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ReubIic of lhe IhiIiines

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ManiIa
IN ANC
DICISION
December 14, 1933
G.R. No. L-38332
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vs.
20,%$.0/) 1"()!./, defendanl-aeIIanl.
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This aeaI from a |udgmenl of lhe Courl of Iirsl Inslance of ManiIa convicling lhe aeIIanl of
lhe crime of fruslraled murder vas referred by lhe firsl division lo lhe courl in banc for lhe
roer inlerrelalion and aIicalion of Acl No. 4103 of lhe IhiIiine LegisIalure aroved on
December 5, 1933, commonly known as the Indeterminate Sentence Law. As this is the first
case vhich has come before us invoIving lhe Indelerminale Senlence Lav, il viII be convenienl
lo sel oul here some of ils rovisions.
Seclion 1 of Acl No. 4103 is as foIIovs:
Hereafler, in imosing a rison senlence for an offense unished by acls of lhe IhiIiine
LegisIalure, olhervise lhan by lhe Revised IenaI Code, lhe courl shaII order lhe accused lo be
imrisoned for a minimum lerm, vhich shaII nol be Iess lhan lhe minimum lerm of
imrisonmenl rovided by Iav for lhe offense, and for a maximum lerm vhich shaII nol exceed
lhe maximum fixed by Iav, and vhere lhe offense is unished by lhe Revised IenaI Code, or
amendmenls lherelo, lhe courl shaII senlence lhe accused lo such maximum as may, in viev of
allending circumslances, be roerIy imosed under lhe resenl ruIes of lhe said Code, and lo a
minimum vhich shaII nol be Iess lhan lhe minimum imrisonmenl eriod by said Code for lhe
offense. Ixcel as rovided in seclion lvo hereof, any erson vho shaII have been so convicled
and senlenced and shaII have served lhe minimum senlence imosed hereunder, may be
reIeased on aroIe in accordance vilh lhe rovisions of lhis Acl.
Seclion 2 is as foIIovs:
This Acl shaII nol aIy lo ersons convicled of offenses unished vilh dealh enaIly or Iife
imrisonmenl, lo lhose convicled of lreason, consiracy or roosaI lo commil lreason, lo lhose
convicled of misrision of lreason, sedilion or esionage, lo lhose convicled of iracy, lo lhose
vho are habiluaI deIinquenls, lo lhose vho shaII have escae from confinemenl or evaded
senlence, lo lhose vho having been granled condilionaI ardon by lhe Chief Ixeculive shaII
have vioIaled lhe lerms lhereof, lo lhose vhose maximum lerm of imrisonmenl does nol
exceed one year, nor lo lhose aIready senlenced by finaI |udgmenl al lhe lime of arovaI of lhis
Acl, excel as rovided in seclion five hereof.
Section 3 of Act No. 4103 creates a Board of Indeterminate Sentence to be composed of the
Secrelary of }uslice as chairman and four members lo be aoinled by lhe Governor-GeneraI,
vilh lhe advice and consenl of lhe IhiIiine Senale. This seclion describes lhe quaIificalions of
lhe members. Seclion 4 gives lhe board aulhorily lo adol ruIes of rocedures and rovides for
lhe comensalion of lhe members.
Seclion 5 makes il lhe duly of lhe board lo sludy lhe hysicaI, menlaI and moraI record of lhe
risoners vho shaII be eIigibIe lo aroIe and aulhorizes lhe board lo delermine lhe roer lime
for the release of such prisoners. After a prisoner has served the minimum penalty imposed
uon on him and lhe board is salisfied lhal such risoner is filled by lhe lraining for reIease and
lhal lhere is a reasonabIe robabiIily lhal he viII nol vioIale lhe Iav again and lhal his reIease
will not be incompatible with the welfare of society, the board may in its discretion authorize
lhe reIease of such risoner on aroIe. The board may aIso recommend lhe reIease on aroIe of
olher risoners reviousIy convicled of any offense lhan lhose named in seclion 2.
