G.R. Nos. 204481-82 - ALBERT G. AMBAGAN, JR., VS. PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES.D E C I S I O N - Supreme Court E-Library

Ruling

WHEREFORE, in light of all the foregoing, judgment is hereby rendered, as follows: 1. In Criminal Case No. 28259, accused ALBERT G. AMBAGAN, JR., and accused MICHAEL T. MALABANAN, CELESTINO "ELY" B. GARCIA, and ROGER V. CAUSAREN are found GUILTY beyond reasonable doubt of Homicide for the death of Reynaldo Santos, the first as principal by inducement, and the rest as principal by direct participation, and are sentenced to suffer the indeterminate penalty of Six (6) Years and One (1) Day of Prision Mayor as minimum, to Twelve (12) years and One (1) Day of Reclusion Temporal as maximum. Further, the said accused are hereby ordered to pay jointly and severally, the heirs of Reynaldo S. Santos, the following damages: (a) The sum of P50,000.00 as civil indemnity; (b) The sum of P787,875.00 as reimbursement for the burial and funeral expenses: (c) The sum of P1,647,979.32 as compensatory damages; and (d) The sum of P50,000.00 as moral damages; 2. In Criminal Case No. 28260, accused ALBERT G. AMBAGAN, JR., MICHAEL T. MALABANAN, CELESTINO "ELY" B. GARCIA, and ROGER V. CAUSAREN are found GUILTY beyond reasonable doubt of Homicide for the death of Domingo Bawalan, the first as principal by inducement, and the rest as principal by direct participation, and are hereby sentenced to suffer the indeterminate penalty of Six (6) Years and One (1) Day of Prision Mayor as minimum, to twelve (12) years and One (1) day of Reclusion Temporal as maximum. Further, they are ordered to pay jointly and severally, the heirs of Domingo Bawalan the following: a. The sum of P50,000.00 as civil indemnity; b. The sum of P40,000.00 as actual damages; c. The sum of P50,000.00 as moral damages; Finally, in Criminal Cases No. 28259 and No. 28260, an interest of six percent (6%) per annum shall be applied to all the award of damages from the finality of judgment until fully paid. 3. In Criminal Cases No. 28259 and No. 28260, accused ALBERTO C. ANGCANAN, JUANITO S. LOYOLA, MELANIO S. BAYOT, FLOR AMPARO and ROSENDO V. CAUSAREN are hereby ACQUITTED, for failure of the prosecution to prove their guilt beyond reasonable doubt. Considering that the act or omission from which the civil liability might arise did not exist, no civil liability is assessed against said accused. The hold departure order issued against them by reason of these cases are hereby LIFTED and SET ASIDE, and their bonds RELEASED. SO ORDERED.