[G.R. No. 88281. July 20, 1990.

]
PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, plaini!!"app#ll##, $%. ROL&N'O '&(OT y G&R)I& *
J+NIOR '&(OT, a,,u%#-"app#llan.
' E ) I S I O N
SARMIENTO, J p:
The Court reverses the judgment subject of ths !ppe!", rendered upon ! p"e! of #gu"t$# entered
b$ the !ccused%!ppe""!nt, on the ground of serous errors of "!& commtted b$ the tr!" judge, !nd
rem!nds the c!se for re!rr!gnment !nd tr!" on the merts'
The !ccused h!d been ch!rged &th the spec!" comp"e( crme of robber$ &th homcde
punshed &th rec"uson perpetu! to de!th under Artc"e )*+, p!r!gr!ph ,-., of the Revsed /en!" Code'
The nform!ton re!ds !s fo""o&s:
The undersgned Assst!nt 0sc!" !ccuses Ro"!ndo 1!$ot $ 2!rc! 3 Junor 1!$ot of the crme
of Robber$ &th 4omcde !nd 0rustr!ted 4omcde, commtted !s fo""o&s:
Th!t on or !bout the )5th d!$ of November, -*67 n the Muncp!"t$ of M!r8n!, Metro
M!n"!, /h"ppnes !nd &thn the jursdcton of ths 4onor!b"e Court, the !bove%n!med !ccused, &th
ntent to g!n !nd !rmed &th ! b"!ded nstrument, dd, then !nd there &""fu""$, un"!&fu""$ !nd
fe"onous"$ t!8e, ste!" !nd c!rr$ !&!$ &thout the 8no&"edge !nd consent of M!rtn M!nue" 9eg!sp $
:!co the fo""o&ng tems, to &t:
!"" n the tot!" !mount of /76,555'55 ;sc< be"ongng to s!d M!rtn M!nue" 9eg!sp $ :!co, to
the d!m!ge !nd prejudce of the s!d o&ner thereof n the !forementoned !mount of /7=,555'55> th!t
n ;sc< the occ!sson ;sc< of Robber$ s!d !ccused Ro"!ndo 1!$ot $ 2!rc! &th ntent to 8"", !tt!c8,
!ss!u"t, !nd st!b M!rtn M!nue" 9eg!sp $ :!co sever!" tmes on the dfferent p!rts of hs bod$, thereb$
nf"ctng upon hm f!t!" st!b &ounds &hch drect"$ c!used hs de!th> &h"e s!d !ccused &hen beng
!ccosted b$ M!rtn M!nue" 9eg!sp $ :!co?s mother, 9eon"! 9eg!sp $ :!co, !tt!c8, !ss!u"t, !nd st!b
s!d 9eon"! 9eg!sp $ :!co sever!" tmes on the dfferent p!rts of her bod$, thereb$ commencng the
commsson of the crme of homcde, drect"$ b$ overt !cts but dd not perform !"" the !cts of
e(ecuton !s &ou"d produce the crme of homcde, b$ re!son of c!used ;sc< other th!n her ;sc< o&n
spont!neous desst!nce, th!t s b$ the tme"$ !nd !b"e medc!" !ssst!nce rendered to s!d 9eon"!
