People v. Genosa

VOL.
419, JANUARY 15, 2004 537

People vs. Genosa
*
G.R. No. 135981. January 15, 2004.
PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, appellee, vs. MARIVIC

GENOSA, appellant.
Criminal Law; Parricide; Evidence; Witnesses; Appeals; The

findings of the trial court on the credibility of witnesses and their
testimonies are entitled to a high degree of respect and will not be
disturbed on appeal in the absence of any showing that the trial
judge gravely abused his discretion.—The first six assigned errors
raised by appellant are factual in nature, if not collateral to the
resolution of the principal issues. As consistently held by this
Court, the findings of the trial court on the credibility of
witnesses and their testimonies are entitled to a high degree of
respect and will not be disturbed on appeal in the absence of any
showing that the trial judge gravely abused his discretion or
overlooked, misunderstood or misapplied material facts or
circumstances of weight and substance that could affect the
outcome of the case.
_______________
* EN BANC.
538
538 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED
People vs. Genosa

Same; Same; Same; Relationship; The key element in
parricide is the relationship of the offender with the victim.—The
key element in parricide is the relationship of the offender with
the victim. In the case of parricide of a spouse, the best proof of
the relationship between the accused and the deceased is the
marriage certificate. In the absence of a marriage certificate,
however, oral evidence of the fact of marriage may be considered
by the trial court if such proof is not objected to.
Same; Same; Same; Admission; Exceptions; Axiomatic is the
rule that a judicial admission is conclusive upon the party
making it, with exceptions.—Axiomatic is the rule that a judicial
admission is conclusive upon the party making it, except only
when there is a showing that (1) the admission was made
through a palpable mistake, or (2) no admission was in fact
made.
Same; Same; Justifying Circumstances; Self-defense; In
criminal cases, self-defense shifts the burden of proof from the
prosecution to the defense.—When the accused admits killing the
victim, it is incumbent upon her to prove any claimed justifying
circumstance by clear and convincing evidence. Well-settled is
the rule that in criminal cases, self-defense (and similarly,
defense of a stranger or third person) shifts the burden of proof
from the prosecution to the defense.
Same; Same; Same; Same; Battered Woman Syndrome
(BWS); The concept has been recognized in foreign jurisdictions as
a form of self-defense or, at the least, incomplete self-defense.—In
claiming self-defense, appellant raises the novel theory of the
battered woman syndrome. While new in Philippine
jurisprudence, the concept has been recognized in foreign
jurisdictions as a form of self-defense or, at the least, incomplete
self-defense. By appreciating evidence that a victim or defendant
is afflicted with the syndrome, foreign courts convey their
“understanding of the justifiably fearful state of mind of a person
who has been cyclically abused and controlled over a period of
time.”
Same; Same; Same; Same; Same; “Battered Woman”, defined;
In order to be classified as a battered woman, the couple must go
through the battering cycle at least twice.—A battered woman has
been defined as a woman “who is repeatedly subjected to any
forceful physical or psychological behavior by a man in order to
coerce her to do something he wants her to do without concern for
her rights. Battered women include wives or women in any form
of intimate relationship with men. Furthermore, in order to be
classified as a battered woman, the couple must go through the
battering cycle at least twice. Any woman may find herself in an
abusive relationship with a man once. If it occurs a second time,
and she remains in the situation, she is defined as a battered
woman.”
539
VOL. 419, JANUARY 15, 2004 539
People vs. Genosa
Same; Same; Same; Same; Same; Battered women exhibit

common personality traits.—Battered women exhibit common
personality traits, such as low self-esteem, traditional beliefs
about the home, the family and the female sex role; emotional
dependence upon the dominant male; the tendency to accept
responsibility for the batterer’s actions; and false hopes that the
relationship will improve.
Same; Same; Same; Same; Same; “Cycle of Violence”; Phases;
Tension-Building Phase; During the tension-building phase,
minor battering occurs—it could be verbal or slight physical abuse
or another form of hostile behavior.—During the tension-building
phase,minor battering occurs—it could be verbal or slight
physical abuse or another form of hostile behavior. The woman
usually tries to pacify the batterer through a show of kind,
nurturing behavior; or by simply staying out of his way. What
actually happens is that she allows herself to be abused in ways
that, to her, are comparatively minor. All she wants is to prevent
the escalation of the violence exhibited by the batterer. This
wish, however, proves to be double-edged, because her “placatory”
and passive behavior legitimizes his belief that he has the right
to abuse her in the first place. However, the techniques adopted
by the woman in her effort to placate him are not usually
successful, and the verbal and/or physical abuse worsens. Each
partner senses the imminent loss of control and the growing
tension and despair. Exhausted from the persistent stress, the
battered woman soon withdraws emotionally. But the more she
becomes emotionally unavailable, the more the batterer becomes
angry, oppressive and abusive. Often, at some unpredictable
point, the violence “spirals out of control” and leads to an acute
battering incident.
Same; Same; Same; Same; Same; Acute Battering Incident;
The acute battering incident is said to be characterized by
brutality, destructiveness and, sometimes, death.—The acute
battering incidentis said to be characterized by brutality,
destructiveness and, sometimes, death. The battered woman
deems this incident as unpredictable, yet also inevitable. During
this phase, she has no control; only the batterer may put an end
to the violence. Its nature can be as unpredictable as the time of
its explosion, and so are his reasons for ending it. The battered
woman usually realizes that she cannot reason with him, and
that resistance would only exacerbate her condition. At this
stage, she has a sense of detachment from the attack and the
terrible pain, although she may later clearly remember every
detail. Her apparent passivity in the face of acute violence may
be rationalized thus: the batterer is almost always much stronger
physically, and she knows from her past painful experience that
it is futile to fight back. Acute battering incidents are often very
savage and out of control, such that innocent bystanders or
intervenors are likely to get hurt.
540
People vs. Genosa
Same; Same; Same; Same; Same; Same; Same; Tranquil

Period; The final phase of the cycle of violence begins when the
acute battering incident ends—during this tranquil period, the
couple experience profound relief.—The final phase of the cycle of
violence begins when the acute battering incident ends. During
this tranquil period, the couple experience profound relief. On the
one hand, the batterer may show a tender and nurturing
behavior towards his partner. He knows that he has been
viciously cruel and tries to make up for it, begging for her
forgiveness and promising never to beat her again. On the other
hand, the battered woman also tries to convince herself that the
battery will never happen again; that her partner will change for
the better; and that this “good, gentle and caring man” is the real
person whom she loves. A battered woman usually believes that
she is the sole anchor of the emotional stability of the batterer.
Sensing his isolation and despair, she feels responsible for his
well-being. The truth, though, is that the chances of his
reforming, or seeking or receiving professional help, are very
slim, especially if she remains with him. Generally, only after she
leaves him does he seek professional help as a way of getting her
back. Yet, it is in this phase of remorseful reconciliation that she
is most thoroughly tormented psychologically. The illusion of
absolute inter dependency is well-entrenched in a battered
woman’s psyche. In this phase, she and her batterer are indeed
emotionally dependent on each other—she for his nurturant
behavior, he for her forgiveness. Underneath this miserable cycle
of ‘‘tension, violence and forgiveness,” each partner may believe
that it is better to die than to be separated. Neither one may
really feel independent, capable of functioning without the other.
Same; Same; Same; Same; Elements; One who resorts to self-
defense must face a real threat on one’s life, not merely imaginary.
—Settled in our jurisprudence, however, is the rule that the one
who resorts to self-defense must face a real threat on one’s life;
and the peril sought to be avoided must be imminent and actual,
not merely imaginary. Thus, the Revised Penal Code provides the
following requisites and effect of self-defense: “Art. 11. Justifying
circumstances.—The following do not incur any criminal liability:
“1. Anyone who acts in defense of his person or rights, provided
that the following circumstances concur; First. Unlawful
aggression; Second. Reasonable necessity of the means employed
to prevent or repel it; Third. Lack of sufficient provocation on the
part of the person defending himself.”
Same; Same; Same; Same; Same; Unlawful aggression;
Unlawful aggression is the most essential element of self-defense.
—Unlawful aggression is the most essential element of self-
defense. It presupposes actual, sudden and unexpected attack—
or an imminent danger thereof—on the life or safety of a person.
541
VOL. 419, JANUARY 15, 2004 541

