PHILIPPINE JURISPRUDENCE FULL TEXT The Lawphil Project - Arellao Law Fo!"atio #$R$ No$ %&'%(( Fe)r!ar* +, '--. R/LLIE CALI0UTAN 1S$ PE/PLE /F THE PHILIPPINES, ET AL$Rep!)lic o2 the Philippie3SUPREME COURT0ailaFIRST DI1ISI/NG.R. No. 152133 February 9, 2006ROLLIE CLIMUTN, Petitioer, 43$PEOPLE OF T!E P!ILIPPINES, ET L., Re3po"et3$D E C I S I / NC!ICO"N#RIO, J.:I thi3 Petitio 2or Re4iew o Certiorari !"er R!le 5& o2 the Re4i3e" R!le3 o2 Co!rt, petitioer Rollie Cali6!ta pra*3 2or the re4er3al o2 the Deci3io o2 the Co!rt o2 Appeal3 iCA-#$R$ CR No$ '((-., "ate" '+ A!7!3t '--%,% a22ir6i7 the Deci3io o2 the Re7ioal Trial Co!rt 8RTC9, :rach 5., o2 0a3)ate, 0a3)ate, i Cri6ial Ca3e No$ ;%;5, "ate" %+ No4e6)er %++;,' 2i"i7 petitioer Cali6!ta 7!ilt* )e*o" rea3oa)le "o!)t o2 the cri6eo2 ho6ici"e !"er Article '5+ o2 the Re4i3e" Peal Co"e$The I2or6atio( 2ile" with the RTC char7e" petitioer Cali6!ta with the cri6e o2 ho6ici"e, alle7e"l* co66itte" a3 2ollow3 That o or a)o!t Fe)r!ar* 5, %++., i the 6ori7 thereo2, at 3itio Cap3a*, :ara7a* PaiEARS o2 Pri3io 0a*or a3 6ii6!6, to T?EL1E 8%'9 >EARS a" /NE 8%9 DA> o2 Recl!3io Te6poral a3 6aFi6!6, a" to i"e6i2* the heir3 o2 Philip Catre the 3!6 o2 Fi2t* Tho!3a" 8P&-,---$--9 Pe3o3 a3 co6pe3ator* "a6a7e3 a" the 3!6 o2Fi2t* Tho!3a" 8P&-,---$--9 Pe3o3 a3 6oral "a6a7e3, witho!t 3!)3i"iar* i6pri3o6et i ca3e o2 i3ol4ec*$Petitioer Cali6!ta appeale" the Deci3io o2 the RTC to the Co!rt o2 Appeal3$ The Co!rto2 Appeal3, i it3 Deci3io, "ate" '+ A!7!3t '--%,%@ 3!3taie" the co4ictio o2 ho6ici"e re"ere" )* the RTC a7ai3t petitioer Cali6!ta, ratiociati7 th!3 The pro3ec!tio ha3 3!22icietl* e3ta)li3he" that the 3erio!3 iteral ij!r* 3!3taie" )* the 4icti6 wa3 ca!3e" )* the 3toe throw at the 4icti6 )* the acc!3e" which, the acc!3e"-appellat "oe3 ot "e*$ It wa3 li=ewi3e 3how that the iteral ij!r* 3!3taie" )* the 4icti6 wa3 the re3!lt o2 the i6pact o2 the 3toe that hit the 4icti6$ It re3!lte" to a tra!6atic ij!r* o2 the a)"o6e ca!3i7 the laceratio o2 the 4icti6E3 3plee$Thi3 i3 clearl* 3how )* the a!top3* report prepare" )* Dr$ Roal"o 0e"eB, a Seior 0e"ico Le7al /22icer o2 the N:I a2ter the eFh!6atio o2 the 4icti6E3 ca"a4erJThe Co!rt caot 7i4e cre"ece to the po3t 6orte6 report prepare" )* 0!icipal Health /22icer Dr$ Cochita Ula"a* 3tati7 that the ca!3e o2 the 4icti6E3 "eath wa3 2oo" poi3oi7$ Dr$ Ula"a* wa3 ot e4e pre3ete" to te3ti2* i co!rt hece 3he wa3 ot e4e a)le to i"eti2* a"Kor a22ir6 the cotet3 o2 her report$ She wa3 ot 6a"e a4aila)le 2or cro33-eFa6iatio o the acc!rac* a" correcte33 o2 her 2i"i73$Dr$ Cochita Ula"a*E3 po3t 6orte6 report caot pre4ail o4er the a!top3* report 8EFh$ ICI9 o2 the 