Source: http://lawlibrary.chanrobles.com/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=30520:g-r-nos-77822-23-may-21,-1990-people-of-the-phil-v-ambrocio-nabor,-et-al&amp;catid=1263&amp;Itemid=566
Timestamp: 2019-04-19 18:30:59+00:00

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PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. AMBROCIO NABOR and AMANDO ROSETE, Accused-Appellants.
Marcelino M. Urbano for Accused-Appellants.
1.	REMEDIAL LAW; EVIDENCE; CREDIBILITY OF WITNESS; ADDRESSED TO THE SOUND DISCRETION OF TRIAL COURT. — We accord due respect to the trial court’s finding that as between the two conflicting ante-mortem statements, that which the prosecution had presented is more credible in consonance with the oft-repeated rule that credibility of witnesses is an issue better addressed to the trial court for the conclusion reached by the trial court on the basis of its own assessment are generally not disturbed on appeal in the absence of grave abuse of discretion on the part of the trial judge who has the advantage of actually examining both documentary and testimonial evidence including the demeanor of the witnesses as they present the same. (People v. Danilo Dumpe y Jimenez alias Isko" Et. Al., G.R. Nos. 80110-11, March 22, 1990; and other cases).
3.	ID.; ID.; ID.; ID.; PRESENT IN CASE AT BAR. — In the instant case, all the above requisites are present although the declarant did not categorically state that he believed that his death was inevitable at the time he made his ante-mortem statement considering the nature of Harry Nicanor’s wounds. For an ante-mortem statement to be admissible as an exception to the hearsay rule, it is enough that the deceased uttered the said statement while suffering from serious wounds which would justify the conclusion that the declarant was conscious of his impending death.
4.	ID.; ID.; ALIBI; CANNOT PREVAIL OVER THE POSITIVE IDENTIFICATION OF THE ACCUSED BY THE VICTIM. — Anent the dying declaration of Jean Tandoc as recorded by Patrolman Carlos Credo on November 23, 1983 which the accused-appellants claim is inconclusive as to the guilt of the accused-appellants with respect to the declarant’s assailants, we affirm the trial court’s finding that the description of physical height given in Jean’s ante-mortem statement jibes with the actual height of the accused-appellant, one of them being taller than the other. The most important evidence, however, is the positive testimony of Janette Tandoc pointing to the accused-appellants as the perpetrators of the crime of double murder subject matter of this appeal. Janette was with the two victims before and during the killing. She saw the two accused fire their guns at the victims. She knew both Nabor and Rosete very well and positively identified them as the killers. Considering that the dying declarations of both victims in the case at bar are admissible in evidence coupled with the fact that there is positive identification of the accused-appellants as the victims assailants, the defense of alibi presented by the said accused-appellants must fail. (People v. Ebora, 141 SCRA 282 ) For the defense of alibi to prosper, it must not only be shown that the accused was at some other place at the time of the incident but that it was physically impossible for the accused to have been at the scene of the crime at the time of its commission. (People v. Vicente Aldeguer, G.R. No. 47991, April 3, 1990; People v. Melchor Besa, G.R. No. 78899, March 22, 1990; People v. Jesus Francisco, Et Al., G.R. No. 69580, February 15, 1990; People v. Teofilo Obando, Et Al., G.R. No. 72742, February 12, 1990) There being no proof of the required physical impossibility of being present at the scene of the crime as the records of this case reveal and their having been positively identified as the killers, the accused-appellants’ alibi is bereft of merit.
5.	CRIMINAL LAW; MURDER; TREACHERY; ESTABLISHED IN CASE AT BAR. — Finally, the records of this case support the conclusion that the accused-appellants acted in concert in the perpetration of the double murder of Harry Nicanor and Jean Tandoc. Both killings were qualified by treachery owing to the fact that the shooting incident was sudden thereby insuring the accused-appellants’ commission of the offense without any risk arising from the defense that their victim might make. However, as regards the presence of evident premeditation as found by the trial court, a careful examination of the records shows that the prosecution failed to prove the essential elements thereof.
