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PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES vs. Zamora, et al.

THE PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, plaintiff-appellee, vs. CAPT. JUVENAL ZAMORA, PAT. MATEO RAYMUNDO, and PAT. I?IGO MALAPITAN, defendants, PAT. I?IGO MALAPITAN, defendant-appellant.

G.R. No. L-34090 | 1973-11-26

D E C I S I O N

FERNANDO, J:
The flaw, fatal in character, which vitiates the decision of Judge Onofro A. Villaluz of the Circuit Criminal Court, convicting appellant Iñigo Malapitan 1 of the crime of murder and sentencing him to suffer the penalty of reclusion perpetua, is the lack of deference to the constitutional right of an accused to be presumed innocent. 2 That is implicit in the thorough and exhaustive brief filed by his counsel, Atty. Alejandro F. de Santos. It was made explicit in the equally-able brief of Solicitor General Estelito P. Mendoza. 3 As set forth therein "The prosecution has no evidence to bolster its theory...