SAN BEDA COLLEGE OF LAW

Mendiola, Manila

CRIMINAL LAW I

AFA
Clean desk policy
5-second rule
Expect at least 2 rounds of recitation per meeting

I. General Principles of Criminal Law

A. Nature and definition
B. Characteristics of Criminal Law
1. General
Minucher v. Court of Appeals, G.R. No. 142396, 11 February 2003
WHO v. Aquino, G.R. No. L-35131, 29 November 1972
Liang v. People, G.R. No. 125865, 28 January 2000 and 26 March 2001
See: Concurring opinion of Puno
Reagan v. CIR, G.R. No. L-26379, 27 December 1969
Estrada v. Disierto, G.R. No. 146710-15, 2 March 2001
Gonzales v. Abaya, G.R. No. 164007, 10 August 2006
2. Territorial
People v. Tulin, G.R. No. 111709, 30 August 2001
People v. Lol-lo and Saraw, G.R. No. 17958, 27 February 1922
Arigo v. Swift, G.R. No. 206510, 16 February 2014
AAA v. BBB, G.R. No. 212448, 11 January 2018
3. Prospective
a. Effects of repeal
Article 2, 21 and 22, Act 3815
Article 14, NCC
Section 22, 1987 Constitution
Sections 4-7, RA 75
Articles 3, 27, 29-33, UNCLOS
Article V(1-3), Visiting Forces Agreement
Articles 22 and 31, Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations
Articles 31, 41-43, Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations
C. Sources of Criminal Law
1. Revised Penal Code
2. Special Penal Laws
Ynot v. IAC, G.R. No. 74457, 20 March 1987
Article 8, NCC
D. Constitutional Limitations on Criminal Law
1. Due process and Equal protection
White Light Corp. v. City of Manila, G.R. No. 122846, 20 January 2009
Garcia v. Drilon, G.R. No. 179267, 25 June 2013
2. Freedom of expression
Guingguing v. People, G.R. No. 128959, 30 September 2005.
 3. Freedom of religion
Ebralinag v. Division Superintendent of Schools of Cebu, G.R. No. 95770,
29 December 1995
4. Freedom to associate
People v. Ferrer, L-32613-14, 27 December 1972
5. No excessive fines, nor cruel, degrading or inhuman punishment.
People v. Echagaray, G.R. No. 117472, 7 February 1997
Corpuz v. People, G.R. No. 180016, 29 April 2014
See Cahulogan v. People, G.R. No. 225695, 21 March 2018
6. Non-imprisonment for debt or non-payment of poll tax
Lozano v. Martinez, G.R. No. L-63419, 18 December 1986s
7. Bill of attainder
See People v. Ferrer, L-32613-14, 27 December 1972
8. Ex-post facto laws
US v. Diaz Conde, L-18208, 14 February 1922
Article 3, Sections 1, 4, 5, 19, 20, 22, 1987 Constitution
E. Construction and interpretation
1. Liberally in favor of the accused
Ient v. Tullett Prebon, G.R. No. 189158, 11 January 2017
2. Spanish text of the RPC prevails over the English text
People v. Abilong, L-1960, 26 November 1948.
3. Retroactive application when favourable to the accused
4. Prescribed but undeserved penalties (Art. 5, RPC)
Cahulogan v. People, G.R. No. 225695, 21 March 2018
5. Suppletory application of RPC to Special Penal Laws (Art. 10, RPC)
Ladonga v. People, G.R. No. 141066, 17 February 2005
People v. Simon, G.R. No. 93028, 29 July 1994
Mendoza v. People, G.R. No. 183891, 19 October 2011

