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PEOPLE v. ELPIDIO MERCADO Y HERNANDO

This case has been cited 7 times or more.

	GR No. 182555 2010-09-07	LENIDO LUMANOG v. PEOPLE VILLARAMA, JR., J.
On the same day, witnesses Cesar F. Espiritu (who was driving his car ahead of the victim), Aurora Urbano (Metro Aide), Ani C. Icot (house gardener of the Abadilla family, Freddie Alejo (security guard posted at Eliscon Electrical Supply store located at 211 Katipunan Avenue) and Minella Alarcon (college professor at Ateneo de Manila University) gave their respective statements before the Criminal Investigation Division of the Central Police District Command (CID-CPDC), PNP-National Capital Region (NCR) at Camp Karingal, Sikatuna Village, Quezon City, while the statement of Merlito Herbas (security guard posted at the Blue Ridge Realty Corporation located at No. 219 Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City) was taken at Station No. 8, CPDC at P. Tuazon Blvd., Proj. 4, Quezon City.[10]
	GR Nos. 138874-75 2004-02-03	PEOPLE v. FRANCISCO JUAN LARRA×AGA PER CURIAM
Article 267 states that if the victim is killed or died as a consequence of the detention, or is raped or subjected to torture or dehumanizing acts, the maximum penalty shall be imposed. In People vs. Ramos,[131] citing Parulan vs. Rodas,[132] and People vs. Mercado,[133] we held that this provision given rise to a special complex crime, thus:"Prior to 31 December 1993, the date of effectivity of RA No. 7659, the rule was that where the kidnapped victim was subsequently killed by his abductor, the crime committed would either be a complex crime of kidnapping with murder under Art 48 of the Revised Penal Code, or two (2) separate crimes of kidnapping and murder. Thus, where the accused kidnapped the victim for the purpose of killing him, and he was in fact killed by his abductor, the crime committed was the complex crime of kidnapping with murder under Art. 48 of the Revised Penal Code, as the kidnapping of the victim was a necessary means of committing the murder. On the other hand, where the victim was kidnapped not for the purpose of killing him but was subsequently slain as an afterthought, two (2) separate crimes of kidnapping and murder were committed.
	GR No. 156819 2003-12-11	ALICIA E. GALA v. ELLICE AGRO-INDUSTRIAL CORPORATION YNARES-SANTIAGO, J.
In People v. Mercado, [37] we ruled that the speed with which a lower court disposes of a case cannot thus be attributed to the injudicious performance of its function. Indeed, magistrates are not supposed to study a case only after all the pertinent pleadings have been filed. It is a mark of diligence and devotion to duty that jurists study a case long before the deadline set for the promulgation of their decision has arrived. The two-day period between the filing of petitioners' Comment and the promulgation of the decision was sufficient time to consider their arguments and to incorporate these in the decision. As long as the lower court does not sacrifice the orderly administration of justice in favor of a speedy but reckless disposition of a case, it cannot be taken to task for rendering its decision with due dispatch. The Court of Appeals in this intra-corporate controversy committed no reversible error and, consequently, its decision should be affirmed. [38] Verily, if such swift disposition of a case is considered a non-issue in cases where the life or liberty of a person is at stake, then we see no reason why the same principle cannot apply when only private rights are involved.
	GR Nos. 131736-37 2002-03-11	PEOPLE v. JOEY MANLANSING Y AMBROSIO QUISUMBING, J.
Mario and Joey were convicted on the basis of Mario's sworn statements confessing to the killing of the spouses, the testimonies of the witnesses for the prosecution, as well as on circumstantial evidence addressed before the trial court. To sustain a conviction on circumstantial evidence, the following requisites must concur: (1) there is more than one circumstance; (2) the facts from which the inferences are derived are proven; and (3) the combination of all the circumstances is such as to produce a conviction beyond reasonable doubt.[44] The circumstances themselves, taken together, should point to overt acts of the accused that would logically point to the conclusion, and no other, that the accused is guilty of the crime charged and at the same time inconsistent with the hypothesis that he is innocent.[45]
	GR No. 139622 2001-07-31	PEOPLE v. PEDRO PERRERAS BELLOSILLO, J.
Also, we agree with the court a quo that the discrepancy as to the distance between the electric post and the victim's house is a minor inconsistency that cannot affect the credibility of the witness' testimony. As it is oft-repeated, inconsistencies in the testimonies of witnesses which refer only to minor details and collateral matters do not affect the veracity and weight of their testimonies where there is consistency in relating the principal occurrence and the positive identification of the assailants. Slight contradictions in fact even serve to strengthen the credibility of the witnesses and prove that their testimonies are not rehearsed. Nor are such inconsistencies, and even improbabilities, unusual for there is no person with perfect faculties or senses.[12]
	GR No. 139180 2001-07-31	PEOPLE v. ROLANDO RIVERA MENDOZA, J.
The decision rendered by the trial court gives a clear account of the facts and the law on which it is based. It discusses in full the court's findings on the credibility of both the prosecution and defense witnesses and its evaluation of the evidence of both parties. What we said in the analogous case of People v. Mercado[48] applies to this case:. . . A review of the trial court's decision shows that its findings were based on the records of this case and the transcripts of stenographic notes during the trial. The speed with which the trial court disposed of the case cannot thus be attributed to the injudicious performance of its function. Indeed, a judge is not supposed to study a case only after all the pertinent pleadings have been filed. It is a mark of diligence and devotion to duty that a judge studies a case long before the deadline set for the promulgation of his decision has arrived. The one-day period between the filing of accused-appellants' memorandum and the promulgation of the decision was sufficient time to consider their arguments and to incorporate these in the decision. As long as the trial judge does not sacrifice the orderly administration of justice in favor of a speedy but reckless disposition of a case, he cannot be taken to task for rendering his decision with due dispatch. . .
	GR No. 144113 2001-06-28	EDWEL MAANDAL v. PEOPLE MENDOZA, J.
It is well settled that the evaluation of the credibility of witnesses and their testimonies is a matter best undertaken by the trial court because of its unique opportunity to observe the witnesses firsthand and to note their demeanor, conduct, and attitude under grilling examination. These are important in determining the truthfulness of witnesses and in unearthing the truth, especially in the face of conflicting testimonies. Through its observations during the entire proceedings, the trial court can be expected to determine, with reasonable discretion, who of the witnesses to disbelieve or whose testimonies to accept.[21]