SECOND DIVISION

[G.R. No. 122142. May 17, 2000]

THE PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, plaintiff-appellee, vs. JIMMY OBRERO y

CORLA, accused-appellant.

DECISION

MENDOZA, J.: HTML

This is an appeal from the decision of the Regional Trial Court, Branch 12, Manila,
[1]

finding accused-appellant Jimmy Obrero y Corla guilty beyond reasonable doubt of

the crime of robbery with homicide and sentencing him to suffer the penalty
of reclusion perpetua with all the accessory penalties, and to indemnify the heirs of
the victims Nena Berjuega and Remedios Hitta in the amount of P50,000.00 each
and to pay the sum of P4,000.00 representing the amount of money stolen.

The information alleged

That on or about August 11, 1989, in the City of Manila, Philippines, the
said accused conspiring and confederating with one, whose true name,
identity and present whereabouts are still unknown and mutually helping
one another, did then and there willfully, unlawfully and feloniously with
intent of gain and by means of force, violence and intimidation, to wit:
the said accused take, rob and carry away the amount of P4,000.00
cash belonging to Antonio Cabrera against his will, to the damage and
prejudice of said owner in the aforesaid amount of P4,000.00 Philippine
Currency; that on the occasion thereof and by reason of the aforesaid
robbery, the said accused willfully, unlawfully and feloniously, with intent
to kill, attacked, assaulted and used personal violence upon the person
of NENA BERJUEGA and REMEDIOS HITTA, by stabbing them to
death, thereby inflicting upon the said victims mortal stab wounds which
were the direct and immediate cause of their death thereafter.

Contrary to law.

Only accused-appellant had been apprehended. His co-accused Ronnie Liwanag

has been at large. When arraigned, accused-appellant pleaded not guilty,
whereupon, trial ensued.

The prosecution presented three witnesses, namely, Pat. Benjamin Ines, Dr. Marcial
G. Cenido, and Atty. Bienvenido De los Reyes. Pat. Ines of the Western Police
District investigated the robbery with homicide. The gist of his testimony is to the
following effect:
Accused-appellant was a delivery boy employed by Angie Cabosas whose business
was selling chickens to customers. Cabosass business was located in Blumentritt
Street, Sta. Cruz, Manila. CODES

In the morning of August 11, 1989, accused-appellant was asked to deliver dressed
chickens to Emma Cabrera, a regular customer at Room 4-D Gatlin Building, 1344
C.M. Recto Avenue in Sta. Cruz, Manila. At about 10:20 a.m., accused-appellant
came back and turned over to his employer the amount of P2,000.00. Pat. Ines
testified that after receiving report of the killing, he and Pfc. Ricardo Sibal went to
see Angie Cabosas from which they learned that the latter has received a call from
Emma Cabrera informing Angie that her house had been robbed and her two maids
killed. They were told that accused-appellant had gone to Pangasinan allegedly to
attend the burial of his grandfather. Pat. Ines said he and P/Lt. Villamor Valdez, Pfc.
Sibal, Pfc. Edmundo Cabal and Pat. Renato Gutierrez went to Rosales, Pangasinan
but failed to find accused-appellant. They were told by the sister of accused-
appellant, Merly Asuncion, that accused-appellant had gone to La Union. According
to Pat. Ines, accused-appellant confided to his sister that he had allegedly done
something wrong in Manila.

Pat. Ines identified two sworn statements, both executed on August 11, 1989, one of
which, he said, had been executed by Helen N. Moral, a househelp of Emma
Cabrera, and the other by Angie C. De los Reyes. In her statement marked Exhibit I,
Moral said that upon arriving in the house at about 12:20 p.m. that day, she and her
employers nephew, Carlos Emerson, found the bodies of the victims sprawled on
the floor. She told Pat. Ines that accused-appellant used to deliver pork and dressed
chicken to their place.

