NEGATIVE ALLEGATIONS

Category: Criminal Procedure

WHAT  ARE  NEGATIVE  ALLEGATIONS?    WHAT  IS  THE  DIFFERENCE OF  A  NEGATIVE  ALLEGATION  AS  AN  ESSENTIAL  ELEMENT  OF  A CRIME  AND  A  NEGATIVE  ALLEGATION  AS  NOT  AN  ELEMENT  OF  A CRIME?  

> A  negative  allegation  as  an  essential  element  or  ingredient  of  a crime,  it  should  be  included  in  the  information  and  must  be proven to be able to convict the accused

> A  negative  allegation,  if  not  an  essential  element  of  a  crime,  it may not be included in the information  to be able to convict the accused

> If  a  person  is  caught  with  a  firearm  without  any  license,  the information  should  indicate  that  he  was  carrying  the  firearm without any license.  This is a mala prohibitum. If the absence of license  is  not  included  in  the  information,  he  could  not  be convicted.

> If a person is caught with prohibited drugs.  This is a mala in se.  It is enough that he was in possession of such drugs.  You don’t need to allege that he isn’t in possession of any prescription.  The doctor’s prescription as mentioned by the accused is only a matter of defense.

X WAS CHARGED WITH RAPE OF THE 10-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER OF HIS  COMMON-LAW  WIFE.    THE  INFORMATION  ONLY  ALLEGED MINORITY.    THE  COURT  CONVICTED  THE  ACCUSED  OF  RAPE  AND IMPOSED THE DEATH PENALTY AFTER THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE ACCUSED  WITH  THE  VICTIM’S  MOTHER  WAS  PROVEN.    WAS  THE COURT CORRECT?

> No, while under Article 335 of the RPC amended by RA 7659, the accused  may  be  sentenced  to  death  if  the  victim  is  a  minor  and the  offender  is  the  parent,  ascendant,  stepparent,  guardian,
relative by consanguinity or affinity within the third civil degree, or the  common-law  spouse  of  the  parent  of  the  victim,  THE  TWIN REQUISITES   OF   MINORITY   AND   RELATIONSHIP   MUST   BE
ALLEGED  AND  PROVED  TO  WARRANT  THE  IMPOSITION  OF  THE DEATH PENALTY 
 

X  WAS  CHARGED  WITH  RAPE  COMMITTED  THROUGH  FORCE  AND INTIMIDATION.    CAN  HE  BE  CONVICTED  OF  RAPE  WHERE  THE WOMAN    IS    DEPRIVED    OF    REASON    OR    IS    OTHERWISE UNCONSCIOUS?

> No,  where  the  law  distinguishes  two  cases  of  violation  of  its provision, the complaint or information must specify under which of the two cases the defendant is being charged