Justice Teresita Leonardo-De Castro Cases (2008-2015)Criminal LawFELONIES(Stages of execution)The Court cannot simply assume that there was attempted rape simply ecause accusedundressed himsel! and the o"ended party# plus the !act that accused did rape the latter onthreeotheroccasions$Thus# !or theretoeanattemptedrape#the accused mustha%ecommenced the act o! penetratin& his se'ual or&an to the %a&ina o! the %ictim ut !or somecause or accidentotherthanhisownspontaneousdesistance# thepenetration#howe%ersli&ht# is not completed$ - People of the Philippines vs !omingo !omingue"# $r# aliasSan% '( No )*+,)-# Novem.er /-# /+)+The crime o! roery remained unconsummated ecause (lmer La&daan re!used to &i%e hismoney to Joseph )arra and no personal property was shown to ha%e een ta*en$+t was !orthis reasonthat (lmer La&daanwas shot$ Joseph)arracanonlye!ound&uiltyo!attempted roery with homicide$ People of the Philippines vs $oseph 0arra# '( No),*+/+# $ul& )+# /+)1CONSPI(2C3,cts o! conspiracy o! each accused need not e directly pro%ed as it can e in!erred !romthe acts o! the accused prior to# durin& or suse-uent to the incident$ .hat is material isthat the actions o! the accused pertain to a /oint purpose# concert o! action or communityo! interest in conspiracy an act one is the act o! all$ -People of the Philippinesvs2rnol%'architorena&Cam.a242 $unior5 $oe&Pamplona242 Natoan%$essie 'arcia & 2%orino# ' ( No )678+7# 2ugust /*# /++,Conspiracy is always predominantly mental in composition ecause it consists primarily o! ameetin& o! minds and intent$ +t is present when the accused y their acts aimed at the sameo/ect# one per!ormin& one part and another per!ormin& another so as to complete it with a%iew to the attainment o! the same o/ect# and their acts thou&h apparently independentwere in !act concerted and cooperati%e# indicatin& closeness o! personal association#concerted action and concurrence o! sentiments$ Clearly# it is attendant in circumstanceswhen there was concerted action etween the accused-appellants e!ore# durin& and a!tertheo"ensewhichalydemonstratedtheirunityo! desi&nando/ecti%einsuccess!ullycommittin& the crime$ -People of the Philippinesvs$oseph Serrano an% 2nthon&Serrano# '( No )6,+1*# 9a& 8# /+)+0either can the rapid turn o! e%ents e considered to ne&ate a 1ndin& o! conspiracy$ 2nli*ee%ident premeditation# thereisnore-uirement !or conspiracytoe'ist that thereeasu3cient period o! time to elapse to a"ord !ull opportunity !or meditation and re4ection$+nstead# conspiracy arises on the %ery moment the plotters a&ree# e'pressly or impliedly# tocommit thesu/ect !elony$ -Peopleof thePhilippinesvs(estitutoCaran%ang#:enr& 9ilan an% $ac;man Chua# '( No )67,/8# $ul& 8# /+))Conspiracy e'ists whentwo or more persons come to an a&reement concernin& thecommissiono! a!elonyanddecidetocommit it$ .hileit ismandatorytopro%eit ycompetent e%idence# direct proo! is not essential to show conspiracy 5 it may e deduced!rom the mode# method# and manner y which the o"ense was perpetrated# or in!erred !romthe acts o! the accused themsel%es when such acts point to a /oint purpose and desi&n#concerted action and community o! interest$ The mere circumstance that accused did notpersonallyper!ormall theactsnecessarytoconsummatethecrimeisirrele%ant whenconspiracy is pro%en# since in conspiracy# the act o! one is the act o! all$- People of thePhilippines vs 2llan Niegas & Fallore# '( No ),-7*/# Novem.er /6# /+)1 $ o!the ?e%ised 6enal Code# are a3rmati%e de!enses which the accused is urdened to pro%e#with clearand con%incin& e%idence$=ucha3rmati%e de!enses in%ol%e -uestions o! !actsadduced to the trial and appellate courts !or resolution$ )y admittin& *illin& the %ictim insel!-de!ense or y accident without !ault or without intention o! causin& it# the urden isshi!ted to the accused to pro%e such a3rmati%e de!enses$ :e should rely on the stren&th o!his own e%idence and not on the wea*ness o! that o! the prosecution$ +! the accused !ails topro%e his a3rmati%e de!ense# he can no lon&er e ac-uitted$ - People of the Philippinesvs 9arcial 9alic%em# '( No )*-8+)# Novem.er )/# /+)/2nder para&raph ># ,rticle 11 o! the ?e%ised 6enal Code# to success!ully in%o*e a%oidanceo! &reater e%il as a /usti!yin& circumstance# the !ollowin& re-uisites should e complied with8(1) the e%il sou&ht to e a%oided actually e'ists(2) the in/ury !eared e &reater than thatdone to a%oid it and (7) there e no other practical and less harm!ul means o! pre%entin& it$;oreo%er# 6un@alan !ailed to satis!y the third re-uisite that there e no other practical andless harm!ulmeans o! pre%entin& it$ 2nder para&raph >#,rticle 11 o! the ?e%ised 6enalCode# in4iction o! dama&e or in/ury to another so that a &reater e%il or in/ury may not e!allone