Dand andy L. Dungo ungo and Grego regor rio A. Sibal ibal,, Jr. vs. vs. Peo eop ple of the Philippines G.R. No. 209464, July 1, 2015 By: Karen P. Lustica FACTS arlon !illanue"a is a neo#$yte o% &l#$a P$i '(e)a, as testi*e+ y $is roo((ate Joey &tien-a. &t aroun+ :00 o/cloc in t$e a%ternoon o% January 1, 2006, PLB stu+ent Gay 3-ari arina un)a as stayi ayin) at t$eir tambayan, tali alin n) to $er or)ani-ation (ates. (ates. 7$ree (en (en ere seate+ to to (eters ay %ro( %ro( $er. $er. $e i+enti*e+ to o% t$e (en as a##ellants ial an+ 8un)o, $ile s$e +i+ not no t$e t$ir+ (an. 7$e t$ree (en (en ere earin) earin) lac s$irts it$ t$e seal o% t$e &l#$a P$i '(e)a. Later Later at 5:00 5:00 o/cl o/cloc oc in t$e t$e a%te a%terrnoon, noon, to to (or (ore (en (en co(i co(in) n) %ro( %ro( t$e t$e ento(olo)y ento(olo)y in) arri"e+ arri"e+ an+ a##roac$e a##roac$e+ + t$e t$ree (en. &(on) &(on) t$e (en $o ust arri"e+ arri"e+ as t$e "icti(, arlon !illanue"a. !illanue"a. 'ne o% t$e (en earin) earin) lac &P' s$irts $an+e+ o"er to t$e to %raternity neo#$ytes so(e (oney an+ tol+ t$e (en a(alen)e a(alen)e na ayo. ;e later too ac t$e (oney an+ sai+, ;ua) na, a(i na lan). 'ne 'ne o% t$e t$e (en (en ear earin in) ) a lac lac &P &P' ' s$ s$ir irt, t, $o $o as as late laterr i+en i+enti ti*e *e+ + as a##ellant 8un)o, stoo+ u# an+ ase+ arlon i% t$e latter alrea+y re#orte+ to $i(, an+ ase+ $i( $y $e +i+ not re#ort to $i( $en $e as ust at t$e, tambayan. 8un)o t$en continuously #unc$e+ t$e "icti( on $is ar(. ar(. 7$is 7$is ent ent on %or *"e (inute (inutes. s. arlon arlon ust ust e#t e#t nto(olo)y in). 7$e +ecease+ arlon !illanue"a as /last seen ali"e y Joey &tien-a at ?:00 in t$e e"enin) o% 1 January 2006, %ro( $o( $e orroe+ t$e s$oes $e ore ore at t$e initia initiatio tion n ri)$t ri)$t [sic].a [sic].arl rlon on tol+ tol+ Joey Joey t$at t$at it as as $is $is *nal *nals s ni)$t. 'n January 1, 2006 at aroun+ @:0 to 9:00 o/cloc in t$e e"enin), neary sariAs sariAsari ari store store oner oner usan usan )naci )nacio o sa (ore (ore t$an t$an tenty tenty C20D C20D #erson #ersons s arri"e at t$e !illa No"alic$es Resort onoar+ onoar+ a ee#ney. ee#ney. $e esti(ate+ t$e a)es o% t$ese #ersons #ersons to e eteen 20 to 0 years ol+. 7$ree 7$ree CD #ersons #ersons ri+in) a sin)le (otorcycle (otorcycle lieise arri"e+ arri"e+ at t$e resort. )nacio sa aout *%teen C15D #ersons )at$er on to# o% t$e terrace at t$e resort $o looe+ looe+ lie t$ey ere ere #rayin). Later t$at e"enin), at least t$ree CD o% t$ese #ersons ent ent to $er store store to uy so(e ite(s. $e +i+ not no t$eir na(es ut coul+ i+entity [sic] t$eir %aces. &%ter s$e as s$on colore+