People vs. Genosa
Same; Same; Same; Same; Same; Same; Aggression, if not

continuous, does not warrant self-defense.—Aggression, if not
continuous, does not warrant self-defense. In the absence of such
aggression, there can be no self-defense—complete or incomplete
—on the part of the victim.
Same; Same; Mitigating Circumstances; Passion and
Obfuscation; Requisites; To appreciate this circumstance, the
following requisites should concur.—In addition, we also find in
favor of appellant the extenuating circumstance of having acted
upon an impulse so powerful as to have naturally produced
passion and obfuscation. It has been held that this state of mind
is present when a crime is committed as a result of an
uncontrollable burst of passion provoked by prior unjust or
improper acts or by a legitimate stimulus so powerful as to
overcome reason. To appreciate this circumstance, the following
requisites should concur: (1) there is an act, both unlawful and
sufficient to produce such a condition of mind; and (2) this act is
not far removed from the commission of the crime by a
considerable length of time, during which the accused might
recover her normal equanimity.
Same; Same; Qualifying Circumstances; Treachery; Because
of the gravity of the resulting offense, treachery must be proved as
conclusively as the killing itself.—There is treachery when one
commits any of the crimes against persons by employing means,
methods or forms in the execution thereof without risk to oneself
arising from the defense that the offended party might make. In
order to qualify an act as treacherous, the circumstances invoked
must be proven as indubitably as the killing itself; they cannot be
deduced from mere inferences, or conjectures, which have no
place in the appreciation of evidence. Because of the gravity of
the resulting offense, treachery must be proved as conclusively as
the killing itself.
YNARES-SANTIAGO, J., Dissenting Opinion:
Criminal law; Parricide; Justifying Circumstances; Self-

defense; Battered Woman Syndrome; Phases; The Battered
Woman Syndrome has three (3) phases.—As exhaustively
discussed in the ponencia, the “Battered Woman Syndrome” has
three phases, to wit: (1) the tension-building phase, where minor
batterings in the form of verbal or slight physical abuse occurs.
Here, the woman tries to pacify the batterer through a show of
kind, nurturing behavior; or by simply staying out of his way; (2)
the acute battering incident phase which is characterized by
brutality, destructiveness and sometimes, death. The battered
woman usually realizes that she cannot reason with him and that
resistance would only exacerbate her condition; and (3) the
tranquil period, where the couple experience a compound relief
and the batterer may show a tender and nurturing behavior
towards his partner.
542
People vs. Genosa
Same; Same; Same; Same; Same; Once BWS and an

impending danger based on the conduct of the deceased in
previous battering episodes are established, actual occurrence of
an assault is no longer a condition sine qua non before self-
defense may be upheld.—Traditionally, in order that self-defense
may be appreciated, the unlawful aggression or the attack must
be imminent and actually in existence. This interpretation must,
however, be re-evaluated vis-à-visthe recognized inherent
characteristic of the psyche of a person afflicted with the
“Battered Woman Syndrome.” As previously discussed, women
afflicted by this syndrome live in constant fear for their life and
thus respond in self-defense. Once BWS and an impending
danger based on the conduct of the deceased in previous
battering episodes are established, actual occurrence of an
assault is no longer a condition sine qua non before self defense
may be upheld. Threatening behavior or communication can
satisfy the required imminence of danger. As stated in the
ponencia, to require the battered person to await an obvious
deadly attack before she can defend her life would amount to
sentencing her to murder by installment.
AUTOMATIC REVIEW of a decision of the Regional Trial

Court of Ormoc, Leyte, Br. 35.
The facts are stated in the opinion of the Court.
The Solicitor General for appellee.
Katrina Legarda and Dulce T. Asensi for appellant.
PANGANIBAN, J.:
Admitting she killed her husband, appellant anchors her

prayer for acquittal on a novel theory—the “battered
woman syndrome” (BWS), which allegedly constitutes self-
defense. Under the proven facts, however, she is not
entitled to complete exoneration because there was no
unlawful aggression—no immediate and unexpected
attack on her by her batterer-husband at the time she shot
him.
Absent unlawful aggression, there can be no self-
defense, complete or incomplete.
But all is not lost. The severe beatings repeatedly
inflicted on appellant constituted a form of cumulative
provocation that broke down her psychological resistance
and self-control. This “psychological paralysis” she suffered
diminished her will power, thereby entitling her to the
mitigating factor under paragraphs 9 and 10 of Article 13
of the Revised Penal Code.
543
VOL. 419, JANUARY 15, 2004 543

People vs. Genosa
In addition, appellant should also be credited with the

extenuating circumstance of having acted upon an impulse
so powerful as to have naturally produced passion and
obfuscation. The acute battering she suffered that fatal
night in the hands of her batterer-spouse, in spite of the
fact that she was eight months pregnant with their child,
overwhelmed her and put her in the aforesaid emotional
and mental state, which overcame her reason and impelled
her to vindicate her life and her unborn child’s.
Considering the presence of these two mitigating
circumstances arising from BWS, as well as the benefits of
the Indeterminate Sentence Law, she may now apply for
and be released from custody on parole, because she has
already served the minimum period of her penalty while
under detention during the pendency of this case.
The Case
For automatic review

1
before this Court is the September
25, 1998 Decision of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of
Ormoc City (Branch 35) in Criminal Case No. 5016-0,
finding Marivic Genosa guilty beyond reasonable doubt of
parricide. The decretal portion of the Decision reads:
“WHEREFORE, after all the foregoing being duly considered, the

Court finds the accused, Marivic Genosa y Isidro, GUILTY
beyond reasonable doubt of the crime of Parricide as provided
under Article 246 of the Revised Penal Code as restored by Sec. 5,
RA No. 7659, and after finding treachery as a generic
aggravating circumstance and none of mitigating circumstance,
hereby sentences the accused with the penalty of DEATH.
“The Court likewise penalizes the accused to pay the heirs of
the deceased the sum of fifty thousand pesos (P50.000.00),
Philippine currency as indemnity and another sum of fifty
thousand 2 pesos (P50,000.00), Philippine currency as moral
damages.”
3
The Information charged appellant with parricide as
follows:
“That on or about the 15th day of November 1995, at Barangay

Bilwang, Municipality of Isabel, Province of Leyte, Philippines
and within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, the above-
named accused, with intent
_______________
1 Penned by Judge Fortunito L. Madrona.

2 Assailed Decision, p. 17; Rollo, p. 43.
3 Signed by Provincial Prosecutor I Rosario D. Beleta.
544

People vs. Genosa
to kill, with treachery and evident premeditation, did then and
there wilfully, unlawfully and feloniously attack, assault, hit and
wound one BEN GENOSA, her legitimate husband, with the use
of a hard deadly weapon, which the accused had provided herself
for the purpose, [causing] the following wounds, to wit:
‘Cadaveric spasm.
‘Body on the 2nd stage of decomposition.
‘Face, black, blownup & swollen w/ evident
postmortem lividity. Eyes protruding from its
sockets and tongue slightly protrudes out of the
mouth.
‘Fracture, open, depressed, circular located at the
occipital bone of the head, resulting [in] laceration
of the brain, spontaneous rupture of the blood
vessels on the posterior surface of the brain,
laceration of the dura and meningeal vessels
producing severe intracranial hemorrhage.
‘Blisters at both extremities, anterior chest,
posterior chest, trunk w/ shedding of the epidermis.
‘Abdomen distended w/ gas. Trunk bloated.’
4
which caused his death.”
5
With the assistance of her counsel, appellant pleaded6
not
guilty during her arraignment on March 3, 1997. In due
course, she was tried for and convicted of parricide.
The Facts
Version of the Prosecution
The Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) summarizes the

prosecution’s version of the facts in this wise:
“Appellant and Ben Genosa were united in marriage on

November 19, 1983 in Ormoc City. Thereafter, they lived with
the parents of Ben in their house at Isabel, Leyte. For a time,
Ben’s younger brother, Alex, and his wife lived with them too.
Sometime in 1995, however, appellant and Ben rented from
Steban Matiga a house at Barangay Bilwang, Isabel, Leyte where
they lived with their two children, namely: John Marben and
Earl Pierre.
_______________
4 Rollo, p. 9.
5 Atty. Joventino Isidro. The accused was also represented later by
Atty. Gil Marvel P. Tabucanon.
6 Records, p. 65.
545
VOL. 419, JANUARY 15, 2004 545

