SECOND DIVISION

NILO SABANG,
Petitioner,

G.R. No. 168818

Present:

- versus -

THE PEOPLE OF THE

PHILIPPINES,
Respondent.

QUISUMBING, J.,
Chairperson,
CARPIO,
CARPIO MORALES,
TINGA, and
VELASCO, JR., JJ.
Promulgated:
March 9, 2007

x---------------------------------------------------------------------------x

DECISION
TINGA, J.:
On January 17, 1997, in the midst of a drinking spree on the eve of the fiesta
in Liloan, Ormoc City, an intoxicated Nicanor Butad uttered the ominous words I
will shoot you to Randy Sabang, to the horror of young Sabang's father, Nilo, and
the other onlookers. Within moments, Butad himself lay dead from four gunshot
wounds on his body. Nilo Sabang, petitioner herein, who was charged with and
later convicted for the homicide, admits to the killing of Butad, but claims

that the shooting was accidental and done as a means of defending his son. An
array of witnesses for the prosecution and the defense provides a competing set of
particulars as to the shooting. Ultimately, the prosecutions version, supported by
the physical evidence, stands out as the truth.
This much is admitted. At around 6:30 p.m. on that fateful night, petitioner
and Butad were having drinks together with spouses Cruz and Andresa Villamor
outside the store of Melania Sombilon in Sitio Landing, Barangay
Liloan, Ormoc City.[1] Butad, a civilian agent with the Philippine National Police,
was then armed with a .38-caliber revolver which was tucked in his holster. In the
midst of the drinking spree, Randy Sabang suddenly and unexpectedly appeared
before the group. His appearance triggered a negative reaction from Butad, who
then uttered the words I will shoot you to Randy Sabang.[2]
Certain circumstances attaching to this evident threat are disputed, as are the
events that consequently followed. What is certain is that shortly afterwards, Butad
lay dead, having sustained four (4) gunshot wounds from his own
revolver. Petitioner appears to have fled but voluntarily surrendered thereafter,
turning over the revolver as he surrendered.[3]
Photographs of Butad as he lay dead on the scene were presented in evidence,
as was the official report on his autopsy, prepared by the City Health Office of
Ormoc City. The autopsy report[5] indicated the following findings:
[4]

GENERAL SURVEY:
Examined a fairly nourished/fairly developed male cadaver with
approximate height of 165 cm & weight of 65 kg in state of rigor mortis.
FINDINGS:
1. Bullet wound 1.0 x 0.5 cm at anterior chest wall, 14 cm from midline,
right, along 3rd intercostal space anterior axillary line penetrating
thoracic cavity lacerating upper lobe of right lung.
2. Bullet wound 0.7 x 0.5 cm at 4 th intercostal space mid-axillary line,
right, penetrating thoracic cavity lacerating upper lobe of right lung.
3. Bullet wound 1.5 x 0.7 cm at distal 3rd lateral aspect of right arm
injuring skin & muscles.

4. Bullet wound 0.7 cm x 0.7 cm at mid vertebral column fracturing spine

of 8th thoracic vertebra.
CAUSE OF DEATH:
Hypovolemia 2 to multiple bullet wound.

During arraignment, petitioner pleaded innocence, but during the presentation

of the evidence for the defense, he claimed to have acted in defense of a relative.
Petitioner and four (4) other witnesses testified for the defense. The following facts
were sought to be established by petitioner:
By the time Butad had joined what was to be his last drinking spree, he was
already in a belligerent mood. Earlier that afternoon, he
had been chasing after Ramil Perez when the latter demanded payment for a bet
Butad had lost over a cockfight.[6]
The chase was witnessed by Celso Pepito, who would testify for the defense.
As to the shooting itself, testifying for the defense were petitioner himself, the
storekeeper Sombilon, and an eyewitness, Laurito Caparoso, who was situated
right across the road when the shooting occurred.
[7]

