People v. Reyes

 

People v. Reyes

G.R. No. 227013

June 17, 2019

FACTS:

                RTC and CA convicted the accused for the crime of Murder. The victim Jun Balmores, appellants Demetrio Sahagun and Aries Reyes, and accused Argie Reyes and Arthur Hilario were all vendors who sold their wares along the stretch of Hidalgo Street, Quiapo, Manila. On August 5, 2007, the police apprehended the illegal vendors in the area. Jun asked brothers Aries and Argie Reyes to allow his mother to leave her wares and vegetables in their stall. But the Reyes brothers refused. An argument then ensued between them and Jun. hen Aries, Demetrio, Arthur, and Argie saw Jun, they pursued him. As Jun tried to run away, Demetrio hit him with a plastic chair in the head, causing the former to fall to the ground. Arthur and Aries then alternately hit him with broomsticks. Jun, nonetheless, managed to get back on his feet and run toward Villalobos Street. But when he reached the comer of Villalobos Street, Argie was there waiting. Argie stabbed Jun in the left side of his body. Though wounded, Jun did not stop running. Shortly after, Argie caught up with him and stabbed him a second time, hitting him in the arm. Jun fell anew. Jun got rushed to the hospital where he was declared dead on arrival. The Medical and Autopsy Report revealed he died of "hypovolemic shock secondary to stab wound of the trunk."

ISSUE:

                Whether or not the CA erred in affirming the RTC

HELD:

                No. Murder requires the following elements: (1) a person was killed; (2) the accused killed him or her; (3) the killing was attended by any of the qualifying circumstances mentioned in Article 248 of the Revised Penal Code; and (4) the killing is not parricide or infanticide. Based on the interlocking testimonies of the eyewitnesses, both the trial court and the Court of Appeals correctly ruled that appellants and their co-accused each took an active part in assaulting Jun Balmores. They in fact acted in concert toward one common purpose: to kill Jun Balmores. This is conspiracy. In conspiracy, the parties need not actually come together and agree in express terms to enter into and pursue a common design. It is enough that at the time of the commission of the offense, the accused or assailants had the same purpose and were united in its execution, as in this case. Thus, upon seeing Jun back on Hidalgo Street, appellants and their co-accused altogether pursued Jun. As Jun tried to run away, Demetrio hit him in the head, causing Jun to fall to the ground. Arthur and Aries then alternately hit Jun with broomstick handles. Jun managed to get back on his feet and run. When he reached the comer of Villalobos Street, Argie was there waiting. Argie then stabbed Jun in the left side part of his body. Though wounded, Jun did not stop running for his life. But Argie easily caught up with and stabbed Jun another time, hitting him in the arm. This caused Jun to fall anew and never again rose to his feet.