On the other hand, in her sworn statement given on August 14, 1989 and marked as
Exhibit L, Anita C. De los Reyes stated that on August 11, 1989, she had seen
accused-appellant and Ronnie Liwanag, their hands covered with blood, coming out
of the Gatlin Building on C.M. Recto Avenue, Sta. Cruz, Manila. [2]

Pat. Ines testified that on March 3, 1990, he and his group received information from
Pat. Alfredo Que of the Urdaneta Police Station that accused-appellant was in
Cataban, Urdaneta, Pangasinan. Accordingly, they went to the place indicated and
the next day, March 4, 1990, they were able to apprehend accused-appellant whom
they brought to Manila. Pat. Ines said accused-appellant was positively identified by
Anita De los Reyes as one of those whom she saw running down the stairs of the
Gatlin Building on C.M. Recto Avenue, Sta. Cruz, Manila with blood in his hands. [3]

Pat. Ines testified that on that same day, March 4, 1990, accused-appellant gave a
confession (Exh. O) in writing with the assistance of counsel, Atty. Bienvenido De
los Reyes, in which he admitted participation in the killing of Nena Berjuega and
Remedios Hitta. Pat. Ines himself executed an affidavit (Exh. P) stating the
circumstances of accused-appellants arrest. He said accused-appellant refused to
sign the booking and information sheet. yacats
[4]
Accused-appellants extrajudicial confession was presented in evidence as Exhibit
O. In it, accused-appellant said he started working for Angie Cabosas in the latters
[5]

business on Blumentritt Street, Manila three or four months before the incident.
Cabosas and accused-appellants sister Merly Asuncion, had been neighbors in
Rosales, Pangasinan. Accused-appellants work was to deliver dressed chicken.
Emma Cabrera was a regular customer to whom he made deliveries in the morning.
On August 10, 1989, his fellow employee, Ronnie Liwanag, proposed that they rob
Emma in order to be able to go to La Union to visit his family. On August 11, 1989,
after learning that only two helpers were then at the residence of Emma Cabrera,
accused-appellant and Ronnie decided to pull the heist. Ronnie covered the mouth
of one Nena Berjuega to prevent her from shouting but, as she tried to run away,
Ronnie stabbed and killed her. Ronnie then gave the knife to accused-appellant who
stabbed the younger maid Remedios Hitta from which she died. Thereafter, the two
proceeded to Blumentritt Street and divided the money Ronnie had taken from the
house of Emma Cabrera. From Blumentritt Street, Ronnie went to La Union, while
accused-appellant proceeded to Pangasinan. The extrajudicial confession is in
Tagalog and signed by accused-appellant in the presence of Atty. De los Reyes.

The prosecution next presented Atty. Bienvenido De los Reyes, a PC Captain of the
WPD Headquarters, U.N. Avenue, Manila. He said that on March 4, 1990, he
happened to be at Station 7 of the WPD, representing a client accused of illegal
recruitment. He was asked by Lt. Generoso Javier of the WPD Homicide Section to
assist accused-executing an extrajudicial confession. According to Atty. De los
Reyes, he apprised accused-appellant of his constitutional rights, explaining to him
that any statement made by him could be used against him in court, but accused-
appellant said he was willing to give a statement as in fact he did, confessing to the
commission of the crime of robbery with homicide. [6]

The other prosecution witness was Dr. Marcial G. Cenido, medico-legal officer who
conducted autopsies on August 11, 1989 on the victims, Nena Berjuega and
Remedios Hitta. After proper identification (Exh. D) by the victims employer, Antonio
Cabrera, Dr. Cenido prepared a postmortem report (Exh. A) that Nena Berjuega
suffered 16 stab wounds from which she died. olanski

Dr. Cenido testified that the victim sustained 16 stab wounds which affected her vital
organs, specifically the right and left lungs and the heart, causing her death. Six of
these wounds were fatal so that she could not survive despite immediate medical
attention. He concluded that the assailant and the victim could be facing each other
when wounds nos. 1, 3 and 5 (Exhs. B-1, B-2, and B-4, respectively) were inflicted
and that the assailant may have been on the left lateral side of the victim when he
inflicted wound no. 8 (Exh. B-5) and at the victims back when assailant inflicted
wound no. 16 (Exh. B-6). He said that there could be one or more assailant who
inflicted these wounds by using a single bladed weapon. [7]

Dr. Cenido likewise prepared a postmortem report (Exh. F) that Remedios Hitta
suffered 12 stab wounds from which she died.
Dr. Cenido testified that the victim sustained 12 stab wounds with seven fatal ones
that caused her death. The fatal wounds damaged her left and right lungs and the
heart that she would not survive despite immediate medical attention. He observed
that in wounds nos. 1, 2 and 3 (Exhs. G-1, G-2, and G-3, respectively), the assailant
and the victim could be facing each other, while in wounds nos. 4, 9 and 11 (Exhs.
G-4, G-6, and G-7, respectively), the assailant could have been at the back of the
victim. He said that there could be one or more assailant who inflicted these wounds
using a single bladed weapon. [8]

Dr. Cenido prepared the certificates of death of the victims, Nena Berjuega and
Remedios Hitta (Exhs. C and H). He stated that the weapon used on both victims
could have been the same and that both victims sustained multiple stab wounds. [9]

With the testimonies of Pat. Ines, Atty. De los Reyes, and Dr. Cenido and the
extrajudicial confession (Exh. O), as well as the sworn statements of Helen Moral
(Exh. I) and Anita De los Reyes (Exh. L), the prosecution rested its case.