Sombilon testified that when Butad told Randy Sabang, I will shoot you,
the deceased already had his revolver aimed at Randy. [8] At this point, Andresa
Villamor, a niece of the deceased, told Butad, Please don't[,] tiyo, he's the son of
Nilo.[9] Petitioner and Caparoso also testified that at that time, Butad had his
revolver pointed at Randy.[10] Petitioner claimed that he then grabbed the arm of
Butad, attempting to twist it toward his body and away from his son. As they were
grappling and the revolver was pointed towards the body of

Butad, petitioner claimed he heard gunshots, and only after the shots were fired
was he able to take the gun from Butad.[11] Petitioners account is substantially
corroborated by Caparoso.[12]
This version of the shooting, however, stands in sharp contrast to that
presented by the prosecution.
Natividad Payud, an eyewitness to the incident, testified that while the group
of the deceased Butad, petitioner, and the spouses Cruz and Andresa Villamor was
having a drinking spree, Randy suddenly entered the scene. Butad, appearing
surprised, thrust a glass of Tanduay near Randys mouth and uttered the words, I
will shoot you. Payud is certain that at this point, Butad was not holding any gun.
[13]
Andresa Villamor, another eyewitness to the incident, confirmed Payuds
testimony that Butad was holding a glass and not a gun when he uttered those
words.[14]
Petitioner reacted to Butads statement saying, Just try to shoot my child
because Ill never fight for him because he is a spoiled brat. [15] Andresa Villamor
then chided Butad and said, Do not say that tiyo[,] because its [sic] the son of
Nilo Sabang.[16]

Unexpectedly, a person appeared on the scene and punched Butad causing

the latter to fall down lying partially on his back. Petitioner, who was then sitting
across Butad, stood up and pulled the gun tucked in Butads waist. He pointed the
gun at Butad and fired a shot at the latters chest.[17] Payud and Andresa Villamor
both saw petitioner fire two (2) more shots near Butads chest.[18]
In a Judgment[19] dated November 22, 1999, the trial court convicted
petitioner principally on the strength of the testimony of Dr. Edilberto P.
Calipayan, the physician who conducted the post mortem examination of Butads
body, to the effect that the absence of powder burns indicates that the gunshots
were fired at a distance of more than 10 inches from the victims body and not
close range as claimed by petitioner.[20]

The Court of Appeals affirmed petitioners conviction

Decision[21] dated August 16, 2004 and denied reconsideration
Resolution[22] dated July 6, 2005.

in
in

a
a

In this Petition,[23] petitioner prays for his acquittal contending that he acted
in defense of his son, a justifying circumstance under Art. 11 [24] of the Revised
Penal Code. He claims that Butads act of aiming a gun at his son while uttering
the words I will shoot you was an aggression of the most imminent kind which
prompted him to try to wrestle the gun from Butad leading to the accidental firing
of the fatal shots.
Petitioner theorizes that the fact that Butad was then fully clothed could have
accounted for the absence of powder burns on Butads body. He disputes the trial
courts finding that the wounds would have looked oblique had the shots been fired
during a struggle, claiming that round entrance wounds could likewise be produced
in near contact fire.
He further avers that Payud was not really an eyewitness to the event,
pointing to the testimony of Benjamin Mahusay that he and Payud were already
out of Sitio Landing and were heading home when they heard the
gunshots. Likewise, Andresa Villamors testimony is allegedly confined to seeing
Butad sprawled on the ground.
The Office of the Solicitor General insists on petitioners conviction but asks
that the award of moral damages be reduced from P100,000.00 to P50,000.00.[25]
We shall first resolve the question of whether petitioners insistence on the
justifying circumstance of defense of relative deserves merit.
In order to successfully claim that he acted in defense of a relative, the
accused must prove the concurrence of the following requisites: (1) unlawful
aggression on the part of the person killed or injured; (2) reasonable necessity of
the means employed to prevent or repel the unlawful aggression; and (3) the person
defending the relative had no part in provoking the assailant, should any