People vs. Genosa
“On November 15, 1995, Ben and Arturo Basobas went to a

cockfight after receiving their salary. They each had two (2)
bottles of beer before heading home. Arturo would pass Ben’s
house before reaching his. When they arrived at the house of
Ben, he found out that appellant had gone to Isabel, Leyte to look
for him. Ben went inside his house, while Arturo went to a store
across it, waiting until 9:00 in the evening for the masiao runner
to place a bet. Arturo did not see appellant arrive but on his way
home passing the side of the Genosas’ rented house, he heard her
say ‘I won’t hesitate to kill you’ to which Ben replied ‘Why kill me
when I am innocent?’ That was the last time Arturo saw Ben
alive. Arturo also noticed that since then, the Genosas’ rented
house appeared uninhabited and was always closed.
“On November 16, 1995, appellant asked Erlinda Paderog, her
close friend and neighbor living about fifty (50) meters from her
house, to look after her pig because she was going to Cebu for a
pregnancy check-up. Appellant likewise asked Erlinda to sell her
motorcycle to their neighbor Ronnie Dayandayan who
unfortunately had no money to buy it.
“That same day, about 12:15 in the afternoon, Joseph Valida
was waiting for a bus going to Ormoc when he saw appellant
going out of their house with her two kids in tow, each one
carrying a bag, locking the gate and taking her children to the
waiting area where he was. Joseph lived about fifty (50) meters
behind the Genosas’ rented house. Joseph, appellant and her
children rode the same bus to Ormoc. They had no conversation
as Joseph noticed that appellant did not want to talk to him.
“On November 18, 1995, the neighbors of Steban Matiga told
him about the foul odor emanating from his house being rented
by Ben and appellant. Steban went there to find out the cause of
the stench but the house was locked from the inside. Since he did
not have a duplicate key with him, Steban destroyed the gate
padlock with a borrowed steel saw. He was able to get inside
through the kitchen door but only after destroying a window to
reach a hook that locked it. Alone, Steban went inside the
unlocked bedroom where the offensive smell was coming from.
There, he saw the lifeless body of Ben lying on his side on the bed
covered with a blanket. He was only in his briefs with injuries at
the back of his head. Seeing this, Steban went out of the house
and sent word to the mother of Ben about his son’s misfortune.
Later that day, Iluminada Genosa, the mother of Ben, identified
the dead body as that of [her] son.
“Meanwhile, in the morning of the same day, SPO3 Leo
Acodesin, then assigned at the police station at Isabel, Leyte,
received a report regarding the foul smell at the Genosas’ rented
house. Together with SPO1 Millares, SPO1 Colon, and Dr.
Refelina Cerillo, SPO3 Acodesin proceeded to the house and went
inside the bedroom where they found the dead body of Ben lying
on his side wrapped with a bedsheet. There was blood at the nape
of Ben who only had his briefs on. SPO3 Acodesin found in one
corner
546

People vs. Genosa
at the side of an aparador a metal pipe about two (2) meters from
where Ben was, leaning against a wall. The metal pipe measured
three (3) feet and six (6) inches long with a diameter of one and
half (1 1/2) inches. It had an open end without a stop valve with a
red stain at one end. The bedroom was not in disarray.
“About 10:00 that same morning, the cadaver of Ben, because
of its stench, had to be taken outside at the back of the house
before the postmortem examination was conducted by Dr. Cerillo
in the presence of the police. A municipal health officer at Isabel,
Leyte responsible for medico-legal cases, Dr. Cerillo found that
Ben had been dead for two to three days and his body was
already decomposing. The postmortem examination of Dr. Cerillo
yielded the findings quoted in the Information for parricide later
filed against appellant. She concluded that the cause of Ben’s
death was ‘cardiopulmonary arrest secondary to severe
intracranial hemorrhage due to a depressed fracture of the
occipital [bone].’
“Appellant admitted killing Ben.She testified that going home
after work on November 15, 1995, she got worried that her
husband who was not home yet might have gone gambling since
it was a payday. With her cousin Ecel Arano, appellant went to
look for Ben at the marketplace and taverns at Isabel, Leyte but
did not find him there. They found Ben drunk upon their return
at the Genosas’ house. Ecel went home despite appellant’s
request for her to sleep in their house.
“Then, Ben purportedly nagged appellant for following him,
even challenging her to a fight. She allegedly ignored him and
instead attended to their children who were doing their
homework. Apparently disappointed with her reaction, Ben
switched off the light and, with the use of a chopping knife, cut
the television antenna or wire to keep her from watching
television. According to appellant, Ben was about to attack her so
she ran to the bedroom, but he got hold of her hands and whirled
her around. She fell on the side of the bed and screamed for help.
Ben left. At this point, appellant packed his clothes because she
wanted him to leave. Seeing his packed clothes upon his return
home, Ben allegedly flew into a rage, dragged appellant outside
of the bedroom towards a drawer holding her by the neck, and
told her ‘You might as well be killed so nobody would nag me.’
Appellant testified that she was aware that there was a gun
inside the drawer but since Ben did not have the key to it, he got
a three-inch long blade cutter from his wallet. She however,
‘smashed’ the arm of Ben with a pipe, causing him to drop the
blade and his wallet. Appellant then ‘smashed’ Ben at his nape
with the pipe as he was about to pick up the blade and his wallet.
She thereafter ran inside the bedroom.
“Appellant, however, insisted that she ended the life of her
husband by shooting him. She supposedly ‘distorted’ the drawer
where the gun was
547
VOL. 419, JANUARY 15, 2004 547

People vs. Genosa
and shot 7Ben. He did not die on the spot, though, but in the
bedroom.” (Citations omitted)
Version of the Defense
Appellant relates her version of the facts in this manner:
“1. Marivic and Ben Genosa were allegedly married on November

19, 1983. Prior to her marriage, Marivic had graduated from San
Carlos, Cebu City, obtaining a degree of Bachelor of Science in
Business Administration, and was working, at the time of her
husband’s death, as a Secretary to the Port Managers in Ormoc
City. The couple had three (3) children: John Marben, Earl Pierre
and Marie Bianca.
“2. Marivic and Ben had known each other since elementary
school; they were neighbors in Bilwang; they were classmates;
and they were third degree cousins. Both sets of parents were
against their relationship, but Ben was persistent and tried to
stop other suitors from courting her. Their closeness developed as
he was her constant partner at fiestas.
“3. After their marriage, they lived first in the home of Ben’s
parents, together with Ben’s brother, Alex, in Isabel, Leyte. In
the first year of marriage, Marivic and Ben ‘lived happily’. But
apparently, soon thereafter, the couple would quarrel often and
their fights would become violent.
“4. Ben’s brother, Alex, testified for the prosecution that he
could not remember when Ben and Marivic married. He said that
when Ben and Marivic quarreled, generally when Ben would
come home drunk. Marivic would inflict injuries on him. He said
that in one incident in 1993 he saw Marivic holding a kitchen
knife after Ben had shouted for help as his left hand was covered
with blood. Marivic left the house but after a week, she returned
apparently having asked for Ben’s forgiveness. In another
incident in May 22, 1994, early morning, Alex and his father
apparently rushed to Ben’s aid again and saw blood from Ben’s
forehead and Marivic holding an empty bottle. Ben and Marivic
reconciled after Marivic had apparently again asked for Ben’s
forgiveness.
“Mrs. lluminada Genosa, Marivic’s mother-in-law, testified
too, saying that Ben and Marivic married in ‘1986 or 1985 more
or less here in Fatima, Ormoc City.’ She said as the marriage
went along, Marivic became ‘already very demanding. Mrs.
Iluminada Genosa said that after the birth of Marivic’s two sons,
there were ‘three (3) misunderstandings.’ The first was when
Marivic stabbed Ben with a table knife through his left arm; the
second incident was on November 15, 1994, when Marivic struck
_______________
7 Appellee’s Brief, pp. 5-13; Rollo, pp. 435-443. Signed by Solicitor General
Alfredo L. Benipayo, Assistant Solicitor General Karl B. Miranda, and Solicitor
Ma. Ana C. Rivera.
548

