This case has been cited 2 times or more.
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2002-09-03 |
PUNO, J. |
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| final and accorded great weight, given their advantage of observing the manner and demeanor of the witnesses as they testified in court.[17] The trial court observed that Chanil testified "(i)n a spontaneous and straightforward manner, interspersed with profuse tears and subdued sobs."[18] When a rape victim's testimony is straightforward and candid, unshaken by rigid cross-examination and unflawed by inconsistencies or contradictions in its material points, it deserves full faith and credit.[19] With the generosity of the accused towards Chanil whom he treated as his eldest daughter, we cannot see any plausible reason why she would fabricate a baseless charge of rape against the accused. The accused avers that Chanil's motivation for filing the charge against him was | |||||
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2002-02-06 |
PUNO, J. |
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| All told, Mary Ann's testimony, corroborated by the results of the medical examination conducted upon her, is clear and credible. We find no sufficient reason to disturb the findings of the lower court and adhere to the well-settled rule that findings of the trial court are generally considered final and accorded great weight, given their advantage of observing the manner and demeanor of the witnesses as they testified in court.[28] The denial of the accused deserves scant consideration as it is inherently a weak defense which cannot prevail over the positive identification of the accused by the victim.[29] We find the accused guilty beyond reasonable doubt of the crime of rape. | |||||