GR 188669; (February, 2010) (Digest)
G.R. No. 188669 , February 16, 2010
People of the Philippines, Appellee, vs. Ildefonso Mendoza y Berizo, Appellant.
FACTS
The accused, Ildefonso Mendoza, was charged with Statutory Rape under Article 266-A of the Revised Penal Code. The Information alleged that on or about May 28, 2003, in Muntinlupa City, the accused, by means of force, threat, or intimidation, had carnal knowledge of the complainant, CMS, an 8-year-old girl. The prosecution presented the victim, CMS, and an eyewitness, Anna Loth Fernandez. CMS testified that the accused removed her shorts and panty, kissed and licked her vagina, and inserted his penis into her vagina, causing her pain. Anna Loth, standing outside the victim’s house, saw a moving blanket inside, peeped through a hole from the second floor of her adjacent house, and witnessed the accused pulling CMS’s feet, removing her shorts, and kissing her vagina. She saw the victim trying to escape as the accused tried to open her legs. The defense presented only the accused, who denied the allegation, claiming he was sleeping at a friend’s house due to a fever at the time of the incident. The Regional Trial Court found the accused guilty beyond reasonable doubt of statutory rape and sentenced him to reclusion perpetua, ordering him to pay civil indemnity, moral damages, and exemplary damages. The Court of Appeals affirmed the RTC decision.
ISSUE
Whether the Court of Appeals erred in affirming the conviction of the accused for the crime of statutory rape.
RULING
The Supreme Court affirmed the conviction with modification. The Court upheld the findings of the lower courts, giving full credence to the credible, clear, spontaneous, and coherent testimony of the minor victim, CMS, which was corroborated by the eyewitness account of Anna Loth Fernandez. The Court emphasized that in rape cases, the complainant’s credibility is paramount, and the testimony of the victim, especially a minor, deserves full credence absent any improper motive. The accused’s defense of denial could not prevail over the positive identification and detailed testimonies of the prosecution witnesses. However, the Court modified the awards of damages, increasing the civil indemnity to P75,000.00, moral damages to P75,000.00, and exemplary damages to P30,000.00. The penalty of reclusion perpetua was affirmed with no eligibility for parole.