People vs. Genosa
Benon the forehead ‘using a sharp instrument until the eye was
also affected. It was wounded and also the ear’ and her husband
went to Ben to help; and the third incident was in 1995 when the
couple had already transferred to the house in Bilwang and she
saw that Ben’s hand was plastered as ‘the bone cracked.’
“Both mother and son claimed they brought Ben to a Pasar
clinic for medical intervention.
“5. Arturo Basobas, a co-worker of Ben, testified that on
November 15, 1995 ‘After we collected our salary, we went to the
cock-fighting place of ISCO.’ They stayed there for three (3)
hours, after which they went to ‘Uniloks’ and drank beer—
allegedly only two (2) bottles each. After drinking they bought
barbeque and went to the Genosa residence. Marivic was not
there. He stayed a while talking with Ben, after which he went
across the road to wait ‘for the runner and the usher of the
masiao game because during that time, the hearing on masiao
numbers was rampant. I was waiting for the ushers and runners
so that I can place my bet.’ On his way home at about 9:00 in the
evening, he heard the Genosas arguing. They were quarreling
loudly. Outside their house was one ‘Fredo’ who is used by Ben to
feed his fighting cocks. Basobas’ testimony on the root of the
quarrel, conveniently overheard by him was Marivic saying ‘I will
never hesitate to kill you’, whilst Ben replied ‘Why kill me when I
am innocent’ Basobas thought they were joking.
“He did not hear them quarreling while he was across the road
from the Genosa residence. Basobas admitted that he and Ben
were always at the cockpits every Saturday and Sunday. He
claims that he once told Ben ‘before when he was stricken with a
bottle by Marivic Genosa’ that he should leave her and that Ben
would always take her back after she would leave him ‘so many
times’.
“Basobas could not remember when Marivic had hit Ben, but
it was a long time that they had been quarreling. He said Ben
‘even had a wound’ on the right forehead. He had known the
couple for only one (1) year.
“6. Marivic testified that after the first year of marriage, Ben
became cruel to her and was a habitual drinker. She said he
provoked her, he would slap her, sometimes he would pin her
down on the bed, and sometimes beat her.
“These incidents happened several times and she would often
run home to her parents, but Ben would follow her and seek her
out, promising to change and would ask for her forgiveness. She
said after she would be beaten, she would seek medical help from
Dr. Dino Caing, Dr. Lucero and Dra. Cerillo. These doctors would
enter the injuries inflicted upon her by Ben into their reports.
Marivic said Ben would beat her or quarrel with her every time
he was drunk, at least three times a week.
549
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People vs. Genosa
“7. In her defense, witnesses who were not so closely related to

Marivic, testified as to the abuse and violence she received at the
hands of Ben.
‘7.1. Mr. Joe Barrientos, a fisherman, who was a [neighbor] of the

Genosas, testified that on November 15, 1995, he overheard a quarrel
between Ben and Marivic. Marivic was shouting for help and through
the open jalousies, he saw the spouses ‘grappling with each other’. Ben
had Marivic in a choke hold. He did not do anything, but had come
voluntarily to testify. (Please note this was the same night as that
8
testified to by Arturo Busabos. )

‘7.2. Mr. Junnie Barrientos, also a fisherman, and the brother of Mr.
Joe Barrientos, testified that he heard his neighbor Marivic shouting on
the night of November 15, 1995. He peeped through the window of his
hut which is located beside the Genosa house and saw ‘the spouses
grappling with each other then Ben Genosa was holding with his both
hands the neck of the accused, Marivic Genosa’. He said after a while,
Marivic was able to extricate he[r]self and enter the room of the
children. After that, he went back to work as he was to go fishing that
evening. He returned at 8:00 the next morning. (Again, please note that
this was the same night as that testified to by Arturo Basobas).
‘7.3. Mr. Teodoro Sarabia was a former neighbor of the Genosas while
they were living in Isabel, Leyte. His house was located about fifty (50)
meters from theirs. Marivic is his niece and he knew them to be living
together for 13 or 14 years. He said the couple was always quarreling.
Marivic confided in him that Ben would pawn items and then would use
the money to gamble. One time, he went to their house and they were
quarreling. Ben was so angry, but would be pacified ‘if somebody would
come.’ He testified that while Ben was alive ‘he used to gamble and
when he became drunk, he would go to our house and he will say, Teody’
because that was what he used to call me, ‘mokimas ta,’ which means
‘let’s go and look for a whore.’ Mr. Sarabia further testified that Ben
‘would box his wife and I would see bruises and one time she ran to me, I
noticed a wound (the witness pointed to his right breast) as according to
her a knife was stricken to her.’ Mr. Sarabia also said that once he saw
Ben had been injured too. He said he voluntarily testified only that
morning.
‘7.4. Miss Ecel Arano, an 18-year old student, who is a cousin of
Marivic, testified that in the afternoon of November 15, 1995, Marivic
went to her house and asked her help to look for Ben. They searched in
the market place, several taverns and some other places, but could not
find him. She accompanied Marivic home. Marivic
_______________
8 Spelled as “Basobas” in some parts of the record.
550

People vs. Genosa
wanted her to sleep with her in the Genosa house ‘because she might be
battered by her husband.’ When they got to the Genosa house at about
7:00 in the evening, Miss Arano said that ‘her husband was already
there and was drunk.’ Miss Arano knew he was drunk ‘because of his
staggering walking and I can also detect his face.’ Marivic entered the
house and she heard them quarrel noisily. (Again, please note that this
is the same night as that testified to by Arturo Basobas) Miss Arano
testified that this was not the first time Marivic had asked her to sleep
in the house as Marivic would be afraid every time her husband would
come home drunk. At one time when she did sleep over, she was
awakened at 10:00 in the evening when Ben arrived because the couple
‘were very noisy in the sala and I had heard something was broken like a
vase.’ She said Marivic ran into her room and they locked the door.
When Ben couldn’t get in he got a chair and a knife and ‘showed us the
knife through the window grill and he scared us.’ She said that Marivic
shouted for help, but no one came. On cross-examination, she said that
when she left Marivic’s house on November 15, 1995, the couple were
still quarreling.
‘7.5. Dr. Dino Caing, a physician testified that he and Marivic were
co-employees at PHILPHOS, Isabel, Leyte. Marivic was his patient
‘many times’ and had also received treatment from other doctors. Dr.
Caing testified that from July 6, 1989 until November 9, 1995, there
were six (6) episodes of physical injuries inflicted upon Marivic. These
injuries were reported in his Out-Patient Chart at the PHILPHOS
Hospital. The prosecution admitted the qualifications of Dr. Caing and
considered him an expert witness.’
x x x x x x x x x
‘Dr. Caing’s clinical history of the tension headache and hypertention
of Marivic on twenty-three (23) separate occasions was marked at
Exhibits ‘2’ and ‘2-B.’ The OPD Chart of Marivic at the Philphos Clinic
which reflected all the consultations made by Marivic and the six (6)
incidents of physical injuries reported was marked as Exhibit ‘3.’
“On cross-examination, Dr. Caing said that he is not a psychiatrist, he
could not say whether the injuries were directly related to the crime
committed. He said it is only a psychiatrist who is qualified to examine
the psychological make-up of the patient, ‘whether she is capable of
committing a crime or not.’
7.6. Mr. Panfilo Tero, the barangay captain in the place where the
Genosas resided, testified that about two (2) months before Ben died,
Marivic went to his office past 8:00 in the evening. She sought his help to
settle or confront the Genosa couple who were experiencing ‘family
troubles’. He told Marivic to return in the morn-
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People vs. Genosa
ing, but he did not hear from her again and assumed ‘that they might
have settled with each other or they might have forgiven with each
other.’
x x x x x x x x x
“Marivic said she did not provoke her husband when she got
home that night it was her husband who began the provocation.
Marivic said she was frightened that her husband would hurt her
and she wanted to make sure she would deliver her baby safely.
In fact, Marivic had to be admitted later at the Rizal Medical
Centre as she was suffering from eclampsia and hypertension,
and the baby was born prematurely on December 1, 1995.
“Marivic testified that during her marriage she had tried to
leave her husband at least five (5) times, but that Ben would
always follow her and they would reconcile. Marivic said that the
reason why Ben was violent and abusive towards her that night
was because ‘he was crazy about his recent girlfriend, Lulu x x x
Rubillos.’
“On cross-examination, Marivic insisted she shot Ben with a
gun; she said that he died in the bedroom; that their quarrels
could be heard by anyone passing their house; that Basobas lied
in his testimony; that she left for Manila the next day, November
16, 1995; that she did not bother anyone in Manila, rented
herself a room, and got herself a job as a field researcher under
the alias ‘Marvelous Isidro’; she did not tell anyone that she was
leaving Leyte, she just wanted to have a safe delivery of her baby;
and that she was arrested in San Pablo, Laguna.
‘Answering questions from the Court, Marivic said that she threw the
gun away; that she did not know what happened to the pipe she used to
‘smash him once’; that she was wounded by Ben on her wrist with the
bob; and that two (2) hours after she was ‘whirled’ by Ben, he kicked her
‘ass’ and dragged her towards the drawer when he saw that she had
packed his things.’
“9. The body of Ben Genosa was found on November 18, 1995
after an investigation was made of the foul odor emitting from
the Genosa residence. This fact was testified to by all the
prosecution witnesses and some defense witnesses during the
trial.
“10. Dra. Refelina Y. Cerillo, a physician, was the Municipal
Health Officer of Isabel, Leyte at the time of the incident, and
among her responsibilities as such was to take charge of all
medico-legal cases, such as the examination of cadavers and the
autopsy of cadavers. Dra. Cerillo is not a forensic pathologist. She
merely took the medical board exams and passed in 1986. She
was called by the police to go to the Genosa residence and when
she got there, she saw ‘some police officers and neighbors
around.’ She saw Ben Genosa, covered by a blanket, lying in a
semi-prone position with his back to the door. He was wearing
only a brief.
x x x x x x x x x
552

