The prosecution's theory was anchored on the testimonies of KKK, and her daughters MMM and 000, which, together with pertinent physical evidence, depicted the following events: KKK met the accused-appellant at the farm of her parents where his father was one of the laborers. They got married after a year of courtship.20 When their first child, MMM, was born, KKK and the accused-appellant put up a sari-sari store.21 Later on, they engaged in several other businesses trucking, rice mill and hardware. KKK managed the businesses except for the rice mill, which, ideally, was under the accused-appellant's supervision with the help of a trusted employee. In reality, however, he merely assisted in the rice mill business by occasionally driving one of the trucks to haul goods.22 Accused-appellant's keenness to make the businesses flourish was not as fervent as KKK's dedication. Even the daughters observed the disproportionate labors of their parents.23 He would drive the trucks sometimes but KKK was the one who actively managed the businesses.24 She wanted to provide a comfortable life for their children; he, on the other hand, did not acquiesce with that objective.25 In 1994, KKK and the accused-appellant bought a lot and built a house in Villa Ernesto, Gusa, Cagayan de Oro City.26 Three of the children transferred residence therein while KKK, the accusedappellant and one of their sons stayed in Dangcagan, Bukidnon. She shuttled between the two places regularly and sometimes he accompanied her.27 In 1998, KKK stayed in Gusa, Cagayan De Oro City most of the days of the week.28 On Wednesdays, she went to Dangcagan, Bukidnon to procure supplies for the family store and then returned to Cagayan de Oro City on the same day.29 Conjugal intimacy did not really cause marital problems between KKK and the accused-appellant. It was, in fact, both frequent and fulfilling. He treated her well and she, of course, responded with equal degree of enthusiasm.30 However, in 1997, he started to be brutal in bed. He would immediately remove her panties and, sans any foreplay, insert her penis in her vagina. His abridged method of lovemaking was physically painful for her so she would resist his sexual ambush but he would threaten her into submission.31 In 1998, KKK and the accused-appellant started quarrelling usually upon his complaint that she failed to attend to him. She was preoccupied with financial problems in their businesses and a bank loan. He wanted KKK to stay at home because "a woman must stay in the house and only good in bed (sic) x x x." She disobeyed his wishes and focused on her goal of providing a good future for the children.32 Four days before the subject rape incidents or on October 12, 1998, KKK and the accused-appellant slept together in Cebu City where the graduation rites of their eldest daughter were held. By October 14, 1998, the three of them were already back in Cagayan de Oro City.33 On October 16, 1998, the accused-appellant, his wife KKK and their children went about their nightly routine. The family store in their residence was closed at about 9:00 p.m. before supper was taken. Afterwards, KKK and the children went to the girls' bedroom at the mezzanine of the house to pray the rosary while the accused-appellant watched television in the living room.34 OOO and MMM then prepared their beds. Soon after, the accused-appellant fetched KKK and bid her to come with him to their conjugal bedroom in the third floor of the house. KKK complied.35 Once in the bedroom, KKK changed into a daster and fixed the matrimonial bed but she did not lie thereon with the accused-appellant and instead, rested separately in a cot near the bed. Her