Trial Memorandum Midterm Defendant
Trial Memorandum Midterm Defendant
Trial Memorandum Midterm Defendant
-versus-
ISSUES
ARGUMENTS
I.
B. The defendant did not attack Hora with the intent and
purpose of injuring him as a person in authority.
1. Hora was a person in authority being a duly elected
Barangay Kagawad of Guiwanon, Baclayon as
evidenced by a copy of his Oath of Office as a
Barangay Kagawad and the Certification by the DILG
that Tyrone Hora is a Barangay Kagawad of Guiwanon
Baclayon.
2. Section 388 of the Local Government Code expanded
the definition of a PA by expressly providing that for
purposes of the RPC, the punong barangay,
sangguniang barangay members, and members of the
lupong tagapamayapa in each barangay
shall be deemed as persons in authority in their
jurisdictions. (People v. Sion, G.R. No. 109617, August
11, 1997)
3. Persons in authority are visible representatives of the
law. They are to be accorded with respect due to the
nature of their position. Direct assault is punished in
order to uphold the integrity of persons in authority and
to curve the lawlessness of the offender in such
crimes.
4. Nonetheless, In Direct Assault, the offender must know
that the victim is a person in authority for him to be
liable of the crime and that she attacks the person in
authority with the intention to offend, injure, or assault
the offended party as a person in authority as held by
the cases of People vs. Rellin 77 Phil 1038 and People
vs. Villaseor 35 SCRA 460.
5. It was also held in the case of People vs. Hernandez
59 Phil 343 that A person in authority who exceeds his
power or acts without authority is not in the exercise of
his functions of his office. Hence, Hora it is evident was
not in the performance of his duties and it can thus be
concluded that he was acting in his private capacity as
an individual and not as a person in authority.
6. From the foregoing facts, it was clear that Segovia only
elbowed Hora in order to repel his advances. It was
also a reaction borne out by the humiliation and insult
that Hora had inflicted upon Segovia. But instead of
refraining from doing such, Hora vehemently and
willfully attacked Segovia and thus resulted to the
physical injuries that the defendant had suffered as
evidenced by the medico-legal report.
PRAYER
WHEREFORE, premises considered, it is respectfully prayed
that judgment be rendered in favor of defendant and against plaintiff
by:
FINDING Maria Cielito Segovia NOT GUILTY FOR THE
CRIME OF DIRECT ASSAULT UPON A PERSON IN
AUTHORITY under Article 148 of the Revised Penal Code.
Further, it is prayed for by counsel that actual damages of
P15,000.00 be awarded to the defendant Maria Cielito
Segovia for her hospital and medication expenses, moral
damages in the amount of P50,000.00.
Other just and equitable remedies under the circumstances are
likewise prayed for.
Tagbilaran City, Bohol, September 8, 2014