"WHEREFORE, judgment is hereby rendered finding both accused Amando Rosete and Ambrocio Nabor, in both cases, guilty beyond reasonable doubt, of the crime of Murder as charged and therefore, sentences them to suffer the penalty of RECLUSION PERPETUA, in each case, the maximum of which shall not exceed 40 years, with the accessories of the law and to pay the proportionate costs.
"They should indemnify the heirs of the victim, Jean Tandoc, the sum of P30,000.00 also jointly and severally, the heirs of Harry Nicanor, without subsidiary imprisonment in case of insolvency, in both cases. They are further ordered to pay the actual damages incurred by the heirs of the victim Jean Tandoc in the amount of P20,000.00 jointly and severally, and the total sum of P17,390.00 to the heirs of Harry Nicanor, without subsidiary imprisonment in case of insolvency, in both cases. Both accused are ordered jointly and severally to pay moral damages, in the amount of P50,000.00 to the heirs of both victims without subsidiary imprisonment in case of insolvency. No pronouncement as to the claim for damages due to the loss of earning capacity for insufficiency of evidence.
"It appearing that the accused are undergoing preventive imprisonment and during the period of their confinement they manifested voluntarily in writing that they were willing to abide by the rules applicable to detention prisoners, under Art., 29 of the Revised Penal Code, they should be credited with the entire period of their temporary detention." (Rollo, p. 65).
"a)	A gunshot wound with point of entry about one centimeter in diameter with contusion collar at the level of the thorasic vertebrae.
"b)	Fatal wounds in the small and large intestines and the liver.
"c)	Severe hemorrhage and fulminary infection and the primary cause of death was hemorrhagic shock.."
"a)	A gunshot wound with the point of entry about one centimeter in diameter with contusion collar right buttocks penetrating the abdomen, lacerating the right ovary and fallopian tube, tangentially lacerating the mid portion of the ascending colon. It also penetrated the right lobe of the liver thru and thru, the mid portion of the right diaphragm, the lobes of the right lung and the right clanicle.
"b)	A gunshot wound with a point of entry of one centimeter in diameter with contusion collar hitting the mid-portion of the T-9 posteriorly with metallic vertebral canal transecting the spinal cord.
"That on the night of November 22, 1983 in the Municipality of Agno, Pangasinan the two victims Harry Nicanor and Jean Tandoc were gunned down on Burgos Street on their way home. They came from the town plaza with three other companions, namely: Jeanette Tandoc, Mila Viray and Emma Español when the shooting took place and about (80) meters away from the municipal building which was being manned by two policemen. Earlier the victims with their companions came from (sic) the town plaza where they watched games and amusements being shown thereat as it was the eve of the town fiesta of Agno.
"The responding policemen found the body of Jean Tandoc sprawled on the road and the policemen rushed her for emergency treatment to a certain Dr. Sison at Agno. In the meantime victim Harry Nicanor was able to walk back home on his own. Both victims were rushed to the Nazareth General Hospital at Dagupan City for confinement and treatment thereat but later Jean Tandoc was transferred to the Pangasinan General Hospital at Dagupan City where she later on expired. Victim Harry Nicanor also expired at the Nazareth General Hospital after a week’s confinement thereat.
"Question:	Did you recognize them?
"Answer:	No, sir. (Exh. 1-Dying Declaration of Jean Tandoc).
"Likewise the dying declaration of Harry Nicanor was taken by T/ Sgt. Jaime Acerit, Chief Investigator of the PC/INP based at Alaminos, Pangasinan at the Nazareth General Hospital on November 26, 1983. It consists of (3) pages each every page of which were signed by the declarant Harry Nicanor, Elisa B. Lomboy and Virginia P. Mata who were present when his declaration was taken.
A — I was not able to recognize them.
"16.	Q — If I will show you some persons who might have perfected the crime, can you identify him/them?
A — I am not sure if I can identify them, sir. (Exh. 4 — Dying Declaration of Harry Nicanor).
THAT THE LOWER COURT ERRED IN NOT ACQUITTING BOTH ACCUSED FOR THE CRIME OF DOUBLE MURDER BASED ON THE DYING DECLARATIONS OF BOTH VICTIMS.
