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ENBANC

[G.R.No.126253.August16,2000]

PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, plaintiffappellee, vs. VICTOR M. MACOY,

JR.,accusedappellant.
DECISION
PARDO,J.:

AccusedVictorM.Macoy,Jr.appealsfromthejointdecision[1]oftheRegionalTrialCourt,
Branch 58, Cebu City finding him guilty beyond reasonable doubt of parricide and illegal
possessionoffirearmandammunitionandsentencinghimtotworeclusionperpetua[2]and to
pay Marilou M. Macoy P6,530.78 as actual damages, P50,000.00 as moral damages,
P50,000.00 as death indemnity and costs for the death of his son, Joglyn Macoy, and to an
indeterminatepenaltyofseventeen(17)years,four(4)monthsandone(1)daytotwenty(20)
yearsofreclusiontemporalmaximumandtopaythecosts.[3]
On October 10, 1995,[4] Cebu City Prosecutor II Virginia PalancaSantiago filed with the
Regional Trial Court, Branch 58, Cebu City two (2) separate informations charging accused
VictorM.Macoy,Jr.withparricideandillegalpossessionoffirearmandammunition,asfollows:
CriminalCaseNo.CBU39639
"Thatonoraboutthe9thdayofOctober1995,atabout12:20a.m.,moreorless,intheCityof
Cebu,Philippines,andwithinthejurisdictionofthisHonorableCourt,thesaidaccused,armed
withanunlicensedfirearm,withdeliberateintent,withintenttokill,didthenandthereattack,
assaultandusepersonalviolenceupononeJoglynMacoy,hisson,byshootinghimwithsaid
firearm,hittingthelatterinflictinguponsaidJoglynMacoyfatalwoundsandasaconsequence
ofwhichthelatterdiedinstantaneously.
CONTRARYTOLAW.[5]
CriminalCaseNo.CBU39640
"Thatonoraboutthe9thdayofOctober,1995,atabout12:20o'clockA.M.,intheCityof
Cebu,PhilippinesandwithinthejurisdictionofthisHonorableCourt,thesaidaccused,with
deliberateintent,didthenandtherekeepunderhiscontrolandpossessionone(1)snubnose
.38caliberpaltikrevolver(SmithandWesson)marked"EYR10995"withthree(3)roundsoflive
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ammunitionandone(1)emptyshell,whichwasusedinthecommissionofthecrimeof
Parricide,withoutfirstobtainingapermitorlicensethereforfromacompetentauthority.
CONTRARYTOLAW.[6]
The prosecutor recommended no bail for the temporary release of accused Victor M.
Macoy,Jr.,inbothcases.
UponarraignmentonNovember8,1995,accusedpleadednotguiltytobothinformations.
[7]Thereafter,thetwo(2)casesweretriedjointly.

At about 12:20 in the morning of October 9, 1995, accused Victor M. Macoy Jr. arrived
drunkathishousein1612GilTudtudSt.,Lahinglahing,Mabolo,CebuCity.Ashewascarrying
a musical instrument, his wife, Marilou M. Macoy called her son, Joglyn Macoy, to help his
father. While walking toward the house, accused was complaining, in a low voice, about the
muddyroadleadingtohishouse.Apparently,hecouldnotcomplainaloudbecausehewaswith
his friends who worked at the Department of Public Services (DPS), the department
responsibleforthedumpingofthesoilontheroadleadingtohishouse.
When Joglyn went out to help his father, he commented that "foolish this DPS people
damping[sic]soilwhichmadetheroadmuddy."Thinkingthathissonwasblaminghisbarkadas
from the DPS, accused Victor angrily retorted in defense of his friends. A heated argument
ensuedbetweenfatherandson.
At this point, Cresenciano Marikit, Marilou's younger brother arrived at the house and
prevaileduponJoglyntocalmdown.Heinvitedhisnephewtoanearbystore,thirty(30)meters
fromhishouse.
Meanwhile, accused went to his room and took from the aparador a belt bag, which
contained a .38 caliber firearm. Marilou knew the kind of gun the bag contained because
accusedtoldherso[8]andshewouldoftenseeaccusedgetthegunfromthatbagtoclean,and
return it afterwards.[9]Accused Victor took the gun, tucked it in his waist and left the house.