The defense presented, as its sole witness, accused-appellant Jimmy Obrero y

Corla. Accused-appellant testified that he had worked for Angie Cabosas in
Blumentritt Street for four (4) months before the incident in this case. Angie was a
neighbor of his sister, Merly Asuncion, in Pangasinan. Angies business was selling
dressed chickens. Accused-appellant said that at about 9:00 a.m. on August 11,
1989, he delivered dressed chickens to Emma Cabreras residence on C.M. Recto
Avenue. He came back from his errand at around 10:20 a.m. and remitted the
amount of P2,000.00 which had been paid to him. He denied participation in the
commission of the crime and claimed that he was arrested without a warrant in
Pangasinan. He claimed that, after being informed of the charges against him, he
was beaten up and detained for a week and made to execute an extrajudicial
confession. He denied having known or seen Atty. De los Reyes before and stated
that he did not understand the contents of the extrajudicial confession which he
signed because he does not know how to read. [10]

On August 31, 1995, the trial court rendered its decision, the dispositive portion of
which reads:

WHEREFORE, this Court finds accused JIMMY OBRERO Y CORLA,

guilty beyond reasonable doubt of the crime of Robbery with Homicide,
defined and punishable under Article 294(a) of the Revised Penal Code,
and he is hereby sentenced to suffer the penalty of reclusion perpetua,
with all the accessory penalties provided by law. He is further
condemned to pay the heirs of the victims, Remedios Hitta and Nena
Berjuega the sum of FIFTY THOUSAND (P50,000.00) PESOS each as
civil indemnity for their death and the additional sum of P4,000.00 as the
amount of money taken, without subsidiary imprisonment in case of
insolvency.
 His immediate transfer to the National Bilibid Prisons, Muntinlupa is
hereby ordered.

SO ORDERED. haideem

Hence, this instant appeal. Accused-appellant assails the validity of this extrajudicial
confession which forms the basis of his conviction for the crime of robbery with
homicide. He claims that Atty. De los Reyes, who assisted him in executing his
confession, was not the counsel of his own choice. That was the reason, he said, he
refused to sign the booking and information sheet. He said he signed the
extrajudicial confession five times as a sign that it was involuntarily executed by him.

Art. III, 12 of the Constitution provides in pertinent parts:

(1)......Any person under investigation for the commission of an offense

shall have the right to be informed of his right to remain silent and to
have competent and independent counsel, preferably of his own choice.
If the person cannot afford the services of counsel, he must be provided
with one. These rights cannot be waived except in writing and in the
presence of counsel.

(2)......No torture, force, violence, threat, intimidation or any other means

which vitiate the free will shall be used against him. Secret detention
places, solitary, incommunicado, or other similar forms of detention are
prohibited.

(3)......Any confession or admission obtained in violation of this or

Section 17 shall be inadmissible in evidence against him.

There are two kinds of involuntary or coerced confessions treated in this

constitutional provision: (1) those which are the product of third degree methods
such as torture, force, violence, threat, intimidation, which are dealt with in
paragraph 2 of 12, and (2) those which are given without the benefit of Miranda
warnings, which are the subject of paragraph 1 of the same 12.

Accused-appellant claims that his confession was obtained by force and threat.
Aside from this bare assertion, he has shown no proof of the use of force and
violence on him. He did not seek medical treatment nor even a physical
examination. His allegation that the fact that he was made to sign the confession
five times is proof that he refused to sign it.

