THIRDDIVISION

[G.R.No.134568.February10,2000]

PEOPLEOFTHEPHILIPPINES,plaintiffappellee,vs.EULOGIOIGNACIO,
accusedappellant.ALEX

DECISION
PANGANIBAN,J.:

Thereistreacherywhentheaccusedunexpectedlyanddeliberatelyshootsanunarmedminorwho
isthusnotinapositiontoputupadefenseortoinflictharmontheformer.Voluntarysurrenderis
notappreciatedeveniftheaccusedsubmitshimselftothemembersofthebarangaytanodwho,
bytheirpresenceinhishouse,precludedhisescape.miso

TheCase

BeforeusisanappealoftheMay18,1998Decision[1]oftheRegionalTrialCourt(RTC)of
Masbate,Masbate(Branch44),convictingEulogioIgnacioofmurderinCriminalCaseNo.8385.
TheRTCdisposedofthecaseasfollows:

"WHEREFORE,premisesconsidered,theguiltofaccusedEULOGIOIGNACIOalias
LOLOYforthecrimeofMURDERhavingbeenestablishedbyproofbeyond
reasonabledoubtforthekillingofJessieLacson,andwithoutthepresenceofany
aggravatingormitigatingcircumstance,thiscourtherebysentencessaidaccusedto
sufferthepenaltyofRECLUSIONPERPETUAandtopaytheheirsofthevictimthe
sumofFIFTYTHOUSAND(P50,000.00)PESOS,withoutsubsidiary[imprisonment]
incaseofinsolvency.

"AccusedEulogioIgnaciobeingadetentionprisoner,theperiodofhisdetentionshall
becreditedinhisfavorinthecomputationofhissentence.spped

"Finally,theProvincialWardenofMasbateisdirectedtoshiptheaccusedtothe
NationalPenitentiary,MuntinlupaCity,withinthirty(30)daysfromthefinalityofthis
decisionandtoreporttothiscourtwithinfifteen(15)daysfromcompliancethereof."[2]

SecondAssistantProvincialProsecutorAlbertoA.Alfortechargedappellantwiththemurderof
JessieLacsoninanInformationdatedFebruary28,1997,thepertinentportionofwhichreads:

"ThatonoraboutJanuary11,1997,[o]nthemorningthereof,atBarangayDivisoria,
MunicipalityofDimasalang,ProvinceofMasbate,Philippines,withinthejurisdictionof
thisHonorableCourt,theabovenamedaccused,withintenttokill,evident
premeditationandtreacherydidthenandtherewilfully,unlawfullyandfeloniously
attack,assaultandshootwitha12gaugehomemadeshotgun(riot)oneJessie
Lacson,hittinghimonthechest,therebyinflictingwound,whichcausedhisdeath."[3]
miso

WiththeassistanceofCounselPercivalCastillo,appellantpleadednotguiltywhenarraignedon
September18,1997.[4]Aftertrialinduecourse,theRTCrenderedtheassailedDecision.Hence,
thisappeal.[5]

TheFacts

VersionoftheProsecutionspped
IntheBrieffortheAppellee,thesolicitorgeneralnarratedthefactsasfollows:

"OnJanuary11,1997,atDivisoria,Dimasalang,Masbate,at9:00a.m.,thevictim,
JessieLacson,andEdwinVelascoweregatheringshellsbytheseashore.Thiswork
hadcausedthemtofeelthirsty.Thetwodecidedtogotothefishpondandgetyoung
coconutsorbutong.ThisfishpondisownedbyCletoCortesaliasMilagringwith
appellantEulogioIgnacioaliasLoloyasthecaretaker.Insidethefishpondisahouse
whereappellantsometimesstays.

"Atthefishpond,Jessiegotoneyoungcoconut.Then,JessiewalkedaheadofEdwin
ingoingtothedike,wherehewouldbreakopentheyoungcoconut.miso

"Eulogiocameout[of]hishouseandsawJessieashereachedthedike.However,
EulogiodidnotseeEdwinwhowasstandingbehindsomecoconuttrees.Edwin
heardEulogioshoutatJessietoputdowntheyoungcoconut,whichthelatterdid.
Then,EdwinsawEulogiofirehishomemadeshotgunatJessiewhowashitonthe
leftportionofthebreast.Atthattime,Eulogiowasstandingforty(40)metersaway
fromJessiewhileEdwinwasstandingsix(6)metersawayfromhisfriend.Edwinsaw
Jessiefalldownontheground.Then,Eulogiocrankedhishomemadeshotgun,
aimeditatEdwinbutdidnotfire.Edwinimmediatelyleftsaidplacetoreportthe
shootingincidenttoJessiesparents.

