G.R. No. 138365 - THE PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, VS. SAMSON BARTOLOME Y ESPIRITU, ACCUSED-.DECISION - Supreme Court E-Library

Ruling

WHEREFORE, in view of all the foregoing, the prosecution having proved the guilt of the accused beyond reasonable doubt of the crime of Rape as defined and penalized under Article 335 of the Revised Penal Code, in relation to Republic Act No. 7659, accused Samson Bartolome is hereby sentenced to suffer the penalty of DEATH to be executed at a date to be set and in the manner provided for by law and to indemnify Lina Trinidad the amount of Fifty Thousand (P50,000.00) Pesos. [3] In this automatic review of his case, the death penalty having been imposed, the accused claims that - I THE TRIAL COURT HAS ERRED IN NOT ABSOLVING AND EXCULPATING ACCUSED-APPELLANT SAMSON BARTOLOME OF THE SERIOUS CRIME CHARGED CONSIDERING THE PRESENCE OF REASONABLE DOUBT IN HIS FAVOR. II THE REGIONAL TRIAL COURT HAS COMMITTED A GRAVE ERROR IN IMPOSING THE SUPREME PENALTY OF DEATH ON THE ACCUSED-APPELLANT DISREGARDING RECENT AND PERTINENT JURISPRUDENCES ON THE MATTER. [4] The Court, in fine, is confronted with the question of whom to believe the word of the complainant or that of the accused. The process of ferreting the truth from the conflicting claims of witnesses becomes even more tedious than usual in crimes of rape for it is only the accused and the complainant who normally can give the decisive testimony on the case. Obviously, the task falls squarely on the trial court which must come face to face with the witnesses and observe their demeanor at the stand. [5] It stands to reason that great reliance is placed by the appellate court on the assessment made by the trial court on the credibility of the witness. This case is no exception for, carefully going through the records, the Court finds no cogent reason to make it depart from the rule. In a straightforward and candid manner, Lina vouched before the Court the sad saga, unbelievably she might have herself thought, that had befallen her in the hands of appellant. She testified: Q Specifically sometime on November 25, 1994, do you recall of an incident that happened to you in your house? A Yes, sir. Q Please tell the Court. A On November 25, 1994, I was in Langob, San Isidro, Pandan, Catanduanes and he (witness pointing to somebody inside the courtroom) . . . Q Who was the person you are referring to? A Samson Bartolome. Q What happened? A In the evening, he arrived in our house and he was very very drunk. Q Why was Samson Bartolome in your house? A Because he goes home to our house. Q Why is he staying in your house? A He is the husband of my mother. He is my stepfather. x x x x x x x x x Q When he arrived in your house, what happened next? A He knocked at the door, and I opened it for him. I prepared some food for him and he ate. Q After taking his supper, what happened next? A He slept by the door while I took my supper and after that, I started reading something. Q After reading, what happened next? A When I got sleepy, I went to sleep and I noticed later on that he was lying down besid