Supreme Court decision · Criminal Law

Gali v. Sahagun

G.R. No. 1229 · Promulgated August 19, 1903 · Ponente: Arellano

In brief

This case is about the conviction for adultery, ruling that lack of husband's consent cannot be presumed from delay in filing complaint, and sentencing the accused with consideration of mitigating circumstances.

Consent, Mitigating Circumstances, Minority, Prision Correccional, Arresto Mayor

Related cases

G.R. No. 1280 United States v. Madlangbayan (Previous decision in Criminal Law)
G.R. No. 1103 United States v. Rabadillas (Next decision in Criminal Law)

Full text

Republic of the Philippines
SUPREME COURT
Manila

EN BANC

G.R. No. 1229 August 19, 1903

FRANCISCO GALI, complainant-appellant,
vs. FAUSTINO SAHAGUN, ET AL., defendants-appellees.

Solicitor General Araneta for appellant. Patrick J. Moore for appellees.

ARELLANO, C.J.:

We find the accused guilty. There is not sufficient legal proof of the consent of the husband, for the mere fact that seven months passed without his having filed a complaint for the crime of adultery can not be regarded as such. It was error, therefore, to acquit the defendants, as did the court below in the judgment appealed, which appeal we consider solely in so far as it is presented by the injured husband, the only person entitled to institute proceedings for a crime of this class. We disregard the appeal taken by the fiscal.

Therefore, taking into consideration the mitigating circumstance of article 11, and the minority of the woman (her age was 16), under article 9, paragraph 2, we condemn Faustino Sahagun to two years and four months of prision correccional, and Jacoba Agcanas to four months and one day of arresto mayor, and to the payment of costs.

Torres, Cooper, Willard, Mapa, and McDonough, JJ., concur.