G.R. No. 129899 - PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, VS. RODOLFO VILLA, JR. Y DELGADO, ACCUSED-.D E C I S I O N - Supreme Court E-Library

Ruling

accordingly charged with multiple murder. When arraigned on 3 October 1991 he entered a plea of not guilty. Later however his counsel, Atty. Cipriano Dumpit, manifested in open court that the accused was desirous of changing his plea to guilty. Thereafter, the accused invoked self-defense insofar as Dionito Fernandez was concerned, as the latter tried to stab him with a bolo. Thus, according to the accused, he was forced to shoot Dionito with his rifle. [4] The trial court then proceeded to propound searching questions on the accused to determine whether he understood the nature and consequences of his change of plea, and upon being satisfied with the answers given by the accused who was assisted by counsel, the court allowed the change of plea. [5] Meanwhile, on 16 July 1992, the trial court issued an order appointing Atty. Romeo Alinea as counsel de oficio for the accused, as his counsel de parte Atty. Cipriano Dumpit was unavailable due to his ongoing medical treatment. [6] Before the defense could present its evidence, however, counsel de oficio Alinea manifested his inability to confer with the accused but moved that a psychiatric examination of the accused be made at the National Center for Mental Health to determine his mental condition. The motion was granted and the accused was examined at the Olongapo City General Hospital to ascertain whether he was suffering from mental illness before, during and after the commission of the crimes. [7] Dr. Romeo Enriquez, the examining psychiatrist at the Olongapo City General Hospital, recommended that the accused be confined at the National Center for Mental Health, Forensic Pavillion, where an evaluation process for the possibility of insanity could be made. [8] Thus, on 4 November 1994, the accused was confined and treated at the National Center for Mental Health, under the direct supervision of Dr. Celeste A. C. Peña, Medical Officer III, and Dr. Isagani S. Gonzales, Medical Specialist II, Physician-in-charge Male Court Case Pavillion. On 21 December 1994, after more than a month of psychiatric evaluation, the attending physicians submitted to the trial court a psychiatric evaluation report, [9] which stated in part - PSYCHIATRIC EVALUATION RESULTS: Evaluation shows that the patient is suffering from Insanity or Psychosis classified as Schizophrenia. This is a mental illness characterized by deterioration in social and occupational functioning, auditory hallucination, delusion, thought disturbances and poor judgment. He is at present incompetent to stand trial. REMARKS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: He is recommended for further confinement and treatment. Six (6) months later, or on 5 June 1995, a follow-up report on the patients psychiatric status was made, this time by Dr. Cheryl Zalsos, with remarks that the patients status had improved enough for him to withstand the rigors of the trial. Thus, Adoracion Manuit, Officer-in-Charge of the Legal Section, National Center for Mental Health, filed a Petitio