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Peoplevs.Lugaw
G.R.No.85735.January18,1994.
309
VOL.229,JANUARY18,1994
309
Peoplevs.Lugaw
sometimesfrompartialsuggestions,sometimesforwantofsuggestionsand
inquiries, without the aid of which the witness may be unable to recall the
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Peoplevs.Lugaw
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VOL.229,JANUARY18,1994
311
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APPEALfromadecisionoftheRegionalTrialCourtof
Cabarroguis,Quirino,Br.32.Aggabao,J.
ThefactsarestatedintheopinionoftheCourt.
TheSolicitorGeneralforplaintiffappellee.
PublicAttorneysOfficeforaccusedappellants.
ROMERO,J.:
Thiscasedemonstrateshowpassioncanswaypeoplewhoperceive
thattheirrighttotillthesoilisbeingviolatedCarlosPalloywas
shot to death as he was fencing the boundary limits of the land he
was farming by persons identified with the owner of the land
adjacenttohisownandwithwhomPalloyhadaboundarydispute.
Palloywasfarmingpartofthecommunalforestlandlocatedin
SitioKalipkip,StopNio,Maddela,Quirino.Despitetheboundary
dispute between him and his neighbor, Conchita Tipon (Nipol or
Ngipol), on December 12, 1985, Palloy straightened out the
boundarylinebyputtingupafenceallegedlyupontheinstructionof
1
thepublicforester.
AsPalloywentabouthistask,his13yearolddaughter,Sonia,
and another daughter named Carina, followed him around. Palloy
was proceeding towards the house when Sonia heard a gun report.
Immediately, she went uphill and just as a second gun report
resounded,shesawRogelioBannayandJulioLugaw
______________
1TSN,July23,1987,pp.1718.
312
312
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Peoplevs.Lugaw
from a distance of around four meters. She saw, too, that as her
fatherwasabouttodrawhisbolo,Lugawshothim.
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VOL.229,JANUARY18,1994
313
Peoplevs.Lugaw
5
premisesoftheirresidence.
Havingheardofthesuspiciouscircumstancessurroundingthe
deathofPalloy,thepolicestationcommanderinMaddelarequested
themunicipalhealthofficertoconductanautopsyafterthebodyof
6
Palloyshallhavebeenexhumed. Forhispart,themunicipalhealth
officer, Dr. Teodomiro R. Hufana, Jr., manifested before the
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municipaltrialjudgethataftertheburialofPalloyonDecember15,
1985, the police acted on the case only upon the order of the
commanding officer of the 166th PC company. Dr. Hufana also
requested that the police bring down the body of Palloy from the
mountain as he was incapable of negotiating
the sixkilometer
7
distancetotheplacewherePalloywasburied.
Upon exhuming the body on July 7, 1987, Dr. Hufana found it
dressedinawhiteTshirtandwrappedinablanket.Theboneswere
allinchronologicalorderandtherewerefourpelletsinthelower
quadrant of the abdomen and three pellets in the thoracic cage.
There were two holes on the right side of the back of the Tshirt
whichwereprobablytheexitofthetwopellets.AccordingtoDr.
Hufana,Palloycouldhavediedofseverehemorrhagesecondaryto
8
gunshotwound.
The police filed before the municipal trial court of Maddela a
complaint
for murder against Lugaw and Bannay on October 29,
9
1986. Bannay was arrested on November
18, 1986 while Lugaw
10
wasapprehendedthefollowingday.
Thecourtthereafterfixedtheir
11
bailbondatP20,000.00each
butitwaslaterreducedtoP12,000.00
12
each. LugawandBannaywerethenorderedreleasedfromcustody
13
inanOrderdatedJanuary26,1987uponpostingofthebailbond.
OnMay19,1987,thefollowinginformationwasfiledagainstthem:
______________
5Ibid,pp.1617&26.
6Record,p.5.
7Ibid,p.4.
8Exh.A.
9Record,p.1.
10Ibid,pp.21&23.
11Ibid,pp.3435.
12Ibid,p.37.
13Ibid,p.100.
314
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Thatthecrimewasattendedbythequalifyingcircumstancesoftreachery
andevidentpremeditation.
CONTRARYTOLAW.
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VOL.229,JANUARY18,1994
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failedtoanswerhim.Onlylaterdidhelearnthattheirnameswere
17
SoniaandCarmen.