Mariloutriedtopersuadehimnottoleavethehouse,butaccusedwalkedoutofthehouse.
Afewminuteslater,sheheardaburstofgunfireandsawacommotionatthenearbystore.
Whenshearrivedattheplace,shesawherbrotherCresencianoholdingherhusband,accused
Victor,whilehersonJoglynwasbeingcarriedtoataxicabtobebroughttothehospital.Atthe
CebuChongHuaHospital,theattendingphysiciandeclaredJoglynMacoydeadonarrival.[10]
For hospitalization and funeral expenses, Marilou spent three thousand eighty pesos and
seventy eight centavos (P3,080.78) and three thousand four hundred fifty (P3,450.00) pesos,
respectively, supported by receipts. For the services of a lawyer, she spent fifty thousand
(P50,000.00)pesos.By way of moral damages, Marilou said that five hundred (P500,000.00)
pesoswouldnotbeenoughtocompensateforthelossofherson.[11]
Cresenciano Marikit positively identified accused as the assailant. At about 12:30 in the
morningofOctober9,1995,heandDaniloMacaserowererepairinghisjeepoutsidehishouse
atLahinglahing,Mabolo,CebuCity.Victor and his musicianfriends passed by. They were all
drunk.
Later,heheardnoisecomingfromaccused'shouse,promptinghimtogothereandverify
what was going on. He found out that accused and his son, Joglyn Macoy were having an
argumentregardingtherepairbeingdonebythecitygovernmentontheroadleadingtotheir
houseandtheinconvenienceithadcaused.When accused saw him, accused told him "shut
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up,itisnoneofyourbusiness."[12]
To prevent the argument from worsening, Cresenciano took his nephew out of the house
andbroughthimtoanearbystore,aboutthirty(30)metersfromthehouseoftheaccused.
AtthestorewhileCresencianowastalkingtoJoglyn,accusedVictorarrived,armedwitha
snubnose.38caliberrevolverandfiredatJoglyn.Accusedmissedwithhisfirstshotbecause
the bullet got stuck in the barrel.He fired a second shot hitting Joglyn near the left shoulder.
Joglynfelltotheground.
While Joglyn was still on the ground, accused Victor fired a third shot, but the bullet got
stuckagain.Cresencianoapproachedtheaccusedandwrestledwithhimforthepossessionof
the gun. In the scuffle, accused lost possession of the gun and it fell to the ground. Danilo
Macaseropickeditupandthrewitatthenearbycanal.JoglynwasthenbroughttotheCebu
Chong Hua Hospital, while Cresenciano dragged accused toward his (Cresenciano's) house,
twenty(20)metersfromthesceneofthecrime.
When the shooting incident happened, accused was about two (2) meters away from the
victim.[13]
Based on the death certificate issued by medico legal officer Dr. Jesus P. Cerna, PNP,
CebuCity,thetimeofinjurywasabout12:30midnightofOctober9,1995.Thecauseofdeath
was "hemorrhage, acute, severe, secondary to gun shot wound at the left chest." One .38
caliberslugwasrecoveredfromthesecondthoracicvertebraofthevictim.Thewound,2.01by
1.01indiameter,wasdirected"downwardandfromthelefttowardstherightsideattheback
hitting the second rib lacerating the lung particularly the upper lobe of the left lung, then the
bulletfracturedthesecondthoracicvertebra,meaning,theboneofthespinalcolumnwhichis
the second thoracic vertebra lacerating the spinal cord."[14] Considering the nature and
characteristic of the gunshot wound entrance and the absence of powder burns of the skin
aroundtheentrance,thedistanceofthe"muscle"[sic]oftheguntotheskinofthevictimwas
"24inches."Thetrajectoryofthebulletfoundinsidethebodyofthevictimrevealedthathewas
inalowerpositionthanhisassailantandthattheymighthavebeenfacingeachother,withthe
assailantmoretotheleftofthevictim.[15]
Atthetimeofhisdeath,JoglynMacoywastwentyseven(27)yearsoldandworkedasa
newspapercorrespondent.
