02 People v. Mercado DIGEST

PEOPLE vs. MERCADO

131 SCRA 501 (1984) Relova, J. / kam SUBJECT MATTER: Crimes against i!ert" / #llegal $etention / %i&na''ing  serios illegal &etention SUMMARY: *e&eri+o or Al!erto er+a&o (ma" -or talaga sa +ase) sr'rise& +om'lainant vonne a"lon in te morning o2 Se't. , 199 an& el& er in a store 2or almost 5 ors, &eman&ing tat vonne 'ro&+e er  "onger sister Ssan, i+ is te a''ellant6s a''ellant6s +ommon7la i2e. Ssan le2t ome 2or an nknon 'la+e te &a"  !e2ore. A''ellant +onten&s tat e sol& onl" !e lia!le o2 grave +oer+ion onl" sin+e is 'r'ose as to 2or+e vonne to 'ro&+e Ssan. oever, te Cort rle& tat a''ellant is gilt" o2 ki&na''ing an& serios illegal &etention (a22irme& te C*# rling) sin+e all te elements o2 te +rime &es+ri!e& in Arti+le  are 'resent. DOCTRINES: See n&erline& 'arts in RA:#;. (
>rose+tion? *e&eri+o or Al!erto er+a&o (a++se&) is te !o"2rien& o2 Ssan a "lon, "onger sister o2 +om'lainant • vonne a"lon. Ssan le2t ome 2or an nknon 'la+e on Se't. 1, 199. At aron& 8:30am o2 te ne@t &a", te a++se& +ame 2rom !ein& von vonne ne ile se as alking on a roa& at San Carlos S!&ivision, inangonan, Ri=al. A++se& s&&enl" gra!!e& vonne !" te ne+k, 'ointe& a kni2e to er troat, an& &ragge& er to te • ose o2 is 2rien&. 'on rea+ing te 'or+, vonne aske& te a++se& " e as a+ting tat a". A++se& sai& e6s angr" it er an& &eman&e& tat se 'ro&+e er sister. :e a++se& ten &ragge& vonne to te roa&si&e erein vonne6s !roters an& some neig!ors aske& • im to release release vonne. vonne. #nstea& o2 releasing releasing er, a++se& raise& er !lose !lose an& inserte& is an& n&erneat it an& 'ointe& te kni2e on er !reast. :en e &ragge& vonne to a store erein te Cie2 o2 >oli+e an& some 'oli+emen talke& to im. • A++se& tol& Cie2 o2 >oli+e tat e ante& to see Ssan an& also &eman&e& tat e !e given trans'ortation an& mone". Sitation laste& ntil 1nn erein te 'oli+emen srron&e& a++se&  vonne 15 meters aa". • A2ter !eing given some 2oo& to 'artake, te !arrio +a'tain arrive& an& as a!le to take ol& o2 te • a++se& an& s!&e im. vonne, tramati=e&, lost +ons+iosness an& as !rogt to te os'ital. er 2ingers s22ere& inBries, • a!rasion on er ne+k an& a small on& on er stoma+. $e2ense? Ssan as is +ommon7la i2e an& te" a& !een living in togeter in er 2amil" ose in :a"man. • Sometime in Agst 199, te" arrele& a!ot er relatives an& e tol& er tat te" !etter se'arate • 2rom er sister vonne vonne an& !roters. A2ter te 2igt, ile a++se& remaine& 'stairs, Ssan ent &on en vonne invite& er to eat. Den Ssan &i& not retrn, a++se& ent &on an& aske& vonne ere Ssan a& gone. vonne sai& • Ssan ent ot itot telling er ere se as going. So a++se& trie& to look 2or Ssan otsi&e (aske& relatives an& neig!ors) an& not 2in&ing er, e ent !a+k to te ose erein e 2on& is +lotes alrea&" 'la+e& in a !o@ near te &oora".

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vonne as stan&ing near te &oor an& tol& im to leave te ose so e &i& a2ter tanking er 2or is sta". ;n Se't. , 199 (&a" o2 +rime), e sa vonne sitting on a !en+ insi&e a store in :a"man. vonne as a!ot to sta! im it a kni2e !t a 2rien& as a!le to arn im so e imme&iatel" gra!!e& te kni2e 2rom vonne6s an&. e aske& vonne " se ante& to sta! im an& se sai& it6s !e+ase Ssan +om'laine& to er. #t as ile e as talking to vonne an& 'ointing te kni2e to er +est en te !arrio +a'tain an&  'oli+emen arrive& o togt e as going to sta! vonne. e as aske& !" te !aranga" +a'tain at e ante& 2rom vonne an& e re'lie& tat e Bst ante& Ssan 'ro&+e& !e+ase e ante& to talk to er. e aske& 2or a vei+le !t &enie& asking 2or mone". Den e lost te kni2e, 'eo'le gange& ' on im.