18
InitsdecisionofSeptember8,1988,thelowercourt ruledthat
thealibianddenialinterposedbythedefensecannotovercomethe
positiveidentificationoftheaccusedbySoniaPalloy.Appreciating
both treachery and evident premeditation against the accused, the
lowercourtdisposedofthecase,asfollows:
IN VIEW OF ALL THE FOREGOING CONSIDERATIONS, the
prosecution has proven the guilt of the accused Julio Lugaw and Rogelio
Bannay beyond reasonable doubt. Accordingly, the accused ROGELIO
BANNAYandJULIOLUGAWareherebysentencedtoreclusionperpetua
or life imprisonment plus the accessory penalties provided by law and they
arefurtherorderedtoindemnifytheheirsofthevictimCarlosPalloyinthe
amountofThirtythousand(P30,000.00)Pesos.Costagainsttheaccused.
SOORDERED.
Theaccusedthenfiledamotionfornewtrialand/orconsideration
based on the inefficient legal service rendered by the CLAO
(Citizens Legal Assistance Office) which allegedly denied the
accused due19 process and prevented them from properly ventilating
their cause. Attached to the motion were the affidavits of: (1)
Bannay attesting to the fact that before the promulgation of the
decision,CarmenPalloy,thevictimswidow,twiceapproachedhim
beggingforforgivenesstellinghimthatshewas
______________
16TSN,April7,1988,pp.26.
17TSN,May12,1988,pp.35.
18PresidedbyJudgeCarlosT.Aggabao,RTCBranchXXXII,Cabarroguis,Quirino.
19Record,p.301.
316
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Peoplevs.Lugaw
justinducedtoframeuptheaccusedandexpressingherwillingness
to testify to prove that both accused were innocent (2) Fernando
Lablabong, stating that he was with Lugaw plowing the field on
December 12, 1985 that he was in the house of Bannay when
CarmenPalloyconfessedthatsheandherdaughterswereinduced
topointtotheaccusedasthekillers,andthatheconfirmedthefact
thatitwasphysicallyimpossiblefortheaccusedtohavebeenatthe
scene of the crime, and (3) Gregorio Gayyaman, swearing that he
wasoneofthosewhohelpedCarmenbringherdeadhusbandhome
that being a relative of Palloy, he asked Carmen the name of the
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killer of her husband but she replied that she did not know that
whileheandothersmadePalloyscoffin,nomentionwasmadeof
thenamesoftheaccusedasthekillersthatitwasonlyafterCarmen
had lived with one Carlos Capinpin that the accused became the
suspects in the killing and that he was surprised that after the
victims family had informed him that there was no evidence as to
whokilledPalloy,thenamesoftheaccusedsuddenlycroppedup.
After the prosecution had filed its comment on the motion, the
lower court denied the same in an Order dated September 8, 1988
explaining that the testimonies of Lablabong and Gayyaman could
not be considered newlydiscovered evidence because the defense
hadalltheopportunitytopresentthemaswitnessesatthetrial.The
court also turned down the claim of the defense regarding the
incompetence of counsel stating that, if upheld, there would be no
end to a20suit as long as a new counsel could be employed by the
accused.
ThedefensefiledamotionforthereconsiderationofsaidOrder
quoting the treatise of then Secretary of Justice Sedfrey A.
Ordoez on forgotten evidence
under Rule 37 of the Rules of
21
Court and ineffective counsel. Attached to the motion were the
affidavits of: (1) Rosalina Bookan stating that Carmen Palloy, her
townmate,admittedtoherthattheaccusedwerenottherealculprits
andthatCarmenwasadvisedagainstrecantinghertestimonywhich
might subject her to persecution, and (2) Carmen Palloy swearing
thatherhusbanddidnotstatecategorically
_______________
20Record,p.312.
21Ibid,p.314.
317
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Peoplevs.Lugaw
and clearly that it was the accused Julio Lugaw and Rogelio
BannaywhoshothimandthatshedidtellBookanandthespouses
Rogelio and Julie Bannay that her husband did not say that the
accusedperpetratedthecrime.
In its Order of October 7, 1988, the lower court denied the
motion and held that it was Sonia Palloy and not her mother,
Carmen, who is the principal witness to the killing and that the22
alleged ineffective legal assistance is not a ground for new trial.
Hence,theinstantappeal.
Theappellantscontendthatthelowercourterredinfindingthat
they were positively identified as the culprits and that the victims
wife and daughter Sonia were present when the crime was
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perpetrated.Theyalsoassailthelowercourtsfindingthattherewas
conspiracybetweentheminkillingPalloy.
As in most criminal cases, the linchpin in the resolution of this
caseisthecredibility of the witnesses. Times without number, this
Courthasdeclaredthatthefindingsofthetrialcourtonthismatter
should not be disturbed on appeal unless some facts or
circumstancesofsubstanceandvaluehavebeenoverlookedwhich,
ifconsidered,mightwellaffecttheresultofthecase.Thisdoctrine
ispremisedontheundisputedfactthat,sincethetrialcourthasthe
best opportunity of observing the demeanor of the witnesses while
onthestand,itcandiscernwhetherthewitnessesaretellingthetruth
23
ornot. Wefindnocogentreasontodepartfromthisdoctrine.