People vs. Genosa
“Dra. Cerillo said that ‘there is only one injury and that is the
injury involving the skeletal area of the head’ which she
described as a ‘fracture’. And that based on her examination, Ben
had been dead 2 or 3 days. Dra. Cerillo did not testify as to what
caused his death.
“Dra. Cerillo was not cross-examined by defense counsel.
“11. The Information, dated November 14, 1996, filed against
Marivic Genosa charged her with the crime of PARRICIDE
committed ‘with intent to kill, with treachery and evidence
premeditation, x x x wilfully, unlawfully and feloniously attack,
assault, hit and wound x x x her legitimate husband, with the use
of a hard deadly weapon x x x which caused his death.’
“12. Trial took place on 7 and 14 April 1997, 14 May 1997, 21
July 1997, 17, 22 and 23 September 1997, 12 November 1997, 15
and 16 December 1997, 22 May 1998, and 5 and 6 August 1998.
“13. On 23 September 1998, or only fifty (50) days from the
day of the last trial date, the Hon. Fortunito L. Madrona,
Presiding Judge, RTC-Branch 35, Ormoc City, rendered a
JUDGMENT finding Marivic guilty ‘beyond reasonable doubt’ of
the crime of parricide, and further found treachery as an
aggravating circumstance, thus sentencing her to the ultimate
penalty of DEATH.
“14. The case was elevated to this Honorable Court upon
automatic review and, under date of 24 January 2000, Marivic’s
trial lawyer, Atty. Gil Marvel P. Tabucanon, filed a Motion to
Withdraw as counsel, attaching thereto, as a precautionary
measure, two (2) drafts of Appellant’s Briefs he had prepared for
Marivic which, for reasons of her own, were not conformed to by
her. “The Honorable Court allowed the withdrawal of Atty.
Tabucanon and permitted the entry of appearance of undersigned
counsel.
“15. Without the knowledge of counsel, Marivic Genosa wrote
a letter dated 20 January 2000, to the Chief Justice, coursing the
same through Atty. Teresita G. Dimaisip, Deputy Clerk of Court
of Chief Judicial Records Office, wherein she submitted her ‘Brief
without counsels’ to the Court.
“This letter was stamp-received by the Honorable Court on 4
February 2000.
“16. In the meantime, under date of 17 February 2000, and
stamp-received by the Honorable Court on 19 February 2000,
undersigned counsel filed an URGENT OMNIBUS MOTION
praying that the Honorable Court allow the exhumation of Ben
Genosa and the re-examination of the cause of his death; allow
the examination of Marivic Genosa by qualified psychologists and
psychiatrists to determine her state of mind at the time she
killed her husband; and finally, to allow a partial re-opening of
the case a quo to take the testimony of said psychologists and
psychiatrists.
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VOL. 419, JANUARY 15, 2004 553

People vs. Genosa
“Attached to the URGENT OMNIBUS MOTION was a letter of

Dr. Raquel Fortun, then the only qualified forensic pathologist in
the country, who opined that the description of the death wound
(as culled from the post-mortem findings, Exhibit ‘A’) is more akin
to a gunshot wound than a beating with a lead pipe.
“17. In a RESOLUTION dated 29 September 2000, the
Honorable Court partly granted Marivic’s URGENT OMNIBUS
MOTION and remanded the case ‘to the trial court for the
reception of expert psychological and/or psychiatric opinion on
the ‘battered woman syndrome’ plea, within ninety (90) days
from notice, and, thereafter to forthwith report to this Court the
proceedings taken, together with the copies of the TSN and
relevant documentary evidence, if any, submitted.’
“18. On 15 January 2001, Dra. Natividad A. Dayan appeared
and testified before the Hon. Fortunito L. Madrona, RTC-Branch
35, Ormoc City.
“Immediately before Dra. Dayan was sworn, the Court a quo
asked if she had interviewed Marivic Genosa. Dra. Dayan
informed the Court that interviews were done at the Penal
Institution in 1999, but that the clinical interviews and
psychological assessment were done at her clinic.
“Dra. Dayan testified that she has been a clinical psychologist
for twenty (20) years with her own private clinic and connected
presently to the De La Salle University as a professor. Before
this, she was the Head of the Psychology Department of the
Assumption College; a member of the faculty of Psychology at the
Ateneo de Manila University and St. Joseph’s College; and was
the counseling psychologist of the National Defense College. She
has an AB in Psychology from the University of the Philippines, a
Master of Arts in Clinical [Counseling], Psychology from the
Ateneo, and a PhD from the U.P. She was the past president of
the Psychological Association of the Philippines and is a member
of the American Psychological Association. She is the secretary of
the International Council of Psychologists from about 68
countries; a member of the Forensic Psychology Association; and
a member of the ASEAN [Counseling] Association. She is actively
involved with the Philippine Judicial Academy, recently lecturing
on the socio-demographic and psychological profile of families
involved in domestic violence and nullity cases. She was with the
Davide Commission doing research about Military Psychology.
She has written a book entitled ‘Energy Global Psychology’
(together with Drs. Allan Tan and Allan Bernardo). The Genosa
case is the first time she has testified as an expert on battered
women as this is the first case of that nature.
“Dra. Dayan testified that for the research she conducted, on
the socio-demographic and psychological profile of families
involved in domestic violence, and nullity cases, she looked at
about 500 cases over a period of ten (10) years and discovered
that ‘there are lots of variables that cause all
554

People vs. Genosa
of this marital conflicts, from domestic violence to infidelity, to
psychiatric disorder.
“Dra. Dayan described domestic violence to comprise of ‘a lot of
incidents of psychological abuse, verbal abuse, and emotional
abuse to physical abuse and also sexual abuse.’
x x x x x x x x x
“Dra. Dayan testified that in her studies, ‘the battered woman
usually has a very low opinion of herself. She has a self-defeating
and self-sacrificing characteristics, x x x they usually think very
lowly of themselves and so when the violence would happen, they
usually think that they provoke it, that they were the one who
precipitated the violence, they provoke their spouse to be
physically, verbally and even sexually abusive to them.’ Dra.
Dayan said that usually a battered x x x comes from a
dysfunctional family or from ‘broken homes.’
“Dra. Dayan said that the batterer, just like the battered
woman, ‘also has a very low opinion of himself. But then emerges
to have superiority complex and it comes out as being very
arrogant, very hostile, very aggressive and very angry. They also
had (sic) a very low tolerance for frustrations. A lot of times they
are involved in vices like gambling, drinking and drugs. And they
become violent.’ The batterer also usually comes from a
dysfunctional family which over-pampers them and makes them
feel entitled to do anything. Also, they see often how their
parents abused each other so ‘there is a lot of modeling of
aggression in the family.’
“Dra. Dayan testified that there are a lot of reasons why a
battered woman does not leave her husband: poverty, self-blame
and guilt that she provoked the violence, the cycle itself which
makes her hope her husband will change, the belief in her
obligations to keep the family intact at all costs for the sake of
the children.
x x x x x x x x x
“Dra. Dayan said that abused wives react differently to the
violence: some leave the house, or lock themselves in another
room, or sometimes try to fight back triggering ‘physical violence
on both of them. She said that in a ‘normal marital relationship,’
abuses also happen, but these are ‘not consistent, not chronic, are
not happening day in [and] day out.’ In an ‘abnormal marital
relationship,’ the abuse occurs day in and day out, is long lasting
and ‘even would cause hospitalization on the victim and even
death on the victim.’
x x x x x x x x x
“Dra. Dayan said that as a result of the battery of
psychological tests she administered, it was her opinion that
Marivic fits the profile of a battered woman because ‘inspite of
her feeling of self-confidence which we can see at times there are
really feeling (sic) of loss, such feelings of humiliation which she
sees herself as damaged and as a broken person. And
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People vs. Genosa
at the same time she still has the imprint of all the abuses that
she had experienced in the past.’
x x x x x x x x x
“Dra. Dayan said Marivic thought of herself as a loving wife
and did not even consider filing for nullity or legal separation
inspite of the abuses. It was at the time of the tragedy that
Marivic then thought of herself as a victim.
x x x x x x x x x
“19. On 9 February 2001, Dr. Alfredo Pajarillo, a physician,
who has since passed away, appeared and testified before RTC-
Branch 35, Ormoc City.
“Dr. Pajarillo was a Diplomate of the Philippine Board of
Psychiatry; a Fellow of the Philippine Board of Psychiatry and a
Fellow of the Philippine Psychiatry Association. He was in the
practice of psychiatry for thirty-eight (38) years. Prior to being in
private practice, he was connected with the Veterans Memorial
Medical Centre where he gained his training on psychiatry and
neurology. After that, he was called to active duty in the Armed
Forces of the Philippines, assigned to the V. Luna Medical Center
for twenty six (26) years. Prior to his retirement from
government service, he obtained the rank of Brigadier General.
He obtained his medical degree from the University of Santo
Tomas. He was also a member of the World Association of
Military Surgeons; the Quezon City Medical Society; the Cagayan
Medical Society; and the Philippine Association of Military
Surgeons.
“He authored ‘The Comparative Analysis of Nervous
Breakdown in the Philippine Military Academy from the Period
1954 - 1978’ which was presented twice in international
congresses. He also authored The Mental Health of the Armed
Forces of the Philippines 2000’, which was likewise published
internationally and locally. He had a medical textbook published
on the use of Prasepam on a Parke-Davis grant; was the first to
use Enanthate (siquiline), on an E.R. Squibb grant; and he
published the use of the drug Zopiclom in 1985-86.
“Dr. Pajarillo explained that psychiatry deals with the
functional disorder of the mind and neurology deals with the
ailment of the brain and spinal cord enlarged. Psychology, on the
other hand, is a bachelor degree and a doctorate degree; while
one has to finish medicine to become a specialist in psychiatry.
“Even only in his 7th year as a resident in V. Luna Medical
Centre, Dr. Pajarillo had already encountered a suit involving
violent family relations, and testified in a case in 1964. In the
Armed Forces of the Philippines, violent family disputes abound,
and he has seen probably ten to twenty thousand cases. In those
days, the primordial intention of therapy was reconciliation. As a
result of his experience with domestic violence
556