Seclion 6 rovides for lhe surveiIIance of risoners reIeased on aroIe for a eriod equivalent
lo lhe remaining orlion of lhe maximum senlence imosed uon him or unliI finaI reIease and
discharge by the Board of Indeterminate Sentence. Section 7 provides that a certified copy of
the boards order of conditional or final release shaII be fiIed vilh lhe courl and vilh lhe Chief
of ConslabuIary.
Seclion 8 rovides lhal any risoner vho vioIales any of lhe condilions of his aroIe, vho
vioIales any Iav during lhe eriod of surveiIIance for vhich he has been convicled, shaII be
sub|ecl lo re-arrest and confinement and shall serve the remaining unexpired portion of the
maximum sentence for which he was originally committed to prison unless the board grants a
nev aroIe.
Seclion 9 rovides lhal Acl No. 4103, lhe Indelerminale Senlence Lav, shaII nol be conslrued lo
imair lhe overs given lo lhe Governor-GeneraI under seclion 64 of lhe Adminislralive Code
of lhe Organic Acl of lhe IhiIiine IsIands.
y ils lerms, Acl No. 4103 became lhe Iav uon ils arovaI, lhal is lo say, on December 5, 1933.
In lhe case before us, VaIeriano Ducosin vas lried on Selember 30, 1932, for lhe crime of
fruslraled murder uon lhe foIIoving informalion:
Thal on or aboul lhe 23rd day of Selember, 1932, in lhe Cily of ManiIa, IhiIiine IsIands, lhe
said accused did lhen and lhere viIIfuIIy, unIavfuIIy and feIoniousIy, and vilh inlenl lo kiII,
lreacherousIy allack, assauIl and vound one RafaeI Yanguas by lhen and lhere suddenIy and
vilhoul any varning, slabbing lhe Ialler vilh a knife, lhereby infIicling uon him severaI
vounds in differenl arls of lhe body, some of vhich are necessariIy morlaI, lhus erforming aII
lhe acls of execulion vhich vouId roduce lhe dealh of lhe said RafaeI Yanguas as a
consequence, bul vhich, neverlheIess, did nol roduce il by reason of causes indeendenl of lhe
viII of said accused, lhal is, by lhe limeIy inlervenlion of medicaI assislance.
Conlrary lo Iav.
Uon arraignmenl lhe accused Ieaded guiIly and vas senlenced lo len years and one day
of 0(.5.-& 6%1-( vilh lhe accessory enaIlies rescribed by Iav and lo ay lhe cosls. The enaIly
for lhe crime of murder, under arlicIe 248 of lhe Revised IenaI Code, is (#7"85.-& ,#60-(%" in ils
maximum eriod lo dealh. Under arlicIe 50, lhe enaIly for a fruslraled feIony is lhe one nexl
Iover in degree lo lhal rescribed for lhe consummaled feIony, vhich in lhe resenl case
is 0(.5.-& 6%1-( in ils maximum eriod lo (#7"85.-& ,#60-(%" in ils medium eriod, or from len
years and one day lo sevenleen years and four monlhs. The accused having Ieaded guiIly, lhis
exlenualing circumslances, in lhe absence of any aggravaling circumslance, fixes lhe enaIly
vilhin lhe minimum eriod, lhal is lo say, from len years and one day lo lveIve years, Ieaving
lo lhe discrelion of lhe courl lhe recise lime lo be served vilhin said range, i.e., nol Iess lhan
years and one day nor more lhan lveIve years. The enaIly imosed by lhe lriaI |udge being
vilhin ils range is correcl and lherefore is lhe enaIly rescribed by lhe Revised IenaI Code for
lhe offense vhich lhis accused has commilled.
As Acl No. 4103, lhe Indelerminale Senlence Lav, vas enacled afler lhis aeaI vas Iodged in
lhis courl, ve are nov required lo revise lhe senlence imosed uon lhe aeIIanl and lo bring
lhe same inlo conformily vilh Acl No. 4103.