#$oto)ra#$s, s$e #ointe+ to t$e (an later i+enti*e+ as ;eral+ 3$risto#$er Braseros. $e also #ointe+ out t$e (an later i+enti*e+ as Gre)orio ial, Jr. 8onato a)at, a tricycle +ri"er #lyin) t$e route o% Pansol, 3ala(a 3ity, testi*e+ t$at aroun+ :00 o/cloc in t$e (ornin) o% January 14, 2006, $e as aitin) %or #assen)ers at t$e corner o% !illa No"alic$es Resort $en a (an a##roac$e+ $i( an+ tol+ $i( t$at so(eone insi+e t$e resort nee+e+ a ri+e. a)at t$en ent to t$e resort an+ ase+ t$e to C2D (en stan+in) y t$e )ate $o ill e ri+in) $is tricycle. 7$e %our C4D (en oar+e+ $is tricycle ut a)at notice+ t$at $en $e touc$e+ t$e o+y o% t$e (an $o as ein) carrie+, it %elt col+. 7$e sai+ (an looe+ "ery ea lie a "e)etale. e%erino >s#ina y Jaay testi*e+ t$at $e ore+ as a security )uar+ at t$e J.P. Ri-al ;os#ital an+ as assi)ne+ at t$e e(er)ency roo(. &t aroun+ :00 o/cloc in t$e early (ornin) o% January 14, 2006, $e as it$ anot$er security )uar+, &elar+o Nati"i+a+ an+ $os#ital $el#er 8anilo Glin+o a..a. Grin)o, $en a tricycle arri"e+ at t$e e(er)ency roo( containin) %our C4D #assen)ers, eEclu+in) t$e +ri"er. ;e as an ar(/s len)t$ aay %ro( sai+ tricycle. ;e i+enti*e+ to o% t$e #assen)ers t$ereo% as a##ellants 8un)o an+ ial. >s#ina sai+ $e an+ Glin+a $el#e+ t$e #assen)ers unloa+ a o+y insi+e t$e tricycle an+ rou)$t it to t$e e(er)ency roo(. &%terar+s, >s#ina ase+ t$e to (en %or i+enti*cation car+s. 7$e latter re#lie+ t$at t$ey +i+ not rin) it$ t$e( any .8. or allet. nstea+ o% )i"in) t$eir true na(es, t$e a##ellants liste+ +on t$eir na(es in t$e $os#ital lo)oo as Bran+on Gon-ales y Lan-on an+ Jeric$o Paril y Ri"era. >s#ina t$en tol+ t$e to (en not to lea"e, not tellin) t$e( t$at t$ey secretly calle+ t$e #olice to re#ort t$e inci+ent $ic$ as t$eir stan+ar+ o#eratin) #roce+ure $en a +ea+ o+y as rou)$t to t$e $os#ital. 8r. Ra(on asilun)an, $o as t$en t$e atten+in) #$ysician at t$e e(er)ency roo(, oser"e+ t$at arlon as (otionless, $a+ no $earteat an+ alrea+y cyanotic. 8r. asilun)an trie+ to re"i"e arlon %or aout 15 to 20 (inutes. ;oe"er, t$e latter +i+ not res#on+ to resuscitation an+ as #ronounce+ +ea+. 8r. asilun)an notice+ a i) contusion $e(ato(a on t$e le%t si+e o% t$e "icti(/s %ace an+ se"eral inuries on $is ar(s an+ le)s. ;e %urt$er atteste+ t$at arlon/s %ace as alrea+y cyanotic. F$en 8r. asilun)an #ulle+ +on arlon/s #ants, $e sa a lar)e contusion on ot$ le)s $ic$ eEten+e+ %ro( t$e u##er #ortion o% $is t$i)$ +on to t$e cou#leEial #ortion or t$e ac o% t$e nee.
