THE PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, PLAINTIFF-APPELLEE, VS. LITO REVOTOC Y BELARMINO, SATURNINO DIAZ Y RESQUED AND FREDDIE DE VERA Y SEBEASTIAN, DEFENDANTS-APPELLANTS.

MANDATORY REVIEW of the death sentence imposed by the Manila
Circuit Criminal Court upon the accused Lito Revotoc y Belarmino, Saturnino Diaz y Resqued, and
Freddie de Vera y Sebastian.

The record discloses that one Go Pun is the owner and manager of
a restaurant located at 935 Tetuan
Street, Binondo, Manila,
where his elder brother Go Hio, his cook Aw Kim Soon,
and their helper, herein accused Lito Revotoc, sleep.  On February 13, 1973 at about 6:00 o’clock in the morning, Go Pun went to the
restaurant and attended to the day’s business. 
At about 4:00 o’clock in the
afternoon, the accused Lito Revotoc
asked permission from him allegedly to go home to Pangasinan,
which was granted.  Go Pun left the cafeteria
at about 10:00 o’clock in the evening
after counting the day’s cash receipts, amounting to P300.00, which he put in a
box inside an aparador, together with a Rado watch valued at P200.00.  The next day, he went back to the cafeteria
at about 6:00 o’clock in the morning,
as was his wont.  The restaurant was
still closed.  So he knocked at the door
several times.  But nobody opened the
door.  A police sergeant, who had just
arrived at the restaurant, then told a boy to climb a window and enter the
establishment.  The boy did so and
discovered the dead bodies of Go Hio and Aw Kim
Soon.  The boy was then, told to open the
door.  Then, Go Pun and the police
sergeant went inside.  On the mezzanine
floor, they saw Go Hio and Aw Kim Soon lying side by
side, both dead.  The victims were clad
in pajamas and their faces were bloody. 
There were also wounds on their hands.^[1]
Blood and bits of glass were on the floor. 
The drawer where Go Pun kept his money had been forced open and the
money and the watch were no longer there. 
In like manner, the closet had also been forced open.  Two (2) cartons of cigarettes, valued at
P40.00 were no longer in a shelf where he last saw it.  Some candies valued at P6.00 were also
missing.^[2]

Initial police investigations revealed that the accused Lito Revotoc and a companion were
seen knocking at the kitchen door of the restaurant at about 10:00 o’clock in the evening of February 13, 1973.  Accordingly, a search for Lito
Revotoc and his companion was conducted.  It was learned that Lito
Revotoc was with a certain “Tisoy“.  “Tisoy”
was picked up and he informed the police investigators that Revotoc
was often times with one “Ninoy“, whose
real name was Saturnino Diaz.  Upon investigation, Saturnino
Diaz admitted that he was with Revotoc and Freddie de
Vera on the night of the robbery, that he stood guard outside the door while Revotoc and Freddie entered the store.^[3]
When asked about his share in the robbery, he told the arresting officer that
he hid part of the loot in his room. 
They brought Saturnino Diaz to his home at Baltazar St., Tondo, Manila,
and Diaz got the money, which had been placed inside a stocking, from under the
altar.  The money amounted to P68.20.^[4]
They also recovered the “Rado” wrist watch (Exh. “G”) which Go Pun identified as his.^[5]
Thereafter, Saturnino Diaz executed a sworn statement
admitting his participation in the robbery. 
(Exh. “J”.) Police investigators
also picked up Freddie de Vera who, upon questioning, admitted that he was with
Revotoc and Diaz.^[6]
He, likewise, executed an extra-judicial confession admitting his participation
therein.^[7]
Meanwhile, a team of police investigators was sent to Mangaldan,
Pangasinan, to arrest Lito Revotoc.  They were
accompanied by one Loida, a townmate
and co-employee of Lito Revotoc.  They brought Revotoc
to Manila and when informed that de
Vera and Diaz had already been apprehended, Revotoc
admitted that he took part in the killing of the Chinaman.^[8]
He also executed an extra-judicial confession.^[9]

