6/9/2020
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(1) All criminal cases involving offenses for which the penalty
imposed is life imprisonment; and those involving offenses which,
although not so punished, arose out of the same occurrences or
which may have been committed by the accused on the same
occasion as that giving rise to the more serious offense,
regardless of whether the accused are charged as principals,
accomplices, or accessories, or whether they have been tried
jointly or separately; x x x.
§3 of Rule 122 of the Revised Rules of Criminal Procedure likewise declares -
SEC. 3. How appeal taken. (c) The appeal to the Supreme Court in cases where the penalty
imposed by the Regional Trial Court is reclusion perpetua or life
imprisonment, or where a lesser penalty is imposed but for
offenses committed on the same occasion or which arose out of
the same occurrence that gave rise to the more serious offense
for which the penalty of death, reclusion perpetua, or life
imprisonment is impose[d], shall be by filing a notice of appeal in
accordance with paragraph (a) of this section.
Even if only in Criminal Case No. Q-98-77300 was the penalty of life
imprisonment meted out, we still cannot consider the appeal of the verdict
in Criminal Case Nos. 98-77301 to 98-77303 for as the Supreme Court
clearly clarified--
An appeal of a single decision cannot be split between two
courts. The splitting of appeals is not conclusive to the orderly
administration of justice and invites possible conflict of
dispositions between the reviewing courts. Specifically, the Court
of Appeals has no jurisdiction to review an appeal of a judgment
imposing an indeterminate sentence, if the same ruling also
imposes reclusion perpetua, life imprisonment and death for
crimes arising out of the same facts.
In other words, the
Supreme Court has exclusive jurisdiction over appeals of criminal
cases in which the penalty imposed below is reclusion perpetua,
life imprisonment or death, even if the same decision orders, in
addition, a lesser penalty or penalties for crimes arising out of the
same occurrence or facts.
It will be seen that Robert Gubat, private complainant in Criminal Case No.
elibrary.judiciary.gov.ph/thebookshelf/showdocsfriendly/1/26427
9/23