People vs. Genosa
cases, he became a consultant of the Battered Woman Office in

Quezon City under Atty. Nenita Deproza.
“As such consultant, he had seen around forty (40) cases of
severe domestic violence, where there is physical abuse: such as
slapping, pushing, verbal abuse, battering and boxing a woman
even to an unconscious state such that the woman is sometimes
confined. The affliction of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
‘depends on the vulnerability of the victim.’ Dr. Pajarillo said that
if the victim is not very healthy, perhaps one episode of violence
may induce the disorder; if the psychological stamina and
physiologic constitutional stamina of the victim is stronger, ‘it
will take more repetitive trauma to precipitate the post-
traumatic stress disorder and this x x x is very dangerous.’
“In psychiatry, the post-traumatic stress disorder is
incorporated under the ‘anxiety neurosis or neurologic
anxcietism.’ It is produced by ‘overwhelming brutality, trauma.’
x x x x x x x x x
“Dr. Pajarillo explained that with ‘neurotic anxiety’, the victim
relives the beating or trauma as if it were real, although she is
not actually being beaten at that time. She thinks ‘of nothing but
the suffering.’
x x x x x x x x x
“A woman who suffers battery has a tendency to become
neurotic, her emotional tone is unstable, and she is irritable and
restless. She tends to become hard-headed and persistent. She
has higher sensitivity and her ‘self-world’ is damaged.
“Dr. Pajarillo said that an abnormal family background relates
to an individual’s illness, such as the deprivation of the
continuous care and love of the parents. As to the batterer, he
normally ‘internalizes what is around him within the
environment.’ And it becomes his own personality. He is very
competitive; he is aiming high all the time; he is so macho; he
shows his strong facade ‘but in it there are doubts in himself and
prone to act without thinking.’
x x x x x x x x x
“Dr. Pajarillo emphasized that ‘even though without the
presence of the precipator (sic) or the one who administered the
battering, that re-experiencing of the trauma occurred (sic)
because the individual cannot control it. It will just come up in
her mind or in his mind.’
x x x x x x x x x
“Dr. Pajarillo said that a woman suffering post traumatic
stress disorder try to defend themselves, and ‘primarily with
knives. Usually pointed weapons or any weapon that is available
in the immediate surrounding or in a hospital x x x because that
abound in the household.’ He said a victim resorts to weapons
when she has ‘reached the lowest rock
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People vs. Genosa
bottom of her life and there is no other recourse left on her but to
act decisively.’
x x x x x x x x x
“Dr. Pajarillo testified that he met Marivic Genosa in his office
in an interview he conducted for two (2) hours and seventeen (17)
minutes. He used the psychological evaluation and social case
studies as a help in forming his diagnosis. He came out with a
Psychiatric Report, dated 22 January 2001.
x x x x x x x x x
“On cross-examination by the private prosecutor, Dr. Pajarillo
said that at the time she killed her husband Marivic’c mental
condition was that she was ‘re-experiencing the trauma.’ He said
‘that we are trying to explain scientifically that the re-experiencing
of the trauma is not controlled by Marivic. It will just come in
flashes and probably at that point in time that things happened
when the re-experiencing of the trauma flashed in her mind.’ At
the time he interviewed Marivic ‘she was more subdued, she was
not super alert anymore x x x she is mentally stress (sic) because
of the predicament she is involved.’
x x x x x x x x x
“20. No rebuttal evidence or testimony was presented by either
the private or the public prosecutor. Thus, in accord with the
Resolution of this Honorable Court,9 the records of the partially
re-opened trial a quo were elevated.”
Ruling of the Trial Court
Finding the proffered theory of self-defense untenable, the

RTC gave credence to the prosecution evidence that
appellant had killed the deceased while he was in bed
sleeping. Further, the trial court appreciated the generic
aggravating circumstance of treachery, because Ben
Genosa was supposedly defenseless when he was killed—
lying in bed asleep when Marivic smashed him with a pipe
at the back of his head.
The capital penalty having been imposed, the case was
elevated to this Court for automatic review.
_______________
9 Appellant’s Brief, pp. 10-71; Rollo, pp. 284-345; signed by Atty.

Katrina Legarda. Citations omitted.
558

People vs. Genosa
Supervening Circumstances
On February 19, 2000, appellant filed an Urgent Omnibus

Motion praying that this Court allow (1) the exhumation of
Ben Genosa and the reexamination of the cause of his
death; (2) the examination of appellant by qualified
psychologists and psychiatrists to determine her state of
mind at the time she had killed her spouse; and (3) the
inclusion of the said experts’ reports in the records of the
case for purposes of the automatic review or, in the
alternative, a partial reopening of the case for the lower
court to admit the experts’ testimonies.
On September 29, 2000, this Court issued a Resolution
granting in part appellant’s Motion, remanding the case to
the trial court for the reception of expert psychological
and/or psychiatric opinion on the “battered woman
syndrome” plea; and requiring the lower court to report
thereafter to this Court the proceedings taken as well as to
submit copies of the TSN and additional evidence, if any.
Acting on the Court’s Resolution, the trial judge
authorized the examination of Marivic 10by two clinical
psychologists,
11
Drs. Natividad Dayan and Alfredo
Pajarillo, supposedly experts on domestic
_______________
10 Qualifying her expertise, Dra. Dayan stated that she had been a
practising clinical psychologist for over twenty (20) years. Currently, she
is a professor at the De La Salle University. Prior thereto, she was the
head of the Psychology Department of the Assumption College; a member
of the faculty of Psychology of the Ateneo de Manila University and St.
Joseph’s College; and the counseling psychologist of the National Defense
College. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the
University of the Philippines (UP), her Master of Arts in Clinical
Counseling from Ateneo, and her Ph.D. also from UP. She is the secretary
of the International Council of Psychologists, comprised of members from
about 68 countries; and was the past president of the Psychological
Association of the Philippines. She is a member of the Forensic
Psychology Association, the American Psychological Association, and the
ASEAN Counseling Association. She authored the book entitled Energy
Global Psychology (together with Drs. Allen Tan and Allan Bernardo).
Dra. Dayan also lectures at the Philippine Judicial Academy, recently on
the socio-demographic and psychological profiles of families involved in
domestic violence cases. On the subject, she had conducted, for over a
period of ten years, research on the profiles of about 500 families involved
in domestic violence.
11 Dr. Pajarillo obtained his medical degree from the University of
Santo Tomas and has been in the practice of psychiatry for thirty-eight
years. He honed his practice in psychiatry and neurology during his stint
559
VOL. 419, JANUARY 15, 2004 559

