G.R. No. 123149 March 27, 2001
PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, plaintiff-appellee, vs. CORNELIO CABUG, accused-appellant.

FACTS

Accused-appellant Cornelio Cabug was charged with the parricide of his wife, Liwanag Cabug, on the night of August 15, 1992, in General Santos City. The prosecution evidence established that the couple’s niece, Cynthia Isla, was awakened by the victim’s cries for help. Upon investigating with the couple’s daughter, Lealyn, they found the master bedroom locked. Cynthia alerted the victim’s mother and sister, Luzviminda Roca. Luzviminda later kicked the door open and discovered the bloodied bodies of both appellant and the victim on the floor. With the help of neighbors who forced entry, the gravely injured victim was taken to the hospital but later died from multiple hacking wounds and fractures. A hammer and screwdriver were found near her body. Appellant, also injured, was heard stating, “Engineer is the cause,” allegedly referring to his wife’s business partner.
The defense presented a different narrative. Appellant claimed he and his wife were attacked by three unidentified men inside their bedroom. He testified that he was struck on the head, lost consciousness, and upon waking, found his wife already bloodied. He asserted that the tools found were used in his carpentry work and were not the murder weapons. The trial court, however, found the defense of frame-up unconvincing.

ISSUE

Whether the guilt of accused-appellant Cornelio Cabug for the crime of parricide was proven beyond reasonable doubt.

RULING

Yes, the Supreme Court affirmed appellant’s conviction for parricide. The Court found the prosecution’s evidence, consisting of credible eyewitness accounts and circumstantial evidence, sufficient to establish guilt beyond reasonable doubt. The defense of denial and frame-up could not prevail over the positive testimonies. The Court noted that the appellant and the victim were the only adults in the locked room at the time of the crime, and the nature and location of the victim’s fatal wounds were inconsistent with an attack by multiple outside assailants as claimed by the defense.
The legal logic rests on the principle that where the accused offers an exculpatory version of events, it must be credible and consistent with human experience. The Court found appellant’s story of unknown intruders improbable given the locked room, the absence of evidence of forced entry from outside, and the immediate discovery of the crime scene. His statement, “Engineer is the cause,” was construed as a motive rooted in jealousy. The qualifying circumstances of evident premeditation and treachery were correctly disregarded by the trial court for lack of proof. The penalty of reclusion perpetua was affirmed. The Court modified the damages, reducing civil indemnity to P50,000.00 and awarding moral damages of P50,000.00 and actual damages of P35,681.35 to the heirs.