People vs. Nicanor SALOME G.R. No. 169077 August 1! "006 #A$%S& So'eti'e in (ul) 1997! Sall) *+anan!

t,en 1 )ears ol+! -as sleeping -it, ,er .)ear ol+ /rot,er insi+e t,eir ,ouse -,en Salo'e entere+ t,e sa'e. S,e -as t,en a-a0ene+ /) t,e presence o1 t,e latter -,o allege+l) -as poling a 0ni1e at t,e /ase o1 ,er nec0. 2,ile ,ol+ing t,e 0ni1e -it, one ,an+! Salo'e un+resse+ ,er -it, ,is ot,er ,an+. 3e t,reatene+ t,at ,e -oul+ 0ill ,er an+ ,er 1a'il) i1 s,e -oul+ tell an)one a/out t,e inci+ent. A1ter un+ressing ,er! Salo'e 1orce+ ,er to lie +o-n! sprea+ ,er legs! an+ inserte+ ,is penis into ,er vagina. #ear1ul 1or ,er li1e an+ ,er 1a'il)4s sa1et)! s,e +i+ not in1or' an)one o1 t,e inci+ent. 3o-ever! -,en s,e 1oun+ out t,at s,e -as pregnant! Sall) reporte+ t,e inci+ent to t,e Police. An in1or'ation -as 1ile+ against Salo'e 1or t,e cri'e o1 RAPE -it, t,e use o1 a +ea+l) -eapon. Salo'e interpose+ in ,is ali/i t,at ,e -as 1is,ing +uring t,e allege+ ti'e o1 t,e inci+ent -,ic, -as corro/orate+ /) t-o -itnesses -,o acco'panie+ ,i' -it, t,e 1is,ing activit). R%$& $onvicte+ Salo'e o1 Rape -it, t,e use o1 +ea+l) -eapon aggravate+ /) t,e circu'stance o1 +-elling. 5eat, Peanalt) -as i'pose+. $A& Auto'atic Revie- /) S$ /ut -as re1erre+ to $A 1or inter'e+iate revie- pursuant to t,e S$ ruling on Pp. 6s. Mateo. A11ir'e+ t,e ruling o1 t,e R%$. S$& A11ir'e+ t,e conviction. *n lig,t! ,o-ever! o1 t,e passage o1 RA 9 76! t,e i'position o1 +eat, penalt) -as pro,i/ite+. Section " t,ereo1 states t,at in lieu o1 +eat, penalt)! t,e 1ollo-ing s,all /e i'pose+& a8 %,e penalt) o1 Reclusion Perpetua! -,en t,e la- violate+ 'a0es use o1 t,e no'enclature o1 t,e penalties o1 t,e RP$ /8 %,e penalt) o1 Li1e *'prison'ent! -,en t,e la- violate+ +o not 'a0e use o1 t,e no'enclature o1 t,e penalties o1 t,e RP$. #urt,er'ore! Section o1 t,e sa'e la- states t,at persons convicte+ o1 t,e o11ense punis,e+ /) Reclusion Perpetua o1 -,ose sentence s,all /e re+uce+ to Reclusion Perpetua s,all NO% /e eligi/le 1or PAROLE un+er t,e *n+eter'inate Sentence La-. *t s,oul+ /e note+ t,at -,ile t,e ne- la- pro,i/its t,e i'position o1 +eat, penalt)! t,e penalt) provi+e+ 1or a ,einous cri'e is still +eat, an+ t,e o11ense is still ,einous. On t,e ot,er ,an+! Auto'atic appeal in cases -,ere t,e trial court i'poses t,e +eat, penalt) -ill ,ence1ort, not appl)! since its i'position is no- pro,i/ite+! so t,at t,ere is a nee+ to PER#E$% an appeal! i1 appeal is +esire+ 1ro' a 9u+g'ent o1 conviction 1or an o11ense -,ere t,e penalt) i'pose+ is Reclusion Perpetua in lieu o1 +eat, penalt) pursuant to t,e ne- la- pro,i/iting it.