"EdwinwenttothehouseofCarlitoAlcover,theirBarangayTanodandreportedthe
shooting.CarlitowenttoEulogioshouse,failedtofindhimthere,butwaited.After
three(3)minutes,Eulogioarrived,carryinghishomemadeshotgun.Then,Barangay
TanodsAtelLachicaandRodolfoGulpancameby.CarlitoaskedEulogioto
surrender,whichheheeded.CarlitoaskedEulogiowhyhefiredhislonggunat
Jessie.EulogioansweredthatJessiestolesomeyoungcoconuts.Thereafter,they
broughtEulogiotothepoliceprecinct.Thehomemadeshotgunwassurrenderedto
SPO3ArturoHernando.spped

"Meanwhile,HelenAlcovindaswenttoDominadorLacson,Jessiesfather,whowas
gatheringcoconutfruitsinanotherplantation.ShetoldDominadorthatEulogioshot
Jessie.Dominadorrantowardsthefishpond,sawJessiesdeadbody,andbroughtit
totheclinicofDr.Alino.PerexaminationbyDr.ErnestoTamayo,MunicipalHealth
OfficerofDimasalang,Masbate,thevictimsufferedfromasinglegunshotwound
fatallyinjuringtheheart."[6]

VersionoftheDefense

Arguingthathehadactedindefenseofpropertywithnointentiontokillthevictim,appellant
countered:miso

"AppellantEULOGIOIGNACIO,caretakerofthefishpondofCletoCortes,testified
thatonJanuary9,1997,hewasinformedbyhisneighbor,GilAristotles,regardinga
theftincidentinthefishpondthatheadministered.OnJanuary11,1997,while
roamingaroundthefishpond,hesawJessieLacsonandEdwinVelasco,comingout
[of]hishousewithabasket.Itsohappenedthatinhishousethereweretwentyeight
(28)piecesofcrabsstocked.Uponseeinghereinappellant,JessieandEdwinfled.
Appellantorderedthemtostop.Sincethetwodidnotstop,appellantwhowasthen
fifty(50)metersawayandwithoutanyintentiontokillJessieandEdwin,firedhisgun.
HeleftandinformedKagawadGilAritotlesabouttheincident.Afterwards,he
reportedtoBarangayTanodSaratielLachica."[7]

RulingoftheTrialCourt

Thetrialcourtruledthatappellantfailedtoprovebycredible,clearandconvincingevidencethathe
hadactedinlawfuldefenseofthelandownersproperty.Therewasnolegalreasonforhimtoshoot
thevictim,anunarmedminoratthetimeoftheincident.Thesaidcourtqualifiedthekillingto
murderbecauseofthepresenceoftreachery.apdc

AssignmentofErrors

InhisBrief,appellantsubmitsthefollowing:

"I.Thelowercourtgravelyerredinconvictingaccusedappellantofmurder.

"II.Thelowercourtgravelyerredinfindingthatthequalifyingcircumstanceof
treachery[was]attendantinthecaseatbar.apdc

"III.Thelowercourtgravelyerredinnotappreciatingthemitigatingcircumstanceof
voluntarysurrender."[8]

ThisCourtsRuling

Theappealhasnomerit.

FirstIssue:

EvidenceofAppellantsGuiltspped

Inarguingthatthetrialcourterredinconvictinghimofmurder,appellantmerelypositsthatthe
killingwasnotqualifiedbytreachery,withoutchallengingtherulingthathehadkilledthevictim.
Nonetheless,theCourtexaminedtherecordsmotuproprio,becauseofthewellingraineddoctrine
thataconvictionmustrestonthestrengthoftheprosecution'sevidence,andnotontheweakness,
insufficiencyorimproprietyofthedefense.[9]Afterall,evenincasesinwhichtheaccusedpleads
guiltytoacapitaloffense,theprosecutionisstillrequiredtopresentevidencetoprovehisguiltand
theprecisedegreeofhisculpability.[10]