To begin with, what accused-appellant claims he was made to sign five times is not
the same confession (Exh. O) but different parts thereof. He signed his name on
page 1 to acknowledge that he had been given the Miranda warnings. (Exh. O-3)
Then, he signed again as proof that after being given the Miranda warnings he
agreed to give a statement. (Exh. O-6) Next, he signed again his name at the end of
page 2 to authenticate that page as part of his confession. (Exh. O-7) Fourth, he
signed the third page at the end of his confession. (Exh. O-10) Fifth, he signed his
name again on the third page in which the jurat appears. (unmarked, [p. 3] of Exh.
O)

We discern no sign that the confession was involuntarily executed from the fact that
it was signed by accused-appellant five times. kirsten

Nor can it be inferred that the confession was involuntarily executed from the fact
that accused-appellant refused to sign the booking and information sheet. For if he
were simply forced to execute the extrajudicial confession and sign it for five times,
there is no reason the police was not able to make him sign the said sheet as well.
The inference rather was that no force was used to make accused-appellant
execute the confession, otherwise, he could also have been forced to sign the
booking and information sheet.

Extrajudicial confessions are presumed voluntary, and, in the absence of conclusive

evidence showing the declarants consent in executing the same has been vitiated,
such confession will be sustained.

Moreover, the confession contains details that only the perpetrator of the crime
could have given. No one except accused-appellant could have stated that it was he
who killed the younger maid of Emma Cabrera (Remedios Hitta), that he committed
the crime together with his townmate, Ronnie Liwanag, and that he used the same
weapon given to him by Ronnie after the latter had stabbed and killed the other
helper (Nena Berjuega), details which are consistent with the medico-legal findings
that the wounds sustained by the two victims were possibly caused by one and the
same bladed weapon. It has been held that voluntariness of a confession may be
inferred from its being replete with details which could possibly be supplied only by
the accused, reflecting spontaneity and coherence which cannot be said of a mind
on which violence and torture have been applied. When the details narrated in an
[11]

extrajudicial confession are such that they could not have been concocted by one
who did not take part in the acts narrated, where the claim of maltreatment in the
extraction of the confession is unsubstantiated and where abundant evidence exists
showing that the statement was voluntarily executed, the confession is admissible
against the declarant. There is greater reason for finding a confession to be
voluntary where it is corroborated by evidence aliunde which dovetails with the
essential facts contained in such confession. barth
[12]

But what renders the confession of accused-appellant inadmissible is the fact that
accused-appellant was not given the Miranda warnings effectively. Under the
Constitution, an uncounseled statement, such as it is called in the United States
from which Art. III, 12(1) was derived, is presumed to be psychologically coerced.
Swept into an unfamiliar environment and surrounded by intimidating figures typical
of the atmosphere of police interrogation, the suspect really needs the guiding hand
of counsel.
Now, under the first paragraph of this provision, it is required that the suspect in
custodial interrogation must be given the following warnings: (1) He must be
informed of his right to remain silent; (2) he must be warned that anything he says
can and will be used against him; and (3) he must be told that he has a right to
counsel, and that if he is indigent, a lawyer will be appointed to represent him. [13]

In the case at bar, the prosecution presented Pat. Ines and Atty. De los Reyes to
establish that the above-enumerated requisites were fully satisfied when accused-
appellant executed his extrajudicial confession. Pat. Benjamin Ines testified: [14]

Q......What happened during the investigation of the accused?

A......He consented to give a written statement to me, sir.

Q......Now, when accused Jimmy Obrero consented to give statement,

Patrolman, was he assisted by counsel?

A......Yes, sir, we provided him with a lawyer.

Q......And who was that lawyer that was provided by you?

A......Atty. Bienvenido De los Reyes, sir.

Q......And who personally took down the statement of the accused?

A......I was the one who personally took the statement of accused
Obrero.Jksm

Q......Do you know what was the gist of that statement that was given to
you, what was it all about?

A......Its all about the admission of Jimmy Obrero, the gruesome slaying
of two househelps.

....

Q......Before having taken down the admission of Jimmy Obrero, what

investigative steps did you undertake relative to his constitutional right,
patrolman?

A......I informed Jimmy Obrero of his constitutional right to remain silent,

to have an attorney; that everything that he will say will be used for or
against him. He, however, consented to proceed with the written
statement.

Q......Now, Patrolman, did you indicate his constitutional rights that you
stated in this written statement of Jimmy Obrero?
 A......Yes, sir, I put it on the statement which he voluntarily gave.

Q......And will you please tell us which part of the statement of Jimmy
Obrero is it indicated, the consent which he gave after having pointed
out to him his constitutional right?

A......This portion sir, this "sagot-opo" and then it was further affirmed by
his signature over his typewritten name, sir.

