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PEOPLE. Vs. Francis G. De Guzman

THE PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, plaintiff-appellee, vs. FRANCIS DE GUZMAN y GALANG, accused, MANUEL DURIAS y ASTRERO, ROBERT LLZARDO y KANGA, alias ROBERT RIZALDO, ISABELO TALLEDO y ESPIRITU, and ARSENIO SABAWIL y POLON, accused-appellants.

G.R. No. L-68951 | 1988-06-16

D E C I S I O N


CRUZ, J.:

From Santiago, Isabela, five men started their trip together in a jeep on January 4, 1984. Their destination was Quezon City where, unknown to them at the time, the law would be waiting for them. The encounter happened the following evening, when NARCOM agents arrested all of them in a "buy-bust" operation conducted with the help of an informer. Eventually brought to trial, all of them were convicted. 1 The four who were sentenced to life imprisonment are now before us on appeal of their conviction.

Of these four, one has since withdrawn his appeal and in effect confessed his guilt. 2 The other three continue...