0e"ico-Le7al /22icer o2 the N:I who te3ti2ie" a" wa3 cro33-eFa6ie" )* the "e2e3e$:e3i"e3, i2 acc!3e"-appellat wa3 co4ice" that the 4icti6 i"ee" "ie" o2 2oo" poi3oi7,a3 reporte" )* Dr$ Cochita Ula"a*, wh* "i" the* ot pre3et her a3 their wite33 to )eliethe report o2 the 0e"ico-Le7al /22icer o2 the N:I$The trial co!rtE3 e4al!atio o2 the te3ti6o* o2 Dr$ 0e"eB i3 accor"e" the hi7he3t re3pect )eca!3e it ha" the opport!it* to o)3er4e the co"!ct a" "e6eaor o2 3ai" wite33$?HEREF/RE, i 4iew o2 the 2ore7oi7, the "eci3io o2 the Re7ioal Trial Co!rt o2 0a3)ate, :rach 5., 2i"i7 acc!3e"-appellat 7!ilt* )e*o" rea3oa)le "o!)t o2 the cri6e o2 ho6ici"e i3 here)* AFFIR0ED$The Co!rt o2 Appeal3, i it3 Re3ol!tio, "ate" %& Ja!ar* '--',%; "eie" the 0otio 2or Reco3i"eratio 2ile" )* petitioer Cali6!ta 2or lac= o2 6erit 3ice the i33!e3 rai3e" therei ha" alrea"* )ee pa33e" a" r!le" !po i it3 Deci3io, "ate" '+ A!7!3t '--%$Co6e3 ow petitioer Cali6!ta, )* wa* o2 the pre3et Petitio 2or Re4iew o Certiorari, 3ee=i7 8%9 the re4er3al o2 the Deci3io3 o2 the RTC, "ate" %+ No4e6)er %++;, a" o2 theCo!rt o2 Appeal3, "ate" '+ A!7!3t '--%, co4icti7 hi6 o2 the cri6e o2 ho6ici"eC a", 8'9 co3ee3, 3ir$ :!t that wo!l" "epe" o how 3tro7 or 2orce2!l the i6pact wa3$I cotra3t, Dr$ 0e"eB "e3cri)e" i hi3 te3ti6o* )e2ore the RTC(% how he co"!cte" thea!top3* o2 the )o"* o2 the 4icti6 Catre, a3 2ollow3 L ?hat 3peci2ic proce"!re "i" *o! "o i coectio with the eFh!6atio o2 the )o"* o2 the 4icti6 i thi3 ca3eMA ?e opee" the hea", che3t a" the a)"o6e$L That wa3 part o2 the a!top3* *o! ha4e co"!cte"MA >e3, 3ir$L A3i"e 2ro6 opei7 the hea" a3 well a3 the )o"* o2 the 4icti6 Philip Catre, what other 6atter3 "i" *o! "o i coectio therewithMA ?e eFa6ie" the iteral or7a3$L ?hat i partic!lar iteral or7a3 *o! ha4e eFa6ie"MA The )rai, the heart, the l!73, the li4er, the =i"e*3, the pacrea3 pl!3 the ite3tie3$F F F FL The ca!3e o2 "eath a3 *o! ha4e li3te" here i *o!r 2i"i73 i3 li3te" a3 tra!6atic ij!r* o2 the a)"o6e, will *o! =i"l* tell !3 Doctor what i3 the 3i7i2icace o2 thi3 6e"ical ter6 tra!6atic ij!r* o2 the a)"o6eMA ?e, 6e"ico-le7al o22icer3 o2 the N:I "oEt "o what other "octor3 "o a3 the* 6a=e ca!3e3 o2 "eath a3 iteral he6orrha7e we partic!larl* poit to the ij!r* o2 the )o"* li=e thi3 partic!lar ca3e the ij!r* wa3 at the a)"o6e o2 the 4icti6$L ?ill *o! tell a3 Doctor what partic!lar portio o2 the a)"o6e o2 the 4icti6 thi3 tra!6aticij!r* i3 locate"MA Alo7 the 6i"lie )!t the "a6a7e" or7a wa3 at the le2t$L ?hat partic!lar or7a are *o! re2erri7 toMA The 3plee, 3ir$The "i22erece i the eFtet o2 the eFa6iatio3 co"!cte" )* the two "octor3 o2 the )o"* o2 the 4icti6 Catre pro4i"e3 a a"e