G.R. No. L-9329; March 30, 1914
THE UNITED STATES, plaintiff-appellee, vs. SATURNINO AGUAS, defendant-appellant.

FACTS:
The defendant-appellant, Saturnino Aguas, was one of 27 persons charged with gambling in violation of Section 7 of Act No. 1757. During the trial, all accused except Aguas and Marciano Ordoñez pleaded guilty. The evidence established that on the night of April 13, 1913, a gambling game of “monte” was in progress at the house of Candido Rivera in Mexico, Pampanga. Constabulary soldiers raided the house, seized money, cards, and gambling paraphernalia, and arrested all persons present. Aguas was found standing 3 to 4 meters from the gambling table, conversing with the house owner. He claimed he had just arrived to discuss business matters. The trial court found his explanation unsatisfactory, convicted him, and sentenced him to pay a fine of ₱30, with subsidiary imprisonment, and a share of the costs. Aguas appealed the conviction.

ISSUE:
Whether the trial court erred in finding Saturnino Aguas guilty of gambling based on his presence at the scene and the circumstantial evidence presented.

RULING:
The Supreme Court affirmed the conviction. The Court upheld the trial judge’s assessment of Aguas’s testimony as unconvincing and found no error in the factual conclusion that he was guilty as charged. The Court deferred to the trial judge’s firsthand observation of the witness and agreed that Aguas’s presence at the gambling house late at night, under the circumstances, sufficiently supported the finding of guilt. The judgment of the trial court was affirmed, with costs against the appellant.