provocation been given by the relative attacked.[26] Unlawful aggression is

a

primary and indispensable requisite without which defense of relative, whether

complete or otherwise, cannot be validly invoked.[27]
It is well-settled in this jurisdiction that once an accused has admitted that he
inflicted the fatal injuries on the deceased, it is incumbent upon him in order to
avoid criminal liability, to prove the justifying circumstance claimed by him with
clear, satisfactory and convincing evidence. He cannot rely on the weakness of the
prosecution but on the strength of his own evidence, for even if the evidence of
the prosecution were weak it could not be disbelieved after the accused himself had
admitted the killing. Thus, petitioner must establish with clear and convincing
evidence that the killing was justified, and that he incurred no criminal liability
therefor.[28]
Unlawful aggression must be clearly established by the evidence. In this
case, there is a divergence in the testimonies of the prosecution and defense
witnesses as to whether Butad aimed a gun at petitioners son as he uttered the
words I will shoot you. With this conflict emerges the question of whether
petitioner sensed an imminent threat to his sons life. Payud unequivocally
testified that petitioner even dismissed Butads utterance saying, Just try to shoot
my child because Ill never fight for him because he is a spoiled brat.

This indicates to us that petitioner did not consider Butads words a threat at all.
These circumstances led the trial court to conclude that there was no
unlawful aggression on the part of Butad which could have precipitated petitioners
actions. This finding, affirmed by the Court of Appeals, is conclusive on the Court
barring any showing of any arbitrariness or oversight of material facts that could
change the result.[29]
Furthermore, the presence of four (4) gunshot wounds on Butads body
negates the claim that the killing was justified but instead indicates a determined
effort to kill him. Even assuming that it was Butad who initiated the attack, the fact
that petitioner was able to wrest the gun from him signifies that the aggression
which Butad had started already ceased. Petitioner became the unlawful aggressor
when he continued to shoot Butad even as he already lay defenseless on the
ground.[30]
On this point, the defenses own witness, Caparoso, said in his Counter
Affidavit[31] and during direct examination that after the first shot was fired, he saw
petitioner take possession of the gun as Butad released his hold of it. It was after
petitioner already had the gun that Caparoso heard more gunshots. [32] Even
petitioner admitted that he had an easy time twisting the hand with which Butad
was supposedly holding his revolver because the latter was already very drunk
having started drinking before noon that day.[33]
Another crucial point to consider is that the prosecutions theory is
consistent with the physical evidence.
The distance from which a shot is fired affects the nature and extent of the
injury caused on the victim. In close range fire, the injury is not only due to the
missile
but
also
due
to
the
pressure
of
the
expanded gases, flame and other solid products of combustion. In
contrast, distant fire usually produces the characteristic effect of the bullet alone.
[34]
A shot fired from a distance of more than 60 cm or about two (2) feet does not
produce the burning, smudging or tattooing typically present in loose contact or
near fire, short range fire and medium range fire.[35]

Powder burns is a term commonly used by physicians whenever there is

blackening of the margin at the entrance of the gunshot wound. The blackening is
due to smoke smudging, gunpowder tattooing and, to a certain extent, burning of
the wound margin.[36] As found by the medico-legal officer in this case, Butads
body did not have any powder burns. In response to the courts queries, Dr.
Calipayan testified:

COURTS QUESTIONS
Q

Being an expert, is it a scientific fact that every gun burst within ten (10)
inches distance as you said, is it always a fact that there is presence of
powder burns?

It is always a fact, if the caliber of the firearm is higher or I can say, may
be .22 caliber as well as there is a gun powder that burst. If it is fired
about less than ten (10) inches from the surface of the skin, it will always
cause powder burns.

Q
A

And in this case, you cannot indicate the presence of powder burns?
Because I did not find any.[37]

The fact that there were no powder burns on Butads body indicates that the
shots were fired at a distance of more than two (2) feet and not at close range as the
defense suggests. Moreover, Butad sustained four (4) gunshot wounds, three (3) of
which were in the chest area, circumstances which are inconsistent with the
defenses theory of accidental firing.[38]
On the credibility of the prosecutions witnesses, the defense questions
Payuds testimony averring that its witness, Benjamin Mahusay, testified that he
and Payud were already on their way home