Asexpected,theappellantszeroedinonthetestimonyofSonia
Palloy, the only eyewitness presented by the prosecution. They
contendthatSoniadidnotactuallywitnesshowherfatherwasshot.
In support of this contention, appellants cite discrepancies between
her sworn statement and her testimony in open court. They assert
that her failure to specifically name the two persons running away
from the scene of the crime cast
a doubt on her testimony that she
24
sawLugawshootingherfather.
______________
22Ibid.,p.320.
23Peoplev.Galendez,G.R.Nos.5646566,June26,1992,210SCRA360.
24AppellantsBrief,pp.68Rollo,pp.8284.
318
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CarlosPalloy,sir.
Whereisyourfathernow?
Hewaskilled,sir.
Whokilledhim?
JulioLugawandJuniorBannay,sir.
WhydidyouknowthatyourfatherwaskilledbyJulioLug
awandJuniorBannay?
Isawthemshootmyfather,sir.
Betweenthetwo,JulioLugawandJuniorBannay,whoshot
yourfather?
JulioLugaw,sir.
Whatkindofgundidyouseetheyusedtoshootyourfather?
Long,sir.
HowfarwereyouwhenyousawLugawshotyourfather?
Aboutfourmeters,sir,frommyfather,sir.
WherewereJulioLugawandJuniorBannayatthetimewhen
theyshotyourfather?
Theywerehidingbehindatrunkofatree,sir.
Didyoutelltoyourmotherthatyourfatherwasshot?
Yes,sir.
_____________
25G.R.No.76743,May22,1992,209SCRA232,243244.
319
VOL.229,JANUARY18,1994
319
Peoplevs.Lugaw
Q Whenyouheardthegunreportandyourfatherwasshotwhat
didyoudo?
A Icalledmymother,sir.
Q (Did)youhaveacompanionatthetimewhenyouheardagun
report?
A Yes,sirmysisterCarlina.
Q
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Howmanygunreport(s)didyouhear(from)thedirectionof
yourfather?
A Two,sir.
Q Andthegunreport(s)(were)allinthedirectionofyourfather?
A Yes,sir.
Q Whatwasyourfatherdoingwhenhewasshot?
A Hewasdrivingapegonthegroundwhenhewasshotand
whenhewasshothetriedtodrawhisbolobuthewasprevented
when(sic)drawinghisbolobecausetheyhithimonhisarm,sir.
Q Beforeyourfatherdieddidyoutalktohim?
A Yes,sir.
Q Whatdidhetellyouifany?
A HesaidthatIFIDIEMYASSAILANT(S)WHOKILL(ED)
BYSHOOTINGAREJULIOLUGAWANDJUNIOR
BANNAY.(Italicssupplied.)26
During the trial, Sonia clung tenaciously to her story and testified
thatitwasduringthesecondgunreportthatshesawLugawshoot
herfather.Soniatestifiedasfollows:
Q Yousaidwhileyouwereatthelowerplacewhereyourfather
wasyouheardagunreport,whatdidyoudowhenyouheard
thatgunreport?
A
Wewentuphill,sir.
Whenyouweregoinguphill,whattranspired?
Onthesecondtimethathewasshotwesawthem,sir.
Andwhowerethosewhomyousaw?
RogelioandJulio,sir.
xxxxxxxxx.
Yousaidyousawthesepersonswhoshotyourfather,who
actuallyshotyourfather?
JulioLugaw,sir.
WhatwasyourfatherdoingatthetimeJulioLugawshot
______________
26Exh.CRecord,pp.1415.
320
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Peoplevs.Lugaw
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yourfather?
A Hewasabouttodrawhisboloinordertofighthimbutthebolo
wasthrownaway,sir.
Q AndhowfarwereyouatthattimewhenyousawJulioLugaw
shotyourfather?
27
A Four(4)meters,sir.(Italicssupplied.)
IntheirattempttodiscreditSonia,theappellantspointedoutthatthe
normalreactionofapersontosuchatraumatichappeningwouldbe
toflee.However,nohardandfastrulecanbelaiddownwithrespect
to the reaction of persons to the same situation. Running to ones
father who has been shot to give him succor is equally a normal
reactionofanydaughter.
Thefailureofthedefensetoattributeanyillmotiveonthepartof
Sonia in order to pin responsibility on the appellants adds more
credence to her testimony. In fact, both appellants admitted before
thecourtthattherewasnoreasonforSoniatotestifyagainstthem.
