Natural Law

Report
by: Monaliza M. Gestoso
(LLB- 1D)

People of the Philippines

vs.

Antonio Agbot

(106 SCRA 325)

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Characters:
Antonio Agbot- Accused
Leona Agbot- Sister of the Accused
Milagrosa- daughter of Anonio Agbot
Pacifico Sobia- Barrio Captain
Manuel Quiros- Patrolman
Luis Ligasan- Barrio Councilmen
Adolfo Benaming- Barrio Councilmen

Overview
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Antonio was charged murder by the Court

of First Instance of Davao Oriental.
Convicted of the crime charged, sentenced
to death and ordered to indemnify the
heirs of the deceased Leona Agbot Subat,
in sum of 12,000.

 FACTS
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October 8, 1972
4:oopm
o Antonio Agbot
House of his sister Leona Agbot
( Sitio Pangandan, Barrio Lamiawan,
Carraga, Davao Oriental)
Return his 12 years old daughter
Milagrosa
Leona Agbot refused
Antonio got angry (tighten your belt)
7:30 pm
Gun explosion was heard at the
house of Leona Agbot
Leona Agbot found at the kitchen
of the house wounded

 FACTS
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October 9, 1972, 5:00 am

vs
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Pacifico Sobiaco and Manuel

Quiros

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Joint investigation
Already dress up and ready
for burial
Gunshot wounds on the right
breast
No post mortem examination

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While conducting the investigation:

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Accused ( Antonio Agbot)

arrived

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Admit that he shot the victim

using (paltik) shotgun
Luis Ligasan and Adolfo
Benaming went to the house of
the accused and get the firearm
used for killing Leona Agbot

 FACTS
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October 16,1972

Appellant executed on
extrajudicial confession before
the police authorities of Caraga
Before Municipal Judge Manuel
B. Castro
Antonio Agbot confessed to
Judge guilty even though no
post- mortem examination was
made during investigation

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Issue
Whether or not Antonio Agbot
uphold lack of Instruction as an
excuse of killing

 Held
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Antonio Agbot was not excused on the

ground of lack of instruction because
the SC court upholds that:
Taking ones life was forbidden by
natural law and therefore within the
instinctive knowledge and feeling of
any human being not deprived by
reason.
Since, appeallant was a member of
cultural minority, may considered in
his favour, pursuant of Sec 106 of
Administrative Code of Mindanao and

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The judgment of conviction was

affirmed
But the death sentence was
hereby reduced to life
imprisonment
Taking also into account the
length of time he had already
been in the death row
Cost de oficio

SO ORDERED

ANALYSIS

Side of the accused:

No post mortem examination and no ballistic examination
conducted on the case, Antonio Agbot would dispute the
sufficiency of the evidence to support his conviction
post-mortem examination or autopsy, systematic
examination of a cadaver for study or for determining the
cause of death
Forensic ballistics entails the examination of bullets and
firearms in an attempt to identify particular weapons used
in a crime.

Side of the victim:

The lack of ballistic examination can neither detract from the
weight of the evidence presented showing that accused gun
was the offending weapon.
With the appellants confession fulfilling the admissibility of
committing the crime and finding the weapon at the house of
the accused would prove the sufficiency of the evidence.

Side of the court:

Lack of instruction cannot appreciate because the evidences
were sufficient over the accused to prove guilt beyond
reasonable doubt.
Natural law provides taking ones life was forbidden.
- Section 1, Article III of the Philippine Constitution: No
person shall be deprived of life, liberty or property without
due process of law, nor shall any person be denied the equal
protection of the laws.

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