G.R. No. 194719; Date: Not provided in text.
Case Parties/Title: PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, Appellee, vs. RODEL SINGSON, Appellant.

FACTS

The appellant, Rodel Singson, was charged with rape before the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Cabarroguis, Quirino. The complainant, MJ, testified that she and Rodel had a prior romantic relationship that ended months before the incident. On the evening of December 22, 2003, after attending simbang gabi, MJ went home alone. Rodel later knocked on her door, and she let him in. After talking for about 45 minutes, she asked him to leave. After Rodel left and MJ entered her room, he suddenly reappeared, sprayed something on her face that made her feel weak and dizzy, undressed her, touched her, and then had carnal knowledge of her. She claimed she lost consciousness during the act and only woke up to her brother’s screams. Her mother, LK, returned home, found MJ’s bedroom locked, opened it with a key, and discovered MJ naked and unconscious on the bed. Seeing unfamiliar clothes, LK looked under the bed and found Rodel hiding there in his underwear. LK shouted for help, leading to Rodel’s arrest by barangay officials. Rodel’s defense was that the sexual intercourse was consensual. The RTC found him guilty of rape and sentenced him to life imprisonment, a decision affirmed by the Court of Appeals (CA).

ISSUE

The only issue is whether or not Rodel raped MJ by having carnal knowledge of her after spraying her with drugs that weakened her resistance and rendered her unconscious, constituting rape under Article 335 of the Revised Penal Code, as amended.

RULING

The Court acquitted appellant Rodel Singson. The prosecution’s evidence failed to prove his guilt beyond reasonable doubt. The Court found MJ’s story doubtful due to material inconsistencies. In her sworn affidavit executed hours after the incident, she stated she was fully conscious during the sexual act and described it in detail, only losing consciousness afterwards. This directly contradicted her court testimony that she became unconscious when Rodel entered her. She offered no explanation for this inconsistency. The testimony of her mother, LK, was also dubious and inconsistent regarding the sequence of events upon discovering MJ and Rodel. The Court noted the prosecution’s failure to produce the alleged spray can or bottle used to immobilize MJ, which should have been seized as evidence. Furthermore, MJ’s account contained other improbabilities, such as letting a visibly drunk ex-boyfriend into her house near midnight, not locking the door after he left, and her claim of being dressed when she woke up, which contradicted her mother’s testimony that she was found naked and was wrapped in a blanket. The testimonial evidence was deemed not credible as it defied reason and common experience. Consequently, the Court reversed the decisions of the lower courts and acquitted Rodel Singson on the ground of reasonable doubt.