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PEOPLE vs Erasto Acosta, Sr. Alias "Atto", Carlo Acosta, Richard Acosta, Alias "Imbo", Sigfredo Acosta Alias "Sig" (At Large), Arnold Acosta Alias "Annod", Avelino Acosta Alias "Avel", Rosendo Tara Alias "Gani" Aka "Doyog", Ambong Narte (At Large) And Ernesto Salazar Alias "Erning", Accused, / Erasto Acosta, Sr. Alias "Atto", Carlo Acosta, Richard Acosta Alias "Imbo" Arnold Acosta Alias "Annod", Avelino Acosta, Alias "Avel" And Rosendo Tara, Accused-Appeellants.

PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, plaintiff-appellee, vs. ERASTO ACOSTA, SR. alias “ATTO”, CARLO ACOSTA, RICHARD ACOSTA, alias “IMBO”, SIGFREDO ACOSTA alias “SIG” (at large), ARNOLD ACOSTA alias “ANNOD”, AVELINO ACOSTA alias “AVEL”, ROSENDO TARA alias “GANI” aka “DOYOG”, AMBONG NARTE (at large) and ERNESTO SALAZAR alias “ERNING”, accused, / ERASTO ACOSTA, SR. alias “ATTO”, CARLO ACOSTA, RICHARD ACOSTA alias “IMBO” ARNOLD ACOSTA alias “ANNOD”, AVELINO ACOSTA, alias “AVEL” and ROSENDO TARA, accused-appellants.

G.R. No. 140402 | 2003-01-28

DECISION

CARPIO, J.:

The Case

Before this Court for automatic review[1] is the Decision[2] of Branch 46 of the Regional Trial Court of Urdaneta City, in Criminal Case No. U-9788 promulgated on August 27, 1999 finding appellants Erasto Acosta, Sr., Arnold Acosta, Carlo Acosta, Avelino Acosta, Richard Acosta and Rosendo Tara ("appellants" for brevity) guilty beyond reasonable doubt of the crime of murder and sentencing them to suffer the death penalty.

The Charge

The Information against appellants reads as follows:

"That on or about June 14, 1998 in the evening at Brgy. Pinmaludpod, Urdaneta City, and within the jurisdiction of this...