PP v. Yutila

[G.R. No. L-32791. January 27, 1981.
]
THE PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, Plaintiff-Appellee,
v.
BONIFACIO YUTILA, AQUILINO and ESPERIDION YUTILA, Defendants-Appellants.
Facts:
In the morning of April 24, 1970, the deceased Fidela Dema-angay de Bederio went to their farm at sitio
Togop, Barrio San Isidro, Gen. MacArthur, Eastern Samar, to gather some food for her family. At about 11
oclock the same morning, her husband, Ciriaco Bederio, who was home in bed suffering from high fever,
asked his eldest daughter, 12 year-old Virginita, to go to the farm and help her mother carry the food, she
may have gathered. Upon reaching the place, Virginita looked around but could not find her. Suddenly, she
heard her mothers voice saying: Pacio, Goyong, Pediong, Quilino, because you have (had) sexual
intercourse with me, please do not kill me.
Proceeding towards the direction of her voice, Virginita saw her mother lying near the bank of creek in a
sidewise position and being stabbed by appellants and their brother Gregorio, with a knife and bolos. She hid
herself among the bushes and, after the assailants left, Virginita approached her mother and tried to talk to
her but the latter did not respond. Whereupon, she went home and told her father what she had seen. They
both repaired to the scene of the crime and found Fidela dead.
Virginita was then sent by her father to the barrio captain in Cancuevas and later to the Chief of Police of
Gen. MacArthur, Eastern Samar, to inform them about the incident. The following morning, the Chief of
Police, accompanied by Ciriaco and his daughter Virginita, investigated the place of the incident and made a
sketch of the same.
Fidelas body was taken to the Municipal Health Officer Dr. Jose Dequito, and such doctor, performed an
autopsy and later set forth his findings in medical report showing that the deceased sustained multiple
wounds and abrasions on different parts of her body. He also found semenal fluid in the victimss vaginal
canal, as well as a horizontal laceration at the bifurcation of the labia minora indicating that the deceased
was sexually abused
At dawn of May 3, 1970, appellants were apprehended as they were attending a dance party at the school
building in barrio Taogap, Gen. MacArthur. A short knife and a long bolo were recovered from the possession
of Bonifacio and Esperidion, respectively.
An information was filed with the following allegations.
The three brothers, Esperidion, Bonifacio, and Aquilino met in Bo. Togop to discuss the death of their brother
Gregorio who was killed earlier and while attending a dance at a barrio dance hall were arrested, charged
with, and tried for the crime of rape with homicide.
After, an amended information was filed that contains an contention that the above-named accused together
with Gregorio Yutila, who is still at large, conspired and raped the victim.
The trial court held, based on the original information, that all accused were guilty of Rape with Homicide
and sentenced to death penalty.
On appeal, the defense raised the issue that the judgment of the trial court was based on original
information that had already been supplanted or superseded by the amended information.
Also, another issue was raised by the accused, which was not raised before the Court of First Instance, that
there was no preliminary investigation conducted. (Im not sure if this issue was actually raised by the
accused, since in the full case, it was not mention under the heading the court erred, however, it was
discussed by the Supreme Court, and also, I think this is relevant in our topic, so I included it.)
Issue:
1.
2.
Whether or not the lower court erred in convicting the accused under the original information that
had already been supplanted or superseded by the amended information and;
Whether or not the lack of preliminary investigation impaired the validity of the proceedings.
Ruling:
On the first issue:
The reference by the trial court in its decision to the information as originally filed is of no moment. The
original and the amended information are substantially the same. The only difference is that in the original
information it is alleged that Gregorio Yutila, one of the alleged perpetrators of the crime, was already dead
while in the amended information it stated that he is alive but at large. The record shows that the defendants
were duly apprised of the contents of the amended information.
On the second issue:

The lack of preliminary investigation did not impair the validity of the proceedings. It did not affect the
jurisdiction of the Court of First Instance over the case. Moreover, the three defendants pleaded not guilty
upon being arraigned. The denial of the accused of his right to preliminary investigation cannot be raised for
the first time on appeal.
Thus, the trial court has correctly found the defendants guilty of rape with homicide and imposed the proper
penalty.
(Just in case, mangutana si sir, I think after the RTC rendered its judgment it went directly and automatically
under review of Supreme Court, without passing through CA. If I remember it right, before, all judgment with
punishment of death is automatically under review of Supreme Court. Again, wa kuy sure.

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[G.R. No. L-32791. January 27, 1981.

On the second issue:

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