e##ion# i# e"en .ore prono*nce+ *n+er t:e 3ill o- Ri4:t# o- t:e 1927
%on#tit*tion < < < Hence, a-ter 1927 re4ar+le## o- /:et:er or not t:e
con-e##ion o- t:e acc*#e+ i# tr*e, a# lon4 a# it /a# 4i"en /it:o*t t:e
a##i#tance o- co*n#el, it beco.e# ina+.i##ible in e"i+ence alt:o*4: it /a# a
pro+*ct o- t:e acc*#e+G# o/n -ree /ill an+ "olition in "ie/ o- t:e c*rrent
polic( /it: re#pect to e<traF*+icial con-e##ion# ba#e+ on t:e 3ill o- Ri4:t#.