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People vs Romeo Datu

PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, plaintiff-appellee, vs. ROMEO DATU, ROLANDO BATUELO, JOHN DOE, PETER DOE, RICHARD DOE, ALLAN DOE, and RICKY DOE, accused. / ROMEO DATU and ROLANDO BATUELO, accused-appellants.

G.R. NO. 136796 | 2003-02-19

D E C I S I O N
 
QUISUMBING, J.:

For automatic review is the judgment[1] of the Regional Trial Court of Ilagan, Isabela, Branch 16, dated November 18, 1998, in Criminal Case No. 2781, which found appellants Romeo Datu and Rolando Batuelo, guilty of murder, and imposed upon them the penalty of death.

The factual antecedents in this case are as follows:

On September 30, 1997, appellants Datu, Batuelo, and several Does were charged with murder allegedly committed as follows:

That on or about the 17th day of April, 1997, in the municipality of Burgos, province of Isabela, Philippines and within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, the...