Accordingly, Lito Revotoc,
Saturnino Diaz and Freddie de Vera were charged with
the crime of Robbery with Multiple Homicide, committed as follows:

“That on or about February 13, 1973, at nighttime, purposely
sought to better accomplish their criminal designs, in the City of Manila,
Philippines, the said accused, conspiring and confederating together and
mutually helping one another, with intent of gain and by means of intimidation
and violation against persons, to wit:  by
then and there entering a restaurant located at 935 Tetuan,
Sta. Cruz, this City, which is at the same time being used as a dwelling place
of Aw Kim Soon and Go Hio, did then and there wilfully, unlawfully and feloniously take, steal and carry
away the following:

Cash money in coins
and one-peso bills amounting to P300.00;

Two cartons of king
size Philip Morris cigarettes valued at P40.00;

Candies amounting to
P6.00; and

One Rado calendar men’s wrist watch, nickle
plate, with bracelet to match, valued at P200.00,

all valued at P546.00, belonging to Go Pun,
against the latter’s will, to the damage and prejudice of said Go Pun in the aforesaid
sum of P546.00, Philippine currency; that on the occasion of the said robbery
and for the purpose of enabling the said accused to take, steal and carry away
the aforesaid cash money and articles and in pursuance of their conspiracy, the
said accused, with intent to kill and taking advantage of their number and
superior strength, willfully, unlawfully and feloniously treacherously attacked,
assaulted and used personal violence upon Aw Kim Soon and Go Hio by then and there hitting said Aw Kim Soon several
times on the neck and on the head with a piece of wood and hitting said Go Hio several times on the head with a lead pipe and an empty
soft drinks bottle, thereby inflicting upon the said Aw Kim Soon and Go Hio mortal wounds which were the direct and immediate cause
of their death soon thereafter.

“Contrary to law.”

After trial, judgment was rendered, as follows:

“WHEREFORE, all of the accused are hereby found guilty beyond
reasonable doubt as principals of the crime of robbery with homicide and there
being proved the aggravating circumstance of nighttime, dwelling and the
additional aggravating circumstance of craft or fraud with respect to Revotoc without any mitigating circumstance to offset the
same, the Court sentences each one of them to DEATH; to jointly and severally
indemnify the heirs of the deceased, Go Hio, the sum
of P12,000.00 for the death of the latter, the sum of P10,000.00 for exemplary
damages; the heirs of the deceased Aw Kim Soon the sum of P12,000.00 for the
death of the latter, the sum of P10,000.00 by way of moral damages and the sum
of P10,000.00 for exemplary damages.

“All accused are further ordered to jointly and severally
indemnify victim Go Pun the sum of P231.80 representing the unrecovered
amount and articles robbed from him and to proportionately pay the costs.

“Atty. Leonardo Kalinawan is hereby
awarded an attorney’s fee of P500.00 as counsel de oficio
of accused Revotoc and de Vera.

“The coins recovered (Exhibits “H-1” to
“H-15”) and the watch (Exhibit “G”) are hereby ordered
returned to victim Go Pun.

“SO ORDERED.”

By virtue of the death penalty imposed, the case is before this
Court for mandatory review.

The prosecution presented in evidence the confessions of the
accused wherein they admitted their culpability.

The defense on the other hand repudiated the extra-judicial
confessions of the accused claiming that said confessions were extracted
against their will.  Accused Saturnino “Ninoy” Diaz
said that he was boxed on his chest and back. 
And a gun was poked at him.^[10]
Accused Lito Revotoc
testified that bread was placed inside his mouth; his face was covered with a
towel and then water was poured on his face.^[11]
Accused Freddie de Vera told the court that while his feet and hands were tied,
he was brought under a faucet, his face was covered with sack and thereafter,
water was poured on him.^[12]
They also testified that they were not informed of their right to remain silent
and to counsel.  In addition, they
interposed the defense of alibi.  Accused
Revotoc claimed that at 4:00 p.m. of February 13,
1973 he left Go’s store, his place of work, to go
home to Mangaldan, Pangasinan.  He took a “Pantranco”
bus and he reached Mangaldan a few minutes before 11:00 p.m.^[13]
Accused de Vera said that from 9:00 a.m.
to 9:00 p.m. of February 13, 1973 he worked as a rig driver.  And from 9:00
p.m. up to 7:00 a.m. of
the following day, February 14, 1973,
he slept in his house located at 2728 Liko St., Tondo,
Manila.^[14]
Accused Saturnino Diaz testified that he also worked
as a rig driver from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. of February 13, 1973 and after working he stayed in his house
located at 536 Baltazar St.,
Tondo, Manila.^[15]
This statement was corroborated by his wife.^[16]

