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    US v. Caballeros

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    The Supreme Court acquits Apolonio Caballeros and Roberto Baculi of being accessories after the fact in the murder of four American teachers. The evidence does not show that Baculi voluntarily assisted in burying the bodies, and eyewitness testimony indicates he was compelled to do so by the murderers. There is also no evidence that Caballeros participated in burying the bodies or was even present. His confession was made under the promise that nothing would be done to him, and confessions made under such circumstances cannot be accepted as legal proof. Therefore, the Court reverses the lower court's judgment and acquits both defendants.

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    US v. Caballeros

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    alex
    493 views3 pages
    The Supreme Court acquits Apolonio Caballeros and Roberto Baculi of being accessories after the fact in the murder of four American teachers. The evidence does not show that Baculi voluntarily assisted in burying the bodies, and eyewitness testimony indicates he was compelled to do so by the murderers. There is also no evidence that Caballeros participated in burying the bodies or was even present. His confession was made under the promise that nothing would be done to him, and confessions made under such circumstances cannot be accepted as legal proof. Therefore, the Court reverses the lower court's judgment and acquits both defendants.

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    The Supreme Court acquits Apolonio Caballeros and Roberto Baculi of being accessories after the fact in the murder of four American teachers. The evidence does not show that Baculi voluntarily assisted in burying the bodies, and eyewitness testimony indicates he was compelled to do so by the murderers. There is also no evidence that Caballeros participated in burying the bodies or was even present. His confession was made under the promise that nothing would be done to him, and confessions made under such circumstances cannot be accepted as legal proof. Therefore, the Court reverses the lower court's judgment and acquits both defendants.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    493 views3 pages

    US v. Caballeros

    Uploaded by

    alex
    The Supreme Court acquits Apolonio Caballeros and Roberto Baculi of being accessories after the fact in the murder of four American teachers. The evidence does not show that Baculi voluntarily assisted in burying the bodies, and eyewitness testimony indicates he was compelled to do so by the murderers. There is also no evidence that Caballeros participated in burying the bodies or was even present. His confession was made under the promise that nothing would be done to him, and confessions made under such circumstances cannot be accepted as legal proof. Therefore, the Court reverses the lower court's judgment and acquits both defendants.

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    Republic of the Philippines

    The evidence does not justify, in our opinion, this sentence. As regards

    SUPREME COURT

    Roberto Baculi, although he confessed to having assisted in the burial of

    Manila

    the corpses, it appears that he did so because he was compelled to do so


    by the murderers of the four teachers. And not only does the defendant

    EN BANC

    March 29, 1905

    affirm this, but he is corroborated by the only eyewitness to the crime,


    Teodoro Sabate, who, by the way, is a witness for the prosecution. This
    witness says he was present when the Americans were killed; that Roberto

    G.R. No. 1352

    Baculi was not a member of the group who killed the Americans, but the he

    THE UNITED STATES, complainant-appelle,

    was in a banana plantation on his property gathering some bananas; that

    vs.

    when he heard the shots he began to run; that he was, however, seen by

    APOLONIO CABALLEROS, ET AL., defendants-appellants.

    Damaso and Isidoro, the leaders of the band; that the latter called to him
    and striking him with the butts of their guns they forced him to bury the

    Hipolito Magsalin for appellants.

    corpses.

    Office of the Solicitor-General Araneta for appellee.


    The Penal Code exempts from liability any person who performs the act by
    MAPA, J.:

    reason of irresistible force (par. 9, art. 8). Baculi acted, doubtless, under
    such circumstances when he executed the acts which are charged against

    The defendants have been sentenced by the Court of First Instance of Cebu

    him.

    to the penalty of seven years of presidio mayor as accessories after the


    fact in the crime of assassination or murder perpetrated on the persons of

    As regards the other defendant, Apolonio Caballeros, there is no proof that

    the American school-teachers Louis A. Thomas, Clyde O. France, John E.

    he took any part in any way in the execution of the crime with which he

    Wells, and Ernest Eger, because, without having taken part in the said

    has been charged; there is conclusive proof to the contrary, since Baculi,

    crime as principals or as accomplices, they took part in the burial of the

    as well as one of the witnesses for the prosecution, Teodoro Sabate,

    corpses of the victims in order to conceal the crime.

    expressly declare that he, Caballeros, did not take any part in the burial of
    the aforesaid corpses, nor was he even in the place of the occurrence when
    the burial took place. The confession of his supposed liability and guilt,

    made before an official of the division of information of the Constabulary,


    Enrique Calderon, as the latter states when testifying as a witness, can not
    be considered as legal proof, because the same witness says that Roberto
    Baculi was the only one of the defendants who made a confession to
    him voluntarily. It appears besides, from the statements of another witness
    for the prosecution, Meliton Covarrubias, that the confession of Apolonio
    Caballeros was made through the promise made to him and to the other
    defendants that nothing would be done to them. Confessions which do not
    appear to have been made freely and voluntarily, without force,
    intimidation, or promise of pardon, can not be accepted as proof on a trial.
    (Sec. 4, Act No. 619 of the Philippine Commission).

    The fact of the defendants not reporting to the authorities the perpetration
    of the crime, which seems to be one of the motives for the conviction and
    which the court below takes into consideration in his judgment, is not
    punished by the Penal Code and therefore that can not render the
    defendants criminally liable according to law.

    By virtue, then, of the above considerations, and with a reversal of the


    judgment appealed from, we acquit the defendants, appellants, with the
    costs de oficio in both instances. So ordered.

    Arellano, C.J., Torres, Johnson and Carson, JJ., concur.

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