Indeed, it is inconceivable for a 13yearold who barely finished
thirdgradetoimputeaveryseriousoffenseonanyoneunlessitwere
true. If she were merely fabricating her testimony, she would have
brokendownduringtheintensivecrossexaminationatthestand.Al
contrario, as observed by the trial court, Sonia was natural in her
mannersandtestifiedstraightforwardly.
Her positive identification of the accused as the perpetrators of
the crime demolished their alibi and denial. Even standing
alone,
28
suchpositivesoletestimonyisenoughbasisforconviction. Thus,
evenifwelendcredencetodefensesclaimthatthevictimswidow,
Carmen,prevaricatedasshownbythefactthatsheallegedlytriedto
recantaftertheterminationofthetrial,Soniastestimonysufficesas
abasisforafindingofguilt.Noteworthyisthefactthat,unlikeher
daughtersSoniaandCarina,Carmenwasnotaneyewitness.
Hence,itisprincipallyfromSoniastestimonythatweconclude
that the crime committed was not murder but homicide. The
qualifyingcircumstancesoftreacheryandevidentpremedi
________________
27TSN,August24,1987,pp.45.
28Peoplev.Fagyan,G.R.No.90197,May22,1992,209SCRA275.
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tationhadnotbeenprovenbeyondreasonabledoubt.Thetrialcourt
drewtheconclusionofthepresenceoftreacherybecausetheattack
was sudden as Palloy was simply going about his task of fencing
his kaingin. We find however, that no one witnessed the initial
attack.AsSoniaherselftestified,sheheardthefirstshot,wentupa
hill,climbedatreeandfromthere,sawLugawshootingherfather
withtheshotreverberatingasthesecondgunreport.Nowheredowe
findintherecordsanyevidencethatshewitnessedthefirstshotnor
howherfatherreactedtoit.Whatshedidseewasherfathertrying
torepeltheassaultwithabolobuthefailedbecauseasecondshot
29
hit him. As this Court held in People v. Castor, where the lone
eyewitness was not able to observe the commencement of the
assault, he could not, therefore, testify on30 how it all began and
developed.31 Citing United States v. Perdon and United States v.
Pangilion, the Court held in the Castor case that absent any
particularsastothemannerinwhichtheaggressioncommencedor
how the act which resulted in the death of the victim unfolded,
treacherycannotbeappreciatedtoqualifythekillingtomurder.
Similarly, the records are bereft of evidence that the crime was
committed with evident premeditation. The three requisites of this
aggravating circumstance, namely, the time when the offender
determined to commit the crime, an act manifestly indicating that
the culprit has clung to his determination and a sufficient lapse of
timebetweenthedeterminationandexecutiontoallowtheaccused
32
opportunitytoreflectupontheconsequencesofhisact, arewanting
inthecaseatbar.Evidentpremeditationwas,therefore,incorrectly
33
appreciatedbythetrialcourt.
WhiletheguiltofLugaw,thegunwielder,hasbeenestablished
beyondreasonabledoubt,thecomplicityofhiscompanion,
________________
29G.R.No.93664,December11,1992,216SCRA410,422.
304Phil.141(1905).
3134Phil.786(1916).
32Peoplev.Balatucan,G.R.Nos.9380506,February7,1992,206SCRA81.
33Peoplev.Competente,G.R.No.96697,March26,1992,207SCRA591.
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Hewashiding,sir.
Didyounoticeifhehasafirearm?
ATTY.FLORES
Objection.
FISCALFERNANDEZ
Q
Whatdidyounoticeto(sic)RogelioBannaywhenhewas
hiding?
None,sir.
AndwhatwastheparticipationofRogelioBannayifanyin
connectionwiththeshootingofyourfather?
None,sir.
COURT
Q
(Tothewitness)ButhewastherenearJulioLugaw?
Yes,YourHonor.
34
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Peoplevs.Lugaw
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324
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LuckyTextileMills,Inc.vs.NLRC
the indeterminate sentence of ten (10) years and one (1) day of
prision mayor maximum as minimum penalty to seventeen (17)
years and four (4) months of reclusion temporal medium as
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maximumpenalty,andindemnifytheheirsofCarlosPalloyinthe
amount of fifty thousand pesos (P50,000.00). Appellant Rogelio
BannayisherebyACQUITTEDofthecrimechargedandheshallbe
releasedfromcustodyimmediately.Nocosts
SOORDERED.
Feliciano(Chairman),Bidin,MeloandVitug,JJ.,concur.
Appellant Julio Lugaw found guilty of homicide appellant
RogelioBannayacquitted.
Note.Whileconspiracyneednotbesupportedbydocumentary
evidenceitmaybededucedfromthemodeandmannerinwhichthe
offensewascommitted(Peoplevs.Tumale,189SCRA1).
o0o
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