SECOND DIVISION
[G.R. No. 200886. June 22, 2015.]
PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES,plaintiff-appellee,vs. ROLANDO S. SALONGA, SR.,accused-appellant.
NOTICE
Sirs/Mesdames :
Please take notice that the Court, Second Division, issued a Resolution dated 22 June 2015 which reads as follows:
"G.R. No. 200886 — People of the Philippines, plaintiff-appellee v. Rolando S. Salonga, Sr., accused-appellant.
After a careful review of the records of the case, the Court finds the appeal to be lacking in merit. We adopt the findings of facts of the trial court as affirmed by the Court of Appeals. Both the Regional Trial Court of Macabebe, Pampanga, Branch 55 and the Court of Appeals, correctly found appellant Rolando S. Salonga, Sr. guilty beyond reasonable doubt of the crimes of qualified rape and rape by sexual assault. For the crime of qualified rape, (Crim. Case No. 01-2993[M]), he was properly sentenced to suffer the penalty of reclusion perpetua without eligibility for parole. However, the amount of damages awarded must be modified. Pursuant to our ruling in People v. Gambao, 1 the awards of civil indemnity, moral damages, and exemplary damages must each be increased to P100,000.00. In addition, all damages awarded shall earn interest at the rate of 6% per annum from date of finality of this Resolution until full payment. As regards the crime of rape by sexual assault (Crim. Case No. 01-2992 [M]), appellant was properly sentenced to suffer the indeterminate penalty of six (6) years and one (1) day of prision mayor, as minimum, to seventeen (17) years and four (4) months of reclusion temporal, as maximum. The awards of civil indemnity, moral damages, and exemplary damages, at P30,000.00 each, are also proper and in line with our ruling in Pielago v. People. 2 Moreover, all damages awarded shall earn interest at the rate of 6% per annum from date of finality of this Resolution until full payment.
WHEREFORE, we ADOPT the findings of facts of the trial court as affirmed by the Court of Appeals. The assailed July 8, 2011 Decision of the Court of Appeals in CA-G.R. CR.-H.C. No. 03550 finding appellant Rolando S. Salonga, Sr. guilty beyond reasonable doubt of the crimes of qualified rape in Crim. Case No. 01-2993 (M) and sentencing him to suffer the penalty of reclusion perpetua without eligibility for parole, and rape by sexual assault in Crim. Case No. 01-2992 (M) and sentencing him to suffer the indeterminate penalty of six (6) years and one (1) day of prision mayor, as minimum, to seventeen (17) years and four (4) months of reclusion temporal, as maximum, is AFFIRMED with MODIFICATIONS. In Crim. Case No. 01-2993 (M) (Qualified Rape), the awards of civil indemnity, moral damages, and exemplary damages, are INCREASED to P100,000.00 each. All damages awarded in Crim. Cases Nos. 01-2992 (M) and 01-2993 (M) shall earn interest at the rate of 6% per annum from date of finality of this Resolution until full payment. (J. Brion, on leave; J. Perez, designated as Acting Member per S.O. No. 2067 dated June 22, 2015; J. Leonen, on leave under the Court's Wellness Program from June 16-30, 2015; J. Reyes, designated as Acting Member per S.O. No. 2056-C dated June 10, 2015).
SO ORDERED."
Very truly yours,
(SGD.) MA. LOURDES C. PERFECTODivision Clerk of Court
Footnotes
1. G.R. No. 172707, October 1, 2013, 706 SCRA 508.
2. G.R. No. 202020 March 13, 2013, 693 SCRA 476.