For his part, Atty. De los Reyes testified: [15]

Q:......Were you able to confront the suspect at that time, herein

accused?Chief

A:......Yes, sir, I told him for the purpose of investigation -- custodial

investigation I can render my services to him and afterwards avail the
services of another lawyer and I told him his rights under the law, sir.

Q:......What was the reply of Jimmy Obrero, the accused, in this case at
that time you confronted Jimmy Obrero?

A:......He is willing at that time and [voluntarily] gave his affirmation that
he wanted to secure my services, sir.

....

Q......After having manifested that he will retain your services as counsel

for the investigation, Atty. De los Reyes, what happened next?

A......I told him the rights under the Constitution, the right to remain
silent, the right to secure lawyer, the right not to give statement, the right
not to be placed in any identification procedure in a police line up, and I
told him that all the evidences he might give will be utilized against him
in the court with respect to the case -- and despite of that, he said he
wanted to give his statement to the police in my presence.

Q......Was he able to give statement to the police?

A......Yes, sir. I was there inside the room with the client and observing
fairly [when he] gave statement voluntarily.

Q......Was that statement taken down into writing?

A......In a question and answer form, sir.

Indeed, the waiver signed by accused-appellant reads:

 MGA KARAPATAN AYON SA ATING BINAGONG SALIGANG BATAS:

Ikaw, JIMMY OBRERO y CORLA, ay aking isasailalim sa pagsisiyasat

sa salang Pagnanakaw na may kasamang Pagpatay, nais kong ipaalam
sa iyo ang iyong mga karapatan ayon sa ating Binagong Saligang
Batas:

1. Karapatan mo ang manahimik at huwag sagutin ang mga itatanong

ko sa iyo;

2. Karapatan mo ang kumuha ng isang abogado na iyong sariling pili na

maaaring makatulong sa iyo sa imbistigasyon na ito at kung hindi ka
makakakuha ng iyong abogado ay bibigyan ka namin ng isa na walang
bayad para makatulong sa iyo; Esm

3. Karapatan mo rin na malaman na ang lahat ng iyong sasabihin dito

sa iyong salaysay ay maaaring gamiting katibayan o ebidensya laban o
pabor sa iyo o sa kanino mang tao sa alinmang hukuman dito sa
Pilipinas.

Ngayon na naipaalam ko na sa iyo ang iyong mga karapatan, nais mo

pa bang magbigay ng iyong malaya at kusang loob na salaysay?

SAGOT : (ni Jimmy Obrero y Corla)Opo.

TANONG: Kung ganoon ay sabihin mo ulit ang iyong pangalan at

lagdaan mo ito sa ibabaw ng iyong pangalan na ipipirma o imamakinilya
ko?

(Sgd.) JIMMY OBRERO y CORLA

There was thus only a perfunctory reading of the Miranda rights to accused-
appellant without any effort to find out from him whether he wanted to have counsel
and, if so, whether he had his own counsel or he wanted the police to appoint one
for him. This kind of giving of warnings, in several decisions of this Court, has been
[16]

found to be merely ceremonial and inadequate to transmit meaningful information to

the suspect. Especially in this case, care should have been scrupulously observed
by the police investigator that accused-appellant was specifically asked these
questions considering that he only finished the fourth grade of the elementary
school. Indeed, as stated in People v. Januario:[17]

Ideally, therefore, a lawyer engaged for an individual facing custodial

investigation (if the latter could not afford one) should be engaged by
the accused (himself), or by the latters relative or person authorized by
him to engage an attorney or by the court, upon proper petition of the
accused or person authorized by the accused to file such petition.
Lawyers engaged by the police, whatever testimonials are given as
 proof of their probity and supposed independence, are generally
suspect, as in many areas, the relationship between lawyers and law
enforcement authorities can be symbiotic. Esmsc
[18]

Moreover, Art. III, 12(1) requires that counsel assisting suspects in custodial
interrogations be competent and independent. Here, accused-appellant was
assisted by Atty. De los Reyes, who, though presumably competent, cannot be
considered an "independent counsel" as contemplated by the law for the reason that
he was station commander of the WPD at the time he assisted accused-appellant.
On this point, he testified as follows:

Q......Now, whenever there is a crime committed wherein the member of

police to which you belong or working but could not solve the crime and
then you were designated as counsel to extend legal assistance to a
suspect who is under a custodial investigation and in that conference
with the suspect you may have inquired confidential information, what
would you do, will you keep it to yourself or you must have to divulge
that to your co-policeman because you know that?