SPO4 Romeo O. Carreon, SPO1 George M. Ruiz, PO2 Elmo Y. Rosales and PO2
FilomenoD.Mendaros,PhilippineNationalPolice,CebuCity,weretheteamondutyfrom8:00
inthemorningofOctober8,1995until8:00inthemorningofOctober9,1995.Atabout1:00in
the morning of October 9, they received a report from the base control operator about a
shootingincidentatGilTudtudSt.,Lahinglahing,Mabolo,CebuCity.[16]
Theyproceededtotheplaceandconductedanocularinspection.Theyfoundoutthatthe
victim of the shooting was Joglyn Macoy and the person responsible was the victim's own
father,VictorMacoy,Jr.yMidal.Sinceaccusedwasnolongeratthesceneofthecrime,they
wenttohishouse.
Accusedwasarrestedathishouseafterthepolicemenexplainedtohimhisconstitutional
rights. Accused admitted that he shot his son Joglyn Macoy. Later, accused's brotherinlaw
arrivedandinformedthemthatJoglynwasdeadonarrivalatthehospital.
Withtheaccusedintow,thepolicemenwenttoCebuChongHuaHospitaltoquestionother
witnesses. There they saw Danilo Macasero, who informed them that he knew where the
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firearm used in the commission of the crime was. They went back to Gil Tudtud St.,
Lahinglahing,Mabolo,CebuCity.DaniloMacaseropersonallyidentifiedandturnedovertothe
policethemurderweapon,a.38caliberrevolver(paltik).
Accused Victor Macoy was taken to the police station. When asked to present the
authorizationtolegallypossessorcarrythesubjectfirearm,accusedfailedtoproduceany.The
policemenarrestedaccusedforviolationofPresidentialDecreeNo.1866,orillegalpossession
of firearm and ammunition. Thereafter, accused underwent paraffin examination, while the
murderweaponwassubjectedtogunpowderresidueexaminationandballisticstest.[17]
PoliceSeniorInspectorMyrnaP.Areola,PNP,CebuCityfoundthat"thechemicalanalysis
conducted on both hand casts of Victor Macoy, Jr. y Midal gave positive results for the
presence of gunpowder residue,"[18] while the ballistic test conducted on the .38 revolver
snubnoseSmithandWessonmarked"EYR10995"wasfoundpositiveforgunpowderresidue.
[19]

Danilo Macasero testified that at about 12:30 in the morning of October 9, 1995, he and
CresencianoMarikitarrivedinMabolo,CebuCityfromLahug,CebuCitywheretheyrepaired
Cresenciano's jeep. They went to a store near Cresenciano's house to have snacks.
Cresenciano left to park his jeep at his house nearby. When he came back he was with his
nephew, Joglyn Macoy. He was informed that Joglyn had a heated argument with his father
accusedVictorMacoy.[20]
AsCresencianoandJoglynweretalking,accusedarrivedshoutingandlookingforhisson.
Accusedapproachedthestore,pulledthegunfromhiswaistandaimedatJoglyn.Bythistime,
Joglyn, in a squatting position, saw his father and told his uncle, Cresenciano Marikit, "Tiyo,
Papaishere."Accusedaimedthegunathissonandfired,butthebulletgotstuck. Accused
firedasecondtimehittingJoglynontheleftshoulderandhefelltotheground.Accusedtriedto
firehisgunagain,buttheweapondidnotfunction.[21]
Cresencianograppledwithaccusedforthepossessionofthegunandinthecourseofthe
scuffle, accused lost hold of the weapon.Danilo picked up the gun and threw it in the canal,
abouteight(8)toten(10)metersawayfromtheplaceoftheshooting.Thereafter, he helped
bringJoglyntotheCebuChongHuaHospital,whereJoglynwasdeclareddeadonarrival.[22]
At the hospital, policemen from Ramos Police Station arrived and began questioning
witnesses to the shooting incident. Accused Victor M. Macoy, Jr. was there, inside a police
servicecar.SinceDaniloknewwherethefirearmusedintheshootingwas,hereturnedtothe
sceneofthecrime,togetherwithSonnyArriolaandPatrolmanGeorgeRuiz,andretrievedthe
firearmfromthecanal.DaniloturnedovertheguntoPatrolmanRuiz.Then,Danilowenthome.