Il viII be observed from seclion 1 of said Acl lhal lhe courl musl nov, inslead of a singIe fixed
enaIly, delermine lvo enaIlies, referred lo in lhe Indelerminale Senlence Acl as lhe
maximum and minimum. The prisoner must serve the minimum penalty before he is
eIigibIe for aroIe under lhe rovisions of Acl No. 4103, vhich Ieaves lhe eriod belveen lhe
minimum and maximum enaIly indelerminale in lhe sense lhal he may, under lhe condilion
sel oul in said Acl, be reIeased from serving said eriod in vhoIe or in arl. He musl be
sentenced, therefore, to imprisonment for a period which is not more than the maximum nor
less than the minimum, as these terms are used in the Indeterminate Sentence Law.
This leads up to the important question: How shall the maximum and the minimum
enaIly be delermined`
The maximum enaIly musl be delermined, in any case unishabIe by lhe Revised IenaI Code,
in accordance vilh lhe ruIes and rovisions of said Code exaclIy as if Acl No. 4103, lhe
Indelerminale Senlence Lav, had never been assed. We lhink il is cIear from a reading of Acl
No. 4103 lhal il vas nol ils urose lo make inoeralive any of lhe rovisions of lhe Revised
IenaI Code. Neilher lhe lilIe nor lhe body of lhe Acl indicales any inlenlion on lhe arl of lhe
LegisIalure lo reeaI or amend any of lhe rovisions of lhe Revised IenaI Code. The IegisIalive
history of the Act further shows that attention was called to the necessity for taking care so as
nol lo bring lhe rovisions of lhis biII in confIicl vilh lhe rovisions of our enaI Iavs,
especially with those treating with penalties. (Committee Report, House of Representatives, H-
3321, Ninlh IhiIiine LegisIalure, Third Session.)
The Iasl menlioned reorl gives an iIIuslralion of lhe aIicalion of lhe Indelerminale Senlence
Lav lo offenses enaIized by lhe Revised IenaI Code:
Suose lhal a man is found guiIly of maIversalion of ubIic funds in lhe amounl of I10,000.
No miligaling nor aggravaling circumslances are resenl. Under lhis Iav lhe courl may imose
on him a maximum senlence nol exceeding len years and eighl monlhs bul nol Iess lhan nine
years, four monlhs and one day (see arl. 217, No. 3, Revised IenaI Code), and a minimum
vhich shaII nol be Iess lhan four years, lvo monlhs and one day (lhe minimum imrisonmenl
eriod of 0(.5.-& 7-((#77.-&%" in ils maximum lo 0(.5.-& 6%1-( in ils minimum. See arlicIe 61,
Revised IenaI Code). The courl, lherefore, may senlence lhe accused lo be imrisoned for nol
Iess lhan five years nor more lhan len years or for nol Iess lhan seven years nor more lhan len
years and eighl monlhs, elc.
It will be seen from the foregoing example that the maximum is determined in accordance
vilh lhe rovisions of lhe Revised IenaI Code. In lhe examIe given reference is made lo arlicIe
217, aragrah 3, of lhe Revised IenaI Code vhich rovides lhal lhe defendanl shaII suffer lhe
enaIly of0(.5.-& 6%1-( in ils medium and maximum eriod. The enaIly is Iaced in lhe
medium degree because of lhe absence of miligaling or aggravaling circumslance, lhal is lo say,
anyvhere belveen nine years, four monlhs and one day and len years and eighl monlhs in lhe
discrelion of lhe courl. In lhe case on aeaI here lhe enaIly vas imosed in lhe minimum of
lhe roer enaIly under lhe Revised IenaI Code because of lhe Iea of guiIly, lhal is lo say,
belveen len years and one day and lveIve years in lhe discrelion of lhe courl. This discrelion is
in novise imaired or Iimiled by Acl No. 4103. The lriaI courl, in conformily vilh lhe discrelion
conferred uon il by lhe Revised IenaI Code, mighl have assessed lhe enaIly al, Iel us say,
eIeven years. We vish lo make il cIear lhal Acl No. 4103 does nol require lhis courl lo assess lhe
said enaIly al 12 years, vhich is lhe Iongesl lime of imrisonmenl vilhin lhe minimum degree.
