Monday, October 3, 2016

Reckless imprudence resulting to falsification of public documents is an offense that is necessarily included in the willful act of falsification of public documents - The Lawyer's Post





"x x x.

“Were criminal negligence but a modality in the commission of felonies, operating only to reduce the penalty therefor, then it would be absorbed in the mitigating circumstances of Art. 13, specially the lack of intent to commit so grave a wrong as the one actually committed. Furthermore, the theory would require that the corresponding penalty should be fixed in proportion to the penalty prescribed for each crime when committed willfully. For each penalty for the willful offense, there would then be a corresponding penalty for the negligent variety. But instead, our Revised Penal Code (Art. 365) fixes the penalty for reckless imprudence at arresto mayor maximum, to prision correccional , if the willful act would constitute a grave felony, notwithstanding that the penalty for the latter could range all the way from prision mayor to death, according to the case. It can be seen that the actual penalty for criminal negligence bears no relation to the individual willful crime, but is set in relation to a whole class, or series, of crimes. (Emphasis supplied)

x x x."


See -
G.R. No. 194390, August 13, 2014, VENANCIO M. SEVILLA, PETITIONER, VS. PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, RESPONDENT.