G.R. No.

173822 October 13, 2010

SALVADOR ATIZADO and SALVADORMONRAL,

!et"t"oner#, $#.

!O!L O% T&!&ILI!!INS,

Re#'ondent.

%A(TS)

!et"t"oner# At"*ado and Monrea+ areacc#ed o- "++"n/ and rder"n/ one Ro/e+"o L+onaon A'r"+ 1. It
a# #a"d t4at bot4 'et"t"oner#bar/ed "n on t4e 4o#e o- one De#der, 4ere t4e$"ct" a# a /e#t and
#dden+5 #4ot at L+ona "t4t4e"r /n#. A-ter t4e #4oot"n/, t4e5 -+ed.%or t4e"r de-en#e, t4e 'et"t"oner#
"nter'o#ed t4at t4e5 ere at t4e"r
t 4e"r -a"+5 re#"dence and dr"n"n//"n.T4e RT( con$"cted At"6ado and
Monrea+ -or t4ecr"e o- rder and #entenced t4e "t4rec+#"on 'er'eta. On a''ea+ to t4e (A, t4e
cort a--"red t4e con$"ct"on "n 200.It "# "'ortant to note t4at Sa+$adorMonrea+ a# a "nor at t4e
t"e o- t4e co"##"ono- t4e cr"e.

ISS)

94et4er or not t4e +oer cort# erred "n-"nd"n/ t4e 'et"t"oner# /"+t5 be5ond rea#onab+edobt -or
rder.94at "# t4e 'ena+t5 to be "'o#ed on M onrea+, a"nor dr"n/ t4e t"e o- t4e c o"##"on:

&LD;RATIO)
&LD;RATIO) <e#, con$"ct"on a--"red.&oe$er, t4e 'ena+t5 "'o#ed on Monrea+ "###'ended.

T4e "tne##= 'o#"t"$e "dent"-"cat"on o- t4e'et"t"oner# a# t4e "++er#, and 4er dec+arat"on# on4at eac4 o-
t4e 'et"t"oner# d"d 4en t4e5onted t4e"r #dden dead+5 a##a+t a/a"n#t L+ona+e-t no dobt
4at#oe$er t4at t4e5 4ad con#'"redto "++ and 4ad done #o "t4 tre ac4er5.nder Art"c+e 28 o- t4e R!(,
t4e 'ena+t5 -orrder "#

rec+#"on 'er'eta to deat4. T4ere be"n/ no od"-5"n/ c"rc#tance#, t4e (A correct+5"'o#ed t4e
+e##er 'ena+t5 o- rec+#"on 'er'eta on At"6ado. >t rec+#"on 'er 'eta a# not t4e correct 'ena+t5 -or
Monrea+ de to 4"# be"n/ a "nor o$er1 bt nder 18 5ear# o- a/e.T4e RT( and t4e (A d"d not
a''rec"ate Monrea+=#"nor"t5 at t4e t"e o- t4e co"##"on o- t4erder 'robab+5 beca#e 4"# b"rt4
cert"-"cate a#not 're#ented at t4e tr"a+. <et, "t cannot be dobtedt4at Monrea+ a# a "nor be+o 18
5ear# o- a/e4en t4e cr"e a# co"tted on A'r"+ 18, 1.&"# conter?a--"da$"t, t4e 'o+"ce b+otter
and tr"a+record# #4o t4at Monrea+ a# a "nor at t4e t"eo- t4e co"##"on. Monrea+=# "nor"t5 a#
+e/a++5#--"c"ent, -or "t con-ored "t4 t4e nor##b#e@ent+5 #et nder Sect"on 7 o- Re'b+"c Act No.
3)Sect"on 7.

Deter"nat "on o- A/e.

? T4e c4"+d "n con-+"ct "t4 t4e +a #4a++ eno5 t 4e 're#'t"on o- "nor"t5. &e;S4e #4a++ eno5 a++ t4e
r"/4t# o- a c4"+d "n con-+"ct "t4 t4e +a nt"+ 4e ;#4e "# 'ro$en to be e"/4teen B18C 5ear# o+d or o+der. In a++
'roceed"n/#, +a en-orceent o--"cer#, 'ro#ector#, d/e# and ot4er /o$ernent o--"c"a+# concerned
#4a++ e*ert a++ e--ort# at deter"n"n/ t4e a/e o- t4e c4"+d "n con-+"ct "t4 t4e +a. Monrea+ 4a# been
deta"ned -or o$er 1 5ear#, t4at "#, -ro t4e t"e o- 4"# arre#t on Ma5 18, 1 nt"+ t4e 're#ent. G"$en
t4at t4e ent"re 'er"od o- Monrea+=# detent"on #4o+d be cred"ted "n t4e #er$"ce o- 4"# #entence,
'r#ant to Sect"on 1 o- Re'b+"c Act No. 3, t4e re$"#"on o- t4e 'ena+t5 arranted 4"# "ed"ate
re+ea#e -ro t4e 'en"tent"ar5.