We find, lherefore, lhal len years and one day of imrisonmenl conforms lo lhe rovisions and
ruIes of lhe Revised IenaI Code and is lherefore fixed and eslabIished as lhe maximum of lhe
senlence vhich shaII be imosed uon lhe aeIIanl.
We come nov lo determine the minimum imprisonment period referred to in Act No. 4103.
Section 1 of said Act provides that this minimum which shall not be less than the minimum
imrisonmenl eriod of lhe enaIly nexl Iover lo lhal rescribed by said Code for lhe offense.
We are here upon new ground. It is in determining the minimum penalty that Act No. 4103
confers uon lhe courls in lhe fixing of enaIlies lhe videsl discrelion lhal lhe courls have ever
had. The determination of the minimum penalty presents two aspecls: firsl, lhe more or Iess
mechanicaI delerminalion of lhe exlreme Iimils of lhe minimum imrisonmenl eriod, and
second, lhe broad queslion of lhe faclors and circumslances lhal shouId guide lhe discrelion of
lhe courl in fixing lhe minimum enaIly vilhin lhe ascerlained Iimils.
We construe the expression in section 1 the penalty next lower to that prescribed by said Code
for the offense to mean the penalty next lower to that determined by the court in the case
before il as lhe maximum (lhal is lo say lhe correcl enaIly fixed by lhe Revised IenaI Code, see
our discussion above). In lhe examIe vhich lhe LegisIalure had before il in lhe Commillee
Reorl above menlioned, lhe maximum of lhe senlence vas correclIy slaled lo be lhe medium
degree of 0(.5.-& 6%1-( in ils medium and maximum eriod. The enaIly nexl Iover is 0(.5.-&
7-((#77.-&%" in ils maximum degree lo 0(.5.-& 6%1-( in ils minimum degree (arlicIe 61, aragrah
4, Revised IenaI Code), lhal is lo say, anyvhere from four years, lvo monlhs and one day lo
eighl years. The Indelerminale Senlence Lav, Acl No. 4103, simIy rovides lhal lhe
minimum shall not be less than the minimum imprisonment period of the penalty next
lower. In other words, it is left entirely within the discretion of the court lo fix lhe minimum of
lhe enaIly anyvhere belveen four years, lvo monlhs and one day and eighl years. In lhe
examIe given by lhe commillee lhey slaled lhal lhe courl mighl fix lhe minimum enaIly al
five years or seven years.
In lhe case before us on lhis aeaI lhe nexl Iover enaIly lo lhe maximum aIready delermined
as aforesaid, is 0(.5.-& 7-((#77.-&%" in ils maximum eriod lo 0(.5.-& 6%1-( in ils medium eriod,
lhal is lo say, from four years, lvo monlhs and one day lo len years. As slaled, il is in lhe
discrelion of lhe courl lo fix lhe lime of imrisonmenl vilhin lhe said range vilhoul reference
lo lhe lechnicaI subdivisions of maximum degree, medium degree and minimum degree, and in
lhis arlicuIar lhe courls are vesled as slaled vilh a vider discrelion lhan lhey ever had before.
We come nov lo lhe second asecl of lhe delerminalion of lhe minimum enaIly, nameIy, lhe
consideralions vhich shouId guide lhe courl in fixing lhe lerm or duralion of lhe minimum
eriod of imrisonmenl. Keeing in mind lhe basic urose of lhe Indelerminale Senlence Lav
to uplift and redeem valuable human material, and prevent unnecessary and excessive
deprivation of personal liberty and economic usefulness (Message of the Governor-GeneraI,
OfficiaI Gazelle No. 92, voI. XXXI, Augusl 3, 1933), il is necessary lo consider lhe criminaI, firsl,
as an individuaI and, second, as a member of sociely. This oens u an aImosl IimilIess fieId of
invesligalion and sludy vhich il is lhe duly of lhe courl lo exIore in each case as far as is
humanIy ossibIe, vilh lhe end in viev lhal enaIlies shaII nol be slandardized bul filled as far
as is ossibIe lo lhe individuaI, vilh due regard lo lhe imeralive necessily of rolecling lhe
sociaI order.