People vs. Genosa
violence. Their testimonies, along with their documentary

evidence, were then presented to and admitted by the
lower court before finally being submitted
12
to this Court to
form part of the records of the case.
The Issues
Appellant assigns the following alleged errors of the trial

court for this Court’s consideration:
“1. The trial court gravely erred in promulgating an

obviously hasty decision without reflecting on the
evidence adduced as to self-defense.
“2. The trial court gravely erred in finding as a fact
that Ben and Marivic Genosa were legally married
and that she was therefore liable for parricide.
“3. The trial court gravely erred finding the cause of
death to be by beating with a pipe.
“4. The trial court gravely erred in ignoring and
disregarding evidence adduced from impartial and
unbiased witnesses that Ben Genosa was a drunk,
a gambler, a womanizer and wife-beater; and
further gravely erred in concluding that Ben
Genosa was a battered husband.
_______________
with the Veterans Memorial Medical Centre. Thereafter, he was called

to active duty in the Armed Forces of the Philippines and was assigned at
the V. Luna Medical Center for twenty-six years. He was a diplomate of
the Philippine Board of Psychiatry; and a fellow of the Philippine Board
of Psychiatry and the Philippine Psychiatry Association. He was also a
member of the World Association of Military Surgeons; the Quezon City
Medical Society; the Cagayan Medical Society; and the Philippine
Association of Military Surgeons. He authored The Comparative Analysis
of Nervous Breakdown in the Philippine Military Academy from the
Period 1954-1978, which was presented twice in international congresses.
He also authored “The Mental Health of the Armed Forces of the
Philippines 2000,” which was likewise published internationally and
locally. On a Parke-Davis grant, he published a medical textbook on the
use of Prasepam; on an ER Squibb grant, he was the first to use
Enanthate (siquiline); and he published the use of the drug Zopiclom in
1985-86. Prior to his retirement from government service, he obtained the
rank of Brigadier General. (TSN, February 9, 2001, pp. 6-9; Exhibits
“F”-“F-9”-Appellant (Bio-Data of Dr. Pajarillo).
12 This case was deemed submitted for resolution on April 4, 2003,
upon receipt by this Court of appellee’s Brief. Appellant’s Brief was filed
on December 2, 2002.
560

People vs. Genosa
“5. The trial court gravely erred in not requiring

testimony from the children of Marivic Genosa.
“6. The trial court gravely erred in concluding that
Marivic’s flight to Manila and her subsequent
apologies were indicia of guilt, instead of a clear
attempt to save the life of her unborn child.
“7. The trial court gravely erred in concluding that
there was an aggravating circumstance of
treachery.
“8. The trial court gravely erred in refusing to re-
evaluate the traditional elements in determining
the existence of self-defense and defense of foetus
in this case, thereby erroneously convicting Marivic
Genosa of the crime of parricide and 13
condemning
her to the ultimate penalty of death.”
In the main, the following are the essential legal issues: (1)
whether appellant acted in self-defense and in defense of
her fetus; and (2) whether treachery attended the killing of
Ben Genosa.
The Court’s Ruling
The appeal is partly meritorious.
Collateral Factual Issues
The first six assigned errors raised by appellant are

factual in nature, if not collateral to the resolution of the
principal issues. As consistently held by this Court, the
findings of the trial court on the credibility of witnesses
and their testimonies are entitled to a high degree of
respect and will not be disturbed on appeal in the absence
of any showing that the trial judge gravely abused his
discretion or overlooked, misunderstood or misapplied
material facts or circumstances of weight 14
and substance
that could affect the outcome of the case.
In appellant’s first six assigned items, we find no grave
abuse of discretion, reversible error or misappreciation of
material facts that would reverse or modify the trial
court’s disposition of the case. In any event, we will now
briefly dispose of these alleged errors of the trial court.
_______________
13 Appellant’s Brief, Rollo, pp. 346-347. Original in upper case.

14 Caca v. Court of Appeals and People, 341 Phil. 114; 275 SCRA 123,
July 7, 1997; People v. Paragua, 326 Phil. 923; 257 SCRA 118, May 24,
1996;People v. Tanoj, 387 Phil. 750; 332 SCRA 12, May 12, 2000; People v.
Magaro, 353 Phil. 862; 291 SCRA 681, July 2, 1998.
561
VOL. 419, JANUARY 15, 2004 561
People vs. Genosa
First, we do not agree that the lower court promulgated

“an obviously hasty decision without reflecting on the
evidence adduced as to self-defense.” We note that in his
17-page Decision, Judge Fortunito L. Madrona
summarized the testimonies of both the prosecution and
the defense witnesses and—on the basis of those and of the
documentary evidence on record—made his evaluation,
findings and conclusions. He wrote a 3-page discourse
assessing the testimony and the self-defense theory of the
accused. While she, or even this Court, may not agree with
the trial judge’s conclusions, we cannot peremptorily
conclude, absent substantial evidence, that he failed to
reflect on the evidence presented.
Neither do we find the appealed Decision to have been
made in an “obviously hasty” manner. The Information
had been filed with the lower court on November 14, 1996.
Thereafter, trial began and at least 13 hearings were held
for over a year. It took the trial judge about two months
from the conclusion of trial to promulgate his judgment.
That he conducted the trial and resolved the case with
dispatch should not be taken against him, much less used
to condemn him for being unduly hasty. If at all, the
dispatch with which he handled the case should be lauded.
In any case, we find his actions in 15
substantial compliance
with his constitutional obligation.
Second, the lower court did not err in finding as a fact
that Ben Genosa and appellant had been legally married,
despite the non-presentation
16
of their marriage contract. In
People v. Malabago, this Court held:
“The key element in parricide is the relationship of the offender

with the victim. In the case of parricide of a spouse, the best proof
of the relationship between the accused and the deceased is the
marriage certificate. In the absence of a marriage certificate,
however, oral evidence of the fact
_______________
15 §15 of Art. VIII of the Constitution provides:

“Sec. 15. (1) All cases or matters filed after the effectivity of this Constitution must be
decided or resolved within x x x three months for all other lower courts.
“(2) A case or matter shall be deemed submitted for decision or resolution upon the filing
of the last pleading, brief, or memorandum required by the Rules of Court or by the court
itself.”
16 333 Phil. 20; 265 SCRA 198, December 2, 1996, per Puno, J.
562

People vs. Genosa
of marriage may be considered by the trial court if such proof is

not objected to.”
Two of the prosecution witnesses—namely, the mother and

the brother of appellant’s deceased spouse—attested
17
in
court that Ben had been married to Marivic. The defense
raised no objection to these testimonies. Moreover, during
her direct examination, appellant 18herself made a judicial
admission of her marriage to Ben. Axiomatic is the rule
that a judicial admission is conclusive upon the party
making it, except only when there is a showing that (1) the
admission was made through 19
a palpable mistake, or (2) no
admission was in fact made. Other than merely attacking
the non-presentation of the marriage contract, the defense
offered no proof that the admission made by appellant in
court as to the fact of her marriage to the deceased was
made through a palpable mistake.
Third,under the circumstances of this case, the specific
or direct cause of Ben’s death—whether by a gunshot or by
beating with a pipe—has no legal consequence. As the
Court elucidated in its September 29, 2000 Resolution,
“[considering that the appellant has admitted the fact of
killing her husband and the acts of hitting his nape with a
metal pipe and of shooting him at the back of his head, the
Court believes that exhumation is unnecessary, if not
immaterial, to determine which of said acts actually
caused the victim’s death.” Determining which of these
admitted acts caused the death is not dispositive of the
guilt or defense of appellant.
Fourth, we cannot fault the trial court for not fully
appreciating evidence that Ben was a drunk, gambler,
womanizer and wife-beater. Until this case came to us for
automatic review, appellant had not raised the novel
defense of “battered woman syndrome,” for which such
evidence may have been relevant. Her theory of self-
defense was then the crucial issue before the trial court. As
will be discussed shortly, the legal requisites of self-
defense under prevailing jurisprudence ostensibly appear
inconsistent with the surrounding facts that led to the
death of the victim. Hence, his
_______________
17 TSN, September 23, 1997, pp. 11-12 & 14; TSN, November 12, 1997,
pp. 29 & 33.
18 TSN, August 6, 1998, pp. 7-8.
19 People v. Sarabia, 376 Phil. 32; 317 SCRA 684, October 29, 1999.
563
VOL. 419, JANUARY 15, 2004 563

People vs. Genosa
personal character, especially his past behavior, did not

constitute vital evidence at the time.
Fifth, the trial court surely committed no error in not
requiring testimony from appellant’s children. As correctly
elucidated by the solicitor general, all criminal actions are
prosecuted under the direction and control of the public
prosecutor, in whom lies the discretion to determine20
which
witnesses and evidence are necessary to present. As the
former further points out, neither the trial court nor the
prosecution prevented appellant from presenting her
children as witnesses. Thus, she cannot now fault the
lower court for not requiring them to testify.
Finally, merely collateral or corroborative is the matter
of whether the flight of Marivic to Manila and her
subsequent apologies to her brother-in-law are indicia of
her guilt or are attempts to save the life of her unborn
child. Any reversible error as to the trial court’s
appreciation of these circumstances has little bearing on
the final resolution of the case.
First Legal Issue:

