G.R. No. L-3235; November 17, 1950
EL PUEBLO DE FILIPINAS, plaintiff-appellee, vs. TOMAS TARUMA (alias TOMAS MANUEL), defendant-appellant.

FACTS

On March 8, 1943, the accused, Tomas Taruma, together with about 20 Japanese soldiers and ten Filipinos, armed and in a group, surrounded the neighborhood association outpost in Barrio Palusapis, Muñoz, Nueva Ecija. They found Victoriano Galasi, the association president, and other members there. They arrested Diosdado Marinas, Vivencio Corpuz, and barrio lieutenant Pio Cacho, tying their hands. They ordered Galasi to assemble the male residents of the barrio, and about 50 men gathered. The Japanese soldiers ordered them to line up, and the accused pointed out Victoriano Galasi, Pablo Hesusan, and Eugenio Corpuz. These three were immediately arrested, their hands tied, and they were maltreated (slapped and kicked) by a man named Catacutan and the Japanese soldiers. The six detainees were taken to a Japanese garrison, later imprisoned for a week in San Jose, and finally transferred to the provincial jail in Cabanatuan. They were released after about three weeks through the efforts of the Muñoz mayor. Five of the six victims testified against the accused.

ISSUE

Whether the trial court erred in convicting the accused of treason based on allegedly inconsistent testimony and whether his acts constituted the crime charged.

RULING

The Supreme Court affirmed the conviction but modified the penalty. The alleged inconsistencies in the prosecution witnesses’ testimonies (regarding the duration of detention and the number of persons arrested) were minor and did not discredit their overall credibility. The testimony of five victims who were tied up, maltreated, and detained was conclusive proof of guilt. The acts of the accused—pointing out individuals to the Japanese soldiers who were then arrested and maltreated—constituted treason. These acts demonstrated unconditional and spontaneous aid to the Japanese in their campaign to suppress guerrillas, which was an essential part of the resistance during the occupation. An erroneous allegation of the date in the complaint (late 1943 instead of March 8, 1943) was not a substantial defect warranting acquittal. The accused’s attempt to use an alias indicated a guilty conscience. Considering the nature and consequences of his acts, the penalty was reduced to 12 years and one day of reclusion temporal.

AI Generated by Armztrong.