The main issue to be resolved is whether the extrajudicial
confessions of the accused are voluntary and if, together with the other
evidence, they constitute sufficient grounds for their conviction.

The trial court has correctly observed that the extrajudicial statements
of the accused are replete with details which the accused alone could have
possibly known and could hardly have been supplied by the disinterested police
officers.  This circumstance shows voluntariness.  It is
stated in their affidavits that they met in the evening of February 13, 1973 at
the corner of Espeleta and Alonzo streets as
previously agreed upon; that they used the rig of de Vera in inspecting the
store to see if it was already closed; that Revotoc
and de Vera were the ones who knocked at the door; that while Revotoc and de Vera entered the store, Diaz stood guard at
the door; that upon having entered the store, Revotoc
went to the lavatory, and washed his face while de Vera went to the comfort
room; that after de Vera came out of the comfort room he picked up a family
size empty bottle of a soft drink and struck Ape (Go Hio)
on the head; that the bottle was broken; that Ape, after being hit, leaned on
the door and shouted for help; that while Ape was shouting for help Revotoc went upstairs and he saw Ang
(Aw Kim Soon) awakened by the loud shout of Ape; that Ang
immediately and hurriedly ran downstairs and fell down; Revotoc
at that moment tried to look for something to beat their victims while de Vera
went to Diaz who was standing on guard outside the store, and asked him for the
lead pipe which Diaz used in fixing the wheel of his rig; that Revotoc found a piece of wood two inches wide, two inches
thick and two feet long; that having provided themselves with weapons, Revotoc and de Vera attacked their victims; that Revotoc brutally struck Ang on
the neck causing the latter to fall and Revotoc
pitilessly hit him two times more at the neck and head; and that de Vera
ruthlessly beat Ape with a lead pipe many times until the latter died.  Ang also died from
his injuries.

The trial court has aptly noticed that the affidavits contain
answers more than what is called for by the questions asked.  Again, this circumstance bespeaks of voluntariness.^[17]

Anent the allegation of the accused that they were not informed
of their constitutional rights:

a) the affidavit of accused Revotoc
reveals the following:

“T – Ipinaaalam ko sa
iyo na sa
ilalim ng ating bagong Saligang
Batas ay karapatan mong huag magsalita, naiintindihan mo ba ako?

S  – Opo.

“T
– Nais mo ba ng isang abogado
bago ka magbigay ng salaysay na
ito?

S  – Hindi na po, sasabihin ko
na po ang
lahat. 
(Exhibit “I”.)

b) the sworn statement of accused Diaz tells the following:

“T – Ipinaalam ko sa
iyo na sa
ilalim ng ating Saligang Batas may karapatan kang huwag magsalita kung hindi mo gusto at karapatan mo
ring magkaroon ng manananggol bago ka sumagot sa mga
itatanong ko sa ito.  Nai­intindihan mo ba ang mga
sinasabi sa iyong mga karapatan?

S  – Opo.  Hindi ko na po kailangan
ang manananggol.  (Exhibit ‘J’).”

c)  the sworn statement of
accused de Vera contains the following:

“T – Nais mo bang magbigay ng isang malaya
at kusang loob na salaysay at sagutin ng boong
katotohanan ang lahat ng aking
itatanong sa iyo, na di
ka namin pinipilit, tinatakot, sinaktan, o pinangakuan ng ano mang bagay
na iyong ikabubuti, at dapat mong malaman na
ang salaysay mong ito ay maaring
gamitin laban sa iyo sa
alin mang hukuman dito sa
Pilipinas?

