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PEOPLE vs Veno Esperas

PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, appellee, vs. VENO ESPERAS, appellant.

G.R. No. 128109 | 2003-11-19

D E C I S I O N

PANGANIBAN, J.:

Appellant cannot be convicted of qualified rape, because the Informations did not allege his relationship with the victim. Moreover, the latter's exact age at the time the crimes were committed was not proven by the prosecution.

The Case

For automatic review before this Court is the October 18, 1996 "Joint Judgment"[1] of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Palawan, Branch 52, in Criminal Case Nos. 12552, 12707 and 12708, finding Veno Esperas guilty beyond reasonable doubt of three counts of rape. The decretal portion of the Decision reads:

"WHEREFORE, premises considered, judgment is hereby rendered...