G.R. No. L‑3980
December 20, 1907

FACTS
– Ruperto and Lorenzo Gorospe were indicted for murder (premeditated, treacherous killing of Joaquin Reyes on 29 Nov 1906, Cabugao, Ilocos Sur).
– Both pleaded not guilty.
– The trial court convicted them as accessories to homicide and sentenced each to 2 years 4 months 1 day of prisión correccional, ₱1,000 indemnity, and costs.
– The only proof adduced was the alleged “extrajudicial confessions” of the defendants. No showing was made that these statements were given voluntarily or without coercion, as required by Sec. 4, Act No. 619 and controlling jurisprudence (U.S. v. Pascual; U.S. v. De la Cruz).

ISSUE
Whether the conviction can stand when the sole evidence is extrajudicial confessions that were not proven to be voluntary, thus violating the statutory rule on admissibility of confessions.

RULING
The Supreme Court reversed the trial court’s judgment and ordered the discharge of the defendants (absent other charges), holding that convictions cannot rest on involuntary confessions. Costs of both instances were assessed de oficio.

Concurrence: Arellano, C.J., and Justices Torres, Mapa, Carson, Willard, and Tracey.