- Petitioner
- People
- Respondent
- Intal
- Citation
- G.R. No. L-10585
- Court
- Supreme Court
- Division
- En Banc
- Ponente
- Reyes, A., J.
- Decided
- April 29, 1957
Whether plea of guilty to lesser offense should be considered mitigating circumstance and determination of proper penalty for double homicide
Summary
This criminal case involved Melchor Intal y David, initially charged with double murder who pleaded guilty to the lesser offense of double homicide during trial. The main issue on appeal was whether his plea of guilty should be considered a mitigating circumstance in addition to his physical infirmity. The Supreme Court En Banc ruled that the plea of guilty to an amended charge constitutes a mitigating circumstance, following the precedent in People vs. Calma. With two mitigating circumstances and no aggravating circumstances, the Court reduced the penalty by one degree and applied the Indeterminate Sentence Law, modifying the trial court's sentence from 10 years and 1 day to 17 years, 4 months and 1 day, to 4 years, 9 months and 11 days to 10 years, 8 months and 1 day. The case established important precedent regarding plea bargaining and mitigation in criminal sentencing.