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PHILIPPINE SUPREME COURT DECISIONS

EN BANC

[G.R. No. 39408. October 31, 1933. ]

THE PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. AGAPITO FERNANDEZ, Defendant-Appellant.

Moises E. Gonzalez, for Appellant.

Solicitor-General Hilado, for Appellee.

SYLLABUS


1. ROBBERY AND THEFT; BREAKING OF DOOR OR WINDOW. — The Spanish text of paragraph (a) 2 of article 299 of the Revised Penal Code is as follows: "Por rompimiento de pared, techo o suelo, o fractura de puerta o ventana." The words "fractura de puerta o ventana" clearly mean "the breaking of a door or window", and imply more than the mere forcing open of a door or window. If the defendant had forced open a window and entered in that way, he would, of course, be guilty of robbery because of having entered the house through an opening not intended for entrance; but in the case at bar the defendant entered by forcing open the door by means of some instrument. It was neither alleged nor proved that the door was broken. The accused not having entered the store by any of the means specified in article 299 of the Revised Penal Code, the crime committed by him was theft.

2. ID.; FAILURE TO EXPLAIN POSSESSION OF MONEY FOUND IN DEFENDANT’S POSSESSION. — As part of the stolen money was found in the possession of the defendant, and as he was unable to give any satisfactory explanation as to how he came into possession of it, the trial court was justified in finding that he had stolen not only the sum found in his possession but the total sum lost by the offended party.


D E C I S I O N


VICKERS, J.:


The defendant was charged in the Court of First Instance of Cagayan with the crime of robbery in an inhabited house, committed as follows:jgc:chanrobles.com.ph

"El que suscribe acusa a Agapito Fernandez, alias Epifanio Victa, alias Luis Cuadrante, alias Juan Marasigan, del delito de robo, previsto y castigado en el articulo 293 en relacion con el articulo 299 No. 2 y (b) 1 del Codigo Penal Revisado, cometido como sigue:jgc:chanrobles.com.ph

"Que en o hacia la noche del 5 de enero de 1933, en el Municipio de Iguig, Provincia de Cagayan, Islas Filipinas, y dentro de la jurisdiccion de este Juzgado, el referido acusado Agapito Fernandez, alias Epifanio Victa, alias Luis Cuadrante, alias Juan Marasigan, voluntaria, ilegal y criminalmente entro en la tienda del chino Uy Chio Song, alias Uy Chay Hing, empleando fuerza en las cosas, esto es, alzo la hoja de la puerta hacia el sur de dicha tienda del chino Uy Chio Song, alias Uy Chay Hing, habitada por este, y acto sequido se introdujo dentro de la tienda y despues mediante el uso de una llave falsa abrio el cajon de una mesa donde estaba entonces guardada la cantidad de P1,963.74 y una vez abierta, con animo de lucro se apodero de dicha cantidad de P1,963.74 consistentes en billetes de banco de a P50; de a P20; de P10; de P5; de P2; y de P1 y un billete de banco de P20 de ajena pertenencia y contra la voluntad de su dueño el mencionado chino Uy Chay Song, alias Uy Chay Hing, habiendose incautado en poder del acusado los siguientes: un billete de banco de a P50; un billete de dollar de $20; seis billetes de banco de a P10; siete billetes de a P5; ocho billetes de a P2; 5 billetes de a P1; 9 monedas de plata de a P1; una de P0.50; 12 de a P0.20; 4 de a P0.10 y cuatro de a P0.05 que en total suman P218.50, en perjuicio del mencionado Uy Chay Song.

"Que el acusado es un delincuente habitual seg
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