[23]

Inopencourt,DaniloMacaseroidentifiedthefirearmonexhibitasthegunusedinshooting
JoglynMacoyandtheverysamegunheretrievedfromthecanalandturnedovertoPatrolman
Ruiz.[24]
Inhisdefense,accusedVictorM.Macoy,Jr.deniedshootinghissonandowningthegun
usedintheshooting.
He claimed that at around 12:30 in the morning of October 9, 1995, he arrived home at
LahingLahing, Mabolo, Cebu City from a birthday party where he and his musicianfriends
playedmusic.
Uponarrival,hehadanargumentwithhissonJoglynMacoyoverthemuddyroadleading
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totheirhouse.Joglynblamedhimbecausethepeopleresponsibleforthedumpingofthesoil
ontheroadwerehisfriendsfromtheDepartmentofPublicServices(DPS),CebuCity.Astheir
argument escalated, Cresenciano Marikit, his wife's brother, arrived to intervene and he took
Joglynoutofthehouse.AccusedVictordidnotknowwherehissonandbrotherinlawwent.
Meanwhile,accuseddecidedtogooutofthehouseandgetsomefreshair.Beforeleaving
however,hegothisgun,a.22caliberrevolver.His wife tried to prevent him from leaving the
houseandbringingthegunwithhim.However,heprevailedoverherbecausethereweremany
thieveslurkingintheneighborhood.
Whenhewasaboutfive(5)metersfromtheirhouse,heheardacommotionatthebackof
theirhouse.Thinkingthattherewerethieves,hefiredawarningshotintheair.[25]
Accused continued walking toward the direction of the store, one hundred (100) meters
fromhishouse.As he was near the store, he noticed a group of people and he approached
them.There,hesawhissonJoglynMacoywhoutteredtohisuncleCresenciano,"Tiyo,Papa
iscoming,pleaceintercept,hemightdosomething.
The people at the store stood up and faced him. Fearing that he would be attacked, he
drewhisgunandpointeditupwards.Immediately,Cresencianoblockedhispathandgrappled
withhimforthepossessionofthegun.Inthecourseoftheirstruggle,accusedheardaburstof
gunfire and saw his son Joglyn fall to the ground. Then he heard Cresenciano telling Danilo
Macaserotopickupthegun.Allthistime,hewasstillholdinghisgunsothegunthatfelland
waspickedupbyDanilowasnothis(Victor).[26]
AccusedVictorwasshockedbythefactthathissonwasshot.Thepeoplegatheredinthe
storehelpedhissonandbroughthimtothehospital.Hismindwentblankandhesimplywalked
home.
Whenhearrivedhome,heinspectedhisgun,a.22caliber,andfoundone(1)emptyshell
andfive(5)livebulletsleft.Hewasthensurethatanothergunwasusedinshootinghisson.
Accusedhidhisgunundertheipilipiltreesinfrontofhishouse.[27]
Notlongafter,policemenarrivedandheinvitedthemin.Hewasaskedifheshothisson,
whichhedenied.Suddenlyhisbrotherinlaw,CresencianoMarikit,arrivedandsaidthathisson
Joglynwasdeadonarrivalatthehospital.Accusedcommentedthatwhathappenedtohisson
wasregretful.
Together with the police officers, they went to the Cebu Chong Hua Hospital. Afterwards,
accusedwasbroughttotheRamosPoliceStation,CebuCitywherehewasfurtherinvestigated
aboutthefirearmandtheshootingofhisson.Allthetimethathewasundergoinginvestigation,
hewasnotapprisedofhisconstitutionalrights.Hewasnotassistedbycounselfromthetime
hewasaskedsearchingquestionsinhishouseuptothetimeofthefilingofthecasesagainst
himwiththeCityProsecutor'sOffice,CebuCity.Whenhewasaskedifhehadalicenseforhis
.22caliberrevolver,herepliedthatthepersonwhosoldtheguntohimpromisedtosecurea
licenseforhim.[28]
WhenaccusedVictorwasaskedinopencourttoidentifythegunonexhibit,hesaidthatit
was not his and that it was the first time he had seen that gun. His gun was a .22 caliber
revolver while the one presented on exhibit was a .38 caliber revolver.Moreover, the gun on
exhibit had four (4) bullets one (1) empty shell and three (3) live bullets. Accused Victor
admittedthatatthetimeoftheshootinghewasholdingagun,differentfromtheoneonexhibit.
