Meanwhile, the second sentence of Article III, Section 21 speaks of "the same act," which means that this act,
punished by a law and an ordinance, may no longer be prosecuted under either if a conviction or acquittal already
resulted from a previous prosecution involving the very same act.
For there to be double jeopardy, "a first jeopardy [must] ha[ve] attached prior to the second; . . . the first jeopardy has
been validly terminated; and ... a second jeopardy is for the same offense as that in the first." [77]
A first jeopardy has attached if: first, there was a "valid indictment";[78] second, this indictment was made "before a
competent court";[79] third, "after [the accused's] arraignment";[80] fourth, "when a valid plea has been entered";[81] and
lastly, "when the accused was acquitted or convicted, or the case was dismissed or otherwise terminated without his
express consent."[82] Lack of express consent is required because the accused's consent to dismiss the case means
that he or she actively prevented the court from proceeding to trial based on merits and rendering a judgment of
conviction or acquittal.[83] In other words, there would be a waiver of the right against double jeopardy if consent was
given by the accused.[84]
To determine the essential elements of both crimes for the purpose of ascertaining whether or not there is double
jeopardy in this case, below is a comparison of Article 266-A of the Revised Penal Code punishing rape and Section
5(b) of Republic Act No. 7610 punishing sexual abuse:
Rape under Article 266-A(1) of the Revised
Penal Code
Article 266-A. Rape; When and How
Committed. — Rape is committed —
1) By a man who shall have carnal knowledge
of a woman under any of the following
circumstances:
a) Through force, threat, or intimidation;
b) When the offended party is deprived of
reason or otherwise unconscious;
c) By means of fraudulent machination or
grave abuse of authority[.]
Sexual abuse under Section 5(b) of Republic
Act No. 7610
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 m sexual intercourse or lascivious
conduct, are deemed to be children exploited
m prostitution and other sexual abuse.
The penalty of reclusion temporal in its
medium period to reclusion perpetua shall be
imposed upon the following:
....
(b) Those who commit the act of sexual
intercourse or lascivious conduct with a child
exploited in prostitution or subjected to other
sexual abuse; Provided, That when the victim
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[.]
(Underscoring provided)
The provisions show that rape and sexual abuse are two (2) separate crimes with distinct elements. The "force,
threat, or intimidation" or deprivation of reason or unconsciousness required in Article 266-A(1) of the Revised Penal
Code is not the same as the "coercion or influence" required in Section 5(b) of Republic Act No. 7610. Consent is
immaterial in the crime of sexual abuse because "the [mere] act of [having] sexual intercourse . . . with a child