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PEOPLE vs Jaime Gonzales

PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, appellee, vs. JAIME GONZALES y PALLER, appellant.

G.R. No. 140676 | 2002-07-31

D E C I S I O N

PANGANIBAN, J.:

When the age of the victim is not proven beyond reasonable doubt by the prosecution, the accused may be declared guilty only of simple, not qualified, rape; and penalized with reclusion perpetua, not death.

The Case

For automatic review before this Court is the August 12, 1997 Decision[1] of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Las Piñas City (Branch 275) in Criminal Case No. 96-0101, finding Jaime Gonzales y Paller guilty beyond reasonable doubt of rape in its qualified form. The dispositive portion of the Decision reads as follows:

"WHEREFORE, judgment is rendered finding accused Jaime Gonzales y...