when they heard the gunshots. According to Mahusay, he attended a cockfight

which ended at 5 oclock in the afternoon of January 17, 1997. He went home
afterwards and claimed to have met Payud on the way home at around 5 in the
afternoon.[39] It was at this time that he and Payud supposedly heard gunshots.
Mahusays account, however, conflicts with the established fact that Butad
was shot to death at around 6:30 that night. His testimony all the more loses
significance in the face of Payuds compelling testimony that she went back to
Sitio Landing to fetch her children and witnessed the killing.[40]
Moreover, it is not true, as the defense insists, that Andresa Villamor did not
witness the actual shooting. She unequivocally testified that she turned back and
saw Sabang take the pistol from Butad and point the gun at the latter. She
instinctively covered her eyes shouting, Do not shoot my uncle! She uncovered
her eyes after hearing the first gunshot, saw petitioner still pointing the gun at
Butad, and watched as petitioner shot Butad two (2) more times.[41]
In the final analysis, petitioner failed to demonstrate any reason to disturb
the findings and conclusions of the trial court and the Court of Appeals. His
conviction of the crime of homicide is certain. Under Art. 249 of the Revised
Penal Code, homicide is punished by reclusion temporal. There being one (1)
mitigating circumstance of voluntary surrender, the penalty shall be imposed in its
minimum period.[42] Applying the benefits of the Indeterminate Sentence Law, the
trial court correctly imposed an indeterminate penalty ranging from eight (8) years
and one (1) day of prision mayor as minimum to twelve (12) years and one (1) day
of reclusion temporal as maximum.
As regards the matter of damages, we affirm the award of civil indemnity in
the amount of P50,000.00 for the heirs of Butad in line with recent jurisprudence.
Civil indemnity is mandatory and is granted to the heirs of the victim without need

of proof other than the commission of the crime. [43] We also affirm the award
of P180,000.00 representing loss of earning capacity at a reasonable life
expectancy of three (3) years considering that Butad was already 67 years old at
the time of the incident.[44] Likewise affirmed are the award of P50,000.00 as
burial expenses duly proven, attorneys fees of P40,000.00, and appearance fee
of P1,000.00 per hearing.
We, however, agree with the Office of the Solicitor General that consistent
with pertinent jurisprudence, the award of moral damages should be reduced
from P100,000.00 toP50,000.00.[45] Finally, in the absence of any aggravating
circumstance, the trial court correctly withheld the award of exemplary damages.[46]

WHEREFORE, the instant petition is DENIED for lack of merit. The

assailed Decision of the Court of Appeals dated August 16, 2004 and its
Resolution dated July 6, 2005, affirming the Judgment rendered by the Regional
Trial Court dated November 26,
1999, are AFFIRMED with the MODIFICATION that the award of moral
damages is reduced to P50,000.00. Costs against petitioner.
SO ORDERED.

DANTE
TINGA

O.
Associate Justice

WE CONCUR:

LEONARDO A. QUISUMBING
Associate Justice
Chairperson

ANTONIO T. CARPIO
Associate Justice

CONCHITA CARPIO MORALES

Associate Justice

PRESBITERO J. VELASCO, JR.

Associate Justice

ATTESTATION
I attest that the conclusions in the above Decision had been reached in
consultation before the case was assigned to the writer of the opinion of the
Courts Division.

LEONARDO A. QUISUMBING
Associate Justice
Chairperson, Second Division

CERTIFICATION

Pursuant to Section 13, Article VIII of the Constitution, and the

Division Chairpersons Attestation, it is hereby certified that the conclusions
in the above Decision had been reached in consultation before the case was
assigned to the writer of the opinion of the Courts Division.

REYNATO S. PUNO
Chief Justice

[1]

TSN, May 28, 1999, pp. 6-10, 15; August 21, 1997, p. 8.

[2]

TSN, August 21, 1997, pp. 8-9.

[3]

TSN, May 28, 1999, p. 30.

[4]

Records, pp. 160-161.

[5]

Id. at 159.

[6]

TSN, May 28, 1999, pp. 13-14.

[7]

TSN, December 4, 1998, pp. 8-9.

[8]

TSN, February 11, 1999, p. 15.

[9]

Id. at 16.

[10]

TSN, August 24, 1998, p. 16; May 28, 1999, p. 21.

[11]

TSN, May 28, 1999, pp. 28-30.

[12]

TSN, August 24, 1998, pp. 17-20.

