G.R. Nos. 131946-47 - PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, VS. ROGELIO REYES GOMEZ A.K.A. PHILIP ROGER LACSON AND ROGER ELEAZAR GOMEZ, ACCUSED-.D E C I S I O N - Supreme Court E-Library

Ruling

WHEREFORE, the assailed Decision of the trial court insofar as it found accused-appellant Rogelio Gomez y Reyes a.k.a. Philip Roger Lacson or Roger Eleazar Gomez guilty of Illegal Recruitment in a Large Scale for which he was sentenced to suffer the penalty of life imprisonment and to pay a fine of P 100,000.00 is AFFIRMED . It is however MODIFIED in that accused-appellant is found GUILTY of only seven (7) counts of estafa , not eight (8), under par. 2, subpar. (a), Art. 315 of the Revised Penal Code and is accordingly sentenced to suffer the following penalties: In Crim. Cases Nos. 96-52 and 96-55 involving the amount of P 150,000.00, accused-appellant is sentenced to suffer the indeterminate prison term of four (4) years and two (2) months of prision correccional medium as minimum to eighteen (18) years eight (8) months and twenty one (21) days of reclusion temporal maximum as maximum. In Crim. Cases Nos. 96-53 and 54 involving the amount of P 100,000.00, accused-appellant is sentenced to suffer an indeterminate prison term of four (4) years and two (2) months of prision correccional medium as minimum to thirteen (13) years eight (8) months and twenty-one (21) days of reclusion temporal minimum as maximum. In Crim. Case No. 96-56 involving the amount of P 160,000.00, accused-appellant is sentenced to suffer an indeterminate prison term of four (4) years and two (2) months of prision correccional medium as minimum to nineteen (19) years eight (8) months and twenty-one (21) days of reclusion temporal maximum as maximum. In Crim. Case No 96-57 involving the amount of P 80,000.00, accused-appellant is sentenced to suffer an indeterminate prison term of four (4) years and two (2) months of prision correccional medium as minimum to eleven (11) years (8) months and twenty-one (21) days of prision mayor maximum as maximum. And finally, in Crim. Case No. 96-58 involving the amount of P 65,000.00, accused-appellant is sentenced to suffer an indeterminate prison term of four (4) years and two (2) months of prision correccional medium as minimum to ten (10) years eight (8) months and twenty-one (21) days of prision mayor maximum as maximum. Accused-appellant is further ordered to pay the complaining witnesses the following amounts: Guillermo D. Gumabon Jr. - P 150,000.00, Rebecca M. Talavera - P 100,000.00, Herminia S. Antones - P 100,000.00, Ramil del Rosario - P 150,000.00, Cynthia P. Castillo - P 160,000.00, Ronnie Agpalo - P 80,000.00, and Dionisio M. de los Reyes - P65,000.00 without any deductions whatsoever. Costs against accused-appellant. SO ORDERED.