S  – Opo.

“T
– Nais mo ba ang tulong ng
isang abogado bago ka magbigay ng salaysay na
ito?

S  – Hindi na po kailangan.  Sasabihin naman sa iyo
ang totoo.  (Exhibit ‘K’).”

The testimonies of the accused that violence was inflicted upon
them in the process of obtaining their confessions are uncorroborated.  Their testimonies, standing alone, cannot
withstand the unyielding strength of the settled rule that an extra-judicial
confession is presumed to have been willingly and freely given until the
contrary is clearly and fully shown.  And
the record is bereft of any evidence to rebut this presumption.  Hence, the extra-judicial statements must be
conclusively held to be voluntary.

The alibi put up by the accused deserve scant consideration.  Aside from the fact that alibi is one of the
weakest of defenses and can easily be concocted, the evidence against the
accused is so clear and strong that it cannot be overcome by mere alibi.

We have ruled in People vs. Reyes, et al.^[18]
that a confession extra-judicially given is sufficient ground for conviction of
the crimes charged if corroborated by evidence of corpus delicti.  The evidence of record proves satisfactorily
the fact of loss sustained and the fact of death.  The fact of loss was testified to by Go
Pun.  He said that the drawer where he
kept his wrist watch worth P200.00 and cash in the amount of P300.00 was forced
open.  Said belongings together with two
cartons of cigarettes valued at P40.00 and candies valued at P6.00 were all
missing.^[19]
This testimony of Go Pun is corroborated by the investigating policeman
Patrolman Cenon Onggoco who
saw the drawers on the ground floor of the store.^[20]
One of the drawers found on the floor was where the wrist watch and cash were
kept.  And Cpl. Aurelio A. Mercader who searched the house of accused Diaz mentioned,
on the witness stand, that the alleged lost watch was found in the possession
of Diaz who admitted having stolen it. 
The watch was properly identified by Go Pun to be his.^[21]
The fact of death is demonstrated by the certificates of death marked as
Exhibits “B” and “E” and by the Postmortem Findings of the
Medico-Legal Officer of the Manila Metropolitan Police marked as Exhibits
“C” and “F”.

The crime committed is the special complex crime of robbery with
homicide defined and penalized in Article 294 of the Revised Penal Code.  The term “homicide” in paragraph
one thereof should be understood in its generic sense^[22]
and covers the two killings.  No doubt,
the killing of the two Chinese was perpetrated by reason of the robbery.  And no matter how We view the case in the
most favorable light, the death penalty can not be avoided.  Against the three accused, We hereby
appreciate the aggravating circumstances of nighttime, abuse of superior
strength and craft.

The aggravating circumstance of dwelling is also appreciated
against the accused Saturnino Diaz and Freddie de
Vera, but not against the accused Lito Revotoc inasmuch as he also lived in the same dwelling as
the victims.  The offenders executed the
felony at 10:00 p.m. to make sure
that there would be no people in the premises who may witness their act and
that the store would already be closed. 
So nighttime was purposely sought by the accused to facilitate the
commission of the offense.  The
defenseless and unarmed victims who had just awakened from their sleep were
attacked by their killers, armed with a lead pipe, a bottle and a piece of
wood.  So there was abuse of superior
strength.  Accused Revotoc
asked permission from his employer allegedly to go home to Pangasinan
at 4:00 p.m. on the day the offense
was committed.  He even borrowed P50.00
from his employer.  He brought with him
his clothes placed in a travelling bag.  At 10:00 p.m.
of the same day, he went back to the store with his co-accused.  He knocked at the door and when asked who he
was he mentioned his name.  To place the
victims off-guard and to gain entrance at that unholy hour, he pretended that
he was going back to the store because he failed to take a ride to Pangasinan.  By
reason of his pretention, the unsuspecting Chinese
opened the door to welcome him. 
Thereafter, Revotoc and de Vera entered the
place, and with Diaz standing as guard, they perpetrated the crime.  The aggravating circumstance of craft is
therefore present.

ACCORDINGLY, modified as thus indicated, the judgment is
hereby AFFIRMED in all other respects.

