Trial Court (RTC), Branch 11 in Ligao City, Albay, on January 23, 2013, rendered its
Judgment[9] finding petitioner guilty beyond reasonable doubt of the crime charged.
The dispositive portion of the judgment reads:[10]
WHEREFORE, in the light of the foregoing, judgment is hereby rendered:
1. Finding the accused, EDUARDO QUIMVEL Y BRAGA a.k.a. EDWARD/EDUARDO
QUIMUEL Y BRAGA, GUILTY beyond reasonable doubt of the crime of Acts of
Lasciviousness in relation to Section 5 (b), Article III of R.A. 7610 and thereby
sentenced him to suffer the penalty of imprisonment from FOURTEEN (14) YEARS,
EIGHT (8) MONTHS and ONE (1) DAY of Reclusion Temporal in its medium period
as minimum to FIFTEEN (15) YEARS, SIX (6) MONTHS and NINETEEN (19) DAYS of
Reclusion Temporal in its medium period as maximum; and
2. ORDERING the accused, EDUARDO QUIMVEL Y BRAGA a.k.a. EDWARD/EDUARDO
QUIMUEL Y BRAGA, to pay the victim the amount of P30,000.00 as moral damages
and to pay a fine in the amount of P30,000.00.
In the service of his sentence, accused EDUARDO QUIMVEL Y BRAGA a.k.a.
EDWARD/EDUARDO QUIMVEL Y BRAGA shall be credited with the period of his
preventive detention pursuant to Article 29 of the Revised Penal Code.
No costs.
SO ORDERED.
Ruling of the Appellate Court
Thereafter, petitioner lodged an appeal with the CA but to no avail. For on May 29,
2014, the CA rendered its assailed Decision affirming, with modification, the
Judgment of the trial court. The dispositive portion of the Decision provides:[11]
WHEREFORE, the Decision dated 23 January 2013 of the Regional Trial Court, Fifth
Judicial Region, Ligao City Branch II, in Criminal Case No. 5530, is hereby
MODIFIED in that accused-appellant EDUARDO QUIMVEL y BRAGA also known as
EDUARDO/EDWARD QUIMUEL y BRAGA is ORDERED to pay the victim, AAA moral
damages, exemplary damages and fine in the amount of P15,000.00 each as well
as P20,000.00 as civil indemnity. All damages shall earn interest at the rate of six
percent (6%) per annum from the date of finality of this judgment.
SO ORDERED.
The Issues
Aggrieved, Quimvel elevated his case to this Court and raised the following issues
for resolution: