49

People vs. Godines

196 SCRA 765

Facts:
The victim Estehr Ancajas, was sleeping/staying at one of the houses of Alejandro
Vilaksia and she was awakened by a commotion from one of the adjacent room which were
occupied by Vilaksi and his wife Milagros. She saw the accused talk to the couple and Godines
hacked Milagros and took some money from them while co-accused Moreno stood by as look
out. Complainant attempted to escape with her small child but the defendants caught her. They
dragged her outside and as they forcibly brought her to a vacant lot they simultaneously
fondled her private parts. When they arrived at the vacant lot, they took turns in having carnal
knowledge with her while the other one was holding the small child.
The appellants insist that there are no conclusive medical findings that the complainant
had indeed been raped.

Issue:
Whether or not the crime of rape was committed

Held:
Yes.

Ratio:
A medical examination is not an indispensable element in a prosecution of rape.
Further, the defense of alibi cannot prosper because the distance between the alleged
whereabouts of the appellants at the time of the commission of the crime and the scene of the
crime itself may be easily negotiated by ordinary means and in light of the positive
identification of the accused as the authors of the crime.