SO ORDERED.

Makasiar, Aquino,
Concepcion, Jr., Fernandez, Guerrero, Abad Santos, De Castro, and
Melencio-Herrera, JJ., concur.

Barredo, J., concur in the opinion of J. Teehankee.

Teehankee, J. see separate concurring opinion.

Fernando, C.J., took no part.

---

^[1]
Aw Kim Soon sustained the following injuries:

“EXTERNAL INJURIES:

(1) A group of eight
(8) contused lacerated wounds on the left side of the face involving the
eyebrow, malar, nasal, lip and lower jaw.  The eyeball is basked in and the fractured malar bone is protruding with palpable fracture of the lower
mandible and alveolar process of the upper front teeth.

(2) A group of five
(5) contused wounds in the left side of the anterior surface of the neck and
left infra-clavicular region.  The neck is swollen with palpable fracture of
the larynx.

(3) Purplish contused
area over the midsternum.

(4) Contused lacerated
wound of the scalp at the left occipital region of the head, with extended
linear contusion over the left side of the nape of the neck behind the left
ear.

“INTERNAL FINDINGS:

Fracture
of the”

– Sternum at the level
of the 5th ribs;

–
3-5th ribs, left’ 2-5th ribs, right;

–
Complete comminuted fracture of the thyroid cartilage;

–
Complete fracture of the 7th cervical vertebra;

– Comminuted fracture
of the left lower mandible, left;

– Malar bone and alveolar process of the upper left teenth.

“MISCELLANEOUS:

P.T.B. apex of both
lungs.

No brain injury

Stomack
is empty of food contents, but contains dark blood.

“CAUSE OF DEATH:

Traumatic fracture of the left molar
and left lower mandible of the skull, cervical vertebra, ribs and sternum, with
complete fracture of the crico thyroid cartilage of
the larynx.  (Exh.
‘C’).

Go Hio
sustained the following injuries:

“EXTERNAL INJURIES:

(1) Contused lacerated
wound of the scalp in the hairline over the mid-frontal region of the head.

(2) Superficial
lacerated wound over the right eyebrow.

(3) Contused abrasion
with a linear-contusion extending from the temporal to the malar
region of the face.  There is periorbital hematoma, left eye.

(4) Lacerated wound, mucosa
of the right lower lip.

(5)Contused lacerated
wound with five (5) linear abrasions perpendicularly directed across the wound,
at the left side of the chin.

(6) Purplish swelling
(hematoma) of the anterior neck with palpable
fracture of the larynx.

(7) Contused areas at
the right anterior shoulder extending to over the clavicular
region.

(8) Contused areas in
the upper lateral surface of the right arm.

(9) Avulsion of the
skin on the lateral surface of the right forearm and lateral side of the left
knee.

(10) Contused
lacerated wound of the scalp over the posterior parietal region of the head.

(11) Contused
laceration of the pina of the left ear extending to
the mastoid and left occipital region of the head.

(12) Three (3)
irregularly shaped lacerated penet­rating wounds on the lateral side of the
left side of the neck just below the mandible, with surrounding extensive
contusions and contusion, abrasion at the supra-clavicular
region.  There is palpable fracture of
the lower jaw (mandible).

(13) Avulsion of the
skin at the dorsal surface of the left forearm.

(14) Ecohymesis, upper posterior chest.

“INTERNAL FINDINGS:

(1) Subarachnoid hemorrhage all over the brain but mere severe
in the fronto-parietal and left temporal region.

(2) Fracture of the
skull; linear fracture of the cranium on the frontal and parietal bones in the
midline; linear fracture involving the left incisive fossa
and depressed fracture on the left posterior fossa.  Fracture of the crico-thyroid
cartilage in the left side.  Fracture of the
left lower mandible.

(3) Petechial hemmorrhage in the
mucosa of the larynx, over the crico-thyroid
cartilage.

(4) Stomach contains
partly digested meal.

“CAUSE OF DEATH:

Traumatic fracture of the skull
with severe subarachnoid hemorrhage and compression
fracture of the crico-thyroid cartilage causing
asphyxiation.  (Exh.
‘F’).”

