G.R. No. 144401 - PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, VS. JOEL GALISIM, ACCUSED-.D E C I S I O N - Supreme Court E-Library

Ruling

Accordingly, we affirm the judgment of conviction rendered by the trial court. Appellant is convicted of simple rape and the imposable penalty therefor is reclusion perpetua . Where the law prescribes a single indivisible penalty, it shall be applied regardless of the mitigating or aggravating circumstances attendant to the crime. [25] Pursuant to prevailing jurisprudence, we sustain the P50,000.00 awarded as civil indemnity and the P50,000.00 awarded as moral damages. [26] While the trial court correctly awarded exemplary damages due to the presence of one aggravating circumstance, the amount should be reduced to P20,000.00 following recent jurisprudence. [27] WHEREFORE , the judgment convicting appellant Joel Galisim of the crime of Rape is AFFIRMED with the MODIFICATION reducing the award of exemplary damages to P20,000.00. SO ORDERED.