Marquez v. People

Summary

Petitioners were convicted of robbery with force upon things after breaking into a Rice-in-a-Box store and stealing items worth P42,000.00. The case was primarily established through the testimony of co-conspirator Marlon Mallari, who served as lookout during the crime and later confessed. The Supreme Court affirmed the conviction but corrected the legal classification from Article 299 to Article 302 of the Revised Penal Code, since the store was an uninhabited place rather than an inhabited house. The Court emphasized that testimony of a co-conspirator, even if uncorroborated, can be sufficient for conviction if given straightforwardly with credible details. The penalty was modified to comply with the proper legal provision, resulting in a sentence of one year and eight months to four years, nine months and ten days of prision correccional, plus restitution of P42,000.00 to the victim.