People of the Philippines, petitioner, vs. Lilibeth Romero y Dulaca a.k.a. “Beth”, respondent

Summary

This 1906 criminal case involved Natividad Pareja who was convicted of theft of a watch worth $50 Mexican currency belonging to Gregorio Gutay. The trial court sentenced her to four months imprisonment under Article 518, paragraph 4 of the Penal Code, plus costs and restitution or subsidiary imprisonment. On appeal, the Supreme Court En Banc affirmed the conviction, finding the evidence sufficient and no procedicial errors. However, the Court modified the sentence to explicitly require restoration of the stolen watch to the owner or payment of its value if restoration is impossible. This case demonstrates the application of theft provisions under the Spanish-era Penal Code and the principle of restitution in criminal cases during the early American colonial period in the Philippines.