9eg!sp $ :!co &hch prevented her de!th'
Contr!r$ to "!&' -
On M!rch )- , -*6*, the !ccused%!ppe""!nt &!s !rr!gned !nd p"e!ded #not gu"t$#' ) Tr!" &!s
set to Apr" )7, -*6*' On th!t d!te, ho&ever, the !ccused?s counse", Att$' 0ern!ndo 0ern!nde@,
m!nfested th!t the !ccused &!s &""ng #to ch!nge hs p"e! of not gu"t$ to th!t of gu"t$ to the offense
ch!rged'# = Thereupon, Att$' 0ern!nde@ put hm on the st!nd, n &hch he testfed:
A Are $ou the s!me Ro"!ndo 1!$ot !ccused n ths c!seB
A :es, sr'
A Mr' 1!$ot, $ou !re ch!rged n ths c!se &th Robber$ &th 4omcde !nd 0rustr!ted
4omcde !""eged"$ commtted on November )*, -*67, &h!t c!n $ou s!$ !bout th!tB
A It s true, sr'
A :ou !re not beng thre!tened or promsed or forced to s!$ th!t t s trueB
A :es, sr'
A And $ou vo"unt!r"$ enterng ! p"e! of gu"t$ to ths p!rtcu"!r offenseB
A :es, sr'
A And $ou !re ch!ngng $our former p"e! of not gu"t$ to th!t of gu"t$ n ths p!rtcu"!r
crme of Robber$ &th 4omcde !nd frustr!ted homcdeB
A :es, sr'
0or hs p!rt, the tr!" judge, the 4onor!b"e M!rtn C""!r!m!, Jr', D propounded the fo""o&ng Euestons
to hm:
COFRT'
Are $ou !&!re of the conseEuences of $our ch!nge of he!rtB
A :es, sr'
A Gh!t &"" h!ppenB
A I &"" be det!ned, $our 4onor'
A 0or ho& "ong, more or "essB
A I do not 8no&, $our 4onor'
A More or "ess, "ess th!n ten $e!rs or more th!n ten $e!rsB
A /erh!ps "ess th!n ten $e!rs, $our 4onor'
A And t cou"d !"so be more th!n ten $e!rsB
A :es, $our honor'
COFRT'
Gtness s dsch!rged' The !ccused h!vng ! ch!nge of he!rt, th!t s, he s &""ng or he s
ch!ngng hs p"e! of not gu"t$ to th!t of gu"t$ to the offense ch!rged &th the !ssst!nce of hs counse"
de ofco Att$' 0ern!ndo 0ern!nde@ of the C9AO, "et the promu"g!ton of judgment n ths c!se be set
on M!$ ), -*6* !t 6:=5 A'M' 7
On !ccount thereof, 4s 4onor rendered judgment, the dspostve porton of &hch re!ds !s
fo""o&s:
G4ERE0ORE, fndng the !ccused RO9AN1O 1A:OT $ 2ARCIA 3 JFNIOR 1A:OT
gu"t$ be$ond re!son!b"e doubt of the offense ch!rged, he s hereb$ sentenced to suffer the pen!"t$ of
rec"uson perpetu! &th !"" ts !ccessor$ pen!"tes, to ndemnf$ the mother of the vctm, 9eon"!
9eg!sp $ :!co n the !mount of /=5,555'55, to p!$ the sum of /7=,555'55 b$ &!$ of rep!r!ton of the
sto"en c!sh mone$ !nd propertes, the further sum of /)5,555'55 !s mor!" d!m!ges, !"" &thout
subsd!r$ mprsonment n c!se of nso"venc$ !nd to p!$ the costs'
In the servce of hs sentence, the !ccused sh!"" be credted n fu"" &th the perod of hs
preventve mprsonment'
SO OR1ERE1'
As &e noted !t the outset, the foregong judgment f!ces ! revers!"'
Ge h!ve he"d th!t &here the !ccused enters ! p"e! of gu"t$ to the c!pt!" offense, the tr!" court
s c!""ed upon to observe the fo""o&ng procedure:
SEC' =' /"e! of gu"t$ to c!pt!" offense> recepton of evdence' H Ghen the !ccused p"e!ds
gu"t$ to ! c!pt!" offense, the court sh!"" conduct ! se!rchng nEur$ nto the vo"unt!rness !nd fu""
comprehenson of the conseEuences of hs p"e! !nd reEure the prosecuton to prove hs gu"t !nd the
precse degree of cu"p!b"t$' The !ccused m!$ !"so present evdence n hs beh!"f' 6
As &e he"d, the judge s reEured to !ccomp"sh three thngs: ,-. to conduct ! se!rchng nEur$
nto the vo"unt!rness !nd fu"" comprehenson of the conseEuences of the !ccused?s p"e!> ,). to reEure
the prosecuton to prove the gu"t of the !ccused !nd the precse degree of hs cu"p!b"t$> !nd ,=. to
nEure &hether or not the !ccused &shes to present evdence on hs beh!"f !nd !""o& hm to do so f
he so desres' Ths procedure s m!nd!tor$, * !nd ! judge &ho f!"s to observe t commts ! gr!ve
!buse of dscreton'
The e(ch!nge bet&een the judge !nd the !ccused%!ppe""!nt does not persu!de us th!t the
!ccused%!ppe""!nt, n subseEuent"$ p"e!dng gu"t$, fu""$ understood the "eg!" conseEuences of hs p"e!'
