PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES VS. RACAL
G.R. No. 224886
September 04, 2017
FACTS:
The accused, armed with a knife, with deliberate intent, with treachery and evident premeditation, and with intent to kill, did then and there, suddenly and unexpectedly, attack, assault, and use personal violence upon Jose Francisco by stabbing the latter inflicting a fatal wound resulting to his death. Racal, on his part, did not deny having stabbed Francisco. However, he raised the defense of insanity. He presented expert witnesses who contended that he has a predisposition to snap into an episode where he loses his reason and thereby acts compulsively, involuntarily and outside his conscious control. Under this state, the defense argued that Racal could not distinguish right from wrong and, thus, was not capable of forming a mental intent at the time that he stabbed Francisco. The RTC ruled against Racal. MR was denied. The CA upheld the conviction of Racal.
