G.R. No. 252212 - PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, VS. ROBERTO G. CAMPOS, ACCUSED-.D E C I S I O N - Supreme Court E-Library

Ruling

Accordingly, Roberto was charged with the complex crime of Robbery with Homicide before the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Antipolo City, Branch 73, docketed as Criminal Case No. 03-25467, to wit: That on or about the 20th day of April 2003, in the City of Antipolo, Philippines, and within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, the above-named accused, while armed with a gun, by means of violence and intimidation, with intent to gain, did, then and there, willfully, unlawfully, and feloniously, take, rob and carted away a Nokia 3610 cellphone worth P8,000.00, of one EMELIZA P. EMPON and by reason [of] or on [the] occasion thereof, the said accused, did then and there willfully, unlawfully and feloniously attack, assault and shoot said Emeliza P. Empon, thereby inflicting upon the latter mortal gunshot wound on the chest, which directly caused her death. CONTRARY TO LAW. [7] Roberto pleaded not guilty. At the trial, Roberto denied the accusation and claimed that on the night of April 20, 2003, he was at his friend's house in Santolan, Pasig City. At 12:00 midnight, three (3) police officers arrested him, placed a plastic on his head, punched him, and forced him to confess that he committed a crime. [8] In a Decision [9] dated February 9, 2017, the RTC convicted Roberto of the crime charged. The RTC held that Roberto killed Emeliza after violently taking her personal property. The RTC gave credence to Eric and Marilou's narration of the incident, and the positive identification of Roberto as the perpetrator of the crime. The RTC rejected Roberto's self-serving and unsubstantiated alibi, thus: WHEREFORE , in light of all the foregoing, accused Roberto G. Campos is hereby found GUILTY as charged beyond reasonable doubt and sentences him to suffer the penalty of RECLUSION PERPETUA . In addition thereto, accused is further ordered to pay the heirs of the victim, the amount of Php 75,000.00 as civil indemnity; Php 50,000.00 as moral damages; Php 30,000.00 as exemplary damages; and Php 30,000.00 as temperate damages in lieu of actual damages, [with interest] all at the rate of 6% per annum from the finality of this Decision until fully paid. SO ORDERED.