G.R.No.

178059,January22,2008
On12thdayofOctober,2002,intheCityofLaoag,Philippines,andwithinthe
jurisdictionofthisHonorableCourt,Tabuelog,withtreacheryandwithintentto
kill,didthenandtherewilfully,unlawfullyandfeloniouslystabbedfrombehind
ClintonBadinasontheleftsideofhisbodythatresultedtohisinstantaneous
death.

ChristopherTabuelog,theaccusedwaschargedwithmurder.However,headmitsthathe
stabbedClintonBadinasonoraboutthattimeonsaidplaceandasaconsequenceofthe
woundhesustainedClintonBadinasdied.Theaccusedisclaimingthatheactedinself
defense.Thetrialcourtfoundtheversionoftheprosecutioncrediblethusrejectingthe
accusedstheoryofselfdefense
whetherornottheaccusedactedinselfdefenseinstabbingClintonBadinas.
Ininvokingselfdefense,whethercompleteorincomplete,theonusprobandiis
shiftedtotheaccusedtoprovebyclearandconvincingevidencealltheelementsof
justifyingcircumstance,namely:(a)unlawfulaggressiononthepartofthevictim;(b)the
reasonablenecessityofthemeansemployedtopreventorrepelit;and(c)lackof
sufficientprovocationonthepartofthepersondefendinghimself.[8]

Theaccused,incasesofselfdefense,mustrelyonthestrengthofhisown
evidenceandnotontheweaknessoftheprosecutionsevidencesinceheadmitsthe
commissionoftheallegedcriminalact.Onewhoadmitstheinflictionofinjurieswhich
causedthedeathofanotherhastheburdenofprovingselfdefensewithsufficientand
convincingevidence,foreveniftheevidenceoftheprosecutionwereweak,itcouldnot
bedisbelievedaftertheaccusedhimselfhadadmittedthekilling.Selfdefense,likealibi,
isadefensewhichcaneasilybeconcocted.Iftheaccusedsevidenceisofdoubtful
veracity,anditisnotclearandconvincing,thedefensemustnecessarilyfail
WHEREFORE,premisesconsidered,forfailureoftheaccusedtoproveselfdefense,
completeorincomplete,andthefactthattheprosecutionwasabletoprovethequalifying
aggravatingcircumstanceoftreacherybeyondreasonabledoubtinthekillingof
CLINTONBADINAS,theaccusedCHRISTOPHERTABUELOGisherebyfound
GUILTYofthecrimeofMurderunderArticle248oftheRevisedPenalCodeandthe
penaltyofReclusionPerpetuawillallitsaccessorypenaltiesisimposeduponhim.