8ue to t$e nature, eEtent an+ location o% arlon/s inuries, 8r. asilun)an o#ine+ t$at $e as a "icti( o% $a-in). 8r. asilun)an is %a(iliar it$ $a-in) inuries, $a"in) un+er)one $a-in) $en $e as a stu+ent an+ also ecause o% $is eE#erience treatin) "icti(s o% $a-in) inci+ents. 8r. Roy 3a(arillo, e+icoALe)al 'cer o% t$e PNP 3ri(e Laoratory in Re)ion !, 3a(# !icente Li(, 3anluan), 3ala(a 3ity, testi*e+ t$at $e #er%or(e+ an auto#sy on t$e ca+a"er o% t$e "icti( on January 14 2006H t$at t$e "icti(/s cause o% +eat$ as lunt $ea+ trau(a. =ro( 1999 to 2006, $e as ale to con+uct #ostA(orte( eEa(ination o% t$e to C2D #ersons $ose +eat$s ere attriute+ to $a-in). 7$ese to C2D #ersons sustaine+ (ulti#le contusions an+ inuries on +iIerent #arts o% t$eir o+y, #articularly on t$e uttocs, on ot$ u##er an+ loer eEtre(ities. Bot$ #ersons +ie+ o% rain $e(orr$a)e. 3orrelatin) t$ese to cases to t$e inuries %oun+ on t$e "icti(/s o+y, 8r. 3a(arillo atteste+ t$at t$e "icti(, arlon !illanue"a, sustaine+ si(ilar inuries to t$ose to C2D #ersons. Base+ on t$e #resence o% (ulti#le inuries an+ contusions on $is o+y, $e o#ine+ t$at t$ese inuries ere $a-in)Arelate+. C8un)o an+ ial "s. Peo#leD 7$e R73 con"icte+ 8un)o an+ ial %or "iolation o% ection 4 o% t$e &ntiA ;a-in) La an+ sentence+ t$e( to suIer Reclusion Perpetua. ai+ ection 4 rea+s as %ollos: ection 4. % t$e #erson suecte+ to $a-in) or ot$er %or(s o% initiation rites suIers any #$ysical inury or +ies as a result t$ereo%, t$e ocers an+ (e(ers o% t$e %raternity, sorority or or)ani-ation $o actually #artici#ate+ in t$e iniction o% #$ysical $ar( s$all e liale as #rinci#als. 7$e #erson or #ersons $o #artici#ate+ in t$e $a-in) s$all suIer: 1. 7$e #enalty o% reclusion #er#etua Cli%e i(#rison(entD i% +eat$, ra#e, so+o(y or (utilation results t$ere %ro(. EEE 7$e 3& ar(e+ t$e R73Ms u+)(ent in toto. ial an+ 8un)o, in t$eir a##eal to t$e $i)$ court, ar)ue+ t$at t$e #rosecution %aile+ to #ro"e t$at t$ey actually #artici#ate+ in t$e $a-in) o% !illanue"a. 7$e to sai+ t$e #rosecution only #ro"e+ +urin) t$e trial t$at t$eir #artici#ation as only #ersua+in) !illanue"a to oin &P' an+ )o t$rou)$ t$e initiation rites.
!SS"# F'N t$ere as a sucient e"i+ence to con"ict t$e accuse+. $#LD es. %AT!& 7$e 3 note+ t$e co(#lete or+in) o% t$e in%or(ation $ic$ rea+s as %ollos: 7$at on or aout 2:0 in t$e early (ornin) o% January 14, 2006, at !illa No"alic$es, Br)y. Pansol, 3ala(a 3ity, Pro"ince o% La)una an+ it$in t$e uris+iction o% t$e ;onorale 3ourt, t$e ao"eAna(e+ accuse+, +urin) a #lanne+ initiation rite an+ ein) t$en ocers an+(e(ers o% &l#$a P$i '(e)a %raternity an+ #resent t$ereat, in cons#iracy it$ (ore or less tenty ot$er (e(ers an+ ocers, $ose i+entity is not yet non, +i+ t$en an+ t$ere ill%ully, unla%ully an+ %eloniously assault an+ use #ersonal "iolence u#on one &RL'N !LL&N>!& y >JLL&, a neo#$yte t$ereo% an+ as con+ition %or $is a+(ission to t$e %raternity, t$erey suectin) $i( to #$ysical $ar(, resultin) to $is +eat$, to t$e +a(a)e an+ #reu+ice o% t$e $eirs o% t$e "icti(. C8un)o an+ ial "s. Peo#leD 7$e 3 $el+ t$at t$e in%or(ation state+ a #lanne+ initiation rite an+ a #lanne+ e"ent can e un+erstoo+ to $a"e +iIerent #$ases O 7$e $a-in) acti"ity $a+ +iIerent sta)es an+ t$e #er#etrators $a+ +iIerent roles t$erein, not solely inictin) #$ysical inury to t$e neo#$yte. 'ne o% t$e roles o% t$e #etitioners in t$e $a-in) acti"ity as to in+uce !illanue"a to e #resent. 8un)o an+ ial not only in+uce+ !illanue"a to e #resent at t$e resort, ut t$ey actually rou)$t $i( t$ere. 7$ey %ul*lle+ t$eir roles in t$e #lanne+ $a-in) rite $ic$ e"entually le+ to t$e +eat$ o% !illanue"a. 7$e $a-in) oul+ not $a"e een acco(#lis$e+ ere it not %or t$e acts o% t$e #etitioners t$at in+uce+ t$e "icti( to e #resent. 7$e 3 sai+ t$at secrecy an+ silence are co((on c$aracteri-ations o% t$e +yna(ics o% $a-in). 7o re
%ro( t$e $os#ital %or
7$e 3 lai+ +on t$e re
