PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES Plaintiff-Appellee, VS ELYBOY SO Y ORBES Accused-Appellant.
G.R. NO. 10664 FACTS OF THE CASE:
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On June 1991, accused Elyby S, !"#le !al$#n% "#s &'#end, Te'es#(a Te'es#(a )*#n%, +assed by ("e "use & "#s &#'s( cus#ns, Es(eban, E*y and Ed%a' all su'na*ed S. "en ("ey +assed "#s cus#ns- "use, "e !as #n#(ed by "#s cus#n Ed%a' ( "ae a d'#n$ !#(" ("e*.
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A&(e' !al$#n% "#s c*+an#n "*e, Elyby !en( ( "#s cus#n-s +lace and /#ned ("e* #n ("e#' d'#n$#n% sess#n.
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n ("#s d'#n$#n% sess#n, accused *e( a'#, ("e &u(u'e "usband & "#s cus#n E*y.A&(e' a !"#le, E*y &el( slee+y s s"e !en( #ns#de ("e "use ( slee+. "#le E*y !as slee+#n% #ns#de ("e "use, s"e !as a!a$ened by ("e n#ses c*#n% &'* ("e u(s#de. ( (u'ned u( ("a( ("e accused "ad an a'%u*en( !#(" s*ene and "e !as s"u(#n% ludly, d#s(u'b#n% ("e ne#%"b's #n ("e +'ess. A&(e' ("e accused !as +ac#&#ed, a'# (ld "#* ( % "*e as "e !as d#s(u'b#n% ("e#' ne#%"b's.
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C*e *'n#n% !"#le E*y and a'# !e'e !a#(#n% &' a (a2#, Elyby suddenly a++ea'ed &'* be"#nd and a((ac$ed a'# !#(" an eleen #nc" &an $n#&e. He 'e+ea(edly s(abbed a'# des+#(e des+#(e ("e +leas & E*y ( s(+. Een !"en a'# ('#ed ( 'un bu( un&'(una(ely un&'(una(ely sl#++ed, Elyby s(#ll cn(#nued ( a((ac$ "#*. Accused &led &'* ("e scene and 'an #n a da'$ alley. A&(e' a !"#le ("e +l#ce*en ca*e ( a''es( "#* and as$ed "#* ( su''ende', accused ("en su''ende'ed.
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Accused a'%ued ("a( "e !as de&end#n% "#*sel& &'* ("e deceased and ("a( "e !as #nsane a( ("e (#*e & ("e #nc#den(,
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T"e T"e RTC "eld "eld ("a( "e #s %u#l(y %u#l(y & *u'd *u'de' e' and and #*+s #*+s#n #n% % n "#* "#* reclusion perpetua. perpetua. Hence, ("e a++eal ( Su+'e*e Cu'(.
SS3ES:
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"e("e' ' n( "e #s %u#l(y & *u'de'
"e("e' ' n( ("e l!e' cu'( e''ed #n d#s'e%a'd#n% "#s #nsan#(y and sel&de&ense cla#*
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"e("e' ' n( ("e l!e' cu'( e''ed #n !"en #( "eld ("a( ("e (es(#*ny & ("e accuseda++ellan Elyby #s undese'#n% & c'ed#(, #*+'bable and #*+laus#ble.
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HE5):
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T"e Su+'e*e Cu'( a&&#'*ed ("e dec#s#n & ("e RTC and d#s*#ssed ("e e(#(#n & Accused. !edi"ilit# $f %itness T"e 7ues(#n !"e("e' ("e l!e' cu'( e''ed !"en #( "eld ("e (es(#*ny & ("e accuseda+ellan( undese'#n% & c'ed#( 'a#ses ("e #ssue & ("e c'ed#b#l#(y & ("e !#(ness. A++ellan( !uld l#$e ("e S.C. ( bel#ee ("a( ("e (es(#*ny & E*y S #s b#ased and ("#s !as a%%'aa(ed by "e' %'ud%e (!a'ds ("e accused. 8The Court has time and again ruled that mere relationship of the witness to the victim does not automatically impair his credibility and render the testimony less worthy of faith and credit”
Self- defenseAcc'd#n% ("e Su+'e*e Cu'(, ("e essen(#al ele*en( ( +'e sel&de&ense #s #& ("e'e #s an unla!&ul a%%'ess#n dne by ("e deceased. Accused cla#* ("a( a'# a((ac$ed "#* !#(" a $n#&e, ("#s d#d n( cn#nce ("e Su+'e*e Cu'( “Even if we allow appellant's contention that Mario Tuquero was the initial unlawful aggressor, we still cannot sustain his plea of selfdefense! "fter appellant successfully wrested the #nife from Tuquero, the unlawful aggression had ceased! After the unlawful aggression has ceased, the one making the defense has no more right to kill or even wound the former aggressor &
Als, ("e +'esence & ("e la'%e nu*be' & !unds ("a( ("e deceased sus(a#ned, ("e na(u'e and e2(en( & ("e s(abbed !unds #nd#ca(ed ("e de(e'*#na(#n & ("e accused ( $#ll ("e deceased. Insanit#
Cla#* #s un*e'#('#us ' $n order that insanity may be ta#en as an e%empting circumstance, there must be complete depreciation of intelligence in the commission of the act or that the accused acted without the least discernment! Mere abnormality of his mental faculties does not e%clude imputability”. T"e &ac( ("a( "e 'ecalls !"a( ('ans+#'ed be&'e, du'#n% and a&(e' ("e #nc#den( and een $n!s ("e na(u'e and cn(en( & "#s (es(#*ny des n( be('ay an abn'*al *#nd.
