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Villarba vs. CA

OMAR VILLARBA, PETITIONER, VS. COURT OF APPEALS AND PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, RESPONDENTS.

G.R. No. 227777 | 2020-06-15

THIRD DIVISION
 
DECISION
 
LEONEN, J.:
 
A formal amendment does not change the crime charged or affect the accused's theory or defense. It adds nothing crucial for a conviction as to deprive the accused of the opportunity to meet the new information. When an amendment only rectifies something that was already included in the original information, it is but a formal amendment. A second arraignment, therefore, is no longer necessary.[1]

Moreover, the information need not reproduce the law verbatim in alleging the acts or omissions that constitute the offense. If its language is understood, the constitutional right to be...