Ge fnd ths from hs o&n mpressons, obvous"$ mst!8en, th!t b$ !dmttng !uthorshp of the
offense, he &ou"d st!$ n prson for #;p<erh!ps "ess th!n ten $e!rs,# -5 !"though #t cou"d !"so be
more,# -- or n other &ords, he &ou"d #get off "ght"$#, re"!tve"$, th!n h!d he nssted on hs
nnocence' As t &ou"d turn out, tr!gc!""$, Judge C""!r!m! sentenced hm n f!ct to "fe mprsonment'
Ge do not thn8 th!t the !ccused%!ppe""!nt !ntcp!ted, or 8ne&, the e(!ct punshment H !nd the
serous resu"ts H th!t !&!ted hm !s ! conseEuence of hs ch!nge of he!rt'
Ge !"so do not thn8 th!t Judge C""!r!m! h!d been up to the t!s8 n !pprsng the !ccused%
!ppe""!nt of &h!t "!$ !he!d shou"d he, the !ccused%!ppe""!nt, !dmt gu"t' Gh"e he dd ntm!te to the
!ccused th!t he, the !ccused, mght be put !&!$ for more th!n ten $e!rs, 4s 4onor &!s "ess th!n
c!ndd n f!"ng to nform hm th!t he, b$ !dmttng gu"t, n f!ct, f!ced ! "fe n prson, !nd th!t #more
th!n ten $e!rs# me!nt ! &ho"e "ot more ndeed'
A #se!rchng nEur$,# under the Ru"es, me!ns more th!n nformng cursor"$ the !ccused th!t
he f!ces ! j!" term ,bec!use the !ccused s !&!re of th!t. but so !"so, the e(!ct "ength of mprsonment
under the "!& !nd the cert!nt$ th!t he &"" serve tme !t the n!ton!" pentent!r$ or ! pen!" co"on$' Not
nfreEuent"$ ndeed, !n !ccused p"e!ds gu"t$ n the hope, !s &e s!d, of ! "enent tre!tment, or upon !
b!d !dvce or promses of the !uthortes or p!rtes of ! "ghter pen!"t$ shou"d he !dmt gu"t or e(press
#remorse#' It s the dut$ of the judge to see th!t he does not "!bor under these mst!8en mpressons,
bec!use ! p"e! of gu"t$ c!rres &th t not on"$ the !dmsson of !uthorshp of the crme proper but !"so
of the !ggr!v!tng crcumst!nces !ttendng t, th!t ncre!se punshment' -)
A #se!rchng nEur$# "8e&se compe"s the judge to content hmse"f re!son!b"$ th!t the !ccused
h!s not been coerced or p"!ced under ! st!te of duress H !nd th!t hs gu"t$ p"e! h!s not therefore been
gven mprovdent"$ H ether b$ !ctu!" thre!ts of ph$sc!" h!rm from m!"evo"ent Eu!rters or smp"$
bec!use of hs, the judge?s, ntmd!tng robes' The tr!" judge shou"d h!ve so s!tsfed hmse"f n the
c!se !t b!r, consderng espec!""$ the tender $e!rs of the !ccused ,&ho &!s !bout t&ent$ !t the tme of
the tr!". !nd hs vu"ner!b"t$ to ""%!dvsed suggestons from outsde nf"uences'
Above !"", the tr!" judge must s!tsf$ hmse"f th!t the !ccused, n p"e!dng gu"t$, s tru"$,
gu"t$' Ths s possb"e s!$, b$ reEurng hm to n!rr!te the tr!ged$ or s!$, b$ m!8ng hm reen!ct t, or
b$ c!usng hm to furnsh mssng det!"s'
Gh"e there c!n be no h!rd !nd f!st ru"e !s to ho& ! judge m!$ conduct ! #se!rchng nEur$,#
!s to the number !nd ch!r!cter of Euestons he m!$ put to the !ccused, or !s to the e!rnestness &th
&hch he m!$ conduct t, snce e!ch c!se must be me!sured !ccordng to ts ndvdu!" mert, t!8ng
nto consder!ton the !ge, educ!ton!" !tt!nment, !nd soc!" st!tus of the !ccused confessng gu"t,
!mong other thngs, the sngu"!r b!rometer s th!t the judge must n !"" c!ses, fu""$ convnce hmse"f
th!t: ,-. the !ccused, n p"e!dng gu"t$, s dong so vo"unt!r"$, !nd ,). he, n so dong, s tru"$ gu"t$,