THAT THE LOWER COURT ERRED IN FAILING TO GIVE DUE WEIGHT AND CREDIT TO THEIR DEFENSE OF ALIBI.
THAT FINALLY THE LOWER COURT ERRED IN CONVICTING BOTH ACCUSED BECAUSE THERE WAS IN FACT GRAVE REASONABLE DOUBT IN THE GUILT OF THE ACCUSED. (At p. 99, Rollo).
The pivotal issue in this appeal is whether or not the lower court committed reversible error in giving more weight to the dying declaration of Harry Nicanor coupled with the testimony of an eyewitness presented by the prosecution rather than the dying declaration and alibi presented by the defense.
The prosecution rested its case on the positive identification of the accused given by Janette Tandoc and the dying declaration of Harry Nicanor taken down by Patrolman Marcelo Paragas on November 28, 1983 implicating the accused-appellants as his assailants.
The defense in its attempt to exculpate the accused-appellants from criminal liability presented T/Sgt. Jaime Acerit, also an investigator of the 154th PC Company Headquarters in Alaminos, Pangasinan who declared in open court that on November 26, 1983 he took down a three-page ante-mortem statement of Harry Nicanor who affixed his signature thereon while he was in a very serious condition at the Nazareth General Hospital. The ante-mortem statement witnessed by one Virginia Mata and one Elisa Lombaya essentially stated that the declarant was not able to recognize his assailants and that he was not sure whether he could identify them.
"1.	T/Sgt. Jaime Acerit under cross-examination admitted that when he went to the hospital to take the statement of Harry Nicanor, the victim was in a very, very serious condition such that he could hardly talk and hear, repeating his questions to him before an answer is given. Under such condition, the alleged Harry Nicanor’s statement to T/Sgt. Acerit is unbelievable.
"2.	That despite victim’s serious condition he was able to write his name or sign the declaration in the presence of the two above-named witnesses and Capt. Vinluan. The alleged signing by the victim is incredible, also under serious condition. If the victim, Harry Nicanor could really still sign the statement consisting of three (3) pages, why were the first two pages left unsigned and only the last page was signed? The omission was not properly explained.
"3.	The fact that despite the presence of Capt. Vinluan he was not required to sign the declaration as a witness. Instead he required other persons to sign as witnesses, why? This question remained unanswered.
"4.	The fact that the defense did not at all make any attempt to present the two witnesses and/or Capt. Vinluan, who are the proper persons who could have shed light to the taking of the statement. The records yield no explanation for the suppression of their testimonies.
Anent the dying declaration of Jean Tandoc as recorded by Patrolman Carlos Credo on November 23, 1983 which the accused-appellants claim is inconclusive as to the guilt of the accused-appellants with respect to the declarant’s assailants, we affirm the trial court’s finding that the description of physical height given in Jean’s ante-mortem statement jibes with the actual height of the accused-appellant, one of them being taller than the other.
Considering that the dying declarations of both victims in the case at bar are admissible in evidence coupled with the fact that there is positive identification of the accused-appellants as the victims assailants, the defense of alibi presented by the said accused-appellants must fail. (People v. Ebora, 141 SCRA 282 ) For the defense of alibi to prosper, it must not only be shown that the accused was at some other place at the time of the incident but that it was physically impossible for the accused to have been at the scene of the crime at the time of its commission. (People v. Vicente Aldeguer, G.R. No. 47991, April 3, 1990; People v. Melchor Besa, G.R. No. 78899, March 22, 1990; People v. Jesus Francisco, Et Al., G.R. No. 69580, February 15, 1990; People v. Teofilo Obando, Et Al., G.R. No. 72742, February 12, 1990) There being no proof of the required physical impossibility of being present at the scene of the crime as the records of this case reveal and their having been positively identified as the killers, the accused-appellants’ alibi is bereft of merit.
WHEREFORE, IN VIEW OF THE FOREGOING, the trial court’s finding that the accused-appellants are GUILTY beyond reasonable doubt as charged and its judgment of conviction in the two criminal cases raised on appeal are hereby AFFIRMED.

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