FIRST DIVISION
[G.R. No. 230127. February 6, 2019.]
PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, petitioner,vs. RONQUILLO CASTRO Y ELECCION @ "JAY AR," ALLAN CASTRO Y ELECCION, AND ALEJANDRO CASTRO Y ELECCION @ "DANIEL", respondents.
NOTICE
Sirs/Mesdames :
Please take notice that the Court, First Division, issued a Resolution dated February 6, 2019 which reads as follows:
"G.R. No. 230127 — (People of the Philippines vs. Ronquillo Castro y Eleccion @ "Jay Ar," Allan Castro y Eleccion, and Alejandro Castro y Eleccion @ "Daniel")
For automatic review is the Decision 1 dated March 29, 2016 of the Court of Appeals (CA) in CA-G.R. CR-HC No. 06683 which affirmed the judgment of conviction of the accused-appellants Ronquillo Castro y Eleccion alias "Jay-Ar," Allan Castro y Eleccion, and Alejandro Castro y Eleccion alias "Daniel" for the crime of Murder rendered by the Regional Trial Court of Dagupan City, Pangasinan, Branch 44, in Criminal Case No. 2009-0483-D.
On June 7, 2017, this Court required the parties to submit their respective supplemental briefs. 2 However, both parties manifested that their respective briefs filed in the CA already extensively discussed their positions in this case. 3
After a perusal of the records of the case, this Court resolves to DISMISS the appeal for failure of the accused-appellants to sufficiently show any reversible error in the assailed CA Decision.
Nonetheless, the exemplary damages awarded by the CA should be modified to conform to recent jurisprudence. Following the new jurisprudential ruling in People v. Jugueta, 4 the exemplary damages is increased to P75,000.00.
WHEREFORE, the appeal is DISMISSED. Accused-appellants Ronquillo Castro y Eleccion @ "Jay-Ar," Allan Castro y Eleccion, and Alejandro Castro y Eleccion @ "Daniel" are found GUILTY beyond reasonable doubt of the crime of Murder and are sentenced to suffer the penalty of reclusion perpetua. Further, the accused-appellants are ORDERED to pay the heirs of the victim, Timothy Ceralde y Nate, the following:
1) P75,000.00 as moral damages;
2) P75,000.00 as civil indemnity;
3) P75,000.00 as exemplary damages; and
4) P154,535.00 as actual damages.
All damages awarded shall be subject to a legal interest of six percent (6%) per annum from the finality of this Resolution until fully paid.
The letter dated January 24, 2018 of PCSupt. Valfrie G. Tabian [Ret.], Deputy Director General for Administration and Officer-in-Charge, New Bilibid Prison, Bureau of Corrections, Muntinlupa City, in compliance with the Resolution dated November 22, 2017, informing the Court that accused-appellant Allan Castro y Eleccion was received for confinement in the institution on April 13, 2014; and the letter dated January 29, 2018 of P/Supt. I. Roberto R. Rabo, Superintendent, New Bilibid Prison, Bureau of Corrections, Muntinlupa City, pursuant to the Resolution dated November 22, 2017, informing the Court that accused-appellant Allan Castro y Eleccion was received for confinement in the institution on April 13, 2014, are both NOTED.
SO ORDERED." Del Castillo, J., official on leave; Jardeleza, J., designated as Acting Working Chairperson of the First Division per Special Order No. 2636 dated January 31, 2019.
Very truly yours,
(SGD.) LIBRADA C. BUENADivision Clerk of Court
Footnotes
1. Penned by Associate Justice Ma. Luisa C. Quijano-Padilla with Associate Justices Normandie B. Pizarro and Samuel H. Gaerlan, concurring; rollo, pp. 2-12.
2.Id. at 24-25.
3.Id. at 34-35; 39-40.
4. 783 Phil. 806 (2016).