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PEOPLE vs Lawrence Macapanpan, et al

PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, plaintiff-appellee, vs. LAWRENCE MACAPANPAN y DE GUZMAN and AIROLL ACLAN y MENDOZA, accused-appellants.

G.R. No. 133003 | 2003-04-09

D E C I S I O N

YNARES-SANTIAGO, J.:

The peculiar nature of rape is that conviction or acquittal depends almost entirely upon the word of the private complainant[1] because it is essentially committed in relative isolation or even secrecy and it is usually only the victim who can testify with regard to the act of forced coitus.[2] Thus, the long standing rule is that when an alleged victim of rape says she was violated, she says in effect all that is necessary to show that rape has indeed been committed.[3] Since the participants are usually the only witnesses in crimes of this nature and the accused's conviction or acquittal virtually...