His gun was not licensed and the seller was following it up for him. He loved his son Joglyn
because he was his only son. He was not able to assist his son when the latter fell to the
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groundbecausehismindwentblank.
On August 12, 1996, the trial court rendered a joint decision finding accused Victor M.
Macoy, Jr. guilty beyond reasonable doubt of parricide and illegal possession of firearm, the
dispositiveportionofwhichreads:
WHEREFORE,premisesconsidered,judgmentisherebyrenderedfindingtheaccused,
VICTORM.MACOY,JR.,GUILTYbeyondreasonabledoubtoftheCrimesofParricideand
IllegalPossessionofFirearmandAmmunitionsandisherebysentencedtosufferthepenaltyof
RECLUSIONPERPETUAinthecaseofParricideinCriminalCaseNo.CBU36639,[29]andto
payMarilouM.MacoythecumofP6,530.78asactualdamages,thesumofP50,000asmoral
damagesandanothersumofP50,000.00asindemnityforthedeathofhersonandtopaythe
costsinCriminalCaseNo.CBU39640forIllegalPossessionofFirearmandAmmunitions,the
saidaccusedisherebysentencedtosuffertheindeterminatepenaltyofseventeen(17)years,
Four(4)monthsandOne(1)daytoTwenty(20)yearsandtopaythecosts.Thesepenalties
shallbeservedbytheaccusedinaccordancewithArt.70oftheRevisedPenalCode,and,in
servinghissentence,theaccusediscreditedwiththefulltimeofthepreventiveimprisonment
whichhehadundergoneundertheconditionsimposedinArt.29oftheRevisedPenalCode.
Thefirearm(Exh.H)andthethree(3)liveammunitionsandone(1)emptyshell(Exhs.IandI
1)areherebyforfeitedinfavorofthegovernmenttobedisposedofinthemannerprovidedfor
bylaw.
SOORDERED.
CebuCity,Philippines,August12,1996.
JOSEP.SOBERANO,JR.
Judge[30]
OnAugust22,1996,accusedVictorM.Macoy,Jr.filedanoticeofappeal.[31]
Accused Victor Macoy, Jr. y Midal alleges that the trial court erred in finding him guilty of
illegal possession of firearm as the gun alleged by the prosecution to have been used in the
shooting of his son, Joglyn Macoy, was not the same gun in his possession. Corollarily, he
couldnotbeheldresponsibleforhisson'sdeath.[32]
Ontheotherhand,theSolicitorGeneralsubmitsthatduetotheenactmentofRepublicAct
No. 8294, the penalty against the accused should be modified from reclusion temporal
maximum period to reclusion perpetua. Under Republic Act No. 8294, the penalty for illegal
possession of low powered firearm such as handgun, .38 or .22 caliber and others of similar
firepower,hasbeenloweredtoprisioncorreccionalmaximumandafineofnotlessthanfifteen
(P15,000.00)thousandpesos,providedthatnoothercrimewascommitted.[33]
In denying responsibility for parricide and illegal possession of firearm, accused Victor
Macoy, Jr. y Midal advances the theory that two (2) firearms were involved, a .38 caliber
revolver, snubnose and his .22 caliber paltik revolver. He intimated that his brotherinlaw,
CresencianoMarikit,wasalsoarmedwhenthelattertriedtograpplewithhimforpossessionof
his.22caliberpaltikrevolver.Hedeniedowningthe.38caliberrevolver.However,the.22paltik
revolverheownedwasnotpresentedinevidence.Neitherwasitlicensed.Toavoidsuspicion
thatheshothisson,heburiedthegunundertheipilipiltreesinfrontofhishouseimmediately
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aftertheincident.Whydidhenotretrievetheguntoshowthatitisa.22cal.revolver?
