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People vs. Ragon

PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, plaintiff-appellee, vs. WARLITO RAGON, JOHN DOE and PAUL DOE, accused, WARLITO RAGON, accused-appellant.

G.R. No. 100593 | 1997-11-18

D E C I S I O N


PANGANIBAN, J:

Where the prosecution's evidence rests purely on circumstantial evidence, courts are required to exert extra effort to ensure that the totality of the evidence adduced constitutes an unbroken chain leading beyond reasonable doubt to the guilt of the accused, to the exclusion of all others. Where such evidence does not produce moral certainty, the appellant must be acquitted, as in this case.

 
The Case

This is the legal principle used by the Court in granting this appeal from the Decision dated April 22, 1991 of the Regional Trial Court of Vigan, Ilocos Sur, Branch 25, in Criminal Case No. 2654-V,...