sic itur ad astra

  RA 8049  Anti-Hazing Law  |  Criminal Law Facts: Fernando C. Balidoy, Jr. was admitted as a probationary midshipman at the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy. He was required to complete the mandatory "Indoctrination and Orientation Period," which was set from 2 May to 1 June 2001, in order to reach active status. However, Balidoy died on 3 May 2001.  The National Bureau of Investigation investigated his death. After months of investigation, it forwarded its findings to the provincial prosecutor who found probable cause to charge some individuals, Alvarez et al.,  as principals of hazing. A  criminal case against them was then filed with RTC–Zambales. The Assistant Provincial Prosecutor  also endorsed to the Deputy Ombudsman for the Military to charge some school authorities, Bayabos et al., as accomplices. The Office of the Special Prosecutor eventually filed with the Sandiganbayan a criminal case charging the school authori...

RA 8049  Anti-Hazing Law  |  Criminal Law Facts: Marlon Villanueva, a UP Los Baños student, was a neophyte of the APO - Theta Chapter Fraternity.  Dandy Dungo and Gregorio  Sibal were members of the said fraternity. On the evening of January 13, 2006, Dungo and Sibal, together with the other fraternity members, officers and alumni, brought and transported Villanueva and two other neophytes to Villa Novaliches Resort at Barangay Pansol, Calamba City, for the final initiation rites. The initiation rites were conducted inside the resort, performed under the cover of darkness and secrecy. Due to the injuries sustained by Villanueva, the fraternity members and the other two neophytes haphazardly left the resort. Dungo and Sibal boarded a tricycle and brought the lifeless body of Villanueva to JP Rizal Hospital, where Villanueva was pronounced dead. The RTC found Dungo and Sibal guilty of the crime of violating Section 4 of the Anti-Hazing Law and sente...

                  Homicide  | Criminal Law Facts: Witness Edward Benito was eating corn at a sari-sari store when he heard a commotion at a nearby establishment. Upon checking what the ruckus was all about, he saw his cousin, Elner Aro, already sprawled on the ground. While in that position, he saw  Guillermo  Wacoy kick Aro's stomach twice, after which, Wacoy picked up a rock to throw at Aro but was restrained from doing so. As Aro stood up,   James  Quibac punched him on the stomach, causing him to collapse and cry in pain. Thereafter, Aro was taken to the hospital. At the hospital, Aro was diagnosed to be suffering from "blunt abdominal trauma with injury to the jejunum" and was set for operation. It was then discovered that he sustained a perforation on his ileum, i.e., the point where the small and large intestines meet, that caused intestinal bleeding, and that his entire abdominal peritoneum was filled wi...

               Homicide  | Criminal Law Facts: T he case was archived for more than 15 years because Rodrigo Macaspac had gone into hiding and remained at large until his arrest on July 28, 2004.  The Prosecution's evidence revealed that in the evening of July 7, 1988, Macaspac was having drinks with Ricardo Surban, Dionisio Barcomo alias Boy, Jimmy Reyes, and Jebulan on Pangako Street, Bagong Barrio, Caloocan City.  In the course of their drinking, an argument ensued between Macaspac and Jebulan. It became so heated that, Macaspac uttered to the group: Hintayin yo aka d'yan, wawalisin ko kayo , and then left. After around three minutes Macaspac returned wielding kitchen knife. He confronted and taunted Jebulan, saying: Ano? Jebulan simply replied: Tama na. At that point, Macaspac suddenly stabbed Jebulan on the lower right area of his chest, and ran away. Surban and the others witnessed the stabbing of Jebulan. The badly wou...