Though accused categorically denied ownership of the .38 caliber revolver presented as
prosecution evidence, prosecution witnesses Marilou Macoy, Cresenciano Marikit and Danilo
Macasero positively identified the gun as the weapon used by the accused on the night in
question.Noillmotivehasbeenestablishedagainstthesewitnessesthatmighthaveprompted
themtoincriminatetheaccusedorfalselytestifyagainsthim."Itissettledthatwhenthereisno
showingthattheprincipalwitnessesfortheprosecutionwereactuatedbyimpropermotive,the
presumptionisthatthewitnesseswerenotsoactuatedandtheirtestimoniesarethusentitled
to full faith and credit. Testimonies of witnesses who have no motive or reason to falsify or
perjure their testimonies should be given credence."[34] Their narration of what exactly
transpiredonthatfatefulnightwasconsistentandcorroborativeofeachother'stestimony.
Consideringthat,asallegedbyaccused,manypeopleweregatheredatthestorewhenthe
shooting incident occurred, how come that no one saw his brotherinlaw was armed with a
gun.ThisleavesuswithnootherconclusionthanthataccusedVictorconcoctedthetwogun
theorytoavoidcriminalliability.
Hence,accused'sdefenseofdenialmustfail.Infact,accusedadmittedhispresenceatthe
sceneofthecrime.
His denial of the killing of his son can not prevail over his positive identification by
prosecutionwitnesses."Itiswellsettledthatdenial,ifunsubstantiatedbyclearandconvincing
evidence,isanegativeselfservingassertion,whichdeservesnoweightinlaw.[35]
Withregardtoaccused'sconvictionforillegalpossessionoffirearm,asaptlysubmittedby
theSolicitorGeneral,thepenaltyimposedonhimshouldbemodifiedbecauseoftheenactment
of Republic Act No. 8294 amending Presidential Decree No. 1866. As held in People vs.
Molina,[36] People vs. Feloteo,[37] and People vs. Narvasa,[38] there can be no separate
convictionofthecrimeofillegalpossessionoffirearmifhomicideormurderiscommittedwith
the use of unlicensed firearm. Such use of an unlicensed firearm shall be considered as an
aggravatingcircumstanceinthehomicideormurdercommitted.
RepublicActNo.8294tookeffectonJuly6,1997,fifteendaysafteritspublicationonJune
21,1997.ThecrimesinvolvedintheinstantcasetookplaceonOctober9,1995.Asinthecase
ofanypenallaw,theprovisionsofRepublicActNo.8294willhavegenerallyonlyprospective
application.Incases,however,wherethenewpenallawwillbeadvantageoustotheaccused,
thelawmaybegivenretroactiveapplication(Article22,RevisedPenalCode).Insofarasitwill
spareaccusedappellantfromaseparateconvictionforillegalpossessionoffirearm,Republic
ActNo.8294maybegivenretroactiveapplication.[39]
Further,inlinewiththisCourt'srulinginPeoplevs.Valdez,[40]"insofaras thisparticular
provision of Republic Act No. 8294 is not beneficial to accusedappellant because it unduly
aggravatesthecrime,thisnewlawwillnotbegivenretroactiveapplication,lestitmightacquire
thecharacterofanexpostfactolaw."Theapplicationofthecitedprovisionofthenewlawwould
not be beneficial to the accused, as it would increase the penalty for parricide from reclusion
perpetuatodeath.
The trial court, therefore, correctly found accused Victor Macoy, Jr. y Midal guilty of
parricide. The crime has been duly established by the prosecution. Under Article 246 of the
RevisedPenalCode,thepenaltyforparricideisreclusionperpetuatodeath.Thetwopenalties
being indivisible, and there being neither mitigating nor aggravating circumstances in the
commissionofthedeed,thelesserpenaltyshallbeappliedpursuanttothesecondparagraph
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ofArticle63oftheRevisedPenalCode. [41]Thecourta quoproperlymetedtheproperpenalty

ofreclusionperpetua.