!nd th!t there e(sts ! r!ton!" b!ss for ! fndng of gu"t, b!sed on hs testmon$' Ths Court "e!ves to
judges, consderng ther tr!nng, !mp"e dscreton, but e(pects them !t the s!me tme, th!t the$ &"" be
true to ther c!""ng !nd be &orth$ mnsters of the "!&'
Judges therefore must be c!utoned, to&!rd ths end, !g!nst the dem!nds of sheer speed n
dsposng of c!ses, for ther msson !fter !"", !nd !s h!s been tme !nd !g!n put, s to see th!t justce s
done'
The fve Euestons posed b$ Judge C""!r!m! to the !ccused%!ppe""!nt, need"ess to s!$, h!rd"$
!mount to ! #se!rchng nEur$#' 4e shou"d h!ve 8no&n better, bec!use he !ctu!""$ condemned !
t&ent$%$e!r o"d to spend ! gre!t de!" of hs mort!" "fe n prson'
As &e h!ve s!d, the procedure "!d do&n b$ the Ru"es s m!nd!tor$' The judge h!vng s!tsfed
hmse"f th!t the !ccused fu""$ understood the sgnfc!nce, effects, !nd conseEuences of hs gu"t$ p"e!,
the ne(t step &ou"d be to m!8e the prosecuton !dduce evdence to determne the gu"t !nd e(!ct
cu"p!b"t$ of the !ccused t!8ng nto !ccount the presence of other possb"e !ggr!v!tng or mtg!tng
crcumst!nces H !nd there!fter, to m!8e the !ccused present hs o&n evdence, f he s so mnded, for
the s!me purpose'
The counse" for the defense, n hs bref, ber!tes the judge for f!"ng to !pprec!te mnort$ n
f!vor of the !ccused%!ppe""!nt, !nd so does the So"ctor 2ener!"' The Court s ds!pponted' There s
more to the c!se th!n f!u"t$ !pp"c!ton of pen!"tes' As &e e!r"er st!ted, ! mstr!", !s t &ere, h!d
been commtted, !nd f the counse" for both the defense !nd government h!d tru"$ done ther
home&or8, reg!rd"ess of ther !pp!rent h!ste #to get the job done,# the more f!r%re!chng mp"c!tons
of the c!se shou"d h!ve d!&ned on them' As for the counse" de ofco for the !ccused, Att$, 0ern!ndo
0ern!nde@, the Court "e!ves these h!rsh &ords for hm: R!ther th!n protect the rghts of the !ccused%
!ppe""!nt, he succeeded n co""!bor!tng n the #settng up# of hs o&n c"ent' 9et hm, !ccordng"$, be
remnded th!t !s counse" de ofco, hs so"emn dut$ s nonethe"ess to m!8e sure th!t hs c"ent gets &h!t
he "!&fu""$ deserves H &hether !n !cEutt!" or f ! convcton, the rghtfu" pen!"t$' As the Court sees
t, hs concern mere"$ &!s to #get t over &th,# !t the e(pense, unfortun!te"$, of the ver$ freedom of
the !ccused%!ppe""!nt' 98e Judge C""!r!m!, t &!s hs ob"g!ton to !pprse fu""$ the !ppe""!nt !s to
&h!t f!ced hm, shou"d he !ccept gu"t, !nd th!t there &!s no turnng b!c8 shou"d he !dmt gu"t' 98e
4s 4onor, he deserves our serous rebu8e'
Ge note &th mountng concern, !t ths juncture, the ncre!sng "!c8 of dedc!ton "!&$ers of
the /ub"c Attorne$?s Offce ;/AO, former"$, Ct@ens 9eg!" Ad Offce ,C9AO.< h!ve h!nd"ed ther
c!ses, espec!""$ of desttute c"ents, judged from ther perform!nce n c!ses not on"$ before the
Supreme Court but "8e&se before nferor courts' Ge fnd ths dstressng, h!vng n mnd the n!ton?s
efforts to brng justce c"oser to the need$, !nd the o!th, &hch !"" "!&$ers h!ve s&orn to upho"d, to
conduct themse"ves &th !"" good fde"t$ to ther c"ents' The f!ct th!t counse" de ofco, "8e /AO
"!&$ers, !re not remuner!ted ,!"though the$ !re entt"ed to rembursement for tr!nsport!ton e(penses.