ISSUES (HELD): 1. D;E loer +ort erre& in rling tat is gilt as !een 'roven (E;) . !MOST IMPT"""# $ON %& s%'* +& ,'-v,/&* ' 1*-a22- a-* s&4's &a *&/&-/'- a-* -'/ 4av& ,'&4,'- (YES) 3. D;E te mitigating +ir+mstan+e o2 'assion or o!2s+ation sol& !e +re&ite& to im (E;) 4. D;E is 'erio& o2 'reventive &etention sol& !e +re&ite& to im (C? • 1. tat te o22en&er is a 'rivate in&ivi&alF . tat e ki&na's or &etains anoter, or in an" oter manner &e'rives te latter o2 is li!ert"F 3. tat te a+t o2 &etention or ki&na''ing mst !e illegalF an& 4. in te +ommission o2 te o22ense, an" o2 te 2olloing +ir+mstan+es is 'resent? a. tat te ki&na''ing or &etention last 2or more tan 5 &a"sF or   !. tat it is +ommitte& simlating '!li+ atorit"F or  +. tat an" serios '"si+al inBries are in2li+te& 'on te 'erson ki&na''e& or &etaine& or treats to kill im are ma&eF or  &. tat te 'erson ki&na''e& or &etaine& is a minor, 2emale, or a '!li+ o22i+er.

1. :e a2oresai& B&gment revolves aron& te +re&i!ilit" o2 te itnesses 7 trial +ort gave more eigt to te testimonies o2 te 'rose+tion itnesses tan tat to te testimon" o2 a''ellant. #t is an alrea&" settle& rle tat nless tere is a soing tat te trial +ort a& overlooke&, misn&erstoo& or  misa''lie& some 2a+t or +ir+mstan+e o2 eigt an& s!stan+e tat ol& ave a22e+te& te reslt o2 te +ase, te a''ellate +ort ill not &istr! te 2a+tal 2in&ings o2 te loer +ort. :e 'rose+tion 'resente& 5 itnesses, 3 o2 om are 'oli+emen o &i& not kno te a''ellant !e2ore te in+i&ent. e el& vonne in a store 2or almost 5 ors an& 'i+tres +learl" so a''ellant6s an& aron& te ne+k o2 te +om'lainant. #t ol& not ave laste& 2or ors i2 &e2ense6s version as tre. . !IMPORTANT# A''ellant +onten&s tat e sol& onl" !e +onvi+te& o2 grave +oer+ion onl" sin+e is  'r'ose as to 2or+e vonne to 'ro&+e Ssan. #n te A!la=a +ase, -te vi+tim as a+tall" restraine& or &e'rive& o2 er 2ree&om, an& tat makes 'ro'er te 'rose+tion o2 te erein a++se& n&er Art.  o2 te R>C. :e srron&ing +ir+mstan+es make it +lear tat te main 'r'ose o2 Anna!el6s &etention as to +oer+e er into it&raing er 'revios +arges against a''ellant A!la=a, ts o!str+ting te a&ministration o2 Bsti+e. :e evi&en+e in te +ase at !ar sos tat te a++se& el& +om'lainant (an& restraine& or &e'rive& er  o2 er 2ree&om) !e+ase e ante& er to 'ro&+e er sister Ssan. 3. :e mitigating +ir+mstan+e o2 o!2s+ation arising 2rom te &esire to +om'el Ssan to live it im +annot !e invoke& in 2avor o2 te a++se& ose relationsi' it er as illegitimate. :e o!2s+ation mst arise 2rom la2l sentiments. (D;D)

4. :e a''ellant sol& !e +re&ite& it te 'erio& o2 is 'reventive &etention. e as !een &etaine& sin+e Se'tem!er , 199 an&, tere2ore, in a++or&an+e it Arti+le 9 o2 te Revise& >enal Co&e, te 'erio& o2 is 'reventive &etention sol& !e &e&+te& 2rom te term o2 is senten+e. DISPOSITI5E: C*# &e+ision A**#R<$ it +osts.