[ G.R. No. 10935, February 01, 1916 ]
THE UNITED STATES, PLAINTIFF AND APPELLEE, VS. CASIMIRO E. VELAZQUEZ, DEFENDANT AND APPELLANT.
D E C I S I O N
MORELAND, J.:
Act No. 1740, entitled "An Act providing for the punishment of public officers and employees who fail or refuse to account for public funds or property or who make personal use of such funds or property, etc." expressly repeals articles 390, 391, and 392 of the Penal Code "in
so far as the same may be in conflict with this Act" No other provisions of the Penal Code are repealed; and those expressly mentioned are repealed only in so far as they may be in conflict with the Act The general principles embodied in articles 119, 120, and 121 of the
Penal Code are not disturbed by Act No. 1740, and are still in force and applicable to all crimes committed, under the Act Whether the payment to the province of P597 under the decision of this court be called a restitution or an indemnity, the result is the
same. The articles just referred to require the accused to repair the damage caused the province and to make good the loss which it has sustained by reason of his illegal acts. This question has not been directly presented to this court heretofore in such a way as to require a
direct decision thereon; but precisely the same kind of case has already been under consideration by this court in which the court affirmed a judgment holding that the accused must indemnify the province. In the case of the United States vs. Meneses (14 Phil. Rep., 357),
the accused misappropriated P2,713.68 belonging to the Province of Albay, and was sentenced by the trial court to eight years' imprisonment, to the payment of a fine of P1,000, and to indemnify the province in the sum of
P2,713. The accused appealed from the judgment of conviction and the sentence imposed thereunder alleging particularly that the punishment was excessive. The Supreme Court in dealing with that question said:
"We think this was a sound exercise of the discretion conferred upon the trial court in imposing the penalty prescribed in Act No. 1740, and we find no error in the proceedings prejudicial to the rights of the accused. The sentence imposed by the trial court should be and is hereby affirmed."
The motion is denied. So ordered.
Arellano, C. J., Torres, Johnson, Carson, Trent, and Araullo, JJ., concur.