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People vs. ZZZ

PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, PLAINTIFF-APPELLEE, VS. ZZZ, ACCUSED-APPELLANT.

G.R. No. 229209 | 2020-02-12

THIRD DIVISION
 
DECISION
 
LEONEN, J.:
 
The lower court's determination of witness credibility will seldom be disturbed on appeal, unless significant matters have been overlooked. Reversal of these findings becomes even more inappropriate when affirmed by the Court of Appeals.[1]

In determining a victim's credibility in rape cases, however, courts should be wary of adopting outdated notions of a victim's behavior based on gender stereotypes. Regardless of such preconceptions, conviction may be warranted based "solely on the testimony of the victim, provided of course, that the testimony is credible, natural,...