Considering lhe criminaI as an individuaI, some of lhe faclors lhal shouId be considered are: (1)
His age, eseciaIIy vilh reference lo exlreme youlh or oId age, (2) his generaI heaIlh and
hysicaI condilion, (3) his menlaIily, heredily and ersonaI habils, (4) his revious conducl,
environmenl and mode of Iife (and criminaI record if any), (5) his revious educalion, bolh
inleIIecluaI and moraI, (6) his rocIivilies and aliludes for usefuIness or in|ury lo sociely, (7)
his demeanor during lriaI and his allilude vilh regard lo lhe crime commilled, (8) lhe manner
and circumslances in vhich lhe crime vas commilled, (9) lhe gravily of lhe offense (nole lhal
seclion 2 of Acl No. 4103 excels cerlain grave crimes lhis shouId be kel in mind in assessing
lhe minimum enaIlies for anaIogous crimes).
In considering lhe criminaI as a member of sociely, his reIalionshi, firsl, lovard his
deendenls, famiIy and associales and lheir reIalionshi vilh him, and second, his reIalionshi
lovards sociely al Iarge and lhe Slale are imorlanl faclors. The Slale is concerned nol onIy in
lhe imeralive necessily of rolecling lhe sociaI organizalion againsl lhe criminaI acls of
deslruclive individuaIs bul aIso in redeeming lhe individuaI for economic usefuIness and olher
sociaI ends. In a vord, lhe Indelerminale Senlence Lav aims lo individuaIize lhe adminislralion
of our criminaI Iav lo a degree nol herelofore knovn in lhese IsIands. Wilh lhe foregoing
rinciIes in mind as guides, lhe courls can give fuII effecl lo lhe beneficenl inlenlion of lhe
LegisIalure.
Il is our duly nov lo assess lhe minimum imrisonmenl eriod under Acl No. 4103 in lhe case
before us on lhis aeaI. UnforlunaleIy, as lhis defendanl vas convicled before Acl No. 4103
became effeclive, and as ve knov nolhing of his anlecedenls because his Iea of guiIly
rendered il unnecessary lo lake any leslimony, ve are confined lo lhe record before us. He
Iead guiIly lo aII of lhe acls vhich conslilule lhe crime of murder and onIy lhe limeIy
inlervenlion of medicaI assislance revenled lhe dealh of his viclim and lhe roseculion of lhe
aeIIanl for murder. He vas given lhe fuII benefil of lhe Iea of guiIly in lhe fixing of lhe
maximum of lhe senlence. Wilh such Iighl as ve have received from lhe record in lhis case, ve
have concIuded lhal a reasonabIe and roer minimum eriod of imrisonmenl shouId be
seven years, vhich is vilhin lhe range of lhe enaIly nexl Iover in degree lo lhe maximum, lhal
is lo say, vilhin lhe range from four years, lvo monlhs and one day lo len years of 0(.5.-&
7-((#77.-&%" in ils maximum eriod lo 0(.5.-& 6%1-( in ils medium eriod. We reeal lhal Acl No.
4103 does nol require lhe courl lo fix lhe minimum lerm of imrisonmenl in lhe minimum
eriod of lhe degree nexl Iover lo lhe maximum enaIly.
The |udgmenl of lhe courl beIov is modified lo lhis exlenl: lhal lhe defendanl-aeIIanl is
hereby senlenced lo a maximum enaIly of len years and one day of 0(.5.-& 6%1-( in ils
maximum degree, and lo a minimum imrisonmenl eriod of seven years, and as lhus
modified, lhe |udgmenl aeaIed from is affirmed. Wilh cosls '# -/.7.-.
Avancea, C.}., Slreel, MaIcoIm, ViIIa-ReaI, Abad Sanlos, HuII, Vickers, and ImeriaI, }}.,
concur.

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