PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, appellee, vs. MARIVIC GENOSA, appellant
G.R. No. 135981 JANUARY 15, 2004 Ponente: Panganiban, J.
FACT: T!i" T!i" #a"e #a"e a$i"e" a$i"e" %$o& %$o& t!e 'eat! 'eat! o% (en (en Geno Geno"a, "a, )ega) )ega) !*"b !*"ban an' ' o% +a$i +a$ii# i# Geno Geno"a, "a, t!e t!e a--e))ant. T!e a--e))ant te"ti%ie' t!at '*$ing t!e %i$"t ea$ o% t!ei$ &a$$iage, !*"ban' an' /i%e )ie' !a--i), b*t "oon a%te$ t!at, (en" io)ent an' ab*"ie be!aio$ began to "!o/, e"-e#ia)) at ti&e" /!en !e /a" '$*n. e a)"o a#*i$e' i#e" "*#! a" #o#%ig!ting, ga&b)ing, an' /o&aniing. F*$t!e$&o$e, t!e a--e))ant te"ti%ie', ee$ ti&e (en #a&e !o&e '$*n, !e /o*)' -$ooe !e$ to *a$$e) /it! !i& an' /o*)' o%tenti&e" beat beat !e$. +a$ii#, !o/ee$, !o/ee$, /o*)' "ee &e'i#a) t$eat&ent ee$ ti&e !e$ !*"ban' /o*)' beat !e$. n t!e nig!t o% 15 Noe&be$ 1995, (en #a&e !o&e '$*n an' *a$$e)e' on#e again /it! t!e a--e))ant. T!ei$ *a$$e) $e"*)te' to io)en#e on (en" -a$t /!i#! -$o&-te' t!e a--e))ant to atta# !i& an' /o*n' !i& /!i#! eent*a)) )e' to !i" 'eat!. T!e t$ia) #o*$t %o*n' a--e))ant g*i)t beon' $ea"onab)e 'o*bt an' #!a$ge' !e$ /it! -a$$i#i'e /it! t$ea#!e$ a" an agg$aating #i$#*&"tan#e an' /a" i&-o"e' t!e -ena)t o% 6eat!. o/ee$, %o$ !e$ 'e%en"e, a--e))ant "tate' t!at "!e /a" ab)e to 'o t!at o*t o% /anting to "ae !e$ )i%e an' o% !e$ *nbo$n #!i)'. A--e))ant /a" 8 &ont!" -$egnant at t!at ti&e /it! t!ei$ t!i$' #!i)'. U-on $eie/ o% t!e *-$e&e Co*$t, a--e))ant %i)e' an URG7NT +N(U +TN -$aing t!at t!e ono$ab)e Co*$t a))o/ t!e e!*&ation o% (en Geno"a an' t!e $eea&ination o% t!e #a*"e #a*"e o% !i" !i" 'eat! 'eat!;; a))o/ a))o/ t!e ea&i ea&ina natio tion n o% a--e a--e))a ))ant nt b *a)i *a)i%ie %ie' ' -"#!o -"#!o)og )ogi"t i"t" " an' an' -"#!iat$i"t" to 'ete$&ine !e$ "tate o% &in' at t!e ti&e "!e i))e' !e$ !*"ban'; an' to a))o/ a -a$tia) $eo-ening o% t!e #a"e to tae t!e te"ti&on o% t!e -"#!o)ogi"t an' -"#!iat$i"t. T!e &otion /a" -a$t) g$ante' b t!e *-$e&e Co*$t. t a))o/e' %o$ t!e a--e))ant a--e))ant to be ea&ine' b t!e e-e$t" <6$a. 6aan, -"#!o)ogi"t; an' 6$. Pa=a$i))o, -"#!iat$i"t> $ega$'ing t!e (atte$e' ?o&an n'$o&e -)ea an' a))o/e' %o$ t!ei$ $e-o$t" to be atta#!e' an' a'&itte' to t!e t$ia) #o*$t an' "*b"e*ent) "*b&it to t!e *-$e&e Co*$t a" -a$t o% t!e $e#o$'". U7: a> ?!et!e$ ?!et!e$ o$ not a--e))ant a--e))ant &a inoe inoe t!e (atte$e' (atte$e' ?o&an ?o&an n'$o&e n'$o&e a" "e)%'e%en" "e)%'e%en"e e an' in t!e 'e%en"e o% !e$ %et*"@ b> ?!et!e$ ?!et!e$ o$ not t$ea#!e t$ea#!e$ $ atten'e atten'e' ' t!e i))ing i))ing o% (en Geno"a Geno"a@ @ 76: a> (atte$e' (atte$e' ?o&an ?o&an n'$o& n'$o&e e a" 'e%en"e 'e%en"e
No, a--e))ant &a not inoe (atte$e' ?o&an n'$o&e a" a "e)%'e%en"e a" /e)) a" 'e%en"e o% t!e %et*". T!e *-$e&e Co*$t !e)' t!at in o$'e$ to 'i"#o*nt t!e -o""ibi)it o% (atte$e' ?o&an n'$o&e a" "e)%'e%en"e, t!e %o))o/ing -oint" &*"t be taen: 1> ea#! o% t!e -!a"e" o% t!e ##)e o% io)en#e &*"t be -$oen to !ae #!a$a#te$ie' at )ea"t t/o batte$ing e-i"o'e", 2> t!e %ina) a#*te batte$ing e-i"o'e -$e#e'ing t!e i))ing o% t!e batte$e$ &*"t !ae -$o'*#e' in t!e batte$e' -e$"on" &in' an a#t*a) %ea$ o% an i&&inent !a$& %$o& !e$ batte$e$ an' an !one"t be)ie% t!at "!e nee'e' to *"e %o$#e in o$'e$ to "ae !e$ )i%e, an' 3> at t!e ti&e o% t!e i))ing, t!e batte$e$ &*"t !ae -o"e' -$obab)e g$ae !a$& to t!e a##*"e', ba"e' on t!e !i"to$ o% io)en#e -e$-et$ate' b t!e %o$&e$ again"t t!e )atte$. T!e Co*$t %ai)e' to %in' a&-)e ei'en#e to #on%i$& t!at t!e a##*"e' "*%%e$e' %$o& (atte$e' ?o&an n'$o&e. T!e a##*"e' -e$%e#t) 'e"#$ibe' t!e ten"ionb*i)'ing -!a"e o% t!e ##)e <1"t -!a"e> b*t t!e 'e%en"e /a" *nab)e to e)i#it %a#t*a) e-e$ien#e" an' t!o*g!t" t!at /o*)' #)ea$) an' %*)) 'e&on"t$ate t!e e""entia) #!a$a#te$i"ti#" o% t!e "n'$o&e. T!e Co*$t e&-!a"ie' t!at a)) t!e e)e&ent" o% a &o'i%ing #i$#*&"tan#e &*"t be -$oe' in o$'e$ to be a--$e#iate'. F*$t!e$&o$e, #iting t!e e-e$t o-inion", t!e Co*$t $e#on" t!at #$*#ia) to t!e (? 'e%en"e i" t!e "tate o% &in' o% t!e batte$e' /o&an. !e &*"t !ae %ea$e' i&&inent !a$& an' an !one"t be)ie% to i)) !i& in o$'e$ to "ae !e$ )i%e. o/ee$, t!e Rei"e' Pena) Co'e -$oi'e" t!at one /!o $e"o$t" to "e)%'e%en"e &*"t %a#e a R7A t!$eat to one" )i%e an' not &e$e) +AGNARY. T!*", *n)a/%*) agg$e""ion i" t!e &o"t e""entia) e)e&ent o% t!e "e)%'e%en"e. n t!i" #a"e !o/ee$, a--e))ant !e$"e)% te"ti%ie' t!at t!e$e /a" a&-)e ti&e inte$a) bet/een t!e *n)a/%*) agg$e""ion o% (en an' !e$ %ata) atta# *-on !i&. T!*", !e /a" no )onge$ in a -o"ition t!at -$e"ente' an a#t*a) t!