036. LI VS. PEOPLE G.R. No. 127962/ April 14, 2004 Kingston Li – petitioner Tinga, J.
ens"e# et!een et!een t$e t$e Li gro"p gro"p an# t$e t$e Ar"ga% Ar"ga% gro"p. gro"p. Li $it Short version A ra!l ens"e# Ar"ga% !it$ !it$ a aseall aseall at on t$e rig$t rig$t s$o"l#er. s$o"l#er. Ar"ga% Ar"ga% $a&'e# $a&'e# Li !it$ !it$ a olo on $is rig$t te(ple, !rist an# s$o"l#er ren#ering Li "n&ons&io"s. A)ter!ar#s, a &ertain *angalang +part o) t$e Li gro"p stae# Ar"ga% se-eral ti(es !$i&$ &a"se# $is #eat$. Li !as &$arge# !it$ $o(i&i#e. RT )o"n# Li g"ilt% e&a"se t$ere !as &onspira&% et!een Li an# *angalang. * re-erse# sa%ing t$ere &o"l# not $a-e een &onspira&% et!een Li an# *angalang !$en *angalang stae# Ar"ga% e&a"se Li !as "n&ons&io"s at t$at ti(e. * &on-i&te# Li o) slig$t p$%si&al in"ries instea#. Facts STORY OF THE PROSECUTION (based on the testitomies of Tan and Dela Camara) Ar"ga% !as !as !at&$ing !at&$ing tele-ision tele-ision at $o(e $o(e !it$ $is sisters sisters +rist% an# a% Jane an# $is girl)rien# +ela a(ara an# a% Janes o%)rien# +Tan. 3$en s"##enl%, t$e% $ea# a noise o"tsi#e. T$e% sa! Li an# ##ie o% *angalang ta'ing a at$ &o(pletel% na'e# o"tsi#e t$eir $o"se. Ar"ga% %elle# at t$e( 5pare astos 'a%o, at 'a%o na'a$"a#. Li s$o"te# a&' 5p"tang ina8 an# *angalang %elle# 5p"tang ina (o, l"(aas 'a, papata%in 'ita8 Ar"ga% !ent !ent o"t o) t$e $o"se $o"se !$ere $e !as (et % Li !$o !$o !as &arr%ing &arr%ing a aseall at. Li str"&' Ar"ga% on t$e $ea# !it$ t$e a&', ran a&' to $is $o"se, !ent a&' o"t !it$ a 'ni)e an# stae# Ar"ga% on&e. A ra!l ens"e# ens"e# a(ong a(ong all t$e t$e parties. parties. "ring "ring t$e &o((otion, &o((otion, ela ela a(ara sa! *angalang sta Ar"ga%. STORY OF THE DEFENSE Li !as !at&$ing t- at $is $o(e !it$ $is )rien# Ri&'% A(erol !$en t$e% $ear# oe&ts eing t$ro!n at t$e $o"se. T$e% pee'e# an# sa! Ar"ga% an# ela a(ara in )ront o) t$e gate t$ro!ing stones an# ottles to!ar#s t$e(. Anno%e#, Li opene# t$e #oor as'ing, 5 Pare ano ba !roblema mo" #ala naman $amin% $asalanan sa &'o . Ar"ga% an# $is girl)rien# "st 'ept on stoning t$e $o"se an# $"rling in-e&ti-es at Li. Ar"ga% 'i&'e# t$e gate an# ran to!ar#s $is o!n $o"se a&ross t$e street. Li sa! Ar"ga% &o(ing o"t o) $is $o"se ar(e# !it$ 2 'it&$en 'ni-es so Li got a aseall at. Ar"ga% atta&'e# $i( !it$ a 'ni)e "t Li (anage# to a-oi# Ar"ga%s Ar"ga%s t$r"sts t$r"sts an# $it Ar"ga% Ar"ga% !it$ t$e t$e aseall aseall at on on t$e rig$t rig$t s$o"l#er. s$o"l#er. Ar"ga% got got a t!o)oot t!o)oot long long olo an# an# trie# to $it Li. Ar"ga% !as ale ale to (a'e &onta&t !it$ Lis rig$t te(ple an# rig$t !rist an# rig$t s$o"l#er. Li passe# o"t. :pon regaining &ons&io"sness, Li trie# to &ra!l a&' to $is $o"se "t Ronal# Tan $it $i( at t$e a&' o) $is le)t ear !it$ a aseall at. -ent"all%, Li (anage# to get a&' to t$e $o"se an# !as ro"g$t to t$e ;a'ati ;e#i&al enter.
Ar"ga% s"))ere# ("ltiple sta !o"n#s. Li !as &$arge# !it$ iste# et!een Li an# *angalang – no t$ere !as none Rulin a&?"itte# o) t$e &$arge o) te(poraneo"s o"t"rsts o) -iolen&eC $en&e, t$e #e(an# t$at it e estalis$e# % positi-e e-i#en&e. ire&t proo) is not essential to s$o! &onspira&% sin&e it is % its nat"re o)ten planne# in "t(ost se&re&% an# it &an sel#o( e pro-e# % #ire&t e-i#en&e. onspira&% (a% e in)erre# )ro( t$e a&ts o) t$e a&&"se# t$e(sel-es !$en s"&$ point to a oint p"rpose an# #esign. o(pli&it% (a% e #eter(ine# % &on&ert o) a&tion at t$e (o(ent o) &ons"((ating t$e &ri(e an# t$e )or( an# (anner in !$i&$ assistan&e is ren#ere# to t$e person in)li&ting t$e )atal !o"n#. a(ination o) t$e estalis$e# )a&ts e)ore &on&l"#ing, as t$e RT #i#, t$at an i(plie# &onspira&% $a# een estalis$e#. An i(plie# &onspira&% ("st still e ase# on )a&ts estalis$e# % positi-e an# &on&l"si-e e-i#en&e. T$e !eig$t o) )a&t"al e-i#en&e ne&essar% to pro-e &onspira&% is t$e sa(e as re?"ire# to estalis$ &ri(inal liailit% – proo) e%on# reasonale #o"t
ase# on )a&ts o) t$e &ase, t$e o"rt is $ar# p"t to &on&l"#e t$at *angalang an# Li $a# a&te# in &on&ert to &o((it t$e o))ense. @n )a&t, t$e staing o) Ar"ga% &o"l# -er% !ell e &onstr"e# as a sp"ro)t$e(o(ent rea&tion % *angalang "pon seeing t$at $is )rien# Li !as str"&' on t$e $ea# % Ar"ga%. Dro( s"&$ a spontaneo"s rea&tion, a )in#ing o) &onspira&% &annot arise As Li la% in&apa&itate#, possil% "n&ons&io"s, it re(aine# $ig$l% #o"t)"l !$et$er $e $a# an% )"rt$er parti&ipation in t$e ra!l. At t$at point, *angalang, !$ose pre-io"s parti&ipation !as not &on&l"si-el% estalis$e#, e(erge# into t$e )ra%. *angalang stae# Ar"ga% to #eat$. Eeril%, it &annot e ass"(e# t$at *angalang #i# !$at $e #i# !it$ t$e 'no!le#ge or assent o) Li, ("&$ (ore in &oor#ination !it$ ea&$ ot$er.