People v. Daramay Jr. G.R. Nos. 140235 %26 142748

Summary

Pedro Daramay Jr. was convicted of rape by the RTC and the conviction was affirmed by the Supreme Court. The case involved two rape charges from January 1998, with the victim Diana Estadilla testifying that her neighbor forcibly raped her in his house. The RTC convicted on the first count but dismissed the second for insufficient evidence. The Supreme Court upheld the conviction, emphasizing that the sole testimony of a rape victim, if credible, is sufficient for conviction. The Court rejected the accused's denial and found the victim's testimony clear and believable. The decision modified the damages, reducing moral damages to P25,000 and adding P50,000 civil indemnity. This case reinforces the jurisprudential principle that credible victim testimony alone can sustain rape convictions and that positive testimony prevails over mere denials.