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PEOPLE vs Wilfredo Tolentino et al

PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, appellee, vs. WILFREDO TOLENTINO y ESPERAT and JONATHAN FABROS y CASTRO, accused. / JONATHAN FABROS y CASTRO, appellant.

G.R. No. 139179 | 2002-04-03

D E C I S I O N

PANGANIBAN, J.:

An appeal in a criminal case opens the entire records to review. The appellate court may pass upon every circumstance favorable to the accused. In the present case, the prosecution failed to prove the existence of conspiracy beyond reasonable doubt. Neither was it able to show that appellant was an accomplice or accessory. Hence, he must be acquitted on reasonable ground.

The Case

Jonathan Fabros y Castro appeals the May 27, 1999 Decision[1] of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Zamboanga City (Branch 17) in Criminal Case No. 13698, finding him guilty of murder and sentencing him to reclusion perpetua....