s no e(cuse th!t &"" justf$ !bdc!ton of dut$ !nd nfde"t$ to c"ent?s c!use' As members of the b!r,
!"" "!&$ers, p!d or hred for pro bono purposes, !re c!""ed upon to pursue ther c!ses &th dentc!"
p!sson !nd &th utmost concern for the fu""est protecton of ther c"ent?s rghts !nd nterests' The /AO,
!s the peop"e?s counse" precse"$, s no "ess subject to ths !bdng ob"g!ton' 9et the /AO be
!dmonshed th!t ths Court &"" not to"er!te, henceforth, ndfference !nd s"oth n ts r!n8s'
A tr!" s me!nt to be ! s!fegu!rd !g!nst puttng !n nnocent m!n to prson, !nd !t the s!me
tme ! gu!r!nt$ th!t the gu"t$ obt!ns hs just dues, thus:
' ' ' the present!ton of evdence shou"d be reEured n order to prec"ude !n$ room for re!son!b"e
doubt n the mnd of the tr!" court, or the Supreme Court on reve&, !s to the possb"t$ th!t there
mght h!ve been some msunderst!ndng on the p!rt of the !ccused !s to the n!ture of the ch!rge to
&hch he p"e!ded gu"t$, !nd to !scert!n the crcumst!nces !ttend!nt to the commsson of the crme
&hch justf$ or reEure the e(ercse of ! gre!ter or "esser degree of severt$ n the mposton of the
prescrbed pen!"tes'
As t turned out, the !ccused%!ppe""!nt h!d ! mtg!tng crcumst!nce over"oo8ed b$ the judge
be"o& H mnort$ H ! prv"eged mtg!tng crcumst!nce th!t &ou"d h!ve "o&ered the pen!"t$ b$ one
degree'
:et !nother re!son &h$ &e c!n not sust!n the decson !ppe!"ed from, !nd &h$ the
present!ton of evdence &!s compe""ng, s the f!ct th!t t, the decson, f!"s to e(press the f!cts of the
c!se' Fnder the Consttuton:
Sec' -+' No decson sh!"" be rendered b$ !n$ court &thout e(pressng theren c"e!r"$ !nd
dstnct"$ the f!cts !nd the "!& on &hch t s b!sed'
Ge therefore rem!nd ths c!se to the court ! Euo for re!rr!gnment !nd recepton of evdence'
Ge fnd th!t the judgment under !ppe!" h!s been t!nted &th ! gr!ve !buse of dscreton, or other&se,
h!s been vt!ted b$ subst!nt!" "eg!" errors commtted b$ the court be"o&'
G4ERE0ORE, the judgment !ppe!"ed from s SET ASI1E' The c!se s REMAN1E1 for
re!rr!gnment !nd there!fter, shou"d the !ccused%!ppe""!nt enter ! p"e! of #gu"t$#, for recepton of
evdence for the prosecuton, !nd shou"d the !ccused%!ppe""!nt so desre, for recepton "8e&se of
evdence on hs p!rt'
No costs'
SO OR1ERE1'
Me"enco%4errer!, /!r!s, /!d""! !nd Reg!"!do, JJ', concur'