The CA found accused-appellant guilty of the crime of acts of lasciviousness, under
Article 336 of the RPC, in relation to Section 5 (b), Article III of RA 7610, which
defines and penalizes acts of lasciviousness committed against a child, as follows:
Section 5. Child Prostitution and Other Sexual Abuse. - Children, whether male or
female, who for money, profit, or any other consideration or due to the coercion or
influence of any adult, syndicate or group, indulge in sexual intercourse or
lascivious conduct, are deemed to be children exploited in prostitution and other
sexual abuse.
The penalty of reclusion temporal in its medium period to reclusion perpetua shall
be imposed upon the following:
xxx
xxx
xxx
(b) Those who commit the act of sexual intercourse or lascivious conduct with a
child exploited in prostitution or subject to other sexual abuse; Provided, That when
the victims is under twelve (12) years of age, the perpetrators shall be prosecuted
under Article 335, paragraph 3, for rape and Article 336 of Act No. 3815, as
amended, the Revised Penal Code, for rape or lascivious conduct, as the case may
be: Provided, That the penalty for lascivious conduct when the victim is under
twelve (12) years of age shall be reclusion temporal in its medium period; x x x
xxx
xxx
xxx
The essential elements of this provision are:
1. The accused commits the act of sexual intercourse or lascivious conduct.
2. The said act is performed with a child exploited in prostitution or subjected to
other sexual abuse.
3. The child, whether male or female, is below 18 years of age.[32]
As to the first element, paragraph (h), Section 2 of the Implementing Rules and
Regulations of RA 7610 defines lascivious conduct as a crime committed through
the intentional touching, either directly or through the clothing of the genitalia,
anus, groin, breast, inner thigh or buttocks with the intent to abuse, humiliate,
harass, degrade, or arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person, among
others. Records show that the prosecution duly established this element when the
witnesses positively testified that accused-appellant fondled AAA's vagina sometime
in October 2004.