G.R. No. 177740 - PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, VS. ROMULO GARCIA Y MACEDA, ACCUSED-.D E C I S I O N - Supreme Court E-Library

Ruling

WHEREFORE, this Court is morally convinced that the accused, ROMULO GARCIA Y MACEDA, is GUILTY, beyond reasonable doubt of the crime of RAPE, as defined and penalized under the Revised Penal Code, as amended by R.A. 7659, in relation to R.A. 7160. Finding the victim, [AAA], to have been under eighteen (18) years of age at the time of rape on January 6, 2000 and finding the offender to be a relative by affinity within the third civil degree, in addition to the fact that said victim is below seven (7) years old, this Court imposes the supreme penalty of Death through Lethal Injection, as provided for in Republic Act, 8177, amending section 24 of R.A. 7659, in the manner and procedure therein provided. The accused is hereby directed to indemnify the offended party the amount of Seventy Five Thousand (Php 75,000.00) Pesos, the crime of Rape being effectively qualified by the circumstances under which the Death Penalty is authorized by the applicable amendatory laws. He is further ordered to indemnify the victim in the amount of Fifty Thousand (Php 50,000.00) Pesos, by way of moral damages. SO ORDERED.