People v Baloloy,

G.R. No. 140740

April 12, 2002

Per Curiam

Facts:

 Juanito Baloloy, who was charged with the crime of rape with homicide.
 The events took place on August 3, 1996, when Juanito was seen trembling and weak, carrying a
sack and a kerosene lamp. He later informed Ernesto that he saw a foot of a dead child at the
waterfalls without disclosing the identity of the deceased.
 It was later revealed that the victim was Genelyn Camacho, who was found dead at the
waterfalls with fresh lacerations on her vaginal wall. A black rope was also recovered at the
crime site, which Juanito claimed as his own.
 He had scratches and wounds on his body, and a physical examination revealed abrasions that
could have been caused by scratches.

Issue:

 The main issue in the case is whether Juanito Baloloy is guilty of the crime of rape with
homicide.

Ruling:

 The court found Juanito Baloloy guilty of the crime of rape with homicide and sentenced him to
death. The court also ordered him to pay the heirs of Genelyn Camacho P100,000 as indemnity
and P50,000 as moral damages.
 The court based its decision on the following circumstances: Juanito's admission that he was at
the scene of the crime, the recovery of the black rope claimed by Juanito, the physical injuries
and scratches on Juanito's body, and the fresh lacerations on the victim's vaginal wall.
 These circumstances, when taken together, established an unbroken chain of evidence that
proved Juanito's guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
 The court also noted that even without Juanito's confession, there was enough evidence to
support his conviction. The court emphasized that guilt can be established through
circumstantial evidence as long as there is more than one circumstance, the inferences are
based on proven facts, and the combination of all circumstances produces a conviction beyond
reasonable doubt.