A......If I am the lawyer, then all the testimonies and declaration is my

preferential right, I can divulge it even to my fellow officer.

Q......Now, by the way, do you have authority to practice the law

profession, did you get approval or permit from the civil --

A......Previously, when I was at the JAGO, we are authorized verbally

[as long as] it will not hamper our time, we will not work our time during
the police duty, maam.

Q......According to you, you were extending legal assistance to your

client who was charged of illegal recruitment, do you not consider that
conflict of duty because no less than your organization was the one
investigating that?Esmmis

A......I am extending my legal assistance to the client I am handling the

case because if it is true that he committed the crime then I will back
out, if I found suspicion and there is no proof at all, I go to the litigation.

ATTY. ALISUAG:

That is all, Your Honor. [19]

The trial court, agreeing with him, ruled:

As shown in Exhibit "O", accused consented to giving his extrajudicial

confession after he was informed of rights under custodial investigation,
by affixing his signature thereto (Exhibit "O-3"). And absent any showing
 that the assisting lawyer, though a station commander but of another
police station, was remiss in his duty as a lawyer, this Court holds that
the proceedings were regularly conducted. In fact, he testified that he
first asked the accused if he is accepting his legal services (TSN, March
5, 1991, p. 4); that he informed the accused of his Miranda rights and
despite the warning, he decided to give his confession just the same;
that he was at all time present when the accused was being
interrogated with the accused giving his answers voluntarily (Ibid, p. 4);
that he read to the accused the questions and answers before he
signed his extrajudicial confession (Ibid, p. 8). Clearly shown was the
fact that Atty. De los Reyes was equal to his duties as a lawyer than a
member of the police force, when he lend his assistance to the accused
during his in-custody interrogation.[20]

This is error. As observed in People v. Bandula, the independent counsel required

[21]

by Art. III, 12(1) cannot be a special counsel, public or private prosecutor, municipal
attorney, or counsel of the police whose interest is admittedly adverse to the
accused. In this case, Atty. De los Reyes, as PC Captain and Station Commander
of the WPD, was part of the police force who could not be expected to have
effectively and scrupulously assisted accused-appellant in the investigation, his
claim to the contrary notwithstanding. To allow such a happenstance would render
illusory the protection given to the suspect during custodial investigation. Esmso
[22]

For these reasons, we hold that accused-appellants extrajudicial confession is

inadmissible in evidence.

Without the extrajudicial confession, the conviction of accused-appellant cannot

stand. The prosecution tried to introduce circumstantial evidence of accused-
appellants guilt consisting of the sworn statements (Exhs. I and L) of Helen Moral,
the househelp who said accused-appellant used to deliver dressed chickens to the
Cabrera residence, and Anita de los Reyes who said that on March 11, 1989 she
was passing in front of the Gatlin Building where the killing took place when she saw
accused-appellant running down the stairs with blood in his hands. These
statements are likewise inadmissible for being hearsay. Consequently, there is no
identification of accused-appellant.

And while there is evidence of homicide consisting of the corpus delicti, there is no
evidence of the robbery except the confession (Exh. O) of accused-appellant which,
as already stated, is inadmissible. It does not matter that accused-appellant failed to
object to the introduction of these constitutionally proscribed evidence. The lack of
objection did not satisfy the heavy burden of proof which rested on the prosecution.
We cannot thus affirm the conviction of accused-appellant because of the
procedural irregularities committed during custodial investigation and the trial of the
case. It may be that by this decision a guilty person is set free because the
prosecution stumbled, but we are committed to the principle that it is far better to
acquit several guilty persons than to convict one single innocent person.
WHEREFORE, the decision in Criminal Case No. 90-82187 of the Regional Trial
Court, Branch 12, Manila, convicting accused-appellant Jimmy Obrero y Corla of the
crime of robbery with homicide is REVERSED and accused-appellant is hereby
ACQUITTED on the ground of reasonable doubt.

The Director of Prisons is hereby directed to forthwith cause the release of accused-
appellant unless the latter is being lawfully held for another cause and to inform the
Court accordingly within ten (10) days from notice.

SO ORDERED. MENDOZA, J

Bellosillo, (Chairman), Quisumbing, and Buena, JJ., concur.

De Leon, Jr., J., on leave