G.R. No. L-2266; April 17, 1950
THE PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, plaintiff-appellee, vs. SALVADOR BAYTAN and JESUS BAYTAN, defendants-appellants.

FACTS

On the evening of June 23, 1947, in barrio Agna, Legaspi, Albay, appellants Salvador and Jesus Baytan robbed the store of spouses Yee Bon and Cirila Masareta. Salvador, armed with a revolver, went upstairs, threatened Cirila, and took P100 from her vanity case. Jesus remained downstairs with Yee Bon. After turning off the lights upon an order from outside, a shot was heard, and Yee Bon was found dead, with P380 missing from his person. Cirila positively identified both appellants as the perpetrators, having seen Jesus earlier that day buying cookies and Salvador during the robbery. The prosecution presented corroborating witnesses, including an eyewitness who saw the appellants fleeing and the chief of police who testified to Cirila’s reliable identification process. The defense relied on an alibi, claiming they were in Tabaco, about 35 kilometers away, during the incident, supported by witnesses who placed them there between 6:00 and 8:00 PM.

ISSUE

Whether the trial court erred in convicting appellants of the crime of robbery with homicide.

RULING

No, the conviction is affirmed. The Supreme Court found the testimonies of the prosecution witnesses, particularly Cirila Masareta, clear, convincing, and credible. Her identification was deemed reliable as she immediately dismissed other suspects but positively identified the appellants. The defense of alibi was weak and insufficiently established. The Court noted that the appellants’ own witnesses provided vague testimonies on the crucial element of time, and the distance between Tabaco and Agna could be traversed by car in about forty minutes, leaving a time gap that allowed them to commit the crime. The crime committed is robbery with homicide under Article 294 of the Revised Penal Code. The penalty is reclusion perpetua, and the indemnity to the heirs of Yee Bon is increased to P6,000.

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