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PEOPLE vs Delfin dela Cruz

PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, appellee, vs. DELFIN DELA CRUZ, appellant.

G.R. No. 137405 | 2002-09-27

D E C I S I O N

PANGANIBAN, J.:

Though not specifically assigned as an error, the sufficiency of the prosecution's evidence must be passed upon in all appeals of criminal cases, especially those in which the death penalty was imposed by the trial court. The Supreme Court must be satisfied that, indeed, the crime charged and the identity of the culprit were proven beyond reasonable doubt by the prosecution.

The Case

Before us for automatic review is the April 14, 1998 Decision[1] of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of San Jose, Occidental Mindoro (Branch 46), in Criminal Case No. R-4114. The RTC, which convicted Delfin dela Cruz of rape...