GR L 55832; (November, 1984) (Digest)
G.R. No. L-55832 November 20, 1984
THE PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, plaintiff-appellee, vs. REBETO TIENGO, TEOFANIS TIAGO, alias “Faniz” and FELIX BOOC, alias “Ewin”, accused, TEOFANIS TIAGO, and FELIX BOOC, accused-appellants.
FACTS
Accused Rebeto Tiengo, Teofanis Tiago, and Felix Booc were convicted of Murder for the killing of Paquito Severo. The trial court found that on July 6, 1979, the three lay in wait under a coconut tree along Paquito’s route home. Tiengo first struck Paquito with a piece of wood, causing him to fall, and then stabbed him. Tiago and Booc subsequently joined in, each stabbing the victim until he died. The incident was witnessed by Evelyn Severo, the wife of Paquito’s brother Nestor. When Nestor rushed to help, he was stabbed by Tiengo and later died from his wounds, for which only Tiengo was separately convicted of Homicide.
Appellants Tiago and Booc interposed the defense of alibi. Tiago claimed he was at his guard post, while Booc alleged he was sick at home. The trial court rejected their defenses, crediting instead the positive testimony of eyewitness Evelyn Severo.
ISSUE
Whether the conviction of appellants Teofanis Tiago and Felix Booc for Murder is supported by evidence beyond reasonable doubt.
RULING
Yes, the conviction is affirmed. The Supreme Court found no reason to reverse the trial court’s assessment of witness credibility. The testimony of Evelyn Severo was positive, categorical, and consistent on the material point of identifying the three assailants, whom she knew personally as co-employees of the victims. Minor inconsistencies in her narration regarding details like the specific body parts hit or the relative positions of the assailants did not impair her credibility; instead, they indicated her testimony was neither rehearsed nor coached. The medical findings of multiple stab wounds from the autopsy corroborated her account of attack by more than one person.
The appellants’ defenses of alibi were inherently weak and unconvincing. Tiago’s claim lacked corroboration from co-workers, and his subsequent flight to meet the confessed killer undermined his defense. Booc’s claim of being sick in bed was contradicted by evidence that he went out to the crime scene. Furthermore, the lack of established motive on the part of the appellants is inconsequential, as the crime and their participation were definitively proven through direct eyewitness testimony. The decision is affirmed with the modification of increasing the civil indemnity to P30,000.00.