#14

PEOPLE vs FONTANILLA
G.R. No. L-25354 June 28, 1968
TE PEOPLE OF TE PILIPPINE!, plaintif-appellee, vs.
"ARIANO FONTANILLA, defendant-appellant.
FA#T!$
On or about September, 1960, Fe Castro, a ffteen-year old virin, !as brou"t by "er
mot"er to t"e "ouse of #ariano Fontanilla and "is se$ond !ife, #adalena Copio, sister
of Fe%s mot"er, to serve as a "elper.
One ni"t in September, &ust a !ee' after s"e arrived at t"eir "ome, Fontanilla
intruded into "er bedroom and $onsummated t"e frst se(ual inter$ourse. )rior to t"is,
t"e a$$used "ad made amorous overtures and advan$es to!ard "er. *"e a$$used
su$$eeded in "avin $arnal 'no!lede of "er repeatedly for about t"ree mont"s from
September to +e$ember, t"e total number of times s"e $ould not re$all. *"e a$$used
made love to "er durin t"e day !"en "is !ife !as a!ay and at ni"t !"en t"e latter
!as already asleep. Fe repeatedly yielded to t"e $arnal desires of t"e a$$used, as s"e
!as indu$ed by "is promises of marriae and fri"tened by "is a$ts of intimidation. *"eir
intima$ies lasted for almost t"ree mont"s until "er aunt, t"e !ife of t"e a$$used, $au"t
t"em in ,arante on t"e 'it$"en ,oor. *"e follo!in day s"e returned to "er parents, and
revealed everyt"in to "er mot"er.
#ONTENTION OF TE !TATE$
*"e muni$ipal $ourt found Fontanilla uilty of %u&'()e* se*u+,(on.
#ONTENTION OF TE A##-!E.$
- Fontanilla denied "avin "ad $arnal 'no!lede of "er, as t"ere !as never an
o$$asion durin !"i$" "e $ould "ave ta'en advantae of t"e $"astity of Fe, be$ause
at ni"t "er room !as lo$'ed and durin t"e day "e !as out in t"e farm.
- -not"er reason !as t"at "is se(ual $apabilities "ad !aned $onsiderably be$ause
of old ae, as "e !as already ./ years old at t"e time. 0e admitted t"at despite t"e
fa$t t"at "e "ad been married for only t!o years to "is se$ond !ife, "e made love to
"er only on$e a !ee'. 1nder t"ese $ir$umstan$es, it !as impossible for "im to "ave
induled in se(ual inter$ourse !it" Fe t!i$e daily.
- *"e appellant furt"er $ontends t"at t"e $omplainant2s testimony does not merit
$reden$e be$ause it is "a3y and self-$ontradi$tory. 0e arues t"at if it is true t"at "e
repeatedly promised to marry "er, !"y !ould s"e $ontinue "avin se(ual relations
!it" "im !"en it be$ame apparent t"at "e did not mean to ma'e ood on "is
promise4 *"e ans!er is t"at Fe "ad beun to li'e "im and to en&oy t"e se(ual
inter$ourse.
- 0e also insisted t"at t"e $ase !as fled aainst "im upon t"e malevolent
instiation of -velino 5apasin, an un$le of Fe, !"o !ielded stron in,uen$e over "er,
addin t"at Fe, "erself, !as envious of "is 6Fontanilla7s8 $"ildren of t"e frst marriae
!"o re$eived some salary from t"eir employment.
RE!OL-TION$
*"e SC a9rmed t"e de$ision of t"e lo!er $ourt. :t is settled t"at de$eit, alt"ou" an
essential element of ordinary or simple sedu$tion, does not need to be proved or
establis"ed in a $"are of ;ualifed sedu$tion. .e+e(, (s /e0'&+e* 12 &1use o3
+on)*en+e. <"en t"e ofender is a publi$ o9$er, a priest or minister, a servant,
domesti$, tutor, tea$"er, or under any title is in $"are of t"e edu$ation or 'eepin of t"e
ofended !oman, as in t"e present $ase, t"e a$t is punis"able alt"ou" fraud or de$eit
may not "ave been used or, if employed, "as not been proved. *"e sedu$tion of a virin
over t!elve and under ei"teen years of ae, $ommitted by any of t"e persons
enumerated in -rt. ==> ?is $onstitutive of t"e $rime of ;ualifed sedu$tion . . . even
t"ou" no de$eit intervenes or even !"en su$" $arnal 'no!lede !ere voluntary on t"e
part of t"e virin, be$ause in su$" a $ase, t"e la! ta'es for ranted t"e e(isten$e of t"e
de$eit as an interal element of t"e said $rime and punis"es it !it" reater severity t"an
it does t"e simple sedu$tion . . . ta'in into a$$ount t"e abuse of $onfden$e on t"e part
of t"e aent 6$ulprit8, an abuse of $onfden$e !"i$" implies de$eit or fraud.?