TL;DR — Ruling
WHEREFORE , the instant Appeal is DENIED . The assailed January 19, 2023 Consolidated Judgment of the Regional Trial Court (RTC), 11" Judicial Region, Branch 21, Bansalan, Davao del Sur, in Criminal Case No. XXI-1200(06) for Murder, and Criminal Case No. XXI-1201(06) for Parricide is AFFIRMED with MODIFICATIONS , as follows: 1.
WHEREFORE , the instant Appeal is DENIED . The assailed January 19, 2023 Consolidated Judgment of the Regional Trial Court (RTC), 11" Judicial Region, Branch 21, Bansalan, Davao del Sur, in Criminal Case No. XXI-1200(06) for Murder, and Criminal Case No. XXI-1201(06) for Parricide is AFFIRMED with MODIFICATIONS , as follows: 1. In Criminal Case No. XXI-1201(06), accused-appellant LEOPOLDO SINGCOL is found GUILTY beyond reasonable doubt of the crime of Parricide ; and is hereby meted the penalty of Reclusion Perpetua ; and ordered to pay the heirs of the victim Andres Singcol the sums of [PHP]75,000.00 as civil indemnity, [PHP]75,000.00 as moral damages, [PHP]75,000.00 as exemplary damages and [PHP]50,000.00 as temperate damages; 2. In Criminal Case No. XXI-1200(06), accused-appellant LEOPOLDO SINGCOL is found GUILTY beyond reasonable doubt of the crime of Murder; and is hereby meted the penalty of Reclusion Perpetua ; and ordered to pay the heirs of the victim Egmedia Singcol the sums of [PHP]75,000.00 as civil indemnity [PHP]75,000.00 as moral damages, [PHP]75,000.00 as exemplary damages and [PHP]50,000.00 as temperate damages; and 3. Interest at the rate of six percent (6%) per annum shall be imposed on all monetary awards in Criminal Case No. XXI-1201(06) and Criminal Case No. XXI-1200(06) from the date of finality of this Decision until fully paid. For the purpose of facilitating service of Court processes, the Court resolves to DIRECT the following: i ) the Penal Superintendent of the Davao Prison and Penal Farm, Dujali, Davao del Norte to manifest, to this Court, within five (5) days from notice, whether accused-appellant is committed in their penal institution; ii ) the Provincial Rehabilitation Center Officer, Provincial Rehabilitation, Mati, Digos City to manifest before this Court, within five (5) days from notice, whether accused-appellant is committed thereat[;] and iii ) the counsel for accused-appellant to manifest, within five (5) days from notice, the present whereabouts of his client. SO ORDERED . [26] (Emphasis in the original) Thus, Leopoldo's present appeal before this Court. Issue The Court decides whether or not the prosecution was able to prove beyond reasonable doubt accused-appellant's criminal liability for murder and parricide. Our Ruling The appeal is dismissed. However, We modify the CA Decision as regards accused-appellant's conviction for parricide. Accused-appellant is guilty of parricide for the killing of Andres, mitigated by the circumstance of passional obfuscation Parricide is defined and penalized under Article 246 of the Revised Penal Code. It states: Article 246 . Parricide . Any person who shall kill his father, mother, or child, whether legitimate or illegitimate, or any of his ascendants, or descendants, or his spouse, shall be guilty of parricide and shall be punished by the penalty of reclusion perpetua to death. Parricide is committed when: (1) A person is killed; (2) The deceased is killed by the a