^[2]
T.S.N. of March 16, 1973,
pp. 12-19.

^[3] t.s.n. of April
25, 1973, pp. 21-22.

^[4] t.s.n. of May 14,
1973, pp. 12-14.

^[5] Id.,
p. 5

^[6] t.s.n. of April
25, 1973, p. 23.

^[7] Exhs. “K” and “K-1”.

^[8] t.s.n. of April
25, 1973, pp. 12-13.

^[9] Exh. ”I”.

^[10]
pp. 30-31, t.s.n., May 14, 1973.

^[11]
pp. 14-16, May 31, 1973.

^[12]
p. 24, t.s.n., May 31, 1973.

^[13]
pp. 21-22, t.s.n., May 31, 1973.

^[14]
pp. 24-25, t.s.n., May 31, 1973.

^[15] pp.
26-27, t.s.n., May 14, 1973.

^[16]
pp. 3-4, t.s.n., May 31, 1973.

^[17]
In the affidavits of accused de Vera, the following are stated:

T  – Maaari bang sabihin mo sa amin
kung ano ang kina­laman mo sa mga pangyayari sa tindahan noon sa Tetuan
na kanamatayan ng dalawang intsik?

S – Ganito po.  Si Ninoy po at si
Lito ang nagplano na sila
ang gagawa ng pagnanakaw sa
tindahan ng maga intsik sa
Tetuan.  Dahil sa dadalawa
sila ay sinabi sa akin ni Ninoy
na may plano
sila at kai­langan ang tulong ko.

x x
x                 x
x x                 x x x

T  – Ng buksan ng intsik ang
pintuan ano ang nangyari?            

S
– Pumasok si Lito at tinawag ako kayat pumasok
rin ako.  Naghilamos si Lito at ako
ay umihi naman sa kubeta.  Ng makita ko na hindi
pa pinapalo ni Lito iyong intsik
ay sinabi ko sa kaniya sa
wikang Pang­asinan, “Bakit hindi mo pa paluin.  Sabi mo ikaw ang
papalo.” Ang sagot ni Lito
ay sa akin na iyong intsik sa
ibaba at sa kaniya iyong intsik
na nasa itaas
ng bahay.  Umakyat si Lito sa
itaas at di nagtagal ay narinig ko si Lito
na sabi, “Sigue paluin mo na iyang nasa
ibaba at niyari ko na itong
nasa itaas.” Ang ginawa ko
ay kumuha ako ng bote ng
pepsi at aking pinalo iyong intsik
sa ibaba.

T  – Ano ang nangyari sa
intsik sa ibaba?

S – Ng tamaan ko sa
ulo ay nagsisigaw iyong intsik at tumakbo paitaas ng bahay.  Ng tumakbo pa-itaas ang intsik
ay tumakbo ako palabas at sumakay ako sa kalesa
ni Ninoy.  Sabi ko tara na at sumigaw iyong
intsik.  Sabi ni Ninoy
kung nasaan si Lito.  Sabi ko ay iniwanan
ko.  Sabi ni Ninoy
ay kung bakit ko iniwanan.  Nagsisigaw ika ko.  Sabi ni Ninoy
ay ganito, “Paano kung
mahuli si Lito ay di isisigaw
tayo“.  Pagdating namin sa Ongpin sa
may Tokyo Hotel ay bumaba na
ako at sumakay ako ng Taxi at nagpahatid ako sa Blumintritt.  Iniwan ko si Ninoy
sa Ongpin.  (p. 56, Original Record).

x x
x                 x
x x                 x x x

The affidavit of
accused Diaz contains the following:

T  – Kailan kayo nagplano sa nasabing
pagnanakaw na may kasamang pagpatay?

