People v. Navarro

34. PEOPLE V.
NAVARRO  A protracted full-blown hearing on the matter then ensued, during which
G.R. No. 129566. October 7, 1998 the prosecution and the defense presented their respective witnesses and
documentary evidence.
Topic: Introduction and Admissibility of Evidence  The petition was denied.
 The trial court adopted the proceedings during said hearing and thereafter,
Facts: rendered a decision stating that the accused is GUILTY beyond reasonable
 On January 6, 1994, two Informations, one for murder and the other for doubt of the crime of murder therefore, he is ordered to suffer the single
violation of PD 1866, were filed at the RTC of Alaminos, Pangasinan against and indivisible penalty of reclusion perpetua.
Noel Navarro.  Hence, this appeal.
 On January 19, 1994, Navarro, through Counsel Romeo L. Gutierrez, filed  The trial court found the appellant guilty of murder, based on Jose
two motions. Rabago's testimony as a prosecution witness, which it found to be positive,
o One to remand the case to the provincial prosecutor for credible and sufficient to support a judgment of conviction.
preliminary investigation o Rabago's recantation of his testimony as a prosecution witness
o The other to suspend the proceedings before the court. was disregarded by the court a quo stating that the Court cannot
Judge Segundo B. Paz granted the motions. find any evidence or any indications that Jose Rabago had a
 Thereafter, on March 3, 1994, filed against the appellant was this amended sinister scheme to prevaricate and therefore this Court must
Information for murder: respect as trustworthy, and with full faith and credence, his
o "That on or about January 5, 1991, in the evening, near Enok testimony as eyewitness for the prosecution.
Theater at Poblacion, Municipality of Alaminos, Province of o Citing jurisprudence, the lower court further declared that "mere
Pangasinan, New Republic of the Philippines and within the retraction by the prosecution witness does not necessarily
jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, the above-named accused, deshape the original testimony, if credible," and that " courts
with intent to kill, with treachery and evident premeditation, did look with disfavor upon retractions of testimonies previously
then and there, wilfully, unlawfully and feloniously shoot given in court. The rationale for the rule is obvious; the
FERDINAND RABADON aka. "BOYET" several times which caused retraction can easily be secured from witnesses usually through
his instantaneous death as a consequence, to the damage and intimidation or monetary consideration.”
prejudice of his heirs. Contrary to Art. 248 of the Revised Penal
Code." Issue: Whether the trial court erred in concluding that such statements were not
 Affirmed, on the other hand, was this Information for violation of PD 1866: part of res gestae in considering the statements which Rabago gave to both SPO2
o "That on or about January 5, 1991, in the [M]unicipality of Virgilio Rabadon and Patrolman Rolando Rabadon
Alaminos, Province of Pangasinan and within the jurisdiction of
this Honorable Court, the above-named accused did then and
there wilfully, unlawfully and feloniously have in his possession, Held: At the outset, it must be stated that res gestae pertains to the admissibility of
control and custody one short firearm without first securing the evidence, and not to its weight and sufficiency, as the Office of the Solicitor General
necessary license and permit to possess the same and said correctly pointed out. The admissibility of evidence depends on its relevance and
firearm was used in the killing of Ferdinand Rabadon. Contrary competence, while the weight of evidence pertains to evidence already admitted
to P.D. 1866." and its tendency to convince and persuade.
 On April 5, 1994, appellant, assisted by his aforementioned counsel, Res gestae is defined as follows:
pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.
 He then filed a petition for bail. "Statements made by a person while a startling occurrence is taking place or
immediately prior or subsequent thereto with respect to the circumstances
thereof, may be given in evidence as part of the res gestae. So, also,
statements accompanying an equivocal act material to the issue, and giving it
a legal significance, may be received as part of the res gestae."
Rabago's statement to SPO2 Rabadon that someone had killed his companion can be
considered part of the res gestae, and is thus admissible in evidence as an exception
to the hearsay rule. It was a spontaneous statement that was made right after a
startling occurrence and that refers to such occurrence. However, the same cannot
be said of his statement to Patrolman Rabadon, as it lacked the requisite spontaneity,
having been given in answer to questions propounded in an investigation, a day after
the incident in question.
The appellant seems to imply that when Rabago reported the incident to SPO2
Rabadon, Rabago's silence regarding the identity of the killers created doubt as to
the appellant's culpability for such killing and, thus, should have been likewise
considered by the lower court in appellant's favor as part of the res gestae. This
proposition deserves scant consideration. Such omission cannot be taken to mean
that appellant was not the culprit. The witness was simply silent as to the identity of
the assailant. Such omission, as has been discussed, can be attributed to Rabago's
fear of the Navarros.
Witnesses' delayed reporting of what they know about a crime does not render their
testimonies false or incredible, for the delay may be explained by the natural
reticence of most people and their abhorrence to get involved in a criminal case. But
more than this, there is always the inherent fear of reprisal, which is quite
understandable, especially if the accused is a man of power and influence in the
community.
Wherefore, the appeal is hereby DENIED. The assailed Decision is AFFIRMED, but the
award of actual damages is DELETED. Costs against the appellant.

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34. PEOPLE V.

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