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PEOPLE vs Leoncio Santocildes, Jr

PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, plaintiff-appellee, vs. LEONCIO SANTOCILDES, JR. y SIGA-AN, accused-appellant.

G.R. No. 109149 | 1999-12-21

D E C I S I O N

QUISUMBING, J.:

Where an accused was not duly represented by a member of the Philippine Bar during trial, the judgment should be set aside and the case remanded to the trial court for a new trial. A person who misrepresents himself as a lawyer shall be held liable for indirect contempt of court.

Subject of the present appeal is the decision dated October 29, 1992, of the Regional Trial Court of Iloilo City, Branch 33, convicting accused-appellant of the crime of rape, sentencing him to suffer the penalty of reclusion perpetua, and ordering him to pay the offended party the amount of P50,000.00 and to pay the costs.

The...