II. General Principles of Criminal Liability

A. Felony, defined (Art. 3, RPC)
B. Elements of criminal liability
1. Physical element (Actus reus)
a. Act
b. Omission
People v. Sylvestre and Atienza, G.R. No. 35748, 14
December 1931, 56 Phil. 353
People v. Talingdan, L-32126, 6 July 1978, 84 SCRA 19
2. Mental element (Mens rea)
a. Deliberate intent (Dolo)
Manuel v. People, G.R. No. 165842, 29 November 2005
People v. Puno, G.R. No. 97471, 17 February 1993, 219 SCRA 85
People v. Delim, G.R. No. 142773, 28 January 2003
i. Mistake of fact
US v. Ah Chong, G.R. No. 5272, 19 March 1910,
15 Phil. 488
People v. Oanis, G.R. No. 47722, 27 July 1943, 74
Phil. 257
 ii. Malum prohibitum as exception to the requirement of
mens rea
Padilla v. Dizon, AC No. 3086, 23 February 1988,
158 SCRA 127
Magno v. CA, G.R. No. 96132, 26 June 1992, 210
SCRA 475
Garcia v. CA, G.R. No. 157171, 14 March 2006
Cuenca v. People, G.R. No. L-27586, 26 June 1970

People v. Dela Rosa G.R. No. 84857, 16 January

1998

Ysidoro v. People, G.R. No. 192330, 14 November

2012
iii. Intent distinguished from motive
b. Constructive intent (Culpa) Art. 3 and 365
i. Elements
ii. Imprudence or lack of skill
iii. Negligence or lack of foresight
People v. Pugay, L-74324, 17 November 1988,
167 SCRA 439
Ivler v. San Pedro, G.R. No. 172716, 17 November
2010.
c. Transferred intent (Art. 4, par. 1)
Villareal v. People, G.R. No. 151258, 1 February 2012***
i. Aberratio ictus
People v. Guillen, L-1477, 18 January 1950, 85
Phil. 307.
ii. Error in personae
People v. Sabalones, G.R. No. 123485, 31 August
1998, 294 SCRA 751
People v. Opero, G.R. No. L-48796, 11 June 1981
iii. Praeter intentionem
People vs. Albuquerque, G.R. No.38773,19December1933,
3. Concurrence
4. Resulting harm
5. Causation
Bataclan v. Medina, L-10126, 22 October 1957, 102 Phil. 181
Wacoy v. People, G.R. No. 213792, 22 June 2015
People v. Iligan, G.R. No. 75369, 26 November 1990
Urbano v. Intermediate Appellate Court, G.R. No. 72964, 7 January 1988
People v. Abarca, G.R. No. 74433, 14 September 1987

C. Impossible Crimes (Art. 4, Par. 2)

Intod v. CA, G.R. No. 103119, 21 October 1992, 215 SCRA 52
Jacinto v. People, G.R. No. 162540, 13 July 2009

III. Stages of execution

 A. Attempted Stage
B. Frustrated Stage
C. Consummated crimes
US v. Eduave, G.R. No. 12155, 2 February 1917, 36 Phil. 209
Rivera v. People, G.R. No. 166326, 25 January 2006, 480 SCRA 188
D. Stages of execution in relation to specific felonies
1. Theft
Valenzuela v. People, G.R. No. 160188, 21 June 2007
2. Illegal Trespass
People v. Lamahang, L-43530, 3 August 1935, 61 Phil. 703
3. Physical Injuries, Homicide, and Murder
People v. Trinidad, G.R. No. 79123-25, 9 January 1989, 169 SCRA 51
Martinez v. CA, G.R. No. 168827, 13 April 2007.
Mondragon v. People, L-17666, 30 June 1966, 17 SCRA 476
People v. Sy Pio, L-5848, 30 April 1954, 94 Phil. 885
4. Robbery
People v. Salvilla, G.R. No. 86163, 26 April 1990.
5. Rape
People v. Orita, G.R. No. 88724, 3 April 1990, 184 SCRA 105
People v. Campuhan, G.R. No. 129433, 30 March 2000
Cruz v. People, G.R. No. 166441, 8 October 2014
Baleros v. People, G.R. No. 138033, 22 February 2006, 483 SCRA 10
6. Arson
US v. Valdes, L-14128, 10 December 1918.
E. Conspiracy and proposal to commit a felony (Art. 8)
1. Conspiracy and proposal, when punished?
2. As a manner of incurring criminal liability.
People v. Aguilos, G.R. No. 121828, 27 June 2003
People v. De la Cerna, G.R. No. L-29011, 30 October 1967
Estrada v. Sandiganbayan, G.R. No. 148965, 26 February 2002
F. Gravity (Art. 9)
People v. Yu Hai, G.R. No. L-9598, 15 August 1956

