G.R No.

180016
April 29, 2014
Lito Corpuz vs People of the Philippines
!"ts#
An infor$!tion %!s file& !'!inst Lito Corpuz for the "ri$e of est!f!,
%herein s!i& (!nilo )!n'"o* is en'!'e& in the +usiness of len&in' $one* to
"!sino pl!*ers, th!t on ,!* 2, 1991 petitioner Lito Corpuz !ppro!"he& hi$
!n& offere& to sell his -e%elr* pie"es in ! "o$$ission +!sis in %hi"h (!nilo
)!n'"o* !'ree&. .e then '!ve Lito Corpuz sever!l -e%elries th!t h!s !n
!''re'!te v!lue of P98,000 !s evi&en"e +* ! re"eipt. /oth !'ree& th!t %ithin
si0t* &!*s Lito Corpuz sh!ll re$it the pro"ee&s of the s!le or if unsol& sh!ll
return the s!$e. Lito Corpuz then pro$ise& to p!* the v!lue of the s!i& ite$s.
1n the infor$!tion file& +* (!nilo )!n'"o* it %!s s!i& th!t Lito "orpuz %ith !n
intent to &efr!u& s!i& )!n'"o* $is!ppropri!te&, $is!ppl* !n& "onvert su"h
-e%elries into his person!l use&. .erein, Lito Corpuz file& ! not 'uilt* ple! +ut
the Re'ion!l )ri!l Court rule& in f!vor of )!n'"o* !n& senten"e& Corpuz
'uilt* of the "ri$e of est!f! !n& to suffer the pen!lt* of i$prison$ent un&er
the in&eter$in!te senten"e l!% of 4*rs !n& 2$ons to 14*rs !n& 8$ons.
Lito Corpuz !ppe!le& to the Court of Appe!ls %here it &enie& the
!ppe!l !n& rule& the s!$e, Corpuz then !ppe!le& to the 2upre$e Court +*
%!* of Certior!ri.
3224562#
7hether or not the R)C !n& CA erre& in their rulin' !n& th!t the
punish$ent %!s h!rsh
R4L3NG#
)he 2upre$e Court rule& th!t in&ee& the petitioner Lito Corpuz %!s
'uilt* of the "ri$e of est!f!. 3n its &e"ision !+out the punish$ent the 2upre$e
Court st!te& th!t there see$s to +e ! per"eive& in-usti"e +rou'ht +* the r!n'e
of pen!lties, +ut the hi'h "ourt s!i& th!t the* $o&if* the pen!lties for th!t
%oul& "onstitute -u&i"i!l le'isl!tion !n& th!t su"h &ut* &oes not +elon' to the
"ourt +ut to the le'isl!ture. 1ther 8usti"es h!s their o%n opinion !s to the
punish$ent, so$e "on"urs %ith the ponente, others invo9e& the !rt : of the
RPC th!t in "!ses of e0"essive pen!lties the "ourt sh!ll ren&er the proper
&e"ision !n& sh!ll report to the "hief e0e"utive the re!sons th!t su"h s!i& !"t
shoul& +e $!&e su+-e"t of le'isl!tion !n& %ithout suspen&in' the senten"e.
8usti"e C!rpio in his &issentin' opinion s!i& th!t the first p!r!'r!ph of !rti"le
;1: shoul& +e hel& un"onstitution!l !s it is !'!inst !rti"le 19<1= of the
Constitution !n& th!t !""or&in' to the univers!l &e"l!r!tion of hu$!n ri'hts
>torture, "ruel, &e'r!&in' !n& inhu$!n punish$ent shoul& +e +!n>, the
Philippines %!s one of the !pprovin' 2t!te6"o$$unit* &urin' the 4(.R !n&
!lthou'h is ! non +in&in' instru$ent, su"h 4(.R for$s p!rt of the Philippine
l!% for it is ! 'ener!ll* !""epte& prin"iple of intern!tion!l l!%.