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Celia Meriz vs PEOPLE

CELIA M. MERIZ, petitioner, vs. PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, respondent.

G.R. No. 134498 | 2001-11-13

D E C I S I O N

VITUG, J.:

A maxim in statutory construction mandates that penal statutes should be strictly construed against the state and liberally in favor of the accused. The phrase, truly, may not be a mere clichá but, so also, it is not meant to wrongly shield an accused from criminal liability.

On appeal to this Court is the decision, dated 06 July 1999, of the Court of Appeals (6th Division), in CA-G.R. No. 18985 affirming in toto the decision of the court a quo in Criminal Case No. 90-5598 to Criminal Case No. 5601, inclusive, which found Celia M. Meriz, herein petitioner, guilty beyond reasonable doubt of having...