S – Kami ni Lito
ang nagplano mayroong isang Linggo na.  Ngayon kinausap ko si
Fred na tumulong sa aming gagawin
at pumayag naman si Fred.  Nag-­usap kami noong
Lunes ng gabi.  Ang pinagusapan namin ay sa Martes
ng gabi namin
gagawin.  At ng magkita nga
kami ng Martes
ng gabi ay sumakay silang dalawa ni Lito
sa aking kalesa at nagpa­ikot-ikot kami sa may Alonzo at Tetuan at Espe­leta.  Ng mga alas 11:00 ng gabi na ay dinala
ko na sila
sa tindahan.  Sa malayo ay pinarada ko ang
kalesa at bumaba silang dalawa.  Nagtuloy sila sa tindahan.  Kumatok si Lito at ng
buksan ng nasa loob ay pumasok
rin si Fred.  Nakita ko ng paluin
ni Fred iyong intsik sa ibaba
at ako naman ay sumakay na agad
sa aking kalesa at sa loob
ay narinig ko na parang nababasag
na bote.  Lumabas sa tindahan si
Fred at sumakay sa
akin.  Tinanong
ko nga kung bakit niya iniwanan
si Lito sabi
ay nandoon sa loob ng tindahan
si Lito.

T  – Totoo be na tina(n)ong
mo kay Fred kung bakit niya iniwanan at baka mahuli at isasabit kayo?

S – Tina(n)ong ko nga
po.  Ang sagot niya
ay sumigaw iyong intsik.  Umalis kami at sa Ongpin ay ibi­naba
ko siya.  Omowi na ako.  Sa Azcarraga ay
n(a)kita ko si Lito sa
isang kalesa at isinakay ko at inoiwi sa amin.  Nitong umaga ay inihatid ko sa Azcarraga
at sasakay raw siya sa Pantranco.  Iyon and huli naming pagkikita.  (p. 53, Original Record)

x x
x                 x
x x                 x x x

And the affidavit
of accused Revotoc contains the following”

T  – Maari bang sabihim mo sa aming
kung ano ang kina­laman mo sa mga pangyayari sa tindahan sa
Tetuan at Misericordia na kinamatayan ng dalawang intsik?

