This case has been cited 2 times or more.
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2013-11-13 |
LEONARDO-DE CASTRO, J. |
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| With respect to the other inconsistencies enumerated by appellants, the Court agrees with the rulings of the RTC and the Court of Appeals that the same pertain to insignificant and minor details that had nothing to do with the essential elements of the crime charged. As held in People v. Madriaga[41] that: Settled is the rule that discrepancies on minor matters do not impair the essential integrity of the prosecution's evidence as a whole or reflect on the witnesses' honesty. These inconsistencies, which may be caused by the natural fickleness of memory, even tend to strengthen rather than weaken the credibility of the prosecution witnesses because they erase any suspicion of rehearsed testimony. What is important is that the testimonies agree on the essential facts and that the respective versions corroborate and substantially coincide with each other to make a consistent and coherent whole. (Citations omitted.) | |||||
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2013-02-06 |
LEONARDO-DE CASTRO, J. |
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| The Court is not swayed. The inconsistencies adverted to by Elizabeth are trivial and insignificant and refer only to minor details. Time and again, the Court has steadfastly ruled that inconsistencies on minor and trivial matters only serve to strengthen rather than weaken the credibility of witnesses for they erase the suspicion of rehearsed testimony. Furthermore, the Court cannot expect the testimonies of different witnesses to be completely identical and to coincide with each other since they have different impressions and recollections of the incident. Hence, it is only natural that their testimonies are at variance on some minor details.[23] As this Court ruled in People v. Madriaga[24]: Settled is the rule that discrepancies on minor matters do not impair the essential integrity of the prosecution's evidence as a whole or reflect on the witnesses' honesty. These inconsistencies, which may be caused by the natural fickleness of memory, even tend to strengthen rather than weaken the credibility of the prosecution witnesses because they erase any suspicion of rehearsed testimony. What is important is that the testimonies agree on the essential facts and that the respective versions corroborate and substantially coincide with each other to make a consistent and coherent whole. (Citations omitted.) | |||||