The case involved the death of Antonio Abad Tormis, lawyer and columnist-editor of daily newspaper The Republic News, at the hands of a gunman, who were ordered by the accused, Felipe Pareja. The Supreme Court upheld the conviction of Pareja, as it was sufficiently proven that he had arranged for the shooting of Tormis. The commission of the crime was attended by two circumstances, namely, treachery and that the killing was committed in consideration of a price or reward. As such, they would suffice to qualify the crime as murder under Art. 248 of the Revised Penal Code.