G.R. Nos. 115835-36 - PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, VS. VERIATO MOLINA, RUBEN MOLINA, GREGORIO GAJAS, CASIMIRO (A.K.A. “QUINTIN”) CASTILLO, JESUS ARIOLA, “JOHN DOE,” “RICHARD DOE,” “MICHAEL DOE” AND “MARK DOE,” ACCUSED. VERIATO MOLINA AND RUBEN MOLINA, ACCUSED-. D E C I S I O N - Supreme Court E-Librar

Ruling

WHEREFORE, considering all the foregoing, judgment is hereby rendered as follows: A. FOR CRIMINAL LIABILITY 1. Acquitting accused Gregorio Gajas, Casimiro (a.k.a. Quintin) Castillo, and Jesus Ariola for failure of the prosecution to prove the case against them beyond reasonable doubt, in both cases. 2. In Criminal Case No. 1287 for [m]ultiple [m]urder and [f]rustrated [m]urder, finding accused Ruben Molina and Veriato Molina guilty beyond reasonable doubt of [m]ultiple [m]urder for the death of the following: Mayor Bonifacio Uy, Councilor Antonio Manaligod, Civilian Security Officer Policarpio Estrada and Civilian Security Officer Jaime Vargas, and [f]rustrated [m]urder for the serious wounding of Andres Figarola, and sentencing them each to four (4) [r]eclusion [p]erpetua for the death of the four victims; [f]or [f]rustrated [m]urder committed on Andres Figarola, the two accused are sentenced to serve imprisonment of SIX (6) YEARS, ONE (1) MONTH and ELEVEN (11) DAYS to EIGHT (8) YEARS and TWENTY (20) DAYS of [p]rision [m]ayor. 3. In Criminal Case No. 1288 for [i]llegal [p]ossession of [f]irearm and [a]mmunition, this crime not having been absorbed by the earlier offense considering that illegal possession is covered by a special law while murder is a crime under the Revised Penal Code, Ruben Molina and Veriato Molina are both found guilty beyond reasonable doubt and sentenced to suffer a straight penalty of SEVENTEEN (17) YEARS, FOUR (4) MONTHS AND ONE (1) DAY of reclusion temporal. 4. There being four (4) perpetual penalties to be served by Ruben Molina and Veriato Molina, the maximum simultaneous service of sentence of each accused shall in no case exceed forty (40) years. (Article 70, RPC as amended by CA 217, threefold rule.) 5. The preventive imprisonment at Pasay City Jail [of] the two accused Ruben Molina and Veriato Molina shall be deductible. B. FOR THE CIVIL LIABILITY The death of the victims having been established beyond doubt as the result of the shooting, a wrongful act of the accused who conspired, all the widows are entitled to damages for the death of their respective husbands. For MERCEDES QUA UY She is entitled to receive P50,000.00 as indemnity for the death of her husband, Mayor Bonifacio Uy. She is likewise entitled to moral damages as his death was established beyond doubt as the result of shooting by the accused. The moral damages covers wounded feelings, mental anguish, moral shock which are the proximate result of the wrongful act or omission of accused (Art. 2217, Civil Code) and moral damages is assessed in the amount of P1,000,000.00, considering the [m]ayors rank and the high regard the community has for him. For COUNCILOR ANTONIO MANALIGOD, his widow or his heir is entitled to receive the amount of P50,000.00 as indemnity for the death of the councilor, and P500,000.00 as moral damages. For Mrs. ANGELITA ESTRADA and Mrs. SALVACION VARGAS, widows of the two civilian security agents of Mayor Bonifacio Uy, the amou