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. Initial investigation led to the arrest of Pedro Melodollar and four others (Honorario Maligalig, Alejo Maligalig, Estefaño Villegas, and Bonifacio Alvez), who confessed and executed affidavits. However, Capt. Carlos T. Galvez later doubted their guilt due to inconsistencies (e.g., the safe could not fit through the window as described, and it was too heavy for two men) and withdrew the complaint. About two months later, based on new rumors, Pedro Melodollar was re-arrested and confessed, leading to the recovery of the guard’s carbine. Subsequently, Felimon Gibas, Maximino Melodollar, and Gabriel Gibas were arrested; they also confessed 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, a .45 caliber pistol, and an automatic carbine. Their affidavits were ratified before Fiscal Emmanuel Muñoz. Alfredo Marquez was also implicated but later acquitted. The prosecution’s theory, accepted by the trial court, was that the appellants, who were employees of the College and knew about the money, conspired to commit the robbery. Pedro and Maximino Melodollar killed the guard, and with Felimon and Gabriel Gibas, they broke into the building, carried the safe away, cracked it open, and divided the loot. The trial court convicted Pedro Melodollar, Maximino Melodollar, Felimon Gibas, and Gabriel Gibas of robbery with homicide. Maximino Melodollar later withdrew his appeal.

ISSUE

Whether the confessions of appellants Pedro Melodollar, Felimon Gibas, and Gabriel Gibas were voluntary and credible, and whether their guilt for the crime of robbery with homicide was proven beyond reasonable doubt.

RULING

The Supreme Court affirmed the conviction. The Court found no reason to disturb the trial court’s assessment of witness credibility, which gave credit to the prosecution witnesses and rejected the appellants’ claims that their confessions were extracted through torture. The Court noted that if torture had occurred as alleged, physical injuries would have been visible when the affidavits were ratified before Fiscal Muñoz, but no such injuries were reported. The Court also upheld the trial court’s rejection of the appellants’ alibi defenses as improbable and noted the proximity of their claimed locations to the crime scene. The recovery of physical evidence (carbine, iron pipe, bolo, rope, pick ax, pistol) based on the appellants’ instructions further corroborated their guilt. The Court found the appellants guilty of robbery with homicide and affirmed the sentence of reclusion perpetua, the order to return P22,000 to the College of Agriculture, and the indemnity of P4,000 to the heirs of Timoteo de la Fuerte, jointly and severally, with each to pay one-fifth of the costs.