CASE NO. 15: MARLON DELIM, LEON DELIM, MANUEL, ROBERT
DELIM and RONALD DELIM VS PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES
G.R. No. 142773
Facts:
The appellants and victim are “related” for Modesto is an adopted
son of their father. On January 23, 1999, at around 6:30 in the
evening, Modesto, Rita and Randy were preparing to have their
supper in their home with their two young grandchildren, aged 5
and 7 years old. Suddenly, Marlon, Robert and Ronald barged into
the house and closed the door armed with a short handgun. Marlon
poked his gun at Modesto while Robert and Ronald simultaneously
grabbed and hog-tied the victim. A piece of cloth was placed in the
mouth of Modesto. Marlon, Robert and Ronald herded Modesto out
of the house on their way towards the direction of Paldit, Sison,
Pangasinan. Rita and Randy were warned by the intruders not to
leave the house. Leon and Manuel, who were also armed with short
handguns, stayed put by the door to the house of Modesto and
ordered Rita and Randy to stay where they were. Leon and Manuel
left the house of Modesto only at around 7:00 a.m. the following day,
January 24, 1999. After a thorough police search, Modesto's lifeless
body was then found on January 25, 1999. In defense thereof,
Marlon, Ronald and Leon interposed denial and alibi to exculpate
themselves. The trial court rendered judgment finding accusedappellants guilty of murder and sentencing them to death.
Issue:
Whether or not the prosecution mustered the requisite quantum of
evidence to prove that Marlon, Ronald and Leon are guilty of murder
Held:
The court held that the prosecution adduced the requisite quantum
of proof of corpus delicti. Modesto sustained five (5) gunshot
wounds. He also sustained seven (7) stab wounds,29 defensive in
nature. The use by the malefactors of deadly weapons, more
specifically handguns and knives, in the killing of the victim as well
as the nature, number and location of the wounds sustained by said
victim are evidence of the intent by the malefactors to kill the victim
with all the consequences flowing therefrom. The prosecution only
presented circumstantial evidence to prove that accused-appellants,
in confabulation with their co-accused, conspired to kill and did kill
Modesto and it gave credence and full probative weight to the
testimonies of the witnesses of the prosecution
The Court noted that conspiracy attended the killing as attested by
the facts as shown when the overt acts of all the malefactors were so
synchronized and executed with precision evincing a preconceived
plan or design of all the malefactors to achieve a common purpose
of killing the victim. On the other hand, the prosecution failed to
allege in the information and prove clearly and conclusively the
qualifying circumstances of treachery and abuse of superior
strength. Mere conjectures, suppositions or presumptions are
utterly insufficient and cannot produce the effect of qualifying the
crime. Although the special aggravating circumstance of the use of
unlicensed firearms was proven during the trial, there is no
allegation in the Information that Marlon, Ronald and Leon had no
license to possess the firearm. With the above mentioned rulings, the
court AFFIRMED with MODIFICATION the trial court’s decision.
Accused-appellants Marlon Delim, Ronald Delim and Leon Delim are
hereby found guilty beyond reasonable doubt of the felony of
Homicide defined in and penalized by Article 249 of the Revised
Penal Code. There being no modifying circumstances in the
commission of the crime, each of accused-appellants is hereby
meted an indeterminate penalty of from ten (10) years and one (1)
day of prision mayor in its maximum period as minimum to fourteen
(14) years, eight (8) months and one (1) day of reclusion temporal
in its medium period as maximum. Civil Indemnity and award for
moral and exemplary damages are in order.