VALENZUELAv.

PEOPLE
June21,2007|Tinga,J.|Certiorari|MensReaandActusReus
PETITIONER:RodelM.Montesa
RESPONDENT:SolicitorGeneral
ACCUSED:AristotelValenzuela
SUMMARY:Petitionerappealedfromlowercourts.Petitionerconcedeshaving
performedthefeloniousactsimputedagainsthim(itisnotlongeraquestionof
fact).Heinsistshiscrimetobejudgedmerelyasfrustratedcrime,andnot
consummatedcrimeforwhichhewasconvictedofinthelowercourts.

FACTS:
May19,1994AristotelValenzuelaandJovyCalderonweresightedoutsidethe
SuperSaleClub,asupermarketwithintheShoeMart(SM)complexalongNorth
EDSA,byLorenzoLago,asecurityguardwhowasthenmanninghispostatthe
openparkingareaofthesupermarket.
May19,1994LagosawValenzuela,whowaswearinganIDwiththemark
ReceivingDispatchingUnit(RDU)whohauledapushcartwithcasesofdetergent
ofTidebrandandunloadedtheminanopenparkingspace,whereCalderonwas
waiting.Hethenreturnedinsidethesupermarketandemerged5minutesafterwith
morecartonsofTideUltramaticandagainunloadedtheseboxestothesameareain
theopenparkingspace.
May19,1994Helefttheparkingareaandhaledataxi.Heboardedthecaband
directedittowardstheparkingspacewhereCalderonwaswaiting.Calderonloaded
thecartonsofTideUltramaticinsidethetaxi,andthenboardedthevehicle.AsLago
watched,heproceededtostopthetaxiasitwasleavingtheopenparkingareaand
askedValenzuelaforareceiptofthemerchandisebutValenzuelaandCalderon
reactedbyfleeingonfoot.
May19,1994Lagofiredawarningshottoalerthisfellowsecurityguards.
ValenzuelaandCalderonwereapprehendedatthesceneandthestolenmerchandise
recoveredworthP12,090.

May20,1994Informationofthecrimewasmade
UndatedTheypleadednotguiltyuponarraignmentattrialcourt,claimingthatthey
wereinnocentbystanders.
CalderonsAlibiOntheafternoonoftheincident,hewasattheSuperSaleClubto
withdrawfromhisATMaccount,accompaniedbyhisneighbor,LeoncioRosulada.
AsthequeuefortheATMwaslong,heandRosuladadecidedtobuysnacksinside
thesupermarket.Whiletheywereeating,theyheardthegunshotfiredbyLago,so
theywentouttocheckwhatwastranspiringandwhentheydid,theyweresuddenly
grabbedbyasecurityguard
ValenzuelasAlibi:HeisemployedasabundlerofGMSMarketingandassigned
atthesupermarket.Heandhiscousin,aGregorioValenzuela,hadbeenatthe
parkinglot,walkingbesidethenearbyBLISScomplexandheadedtorideatricycle
goingtoPagasa,whentheysawthesecurityguardLagofireashotcausingevryon
tostartrunning.ThentheywereapprehendedbyLago.
Feb1,2000TheywereconvictedbytheRTCofQuezonCitywiththecrimeof
consummatedtheft,sentencedtoanindeterminateprisontermof2yearsprison
correccionaltosevenyearsofprisionmayor.
Undatedbothaccusedfiledforappeal,howeverCalderonforgottofileabrief,his
casewasdeemedabandoned.
UndatedPetitionerconcedeshavingperformedthefeloniousactsimputedagainst
him(itisnotlongeraquestionoffact).Heinsistshiscrimetobejudgedmerelyas
frustratedcrime,andnotconsummatedcrimeforwhichhewasconvictedofinthe
lowercourts.
June19,2003CArejectedhiscontention.
ISSUE:WhetherornotthecrimedonebyValenzuelawasconsummatedor
frustratedtheft.CONSUMMATED.
RULING:Petitionisdenied.
RATIO:

Wearesatisfiedbeyondreasonabledoubtthatthetakingbythepetitionerwas
completedinthiscase.Withintenttogain,heacquiredphysicalpossessionofthe
stolencasesofdetergentforaconsiderableperiodoftimethathewasabletodrop
theseoffataspotintheparkinglot,andlongenoughtoloadtheseontoataxicab.

Article308oftheRevisedPenalCode,theftcannothaveafrustratedstage.Theftcan
onlybeattempted(nounlawfultaking)orconsummated(thereisunlawfultaking).

EachfelonyundertheRevisedPenalCodehasa:
(1) subjectivephaseportionoftheactsconstitutingthecrimeincludedbetween
theactwhichbeginsthecommissionofthecrimeandthelastactperformedby
theoffenderwhich,withprioracts,shouldresultintheconsummatedcrime
*iftheoffenderneverpassesthesubjectivephaseoftheoffense,thecrimeis
merelyattempted
(2)objectivephaseAfterthatpointofsubjectivephasehasbeenbreached
*subjectivephaseiscompletelypassedincaseoffrustratedcrimes

(Ireallysuggestcheckingthenotesforfullreasoning,butitslengthy,soitsall
inthesecondpage)

NOTES:
Thepetitionercitedtwocases,namely,PeoplevDioandPeoplevFlores,asthese
twoCAcasesmodifiedtrialcourtconvictionsfromconsummatedtofrustratedtheft.
Thefactsarequitesimilartothepresentcase.Inresponsetothis,thecourtexpounds
onthethreestages.(Letusnotforgetthatstaredecisisisnotbindinguponthe
SupremeCourt,moresosincethecaseiffromtheCA)
Article6oftheRPCprovidesthattherearethreestagesforafelony:(1)
consummated,(2)frustrated,and(3)attempted.
Afelonyisconsummatedwhenalltheelementsnecessaryforitsexecutionand
accomplishmentarepresent.

Itisfrustratedwhentheoffenderperformsalltheactsofexecutionwhichwould
producethefelonyasaconsequencebutwhich,nevertheless,donotproduceitby
reasonofcausesindependentofthewilloftheperpetrator.
Itisattemptedwhentheoffendercommencesthecommissionofafelonydirectly
byovertacts,anddoesnotperformalltheactsofexecutionwhichshouldproduce
thefelonybyreasonofsomecauseoraccidentotherthanhisownspontaneous
desistance.

Thedeterminationofwhetheracrimeisfrustratedorconsummatednecessitatesan
initialconcessionthattheoffenderhasperformedalloftheactsofexecution

Thedeterminationofwhetherthefelonywasproducedafteralltheactsof
executionhadbeenperformedhingesontheparticularstatutorydefinitionofthe
felony.

Actusnonfacitreum,nisimenssitreaordinarily,evilintentmustunitewithan
unlawfulactfortheretobeacrimeortherecanbenocrimewhenthecriminalmind
iswanting

Incrimesmalainse,mensreahasbeendefinedbeforeasaguiltymind,aguiltyor
wrongfulpurposeorcriminalintentandessentialforcriminalliability.

Statutorydefinitionofourmalainsecrimesmustbeabletosupplywhatthemens
reaofthecrimeisandovertactsthatconstitutethecrime

Article308oftheRevisedPenalCode(ElementsofTheft):

1.thattherebetakingofpersonalpropertyonlyoneoperativeactofexecutionby
theactorinvolvedintheft
2.propertybelongstoanother
3.takingbedonewithintenttogaindescriptivecircumstances
4.takingbedonewithouttheconsentoftheownerdescriptivecircumstances
5.takingbeaccomplishedwithouttheuseofviolenceagainstorintimidationof
personsorforceuponthingsdescriptivecircumstances