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People vs. Espina

THE PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, plaintiff-appellee, vs. CIRILO ESPINA, defendant-appellant.

G.R. No. L-33028 | 1972-06-30

D E C I S I O N


FERNANDO, J:

In this automatic review of a death sentence imposed by the Court of First Instance of Northern Samar on Cirilo Espiña for the crime of murder, the defense and the prosecution are as one in their plea to set aside such a judgment and remand of the case to the lower court. As was so clearly stressed in the able brief filed by counsel de oficio, former Associate Code Commissioner Luis R. Feria, there was a failure by the trial judge to comply with the rigid standard set forth in controlling decisions as to when a plea of guilty suffices to call for the imposition of such extreme penalty. Similarly,...