G.R. No. 134368 - PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, VS. PACIFICO RONDILLA, ACCUSED-.

Ruling

WHEREFORE, IN THE LIGHT OF ALL THE FOREGOING CONSIDERATIONS, this Court finds the accused PACIFICO RONDILLA guilty beyond reasonable doubt as PRINCIPAL of CONSUMMATED RAPE defined and punished under Article 335 of the Revised Penal Code as amended by R.A. No. 7659, otherwise known as the DEATH PENALTY LAW and hereby sentences him to suffer the SUPREME PENALTY of DEATH and to pay the private offended party RODA G. RONDILLA the following sums: P50,000 as civil indemnity; P50,000 as moral damages; P50,000 as exemplary damages. "The accused is further ordered to pay the costs of the instant suit." [4] With the imposition of the death penalty by the trial court, the case has been elevated to this Court for automatic review. The Court has closely gone over the records, and it finds the testimony of the victim to be straightforward and unwavering and simply too overwhelming to ignore. In her own words: "TP. ARCIGAL, JR.: "Q Roda Rondilla, would you please tell us the date when you were born? "A I was born on November 11, 1978, sir. "COURT: "Q By the way, there is only one charge of rape in this case? "TP. ARCIGAL, JR.: Yes, Your Honor. "COURT: Go ahead. "TP ARCIGAL, JR.: "Q Now, please tell us the name of your parents. "A My father's name is Pacifico Rondilla and my mother's name is Rosalia Rondilla, sir. "Q Now, do you have a birth certificate to prove that you were born on November 11, 1978? "A Yes, sir. "Q I am showing to you a birth certificate appearing on page 3. "A (Witness going over page 3 which is Certificate of Birth of one Roda Rondilla) Yes, sir. This is my birth certificate. "TP ARCIGAL, JR.: We request that the birth certificate of the complaining witness be marked as Exh. `B.' "COURT: Mark it. "TP. ARCIGAL, JR.: "Q Are you still studying? "A No more, sir. "Q What grade or year did you finish? "A I finish third year high school, sir. "Q Why did you stop studying? "A Because I was molested by my father. "COURT: "Q And what of it? "TP. ARCIGAL, JR.: "Q What happened to you when you were molested? "A I got pregnant, sir. "INTERPRETER: (Witness crying while answering the question) "TP. ARCIGAL, JR.: "Q Now, you said, you were raped by your father, what is the name of your father? "A Pacifico Rondilla, Jr., sir. "Q Now, can you still recall when you were first raped by your father? "A It was sometime in February, 1994, sir. "Q Now, would you please tell us how you were raped by your father sometime in February, 1994? "A He suddenly kissed me on my cheek and lips, sir. "Q Where were you when your father suddenly kissed you on your lips and cheek? "A I was inside the room of our house, sir. "Q And where is your house located? "A It is at Fabricante Street, Luisiana, Laguna, sir. "Q Now, can you still recall what time of the day, was it daytime or nighttime when your father kissed you? "A It was nighttime, which exact hour, I can no longer recall, sir. "COURT: "Q And who were inside the house at that time? "A My brothers and sisters, Your H