Inthepresentcase,wefindampleevidencethatappellantdidshootthevictim.Hehimself
admitteddoingso,becausehebelievedthatthedeceasedandacompanion,EdwinVelasco,had
stolencrabs.Allegedly,hesawthemcarryingabasketandcomingoutofhishouse.Whenhe
approached,thetworanaway.Aftertheyfailedtoheedhiscallforthemtostop,heshotthevictim
withahomemadeshotgun.miso

Itshouldbestressedthatappellantsconductcannotbejustifiedasalawfuldefenseofproperty
rights.Forthisjustifyingcircumstancetobeappreciated,theaccusedhastheburdenofproving
unlawfulaggressiononthepartofthevictimandreasonablenecessityofthemeansemployedto
preventorrepelit.Inthiscase,thefirstrequisitewasnotproven,becausehewasnotattackedby
thevictim.Infact,hedidnotevenseethevictimstealthecrabshemerelysuspectedhimofdoing
so.Furthermore,assumingthatunlawfulaggressionwasproven,therewasnonecessitytoshoot
because,accordingtohim,thevictimwasalreadyrunningawaywhenhit.miso

Inanyevent,thevictim'scompanionatthetime,EdwinVelascowhosetestimonywillbe
reproducedlater,positivelyidentifiedappellantasthekiller.

SecondIssue:

Treachery

Appellantarguesinthemainthattreacheryshouldnotbeappreciated,becausetherewasnoproof
thathe"deliberatelyandconsciouslyadoptedanymeanstokill"Lacson,but"merelyactedon
impulsetostopthefleeingculprits."[11]

Wedisagree.Appellantcarriedouttheattackdeliberatelyandconsciouslyhedidnotactonmere
impulse.ThisisclearfromEdwinVelascostestimony,pertinentportionsofwhicharereproduced
hereunder:Sdaadsc
"Q.AndwhenyourcompanionJessieLacsonwasabletogatherthatoneyoung
coconut,whathappenednext,whatdidyoudo?

A.Wewenttothediketobreakthecoconut.

Q.Andwereyouabletoopenthatyoungcoconut?

A.Nosir.

Q.Why?

A.WewerenotabletoopentheyoungcoconutbecauseJessieLacsonwasshouted
[at]byEulogioIgnacioorderinghimtoputdowntheyoungcoconut.

Q.DidJessieLacsonputdowntheyoungcoconut?Rtcspped

A.Yes,sir.

Q.Andwhatelsetranspirednext?

A.Hewasshot.

Q.Bywhom?

A.ByLoloy.

Q.Theaccusedinthiscase?

A.Yes,sir.

Q.HowfarwastheaccusedwhenhefiredatJessieLacson?Korte

A.40meters.

Q.Howaboutyou,whatwasorcanyouestimatethedistancefromtheplacewhere
youweretotheplacewhenyousawtheaccused[fire]atJessieLacson?

A.Iwasveryfarfromhim.

Q.Whoisthathimyouarereferringto?

A.FromJessieLacson.

Q.Now,wasJessieLacsonhitwhenhewasfiredatbytheaccused?

A.Yes,sir.

COURT:Sclaw

Q.That40metersdistanceofEulogioIgnaciotothevictim,JessieLacson,willyou
pleasedemonstrateorpointthatdistancefromwhereyouwereseated?

A.(Witnesspointingtothestoreoutsidethecourtroomwhichisaround40meters
away)

ALFORTE:

Q.WasJessieLacsonhit?

A.Yes,sir.
 Q.Whathappenedtohimwhenhewashitbythefiringcausedbytheaccused?

A.Hefelldown.

Q.Wereyouabletorecognizewhatkindwas...whatkindofgunwasusedbythe
accusedinfiring[at]thevictiminthiscase,JessieLacson?Sclex

A.Yes,sir.

Q.Canyoudemonstratethatgunifyouwereabletorecognizethatitwasagun?

