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PEOPLE vs. Samuel Pimentel

PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, plaintiff-appellee, vs. SAMUEL PIMENTEL, alias "SAMUEL PACANA", alias "SAMUEL PACUL", defendant-appellant.

G.R. No. L-38423 | 1982-11-25

D E C I S I O N


ESCOLIN, J.:

Appeal from the judgment of the Court of First Instance of Misamis Oriental imposing upon appellant Samuel Pimentel the penalty of reclusion perpetua for the crime of rape.

This case calls to mind the oft-repeated aphorism: "While rape is a detectable crime, it must be remembered that it is an accusation easy to be made, hard to be proved, but harder to be defended by the party accused though innocent." 1 For appellant, no wiser words could apply, for his conviction was predicated primarily on the lone and uncorroborated testimony of the complaining witness.

Appellant was a jeepney operator-driver, while...