Back

People vs. Bacyaan

PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, PLAINTIFF-APPELLEE, VS. JOJO BACYAAN Y SABANIYA, RONNIE FERNANDEZ Y GONZALES, AND RYAN GUEVARRA Y SIPRIA, ACCUSED-APPELLANTS.

G.R. No. 238457 | 2019-09-18

DECISION
 
INTING, J.:
 
We reiterate the doctrine that in the assessment of the credibility of witnesses and their testimonies, the findings of the trial courts deserve utmost respect. In this case, appellants invariably interposed alibi and. denial as their defenses. Needless to say, these are inherently weak defenses as they constitute self-serving, negative evidence and may easily be fabricated. These cannot be accorded greater evidentiary weight than the declaration of the prosecution witnesses who testify on affirmative matters.[1]

Brought to fore is an appeal from the Decision dated January 18, 2017 of the Court of Appeals (CA)...