Contrary to law.[9] Eventually, Angeles was arrested and arraigned in connection with Crim. Case Nos. 73-SD(96) and 74-SD(96), to which he pleaded not guilty. Alejandro was likewise arraigned in Crim. Case No. 73-SD(96) and pleaded not guilty as well.[10] The prosecution alleged that on December 12, 1995, AAA joined her co-worker for a vacation in the province of Nueva Ecija as they were both laid off from work, and they stayed at the one-storey house of the latter's 62-year old mother, BBB. Thereat, AAA would sleep at the papag while BBB slept on a mattress on the floor. At around 2:30 in the morning of January 5, 1996, AAA awoke to the sound of BBB's pleas for mercy. Aided by the kerosene lamp placed on the floor, AAA saw BBB being mauled and stabbed to death by Alejandro and Angeles. Thereafter, Angeles approached AAA and restrained her arms, while Alejandro pulled AAA's pants and underwear down and started having carnal knowledge of her. After Alejandro was done, he switched places with Angeles and the latter took his turn ravishing AAA. As AAA was able to fight back by scratching Angeles's back, Angeles punched her on the left side of her face while Alejandro hit her left jaw with a piece of wood. AAA then lost consciousness and woke up in a hospital, while BBB succumbed to her injuries.[11] At the hospital, the police officers interviewed AAA and showed her several mugshots in order for her to identify her assailants. AAA was then able to recognize Alejandro and Angeles from said mugshots and positively identified them as the perpetrators of the crime. Medical records also revealed that AAA was indeed sexually assaulted, while BBB died due to "neurogenic shock" or severe pain secondary to "multiple blunt injury and fracture of the mandibular and faciomaxillary bones."[12] In his defense, Angeles denied the charges against him and presented an alibi. He averred that on the night before the incident, he was at home with his wife and slept as early as eight (8) o'clock in the evening. Upon waking up at seven (7) o'clock in the morning of the next day, he was informed by his brother-in-law of BBB's death. He further averred that his relationship with BBB was like that of a mother and son.[13] Similarly, Alejandro invoked the defenses of denial and alibi. He claimed that at around nine (9) o'clock in the evening prior to the incident, he went home and slept. As testified by Noel Mendoza (Mendoza), Alejandro's relative by affinity, he asked Alejandro to help him irrigate the rice field, but the latter declined. At around midnight, Mendoza went to Alejandro's house to personally fetch Alejandro, but considering that the house was closed, Mendoza peeped through a hole and there