PEOPLE VS SINGSON

Facts:
Rodel Singson and MJ met in the summer of 2003 when MJ came home to Santiago
from Manila. Through text messages of their mobile phones MJ and Rodel became a
couple and were in a relation from January to September of 2003, she however, broke
up with Rodel to concentrate on her studies.
On the evening of December 22, 2003 MJ and her mother, LK, attended the simbang
gabi. After the mass LK joined some church members to go caroling, MJ saying that she
was sleepy went home at about 11:30PM. MJ was preparing to go to bed when
someone knocked at their door, thinking that it was her mother she opened it and saw
Rodel. He intended to talk to MJ about renewing their relationship; she was hesitant at
first but eventually allowed him inside. They talked for 45 minutes and when MJ asked
Rodel to leave and he did. MJ entered her room when suddenly Rodel appeared and
sprayed something to her face that made her feel weak and dizzy. Eventually Rodel
violated her until she lost her consciousness.
MJ woke up to the screams of her brother who was gripping Rodel by the bedroom
window. LK returned home at 2:00AM, she knocked at MJs room to check if she went
home safely but LK got no answer. LK then used a key to open the door and saw MJ
naked and unconscious on the bed. LK became suspicious she looked around the room
and checked under the bed and saw Rodel in his underwear. Rodel was then arrested.
Rodel insisted that he and MJ freely had sexual intercourse, he did not rape her.
However the RTC found him guilty of rape and sentenced him to lifetime imprisonment.
The Court of Appeals affirmed the decision of the RTC.
ISSUE:
Whether or not Rodel Singson raped MJ after spraying her with drugs that weakened
her resistance and eventually rendered her unconscious
RULING:
No.
The prosecution claimed that Rodel Singson violated Article 335 of the Revised Penal
Code, as amended by Section 11 of R.A. 7659 which says One of the ways of
committing rape is by having carnal knowledge of a woman when she has been
deprived of reason or otherwise rendered unconscious
However, there had been discrepancies on MJs statements. On her first statement
made hours after the rape, she said that she was fully conscious during the time

Singson was raping her and only felt unconscious after the act. When she was
confronted with the inconsistency she could not offer an explanation.
LKs testimony also had some discrepancy, she said that upon entering MJs room she
was her naked on the bed and Singson was hiding under it. That she tried to wake her
daughter up but she could not, so she called for help. Baranggay tanods arrived and
pulled Singson from under the bed, and it was then when MJ told her that she was
raped.
On the cross-examination, LKs story appeared to be different, she said that she
immediately screamed for help upon seeing Singson under the bed and her son came
and wrapped a blanket around Mj and brought her to another room. Mj regained
consciousness at about the time LK saw Rodel under the bed, only afterward she was
moved out of the room.
Singson testified that MJ instructed him to hide under her bed and he was discovered
by MJs brother who pulled him out and punched him. Singson was locked into the room
and heard that MJ was asked by LK to choose between marriage and continuing her
studies.
The alleged spray can or bottle that Rodel used to make MJ unconscious was not found
within the area, making the story doubtful.
Testimonial evidence, to be believed, must not only come from credible lips but
must be credible in substance. A story that defies reason and logic and above all
runs against the grain of common experience cannot persuade. Here, the
prosecutions account failed to pass these tests.
The sequence of events prosecution established did not make sense, it seemed that
considering all the testimonies, Rodel and MJ made love and when LK opened the
daughters room, Rodel hid under the bed. Lk was suspiscious that she looked under
the bed. Lk called the tanods and seized Rodel, she then asked MJ is she preferred to
get married than continuing her studies. Choosing the latter and to save face, her
relative who had political power made it look like Rodel raped her.
With the inconsistencies and incompatibilities of the statement, the court unable to see
the unfiltered truth and concluded that the evidence failed to overcome the constitutional
presumption of innocence of the accused, hence the court ordered the immediate
release of Singson.