Republic of The Philippines Regional Trial Court National Capital Region Branch 13-Makati City
Republic of The Philippines Regional Trial Court National Capital Region Branch 13-Makati City
Republic of The Philippines Regional Trial Court National Capital Region Branch 13-Makati City
PEPE PAWIKAN,
Accused.
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THE ACCUSED, by counsel, with leave of court previously obtained, respectfully submits
this Demurrer to the Prosecution’s Evidence on the ground that the prosecution has failed to
adduce sufficient evidence of his guilt to overcome the presumption of innocence and shift the
burden of proof:
1. Under the Constitution, the accused is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty.
The effect of this presumption is that it entitles the accused to not say anything in his defense
and places the burden directly on the prosecution to prove everything relative to his guilt.
Thus, the prosecution must rely on the strength of its evidence and not wait for the accused to
offer any defense. It is only in the event that the prosecution, after resting its case, has
adduced sufficient evidence of guilt, that the burden of proof shifts to the accused.
2. The prosecution has failed to adduce sufficient evidence of guilt such as would shift
the burden of proof.
2.1. The prosecution claims the accused, PEPE PAWIKAN, who resides at
31 Forbes Park, Makati City, the crime of piracy. In the information, the accused
is being blamed for boarding the luxury vessel M/V Titanic. In addition, the
prosecution claims that it was the accused who actually took personal
belongings of several of the passengers of the vessel.
2.2. The accused is charged with violation of Article 122 or Piracy; the
act of an individual who attacks a vessel in Philippine waters, not being a
member of its complement nor a passenger, shall seize the whole or part of the
cargo of said vessel, its equipment, or personal belongings of its complement or
passengers. Concretely, this means that the prosecution must show and prove
what items, if any, were taken from the passengers of the M/V Titanic.
2.3. The prosecution has failed to show that the passengers actually loss
specific belongings. Instead, the prosecution merely make abstract and vague
allegations of loss which are not sufficient to prove that were items loss.
3. Absent proof of any loss one part of the passengers, the claim of violation of Article
122 or Piracy. The accused is innocent; he must, thus, be acquitted.
WHEREFORE, the accused respectfully prays that the Information against him be
DISMISSED and that he be ACQUITTED of the crime charged.
Please submit the foregoing Motion to the Court for its consideration and approval
immediately upon receipt hereof and kindly include the same in the court’s calendar for
hearing on February 14, 2008 at 11:00 in the morning.
Allan Shore
City Prosecutors Office, Makati City Hall
Makati City
Please take notice that counsel has requested to be heard on 14 February 2008 at 10:00
in the morning.