Camillo v. People

Summary

Rulie Compayan Camillo was charged with homicide for killing Noel Angcla on February 12, 2012. While working and carrying sacks of rice, drunk Noel suddenly and repeatedly boxed Rulie without provocation. Rulie put down his load and punched Noel's face, causing him to fall and fatally hit the pavement. The RTC and CA convicted Rulie, finding no valid self-defense as unlawful aggression had ceased. However, the Supreme Court reversed and acquitted Rulie, ruling that persistent fist blows by an intoxicated aggressor constituted unlawful aggression that justified reasonable defensive force. The Court emphasized that circumstances must be viewed from the accused's perspective during the incident, not in hindsight, and that survival instincts naturally trigger fight-or-flight responses when persistently attacked by an unruly drunk person.