G.R. No. L-3668 February 20, 1952
THE PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, plaintiff-appellee, vs. PEDRO MELODOLLAR, ET AL., defendants. FELIMON GIBAS, GABRIEL GIBAS, PEDRO MELODOLLAR and MAXIMINO MELODOLLAR, defendants-appellants.

FACTS

On April 29, 1948, near midnight, the administration building of the College of Agriculture, University of the Philippines at Los Baños, Laguna, was robbed. The steel safe containing over P22,000 was carried away and forcibly opened, and the night watchman, Timoteo de la Fuerte, was killed. After investigation, appellant Pedro Melodollar was arrested and confessed, implicating others. Initially, four other individuals (Honorario Maligalig, Alejo Maligalig, Estefaño Villegas, and Bonifacio Alvez) were arrested and made affidavits admitting participation. However, Capt. Carlos T. Galvez, doubting the truth of these affidavits due to inconsistencies (e.g., the safe being too large to pass through the window as described, and too heavy for two men to carry), withdrew the complaint and disposed of the affidavits. About two months later, based on new rumors, Pedro Melodollar was re-arrested and again confessed, leading to the recovery of the guard’s carbine from his barrio. Subsequently, appellants Felimon Gibas, Maximino Melodollar, and Gabriel Gibas were arrested. Each admitted participation and led authorities to recover evidence: an iron pipe used to carry the safe, a bolo and rope used in the killing and to tie the safe, a pick ax used to crack the safe open, a .45 caliber pistol, and an automatic carbine. Their affidavits were ratified before Fiscal Emmanuel Muñoz. Alfredo Marquez was also implicated but later acquitted. Maximino Melodollar withdrew his appeal, leaving Pedro Melodollar, Felimon Gibas, and Gabriel Gibas as appellants. At trial, they claimed their confessions were involuntary, obtained through torture, and raised alibi defenses. The trial court found the prosecution witnesses credible and rejected the defenses.

ISSUE

Whether the confessions of appellants Pedro Melodollar, Felimon Gibas, and Gabriel Gibas were voluntary and admissible, and whether the evidence sufficiently proves their guilt for the crime of robbery with homicide.

RULING

The confessions were voluntary and admissible, and the evidence sufficiently proves guilt. The trial court credited the Government witnesses and disbelieved the appellants’ claims of torture, noting the absence of physical injuries when they appeared before Fiscal Muñoz. The recovery of evidence (carbine, iron pipe, bolo, rope, pick ax, pistol) based on the appellants’ own directions corroborated their confessions. The defense of alibi was rejected due to the proximity of the claimed locations to the crime scene and improbability. The suppression of the initial affidavits by Capt. Galvez was deemed improper but did not undermine the case, as his subsequent investigation led to the appellants. The appellants are guilty of robbery with homicide. The decision of the trial court is affirmed.