G.R. No. 122766 - PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, VS. FELIPE ESPONILLA AND SAMSON ESPONILLA.D E C I S I O N - Supreme Court E-Library

Ruling

WHEREFORE, premises considered, the accused Felipe Esponilla and Samson Esponilla are hereby found guilty beyond reasonable doubt of the crime of Murder, defined and penalized under Art. 248 of the Revised Penal Code and there being no mitigating or aggravating circumstance, is hereby sentenced to suffer the penalty of reclusion perpetua. The accused are further ordered to pay jointly and severally actual damages to the wife of the deceased the total amount of P40,000, and to his legal heirs, the amount of P50,000 for his wrongful death, P30,000 as moral damages and the costs. The accused Samson Esponilla who is detained is credited with the number of days he spent under detention if he is qualified, otherwise, he shall be credited only with four-fifths (4/5) of his preventive imprisonment. Pursuant to the case of People vs. Ricardo C. Cortez, G.R. No. 92560, October 15, 1991, the bail bond put up by the accused Felipe Esponilla is cancelled and said accused is hereby ordered detained at the Iloilo Rehabilitation Center, to be transmitted to the National Penetentiary ( sic ) or Bureau of Corrections in Muntinlupa, Metro Manila, together with the other accused Samson Esponilla, even if they appeal. SO ORDERED.