IV. Circumstances that affect criminal liability

A. Justifying circumstances
1. Defense of self, relatives, and strangers
Senoja v. People, G.R. No. 160341, 19 October 2004.
People v. Decena, G.R. No. 107874, 4 August 1994, 235 SCRA 67
People v. Dela Cruz, G.R. No. 128359, 6 December 2000, 347 SCRA 100
People v. Jaurigue, Administrative Matter No. 384, 21 February 1946
People v. Narvaez, L-33466-67, 20 April 1983, 121 SCRA 389
Sabang v. People, G.R. No. 168818, 9 March 2007, 518 SCRA 35
Palaganas v. People, G.R. No. 165483, 12 September 2006, 501 SCRA 533
Manaban v. Court of Appeals, G.R. No. 150723, 11 July 2006.**
2. Avoidance of greater evil
People v. Retubado, G.R. No. 124058, 10 December 2003
People v. Ricohermoso, L-30527-28, 29 March 1974, 56 SCRA 431
3. Fulfillment of duty
 People v. Delima, L-18660, 22 December 1922, 46 Phil. 738
People v. Lagata, L-1940-42, 24 March 1949, 83 Phil. 150
Mamangun v. People, G.R. No. 149152, 2 February 2007
People v. Dagani, G.R. No. 153875, 16 August 2006, 499 SCRA 64
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4. Obedience to a lawful order of a superior

People v. Beronilla, L-4445, 28 February 1955, 96 Phil. 566
Tabuena v. Sandiganbayan, G.R. No. 103501-03, 17 February 1997, 268
SCRA 332

People v. Genosa, G.R. No. 135981, 15 January 2004

RA 9262 (Re: Battered Woman Syndrome) 2004

B. Exempting Circumstances
1. Insanity
People v. Taneo, L-37673, 31 March 1933
People v. Bonoan, L-45130, 17 February 1937
People v. Rafanan, L-54135, 21 November 1991
People v. Robios, G.R. No. 138453, 29 May 2002
People v. Opuran, G.R. Nos. 147674-75, 17 March 2004
Verdadero v. People, G.R. No. 216021, 2 March 2016
2. Minority
RA 9344 as amended by RA 10630.
People v. Doqueña, G.R. No. 46539, 27 September 1939
Ortega v. People, G.R. No. 151085, 20 August 2008
People v. Lababo, G.R. No. 234651, 6 June 2018
3. Accident
US v. Tañedo, L-5418, 12 February 1910, 15 Phil. 196
Pomoy v. People, G.R. No. 150647, 29 September 2004
4. Irresistible force or uncontrollable fear of a greater injury
US v. Caballeros, G.R. No. 1352, 29 March 1905, 4 Phil. 350
People v. Loreno, L-54414, 9 July 1984, 130 SCRA 311
People v. Del Rosario, G.R. No. 127755, 14 April 1999
5. Insuperable cause
People v. Bandian, G.R. No. 45186, 30 September 1936, 63 Phil. 530 (see
also: separate opinion of J. Villareal)
C. Other exculpatory causes
1. Instigation
People v. Lua Chu, G.R. No. 34917, 7 September 1931, 56 Phil. 44
People v. Doria, G.R. No. 125299, 22 January 1999, 301 SCRA 668
People v. Valmores, G.R. No. L-58635, 24 June 1983
2. Pardon - Consent - Marriage (Art. 266-C and Art. 344)
3. Absolutory circumstances
a. Art. 7
b. Art. 16
c. Art. 20
d. Art. 247
e. Art. 332
Intestate Estate of vda. De Carungcong v. People, G.R.
No. 181409, 11 February 2010.