G.R. No. 247631 , June 14, 2021
People of the Philippines, Plaintiff-Appellee, vs. Zaldy Soriano y Blacer, a.k.a. “Mode”, Accused-Appellant.

FACTS

Accused-appellant Zaldy Soriano y Blacer was charged with rape for an incident on December 6, 2010. The victim, AAA, was 19 years old. On that day, around 5:00 p.m., AAA was alone at her home. Accused-appellant, who was drunk, entered her house under the pretext of looking for his uncle. He then pulled, embraced, and kissed AAA. Despite her shouts and struggles, he lowered her shorts and panties, threatened her with a bolo poked at her neck, and brought her to a nearby pasture land. There, he undressed, sat on her, kissed her face and breasts, and forcibly inserted his penis into her vagina while continuing to threaten her with the bolo. After the act, he warned her not to tell anyone or he would kill her. AAA immediately reported the incident to her live-in partner’s parents, the barangay captain, and the police. A medical examination confirmed erythema and redness in her vaginal orifice and the presence of spermatozoa. The defense presented accused-appellant’s alibi, claiming he was in another sitio and barangay during the incident.

ISSUE

Did the Court of Appeals err in affirming the conviction of the accused-appellant for rape?

RULING

No. The Supreme Court affirmed the conviction. The trial court’s and the Court of Appeals’ findings on the credibility of AAA’s testimony were upheld. Her testimony was candid, straightforward, and detailed, proving the elements of rape under Article 266-A of the Revised Penal Code: carnal knowledge through force or intimidation. The medical evidence corroborated her account. The defense of alibi was rejected as inherently weak and could not prevail over AAA’s positive identification. The penalties and awards were affirmed: reclusion perpetua, and civil indemnity, moral damages, and exemplary damages of P75,000.00 each, with 6% interest per annum from finality until fully paid.