Republic of the Philippines
SUPREME COURT
Manila
EN BANC
G.R. No. L-46928 January 29, 1940
EL PUEBLO DE ISLAS FILIPINAS, querellante-apelado,
vs.
BASILIO EVANGELISTA Y JOSON (alias BASILIO JOSON, ALIAS JOSE EVANGELISTA), acusado-apelante.
Sr. Amador Constantino en representacion del apelante.
El Procurador-General Sr. Ozaeta y el auxiliar Sr. Kapunan en representacion del apelado.
AVANCEŅA, J.:
Se ha seguido causa arreglo a la siguente querella:
That on or about the 4th day of August 1939, in the City of Manila, Philippines, the said accused did then and there wilfully, feloniously defraud Marcos Cano as follows, to wit: the said accused under false and fraudulent manifestations and representations which he made upon said Marcos Cano to the effect that he was an employee in the Manila Gas Corporation and that he could secure employment for persons who are willing to work as painters in said firm at a daily wage of P2.50, provided he is given money to buy painting equipment, and by means of similar deceit, induced said Marcos Cano to recommend his brother, Jose Cano, and his brother-in-law, Antonio Gatmaitan, to said accused and to give him (accused), as infact he was given the sum of P15.50 for the purchase of painting equipment, said accused then and there fully knowing that he was not employed in the Manila Gas Corporation and neither did he have any power or influence to recommend and employ persons to work therein, and that those manifestations and representations were only made for the purpose of obtaining, as in fact he obtained, the sum of P15.50, and once in possession of said sum, said accused absconded himself and willfully, unlawfully and feloniously misappropriated, misapplied and converted the said sum to his own personal use and benefit, to the damage and prejudice of said sum of P15.50, Philippine currency.
That the said accused has been previously convicted of the crimes of theft and estafa by virtue of final judgments rendered by competent court as follows:
| Date of arrest | Crime | Sentence | Date of sentence | Date of release |
|---|
| 9- 2-26 | Estafa, Court of First Instance D-33941 | 1 month, 1 day, and P8 indemnity. | 12-11-26 |
|
| Estafa, Court of First Instance D-33941. | 1 month, 1 day, and P5.50 indemnity. | 12-11-26 | 2-10-27 |
| Estafa, Court of First Instance D-35166. | 2 months, 1 day, and P3 indemnity. | 9 - 2-27 |
| Estafa, Court of First Instance D-35165. | 1 month, 1 day, and P3 indemnity. | 9 - 2-27 |
| Estafa, Court of First Instance D-35168. | 2 months, 1 day, and P10 indemnity. | 9 - 2-27 |
| Estafa, Court of First Instance D-35167. | 2 months, 1 day, and P12 indemnity. | 9 - 2-27 |
| Estafa, Court of First Instance D-35170. | 3 months and P15 indemnity. | 9 - 2-27 |
| Estafa, Court of First Instance D-35169.1 | 3 months and P15 indemnity. | 9 - 2-27 |
| 10-27-28 | Qualified theft, for First Instance D-37305. | 4 years, 2 months and 1 day plus 21 years additional penalty. | 7 -30-29 | 11- 7-35 |
| 9-16-26 | Estafa, Court of First Instance D-53265. | 3 months, 11 days and P1.50 indemnity. | 1 -12-37 |
| Estafa, Court of First Instance D-53264. | 3 months, 11 days and P1.20 indemnity. | 1 -12-37 |
| Estafa, Court of First Instance D-53266. | 3 months, 11 days, P6 indemnity. | 1-12-37 |
| Estafa, Court of First Instance D-53267. | 3 months, 11 days, and P4 indemnity. | 1-12-37 |
| Estafa, Court of First Instance D-53268. | 3 months, 11 days, and P2 indemnity. | 1-12-37 |
| Estafa, Court of First Instance D-53269. | 3 months, 11 days, and P3 indemnity. | 1-12-37 | 9- 9-38 |
and is therefore a habitual delinquent under the provisions of article 62, paragraph 5, of the Revised Penal Code, the date of release from confinement in connection with his last conviction of estafa being September 9, 1938.
El apelante, al ser informado de la querella anterior, declaro ser culpable del dlito acusado en la misma y el Juzgado le condeno a la pena de dos meses y un dia de arresto mayor, mas a la pena adicional de seis aņos y un dia de prision mayor, por ser delincuente habitual, y a pagar a la parte ofendida la cantidad de P15.50, con las costas.
Los hechos acusados en la querella constituyen el delito de estafa definido en el articulo 315, No. 4, subseccion 2-A, que se castiga con arresto mayor en su grado medio y maximo, o sea, de dos meses y un dia a seis meses. Habiendo concurrido la circustancia atenuante de haberse declarando culpable el apelante, compensada con la agravante de reincidencia, debe imponerse esta pena en su grado medio, o sea, de tres meses y once dias a cuatro meses y veinte dias.
Aunque entre las previas convicciones del apelante se reducen atres, para los efectos de la delincuencia habitual, envista de las fecha de estas conviciones, viniendo asi a ser la presente convicion la cuarta. Por esta razon la pena adicional impuesta por el Juzgado es correcta.
Entendiendose de tres meses y once dias la pena principal que se impone al apelante, se confirma en lo demas la sentencia apelada, con las costas. Asi se ordena.
Villa-Real, Imperial, Diaz, Laurel and Concepcion, MM., estan conformes.
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