This case has been cited 2 times or more.
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2011-02-23 |
MENDOZA, J. |
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| Granting AAA indeed resented his stepfather, the Court does not necessarily cast doubt on AAA's credibility as witness. Motives, such as those arising from family feuds, resentment, or revenge, have not prevented the Court from giving, if proper, full credence to the testimony of minor complainants[29] who remained steadfast throughout their direct and cross-examination.[30] After all, ill motive is never an essential element of a crime. It becomes irrelevant and of no significance where there are affirmative, nay, categorical declarations towards the culpability of the accused for the felony. Well-entrenched is the doctrine which is founded on reason and experience that when the victim testifies that she has been raped, and her testimony is credible, such testimony may be the sole basis of conviction.[31] In this case, there could not have been a more powerful testament to the truth than her public outpouring of her unspoken grief. | |||||