Noel Villanueva versus People of the Philippines and Yolanda Castro,

G.R. No. 160351, April 10, 006

Arti!le 35" of the Revised Penal Code provides#

Art. 35". Slander by deed. $ %he penalt& of arresto mayor in its
'a(i'u' period to prision correccional in its 'ini'u' period or a
fine ran)in) fro' 00 to 1,000 pesos shall *e i'posed upon an&
person +ho shall perfor' an& a!t not in!luded and punished in this
title, +hi!h shall !ast dishonor, dis!redit, or !onte'pt upon another
person. ,f said a!t is not of a serious nature, the penalt& shall
*e arresto menor or a fine not e(!eedin) 00 pesos.


-lander *& deed is a !ri'e a)ainst honor, +hi!h is !o''itted
*& perfor'in) an& a!t, +hi!h !asts dishonor, dis!redit, or !onte'pt
upon another person. %he ele'ents are .1/ that the offender
perfor's an& a!t not in!luded in an& other !ri'e a)ainst honor, ./
that su!h a!t is perfor'ed in the presen!e of other person or
persons, and .3/ that su!h a!t !asts dishonor, dis!redit or !onte'pt
upon the offended part&. 0hether a !ertain slanderous a!t
!onstitutes slander *& deed of a serious nature or not, depends on
the so!ial standin) of the offended part&, the !ir!u'stan!es under
+hi!h the a!t +as !o''itted, the o!!asion, et!. ,t is li*el !o''itted
*& a!tions rather than +ords. %he 'ost !o''on e(a'ples are
slappin) so'eone or spittin) on his1her fa!e in front of the pu*li!
'ar2et, in full vie+ of a !ro+d, thus !astin) dishonor, dis!redit, and
!onte'pt upon the person of another.

%he offense +hile !onsidered serious slander *& deed +as done in
the heat of an)er and +as in rea!tion to a per!eived provo!ation.

3ut, it +as, li2e+ise, her 'oral o*li)ation sprin)in) fro' su!h position
to a!t in a 'anner that is +orth& of respe!t.
%o *e +orth& of respe!t, one 'ust a!t respe!ta*l&, re'e'*erin)
al+a&s that !ourtes& *e)ets !ourtes&.

A2in to the prin!iple that 4he +ho !o'es to !ourt 'ust have !lean
hands,5 ea!h of the parties, in the !ase at *ar, 'ust *ear his o+n
loss.
P67P86 79 %:6 P:,8,PP,N6- vs. ;,G<68 8A-A8A, G.R. No. 8=
11>1, ?anuar& 30, 1"6
Arti!le 65, para)raph , of the Revised Penal Code provides#
0henever less serious ph&si!al in@uries shall have *een infli!ted +ith
the 'anifest intent to insult or offend the in@ured person, or under
!ir!u'stan!es addin) i)no'in& to the offense, in addition to the
penalt& of arresto mayor, a fine not e(!eedin) 500 pesos shall *e
i'posed.
An anal&sis of the provisions of the arti!le a*ove=Auoted reveals that
+henever an a!t has *een !o''itted +hi!h infli!ts upon a person
less serious ph&si!al in@uries +ith the 'anifest intent to insult or
offend hi' or under !ir!u'stan!es addin) to the offense, the offender
should *e prose!uted under that arti!le and, if !onvi!ted, should *e
senten!ed to the penalt& therein pres!ri*ed. %his spe!ifi! provision
should *e !onsidered as an e(!eption to the rule !ontained in Arti!le
>B of the Revised Penal Code relative to !o'ple( !ri'es. 7f !ourse,
+e !annot den& that Arti!le 35" !onsiders as slander *& deed an& a!t
C+hi!h shall !ast dishonor, dis!redit, or !onte'pt upon another
personC, and if said a!t results in the infli!tion of ph&si!al in@uries it
'a& also *e !overed *& an& of the arti!les !o'pro'ised in Chapter
%+o, %itle 6i)ht, of the Revised Penal Code, relative to ph&si!al
in@uries, *ut if su!h eventualit& happens the a!t !annot !o'e under
Arti!le >B of the Revised Penal Code +hi!h !onsiders as !o'ple( a
sin)le a!t that !onstitutes t+o or 'ore )rave or less )rave felonies for
the si'ple reason that in this parti!ular !ase that a!t is spe!ifi!all&
!overed *& para)raph of Arti!le 65 alread& a*ove'entioned. ,n
this respe!t, +e a)ree +ith the follo+in) !o''ent of the lo+er !ourt#
C%he Court is of the opinion that the !ri'e !o''itted is less serious
ph&si!al in@uries +ith the 'anifest intent to insult and offend the
!o'plainin) +itness and the sa'e a!ts !annot !onstitute the
!o'ple( !ri'e of slander *& deed +ith less serious ph&si!al in@uries,
*e!ause su!h !o'ple( !ri'e onl& e(ists in !ases +here the Code
has no spe!ifi! provision penaliDin) the sa'e +ith spe!ifi! penalt&.C