GR 144656; (May, 2002) (Digest)
G.R. No. 144656; May 9, 2002
THE PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, plaintiff-appellee, vs. GERRICO VALLEJO Y SAMARTINO @ PUKE, accused-appellant.
FACTS
On July 10, 1999, nine-year-old Daisy Diolola was sent by her mother to a neighbor’s house in Rosario, Cavite, for tutorial lessons. The tutor was Aimee Vallejo, sister of the accused-appellant Gerrico Vallejo. Witnesses last saw the victim alive in the afternoon of that day when she left with accused-appellant, heading towards a riverside area called the “compuerta.” The following morning, Daisy’s body was found by the river, tied to a tree root. She was clad only in her pink shorts, with her sleeveless shirt wrapped around her neck. An autopsy confirmed she was raped and strangled to death.
The prosecution presented multiple witnesses. Jessiemin Mataverde testified she saw the victim leave with Vallejo. Charito Yepes stated she saw Vallejo near the crime scene later that afternoon, appearing uneasy and with wet clothing. Forensic evidence was pivotal. Seminal fluid stains found on the victim’s clothing and on a handkerchief recovered from Vallejo’s house were subjected to DNA analysis. The NBI forensic biologist testified that the DNA profiles from the stains matched the DNA profile of the accused-appellant, concluding he was the source of the semen.
ISSUE
The core issue is whether the prosecution proved beyond reasonable doubt that accused-appellant Gerrico Vallejo is guilty of the crime of Rape with Homicide.
RULING
Yes, the Supreme Court affirmed the conviction. The Court meticulously upheld the validity and reliability of the DNA evidence, which served as the cornerstone of the prosecution’s case. It ruled that the DNA testing procedure, conducted by the NBI, complied with the required scientific and legal standards for admissibility. The match between the DNA profile from the semen stains and Vallejo’s blood sample provided powerful, objective proof of his identity as the perpetrator. This forensic evidence was corroborated by credible circumstantial evidence: witnesses placed Vallejo as the last person seen with the victim, his demeanor and wet clothing after the crime were suspicious, and his alibi was weak and uncorroborated. The totality of this evidence established his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The Court affirmed the penalty of death, as the crime involved the rape of a child under twelve years old resulting in homicide, a special aggravating circumstance warranting the supreme penalty under Republic Act No. 7659. The award of civil indemnity was also increased to P75,000.00 in line with prevailing jurisprudence.