G.R. No. L-2161; May 26, 1949
THE PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, plaintiff-appellee, vs. JAMES YOUNG (alias JIMMY YOUNG, alias TENG ENG YOUNG), defendant-appellant.

FACTS

The appellant, James Young, was charged with murder for the killing of Alfonso Ang Liongto on April 15, 1946, in Davao City. The information alleged that the killing was committed with treachery, evident premeditation, and for a reward. Young admitted his participation, stating that he and his five “followers and henchmen” were recruited and paid P50,000 by a group of local Chinese residents in Davao to kill the victim due to his pro-Japanese activities and business competition. The group drew lots to determine the triggerman, with Dy To being selected. On the night of the crime, Dy To shot Ang Liongto from behind after calling his name. Young was arrested hours later.

ISSUE

Whether the death penalty should be imposed on the appellant, considering the presence of aggravating circumstances and the applicability of Republic Act No. 296, which modified the voting requirement for imposing the death penalty.

RULING

The Supreme Court affirmed the trial court’s sentence of life imprisonment. The Court found the appellant guilty of murder qualified by evident premeditation, and aggravated by the circumstances of price/reward and treachery. While the Court held that the appellant deserved the death penalty due to the aggravating circumstances and absence of mitigating factors, it could not impose it because only seven Justices voted for death, with one dissenting vote for life imprisonment. The Court ruled that Republic Act No. 296 (requiring at least eight concurring votes for death) was procedural and applied to cases decided after its approval, but the necessary unanimity under the old law was not met. Thus, for lack of the required votes, the life imprisonment sentence was upheld.

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