[13]

TSN, August 21, 1997, pp. 8-9.

[14]

TSN, June 16, 1997, p. 10.

[15]

TSN, August 21, 1997, p. 10.

[16]

TSN, June 16, 1997, p. 11; August 21, 1997, p. 10.

[17]

TSN, August 21, 1997, pp. 11-13.

[18]

Id. at 13; TSN, June 16, 1997, pp. 14-15.

[19]

Records, pp. 406-410. The dispositive portion of the Judgment reads:

Wherefore, the Court finds the accused Nilo Sabang GUILTY beyond
reasonable doubt of the crime of homicide as charged, and hereby penalizes him after
appreciating one mitigating circumstance of voluntary surrender, to an indeterminate
imprisonment of 8 years and 1 day prision mayor as minimum to 12 years and 1 day
reclusion temporal as maximum, and to pay the offended party the sum of P50,000.00 as
indemnity; sum ofP50,000.00 as burial expense; the sum of P180,000.00 as loss of
income at a reasonable life expectancy of the victim at 3 years; the sum of P100,000.00
for moral damages; and P40,000.00 as attorneys fees including P1,000.00 per
appearance.
If the accused was detained, the period of his detention shall be credited to him in full if
he abides by the terms for convicted prisoners, for only 4/5 thereof.
SO ORDERED.

[20]

TSN, August 4, 1999, pp. 12-17.

[21]

Rollo, pp. 30-38; Penned by Associate Justice Pampio A. Abarintos and concurred in by Associate
Justices Mercedes Gozo-Dadole and Ramon M. Bato, Jr.
[22]

Id. at 39-40.

[23]

Id. at 3-29.

[24]

Art. 11. Justifying circumstances.The following do not incur any criminal liability:
1. Anyone who acts in defense of his person or rights, provided that the following
circumstances concur:
First. Unlawful aggression;
Second. Reasonable necessity of the means employed to prevent or repel it;
Third. Lack of sufficient provocation on the part of the person defending himself.
2. Anyone who acts in defense of the person or rights of his spouses, ascendants,
descendants, or legitimate, natural, or adopted brothers or sisters or his relatives by affinity
in the same degrees, and those by consanguinity within the fourth civil degree, provided that
the first and second requisites prescribed in the next preceding circumstance are present, and
the further requisite, in case the provocation was given by the person attacked, that the one
making defense had no part therein.

[25]

Rollo, pp. 55-69.

[26]

REVISED PENAL CODE, Art. 11.

[27]

People v. Ventura, G.R. Nos. 148145-46, July 5, 2004, 433 SCRA 389, 409.

[28]

Cabuslay v. People, G.R. No. 129875, September 30, 2005, 471 SCRA 241, 256-257.

[29]

People v. Alba, 425 Phil. 666 (2002).

[30]

People v. Barnuevo, 418 Phil. 521 (2001).

[31]

Records, p. 25.

[32]

TSN, August 24, 1998, p. 20.

[33]

TSN, May 28, 1999, pp. 38 and 44.

[34]

PEDRO P. SOLIS, LEGAL MEDICINE (1987), p. 354.

[35]

Id. at 357-358. A short range fire covers a distance of 1 to 15 cm while a medium range fire covers a
distance of more than 15 cm but less than 60 cm.
[36]

Id. at 350.

[37]

TSN, August 4, 1999, pp. 15-16.

[38]

PEDRO P. SOLIS, LEGAL MEDICINE, supra note 34 at 354.

[39]

TSN, May 5, 1998, pp. 8-10, 18.

[40]

TSN, August 21, 1997, pp. 6-7.

[41]

TSN, June 16, 1997, pp. 13-15; 36-37.

[42]

REVISED PENAL CODE, Art. 64(2).

[43]

People v. Opuran, G.R. Nos. 147674-75, March 17, 2004, 425 SCRA 654, 673.

[44]

Butads widow testified that his income is P5,000.00 a month; RTC Records, p. 408.

[45]

Marzonia v. People, G.R. No. 153794, June 26, 2006, 492 SCRA 627.

[46]

CIVIL CODE, Art. 2230.