were against their relationship, but Ben was persistent and tried to stop other suitors from courting her. Their closeness developed as he was her constant partner at fiestas. "3. After their marriage, they lived first in the home of Ben's parents, together with Ben's brother, Alex, in Isabel, Leyte. In the first year of marriage, Marivic and Ben 'lived happily'. But apparently, soon thereafter, the couple would quarrel often and their fights would become violent. "4. Ben's brother, Alex, testified for the prosecution that he could not remember when Ben and Marivic married. He said that when Ben and Marivic quarreled, generally when Ben would come home drunk, Marivic would inflict injuries on him. He said that in one incident in 1993 he saw Marivic holding a kitchen knife after Ben had shouted for help as his left hand was covered with blood. Marivic left the house but after a week, she returned apparently having asked for Ben's forgiveness. In another incident in May 22, 1994, early morning, Alex and his father apparently rushed to Ben's aid again and saw blood from Ben's forehead and Marivic holding an empty bottle. Ben and Marivic reconciled after Marivic had apparently again asked for Ben's forgiveness. "Mrs. Iluminada Genosa, Marivic's mother-in-law, testified too, saying that Ben and Marivic married in '1986 or 1985 more or less here in Fatima, Ormoc City.' She said as the marriage went along, Marivic became 'already very demanding. Mrs. Iluminada Genosa said that after the birth of Marivic's two sons, there were 'three (3) misunderstandings.' The first was when Marivic stabbed Ben with a table knife through his left arm; the second incident was on November 15, 1994, when Marivic struck Ben on the forehead 'using a sharp instrument until the eye was also affected. It was wounded and also the ear' and her husband went to Ben to help; and the third incident was in 1995 when the couple had already transferred to the house in Bilwang and she saw that Ben's hand was plastered as 'the bone cracked.' "Both mother and son claimed they brought Ben to a Pasar clinic for medical intervention. "5. Arturo Basobas, a co-worker of Ben, testified that on November 15, 1995 'After we collected our salary, we went to the cock-fighting place of ISCO.' They stayed there for three (3) hours, after which they went to 'Uniloks' and drank beer – allegedly only two (2) bottles each. After drinking they bought barbeque and went to the Genosa residence. Marivic was not there. He stayed a while talking with Ben, after which he went across the road to wait 'for the runner and the usher of the masiao game because during that time, the hearing on masiao numbers was rampant. I was waiting for the ushers and runners so that I can place my bet.' On his way home at about 9:00 in the evening, he heard the Genosas arguing. They were quarreling loudly. Outside their house was one 'Fredo' who is used by Ben to feed his fighting cocks. Basobas' testimony on the root of the quarrel, conveniently overheard by him was Marivic saying 'I will never hesitate to kill you', whilst Ben replied 'Why kill me when I am innocent.' Basobas thought they were joking. "He did not hear them quarreling while he was across the road from the Genosa residence. Basobas admitted that he and Ben were always at the cockpits every Saturday and Sunday. He claims that he once told Ben 'before when he was stricken with a bottle by Marivic Genosa' that he should leave her and that Ben would always take her back after she would leave him 'so many times'. "Basobas could not remember when Marivic had hit Ben, but it was a long time that they had been quarreling. He said Ben 'even had a wound' on the right forehead. He had known the couple for only one (1) year.