G.R. No. L-1700; May 24, 1949
THE PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, plaintiff-appellee, vs. LORENZO MINTU, defendant-appellant.

FACTS

On September 2, 1946, four armed men entered the house of Andres Zabala in Cavite, robbed items valued at P270, and one of the robbers, Fernando Masikap, raped Maria Zabala. Appellant Lorenzo Mintu was charged as one of the robbers. The prosecution witnesses, Andres and Maria Zabala, identified Mintu as a participant, noting they knew him before the incident and that the house was well-lit during the crime. Mintu presented an alibi, claiming he was at home attending to his sick wife, supported by a witness who testified to treating her but could only specify the date of the crime.

ISSUE

Was appellant Lorenzo Mintu sufficiently identified as one of the perpetrators of the robbery?

RULING

Yes. The Supreme Court affirmed the trial court’s decision. The positive identification by the victims, who knew Mintu prior to the incident and observed him under sufficient light during the robbery, was deemed credible and sufficient to establish his participation. The alibi presented was found weak and unconvincing, as the supporting witness could not reliably pinpoint the date, and there was no motive shown for the victims to falsely accuse Mintu. The court upheld the conviction for robbery with rape under Article 294(2) of the Revised Penal Code.

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