WHEREFORE, the Court AFFIRMS the appealed decision with modification. As thus
modified,theCourtfindsaccusedappellantVictorMacoy,Jr.yMidalguiltybeyondreasonable
doubt of parricide defined and penalized under Article 246 of the Revised Penal Code, and
hereby sentences him to reclusion perpetua, with all the accessory penalties of the law to
indemnifytheheirsofthevictimintheamountofP6,530.78asactualdamages,P50,000.00as
deathindemnity,P50,000.00asmoraldamagesandtopaythecosts.
TheCourtdismissesCriminalCaseNo.CBU39640forviolationofPresidentialDecreeNo.
1866.Costsdeoficio.
SOORDERED.
Melo, Puno, Vitug, Kapunan, Mendoza, Panganiban, Quisumbing, Purisima, Buena,
GonzagaReyes,YnaresSantiago,andDeLeon,Jr.,JJ.,concur.
Davide,Jr.,C.J.,seeseparateopinion.
Bellosillo,J.,nopart.
SEPARATEOPINION
DAVIDE,JR.,C.J.:

TheponenciaconcludesthatR.A.No.8294shouldnotbegivenretroactiveeffectbecause
itwouldhavedisadvantageouseffectonappellant.Iftheuseoftheillegallypossessedfirearm
inthiscasewouldbeconsideredanaggravatingcircumstance,thepenaltyforparricidewould
havetobedeath,themaximumofthatprescribedbylaw(reclusionperpetuatodeath).Iagree.
Consequently,theillegalpossessionoffirearmmustremainasaseparateoffense.Hence,
appellantmusthavetobepenalizedforillegalpossessionoffirearm.However,itisthereduced
penaltythereforunderR.A.No.8294thatshouldbeimposed.Thelawcanbegivenretroactive
effectsincethatwouldresulttoappellantsadvantage.

[1] In Criminal Cases Nos. CBU39639 and CBU39640, Decision promulgated on August 12, 1996, Judge Jose P.
Soberano,Jr.,presiding.
[2]CriminalCaseNo.CBU39639.
[3]CriminalCaseNo.CBU39640.
[4]TrialCourtRecord,CriminalCaseNo.CBU39639,p.1CriminalCaseNo.CBU39640,p.1.
[5]TrialCourtRecord,CriminalCaseNo.CBU39639,p.7.
[6]TrialCourtRecord,CriminalCaseNo.CBU39640,p.9.
[7]TrialCourtRecord,CriminalCaseNo.CBU39639,p.13.
[8]TSN,January10,1996,p.14.
[9]TSN,ibid.,pp.56.
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[10]TSN,ibid.,pp.1017.
[11]TSN,ibid.,pp.,78.
[12]TSN,January11,1996,p.4.
[13]TSN,ibid.,p.8.
[14]TSN,February8,1996,pp.56.
[15]TSN,ibid.,pp.78.
[16]TSN,February14,1996,p.3.
[17]TSN,February13,1996,pp.1823.
[18]TSN,February8,1996,p.14.
[19]TSN,ibid.,p.15.
[20]TSN,February13,1996,pp.45.
[21]TSN,ibid.,p.6.
[22]TSN,ibid.,pp.78.
[23]TSN,ibid.,pp.910.
[24]TSN,ibid.,p.11.
[25]TSN,March26,1996,pp.26.
[26]TSN,ibid.,pp.79.
[27]TSN,ibid.,p.9.
[28]TSN,March26,1996,p.13.
[29]ThisshouldreadCriminalCaseNo.CBU39639.
[30]Rollo,p.39.
[31]Rollo,p.41.
[32]AppellantsBrief,Rollo,pp.71103,atp.96.
[33]AppelleesBrief,Rollo,pp.156198,atp.196.(Emphasissupplied)
[34]Peoplevs.RadelGallarde,G.R.No.133025,February17,2000.
[35]Peoplevs.RamilDacibarandWarlitoDicon,G.R.No.111286,February17,2000.
[36]292SCRA742[1998].
[37]295SCRA607[1998].
[38]298SCRA637[1998].
[39]Peoplevs.Valdez,304SCRA611,630[1999].
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[40]Supra.
[41]Peoplevs.LyndonSaezyLacson,G.R.No.132512,December15,1999.

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