$eat on !e$ )i%e an' "a%et. o/ee$, t!e Co*$t #on"i'e$e' &itigating %a#to$" o% -a""ion an' ob%*"#ation t!at a)te$e' !e$ -ena)t. T!e %i$"t #i$#*&"tan#e a$o"e %$o& t!e ##)i#a) nat*$e an' t!e "ee$it o% t!e batte$ in%)i#te' b t!e batte$e$"-o*"e *-on a--e))ant. T!at i", t!e $e-eate' beating" oe$ a -e$io' o% ti&e $e"*)te' in !e$ -"#!o)ogi#a) -a$a)"i", /!i#! /a" ana)ogo*" to an i))ne"" 'i&ini"!ing t!e ee$#i"e o% !e$ /i)) -o/e$ /it!o*t 'e-$iing !e$ o% #on"#io*"ne"" o% !e$ a#t". T!e "e#on' #i$#*&"tan#e, on t!e ot!e$ !an', $e"*)te' %$o& t!e io)ent agg$e""ion !e !a' in%)i#te' on !e$ -$io$ to t!e i))ing. T!at t!e in#i'ent o##*$$e' /!en "!e /a" eig!t &ont!" -$egnant /it! t!ei$ #!i)' /a" 'ee&e' b !e$ a" an atte&-t not on) on !e$ )i%e, b*t )ie/i"e on t!at o% t!ei$ *nbo$n #!i)'. *#! -e$#e-tion nat*$a)) -$o'*#e' -a""ion an' ob%*"#ation on !e$ -a$t. b> T$ea#!e$ No, t$ea#!e$ 'i' not atten' t!e i))ing o% (en Geno"a. T!e C $*)e' o*t t$ea#!e$ a" an agg$aating #i$#*&"tan#e be#a*"e a" a $*)e, /!en a i))ing i" -$e#e'e' b an a$g*&ent o$ a *a$$e), t$ea#!e$ #annot be a--$e#iate' a" a *a)i%ing #i$#*&"tan#e, be#a*"e t!e 'e#ea"e' &a be "ai' to !ae been %o$e/a$ne' an' to !ae anti#i-ate' agg$e""ion %$o& t!e a""ai)ant. F*$t!e$&o$e, t!e te"ti&on o% t!e a--e))ant i" in"*%%i#ient to e"tab)i"! t!e -$e"en#e o% t$ea#!e$. T!e a--e))ant a#te' *-on an i&-*)"e "o -o/e$%*) a" to !ae nat*$a)) -$o'*#e' -a""ion o$ ob%*"#ation. T!e a#*te batte$ing "!e "*%%e$e' t!at %ata) nig!t in t!e !an'" o% !e$ batte$e$ "-o*"e, in "-ite o% t!e %a#t t!at "!e /a" 8 &ont!" -$egnant /it! t!ei$ #!i)', oe$/!e)&e' !e$ an' -*t !e$ in t!e a%o$e"ai' e&otiona) an' &enta) "tate, /!i#! oe$#a&e !e$ $ea"on an' i&-e))e' !e$ to in'i#ate !e$ )i%e an' t!at o% !e$ *nbo$n #!i)'. T!e *-$e&e Co*$t a%%i$&e' t!e #oni#tion o% a--e))ant %o$ -a$$i#i'e. o/ee$, #on"i'e$ing t!e -$e"en#e o% t/o <2> &itigating #i$#*&"tan#e" an' /it!o*t an agg$aating
#i$#*&"tan#e, t!e -ena)t i" $e'*#e' to "i ea$" an' one <1> 'a o% -$i"ion &ao$ a" &ini&*&; to 14 ea$" 8 &ont!" an' 1 'a o% $e#)*"ion te&-o$a) a" &ai&*&. na"&*#! a" a--e))ant !a" been 'etaine' %o$ &o$e t!an t!e &ini&*& -ena)t !e$eb i&-o"e' *-on !e$, t!e 'i$e#to$ o% t!e (*$ea* o% Co$$e#tion" &a i&&e'iate) R77A7 !e$ %$o& #*"to' *-on '*e 'ete$&ination t!at "!e i" e)igib)e %o$ -a$o)e, *n)e"" "!e i" being !e)' %o$ "o&e ot!e$ )a/%*) #a*"e.