S – Mga tatlong lingo bago nangyari ang
patayan kina­usap ako ni Ninoy
na hoholdapin nila ang tindahan.  Ipinatuturo sa aking ang
kinalalagyan ng pera at pinangako sa akin na bibigyan
ako raw ng kalahati nang makukuha
nilang pera basta huwag akong
mag­susumbong. 
Kung magsusumbong papatayin
ako raw.  Sa takot ko naman
hindi ko nasabi sa maykapang­yarihan.  Noong Lunes nagkita kaming
tatlo sa tin­dahan at sinabi nila sa aking
na bukas na nang gabi
titirahin mangyari alam nilang aalis
ako at uuwi sa Pangasinan sapagkat
maysulat sa aking ang misis
ko na pinauuwi
ako.  Ang ginawa ko
bumale ako ng P50.00 kay kabesi
at nagpaalam akong uuwi sa aming
bayan sa Pangasinan noong alas 4:00 ng hapon ng Martes.  Nang mabigyan ako ng
pera noong alas 4:00 ng hapon ng
Martes nag-paalam ako dala ko
ang mga damit
sa traveling bag at nanood muna ako ng
sine sa King’s Theater sa Ongpin.  Nang mga 8:30 ng gabi
lumabas ako at tumuloy sa kinu­kunan
ng pagkain ng kabayo sa
Espeleta at Teodora Alonzo dahil sa usapan
naming hihintayin nila ako doon.  Pagdating ko doon naroon
na silang dalawa ngunit may pasahero pa si Ninoy sa kanyang
kalesa at ang sabi ihahatid muna
niya at niyaya naman ako ni
Fred na maginuman muna kaming dalawa.  Tumuloy kami ni Fred sa
maliit na restauran sa Teodora
Alonzo sa tabi ng Delicious Restaurant at uminom
si Fred ng San Miguel gin
at ako naman ay uminom ng isang
boteng beer na mayhalong gin.  Pagkatapos naming uminom bumalik kami ni
Fred sa Espeleta at nandodoon na si
Ninoy naghihintay at mga alas 10:00 na nang gabi
noon. 
Nagpaalam si Ninoy na iikot
muna sa Tetuan
at titingnan ang tindahan kung sarado na.  Pagkaraan ng may kala­hating oras dumating si Ninoy
at ang sabi ay sarado na raw ang
tindahan at sumakay na kami ni
Fred sa kalesa at umikot kaming dalawang
beses sa Tetuan at sinisiguro namin na wala
ng mga taong
sa paligid ng tindahan.  Umistanbay kami sa may massage clinic sa Tetuan at inabangan
namin ang pagalis ni kabesi
sa restauran.  Si Fred nagpamasahe, ako naman ay nakipagusap lang sa mga
babae doon at si Ninoy ang
nagaabang sa pagalis ni kabesi.  Malapit ng mag eleven o’clock nang umalis si kabesi
at tinawag na kami ni Ninoy.  Sumakay kami sa kalesa
ni Ninoy at umikot uli kami
at titingnan kung yong guardiya na binigyan
namin ng gin ay naroon pa sa kanyang
puesto at nang makita namin na
wala na sa
puesto ang guar­diya, pinarada ni Ninoy ang
kalesa sa tapat ng pintuan
ng kusina ng tindahan sa
Tetuan at buma­ba na kaming tatlo.  Kimatok ako sa pintuan
at si Fred ay kumatok din
at sumagot yong matandang intsik na nasa loob
at itinanong kung sino kami.  Ang Sabi ko
naman na ako si Lito
at ang pinto ay binuksan.  Sabay kami ni Fred na
pumasok at sinabi kung hindi ako nakasakay.  Itinanong noong Intsik kung sino si Fred at ang sagot ko
kasama ko.  Nag­hilamos ako sa lababo
at si Fred ay umihi sa kubeta.  Paglabas ni Fred sa kubeta
nakita kung dumampot ng boteng walang
laman ng family size na soft drink at pinalo yong Intsik na
kapatid ng may-ari na kung tawagin
namin si Ape (referring to
Go Hio).  Napasandal yong si Ape sa may pintuan.  Nagsisigaw si Ape sa wikang
Intsik at tumakbong paakyat sa itaas.  Ako naman nauna nang
umakyat.  Si Ang (referring to Aw Kim Soon)
na natutulog sa itaas na
nagising sa sigaw ni Ape, ay nahulog sa hagdanan
sa pagmamadali.  Ang ginawa ko ay naghanap
ng maipapalo at nakadampot ako ng kapirasong kahoy
na dos por dos na may dalawang piye ang haba.  Nakita kung umaakyat ang dalawang
Intsik sa habol ni Fred.  Pagdating nila sa itaas,
tumakbo ako papunta sa may cuarto ko at napansin
kung si Ang ay parang naghahanap ng pamalo kaya
ang ginawa ko ay pinalo ko
siya sa leeg.  Bumagsak si Ang at pinalo
ko uling dalawang beses sa leeg at sa
ulo.  Si Ape naman pagdating
sa itaas ay pinag­papalo ni Fred ng tubo hanggang
sa hindi na gumagalaw.  Pagkatapos bumaba na si
Fred.  Ako ay na­iwan sa itaas
at pinatay ko ang ilaw.  Pagbaba ko wala na
sila Fred at Ninoy.  Naglakad ako hanggang makasakay
sa kalesa.  (p. 50, Original Record).”

^[18]
No. L-19894, May 27, 1966,
citing therein Sec. 3, Rule 133 of the Rules of Court.

^[19]
pp. 17-20, t.s.n., March 16, 1973.

^[20]
pp. 19-20, t.s.n., April 25, 1973.

^[21]
p. 5, t.s.n., May
14, 1973

^[22]
People vs. Saquing, L-27903, Dec. 26, 1969, 30 SCRA 834, cited in
People vs. Roncal, Nos. L-26857-58, Oct. 21, 1977, 79 SCRA 509.

---

Normal
ali
12
22
2006-10-04T04:09:00Z
2008-03-05T18:15:00Z
1
148
783
15
3
930
10.2625

Clean
Clean
MicrosoftInternetExplorer4

/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:”Table Normal”;
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:””;
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:”Times New Roman”;}