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PEOPLE vs. Roger Evangelista

PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, plaintiff-appellee vs. ROGER EVANGELISTA, accused-appellant.

G.R. No. 121627 | 1997-11-17

D E C I S I O N

BELLOSILLO, J:

Credibility of the complainant is the linchpin in a rape case concerning as it generally does only the dramatis personae in an atmosphere of isolation and secrecy. The burden of proof then rests on her shoulders. Thus, in this case, the main defense of accused-appellant is the alleged inability of the eleven-year old victim to identify him.

The defense makes much of the testimony of the victim on cross-examination to bolster his theory that the offended party could not possibly point to him because the crime happened in the late hour of the night and her identification of him was made only with the...