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People vs. Daniel Maluenda et al.

PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, plaintiff-appellee, vs. DANIEL MALUENDA alias "DONGKOY"; GIL BUENO; RAUL MONDAGA alias "BOBONG"; and RODRIGO LEGARTO, accused, DANIEL MALUENDA and RODRIGO LEGARTO, accused-appellants.

G.R. No. 115351 | 1998-03-27

D E C I S I O N

PANGANIBAN, J:

Conspiracy and/or direct participation in a crime may be proven by circumstantial evidence. However, the comprising circumstances must be duly proven, consistent with each other and lead with moral certainty to only one conclusion: that the accused is guilty. If the totality of such circumstances eliminates beyond reasonable doubt the possibility of innocence, conviction is proper; otherwise, the accused must be acquitted. If said accused, however, took advantage of the effects of the crime and profited thereby, he can be held criminally liable as an accessory.

The Case

This is an appeal from the March 18, 1994...