G.R. No. 1827 : January 25, 1905
THE UNITED STATES, complainant-appellee, vs. LEONARDO SANTIAGO, defendant-appellant.

FACTS:
On the night of September 1, 1903, in the pueblo of Santa Isabel, Province of Bulacan, the defendant, Leonardo Santiago, together with five other armed companions, entered the house of Prudencio Balagtas. Santiago, armed with a revolver, and one of his companions, armed with a gun, took Balagtas and carried him away. From that date until the time of the trial on February 19, 1904, Balagtas had not been seen or heard from by his family. The defendant was charged with the crime of illegal detention (sequestration) committed with the aid of armed persons and lasting for more than twenty days. At trial, the defendant’s sole defense was an alibi. The Court of First Instance of Bulacan found him guilty, sentencing him to eleven years of prision mayor, an indemnity of 500 pesos to the victim’s wife, and costs. The court considered the aggravating circumstances of superiority, nocturnity, and the aid of armed persons.

ISSUE:
Whether the trial court erred in convicting the defendant of the crime of illegal detention as charged.

RULING:
No. The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the lower court. Upon examination of the evidence, the Court found the testimony sufficient to establish the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The defense of alibi offered by the defendant was not credible enough to overcome the prosecution’s evidence. The sentence imposed by the Court of First Instance was therefore affirmed.