A.Itwasalonggun."[12]

Theforegoingtestimonybeliesappellantscontention.Thevictimandhiscompanionstoppedafter
appellantshoutedatthem.Infact,theywerealreadyfacinghimwhenhefiredthefatalshotfroma
distanceofaroundfortymeters.ThiswasaffirmedbyDr.ErnestoL.Tamayo,whohadconducted
thepostmortemexaminationonthevictim,whenhetestifiedthattheentrypointofthegunshot
woundwasatthechest,notattheback.[13]Xlaw

Clearly,theevidenceprovesthatappellantkilledthevictim,andthathedidsowithoutriskto
himself.Akillingisqualifiedbytreacherywhentheaccusedemploysmeans,methodsorformsin
theexecutionthereofwithoutrisktohimselfarisingfromthedefensewhichtheoffendedparty
mightmake.[14]Torepeat,therewasnomorereasonforappellanttoshootthathedidsowas
unexpectedandsurprising.Furthermore,Lacsonwasunarmedandamereminorthen.Because
hehadnoweapon,therewasnoriskatallthatappellantwouldbeharmed.Westressthatthe
formerwasonlyfourteenyearsoldatthetime,andthathecouldnothaveputupaneffective
defense.[15]

ThirdIssue:

NoVoluntarySurrenderXsc

Appellantmaintainsthatthetrialcourtshouldhaveappreciatedthemitigatingcircumstanceof
voluntarysurrender,becauseheallegedlygavehimselfuptothreemembersofthebarangay
tanodwhohadgonetohishouse.

Wearenotpersuaded.Inorderthatthemitigatingcircumstancemaybeappreciated,thedefense
mustclearlysatisfythreerequisites:(a)theoffenderhasnotbeenactuallyarrested(2)the
offendersurrendershimselftoapersoninauthorityorthelatter'sagentand(c)thesurrenderis
voluntary.[16]Thedefensemustshowanintenttosurrenderunconditionallytotheauthorities,
becauseofanacknowledgementofguiltorbecauseofawishtosparethemthetroubleandthe
expenseconcomitanttothesearchandthecaptureoftheaccused.[17]Sc

Appellantssurrenderwasnotvoluntary.Rather,hewasforcedtogivehimselfup,because
membersofthebarangaytanodwerealreadyinsidehishouse,therebyprecludinghisescape.

WHEREFORE,theappealisherebyDENIED,andtheassailedDecisionAFFIRMED.Costs
againstappellant.

SOORDERED.Scmis

Melo,(Chairman),Vitug,Purisima,andGonzagaReyes,JJ.,concur.

[1] PennedbyJudgeFelimonC.AbelitaIII.
[2] Decision,pp.56rollo,pp.1920.
[3] Rollo,p.5.
[4] Records,p.27.
[5] ThecasewasdeemedsubmittedforresolutiononOctober28,1999,whenthisCourtreceivedtheAppelleesBrief.Thefiling
ofareplybriefwasdeemedwaived,asnonewassubmittedwithinthereglementaryperiod.
[6] BrieffortheAppellee,pp.24(citationsomitted).ItwassignedbyAsst.Sol.Gen.CarlosN.Ortega,Asst.Sol.Gen.Maria
AuroraP.Cortezand(for)Sol.ShermaCecileO.Miranda.
[7] AppellantsBrief,p.5rollo,p.41a.ItwassignedbyAttys.EdenB.ChavezandAmeliaC.GarchitorenaofthePublic
AttorneysOffice.
[8] AppellantsBrief,pp.12rollo,pp.3839.
[9] Peoplev.Perucho,GRNo.128869,April14,1999Peoplev.Llaguno,285SCRA124,January28,1998Peoplev.
Paguntalan,242SCRA753,March27,1995Peoplev.Rugay,291SCRA692,July2,1998Peoplev.Manambit,271SCRA
344,April18,1997.
[10] Section3,Rule116,RulesofCourt.
[11] AppellantsBrief,p.8rollo,p.44.
[12] TSN,September18,1997,pp.79.
[13] TSN,October1,1997,p.4.
[14] Peoplev.Cortes,286SCRA295,February12,1998Peoplev.Aranjuez,285SCRA466,January29,1998Peoplev.
Aquino,284SCRA369,January16,1998.
[15] Peoplev.Gonzales,GRNo.130507,July28,1999Peoplev.YamId,GRNo.126116,June21,1999and,Peoplev.
Palomar,278SCRA114,149,August21,1997.
[16] Peoplev.Deopante,263SCRA691,October30,1996.
[17] Peoplev.Ramos,296SCRA559,September25,1998Peoplev.Umadhay,293SCRA545,August3,1998.