Self-Defense and Defense of a Fetus
Appellant admits killing Ben Genosa but, to avoid criminal

liability, invokes self-defense and/or defense of her unborn
child. When the accused admits killing the victim, it is
incumbent upon her to prove any claimed justifying 21
circumstance by clear and convincing evidence. Well-
settled is the rule that in criminal cases, self-defense (and
similarly, defense of a stranger or third person) shifts
22
the
burden of proof from the prosecution to the defense.
The Battered Woman Syndrome

In claiming self-defense, appellant raises the novel theory
of the battered woman syndrome. While new in Philippine
jurisprudence, the concept has been recognized in foreign
jurisdictions as a form
_______________
20 Appellee’s Brief, p. 26, citing People v. De los Reyes, 229 SCRA 439,
January 21, 1994. See also §5 of Rule 110 of the New Rules of Criminal
Procedure and People v. Vergara, 221 SCRA 560, April 28, 1993.
21 People v. Rabanal, 349 SCRA 655, January 19, 2001; People v.
Carlo,351 Phil. 644; 288 SCRA 404, March 31, 1998; People v. Baniel, 341
Phil. 471; 275 SCRA 472, July 15, 1997.
22 People v. Peralta, 350 SCRA 198, January 24, 2001.
564

People vs. Genosa
23
of self-defense or, at the least, incomplete self-defense. By
appreciating evidence that a victim or defendant is
afflicted with the syndrome, foreign courts convey their
“understanding of the justifiably fearful state of mind of a
person who has been
24
cyclically abused and controlled over
a period of time.”
A battered woman has been defined as a woman “who is
repeatedly subjected to any forceful physical or
psychological behavior by a man in order to coerce her to
do something he wants her to do without concern for her
rights. Battered women include wives or women in any
form of intimate relationship with men. Furthermore, in
order to be classified as a battered woman, the couple must
go through the battering cycle at least twice. Any woman
may find herself in an abusive relationship with a man
once. If it occurs a second time, and she remains
25
in the
situation, she is defined as a battered woman.”
Battered women exhibit common personality traits,
such as low self-esteem, traditional beliefs about the home,
the family and the female sex role; emotional dependence
upon the dominant male; the tendency to accept
responsibility for the batterer’s actions;
26
and false hopes
that the relationship will improve.
More graphically, the battered woman syndrome 27
is
characterized by the so-called “cycle of violence,” which
has three phases:
_______________
23 See Ibn-Tamas v. US, 477 A.2d 626, 1979 DC App. LEXIS 457;
McLuckie v. Abbott, 337 F.3d 1193; 2003 US App. LEXIS 15240; DePetris
v. Kuykendall, 239 F.3d 1057; 2001 US App. LEXIS 1062; State v. Kelley,
478 A.2d 364 (1984); McMaugh v. State, 612 A.2d 725 (RI 1992); State v.
Frost, 577 A.2d 1282 (NJ Super. Ct. App. Div. 1990); State v. Gallegos,
719 P.2d 1268 (NM Ct. App. 1986); R v. Lavallee (1990) 1 SCR; Reilly v.
The Queen, (1984) 2 SCR 396.
24 Symposium on Domestic Violence. Article: “Providing Legal
Protection for Battered Women: An Analysis of State Statutes and Case
Law LEXSEE 21 Hofstra L. Rev. 801 (Summer 1993), 1161.
25 McMaugb v. State, 612 A.2d 725, 731, quoting L. Walker, The
Battered Woman, at XV (1979).
26 People v. Torres, 128 Misc2d, 129, 488 NYS2d 358; McMaugh v.
State,612 A.2d 725.
27 Walker, Lenore, The Battered Woman Syndrome (1984), pp. 95-96.
Dr. Walker, a clinical psychologist, is an acknowledged expert on BWS in
the United States. She is a pioneer researcher in the field. In this book,
she reports the results of her study involving 400 battered women. Her
research was designed to test empirically the theories expounded in her
565
VOL. 419, JANUARY 15, 2004 565

People vs. Genosa
(1) the tension-building phase; (2) the acute battering

incident; and (3)28 the tranquil, loving (or, at least,
nonviolent) phase.
During the tension-building phase,minor battering
occurs—it could be verbal or slight physical abuse or
another form of hostile behavior. The woman usually tries
to pacify the batterer through a show of kind, nurturing
behavior; or by simply staying out of his way. What
actually happens is that she allows herself to be abused in
ways that, to her, are comparatively minor. All she wants
is to prevent the escalation of the violence exhibited by the
batterer. This wish, however, proves to be double-edged,
because her “placatory” and passive behavior legitimizes
his belief that he has the right to abuse her in the first
place.
However, the techniques adopted by the woman in her
effort to placate him are not usually successful, and the
verbal and/or physical abuse worsens. Each partner senses
the imminent loss of control and the growing tension and
despair. Exhausted from the persistent stress, the battered
woman soon withdraws emotionally. But the more she
becomes emotionally unavailable, the more the batterer
becomes angry, oppressive and abusive. Often, at some
unpredictable point, the violence “spirals29
out of control”
and leads to an acute battering incident.
The acute battering incidentis said to be characterized
by brutality, destructiveness and, sometimes, death. The
battered woman deems this incident as unpredictable, yet
also inevitable. During this phase, she has no control; only
the batterer may put an end to the violence. Its nature can
be as unpredictable as the time of its explosion, and so are
his reasons for ending it. The battered woman usually
realizes that she cannot reason with him, and that
resistance would only exacerbate her condition.
At this stage, she has a sense of detachment from the
attack and the terrible pain, although she may later
clearly remember every detail. Her apparent passivity in
the face of acute violence may be rationalized thus: the
batterer is almost always much stronger physically, and
she knows from her past painful experience that it
_______________
earlier book, The Battered Woman (1979). In 1989, she also wrote
Terrifying Love: Why Battered Women Kill and How Society Responds
28 Walker, Terrifying Love: Why Battered Women Kill and How Society
Responds (Harper Perennial, 1989), p. 42.
29Ibid. See also R. v. Lavallee, supra;Ibn-Tamas v. US, supra.
566

People vs. Genosa
is futile to fight back. Acute battering incidents are often

very savage and out of control, such that 30
innocent
bystanders or intervenors are likely to get hurt.
The final phase of the cycle of violence begins when the
acute battering incident ends. During this tranquil period,
the couple experience profound relief. On the one hand, the
batterer may show a tender and nurturing behavior
towards his partner. He knows that he has been viciously
cruel and tries to make up for it, begging for her
forgiveness and promising never to beat her again. On the
other hand, the battered woman also tries to convince
herself that the battery will never happen again; that her
partner will change for the better; and that this “good,
gentle and caring man” is the real person whom she loves.
A battered woman usually believes that she is the sole
anchor of the emotional stability of the batterer. Sensing
his isolation and despair, she feels responsible for his well-
being. The truth, though, is that the chances of his
reforming, or seeking or receiving professional help, are
very slim, especially if she remains with him. Generally,
only after she leaves him does he seek professional help as
a way of getting her back. Yet, it is in this phase of
remorseful reconciliation that she is most thoroughly
tormented psychologically.
The illusion of absolute interdependency is well-
entrenched in a battered woman’s psyche. In this phase,
she and her batterer are indeed emotionally dependent on
each other—she for his nurturant behavior, he for her
forgiveness. Underneath this miserable cycle of ‘‘tension,
violence and forgiveness,” each partner may believe that it
is better to die than to be separated. Neither one may
really 31feel independent, capable of functioning without the
other.
History of Abuse in the Present Case

To show the history of violence inflicted upon appellant,
the defense presented several witnesses. She herself
described her heart-rending experience as follows:
“ATTY. TABUCANON
Q How did you describe your marriage with Ben Genosa?
_______________
30Ibid.
31Ibid.
567
VOL. 419, JANUARY 15, 2004 567

People vs. Genosa
A In the first year, I lived with him happily but in the

subsequent year he was cruel to me and a behavior of
habitual drinker.
Q You said that in the subsequent year of your marriage,
your husband was abusive to you and cruel. In what
way was this abusive and cruelty manifested to you?
A He always provoke me in everything, he always slap
me and sometimes he pinned me down on the bed and
sometimes beat me.
Q How many times did this happen?
A Several times already.
Q What did you do when these things happen to you?
A I went away to my mother and I ran to my father and
we separate each other.
Q What was the action of Ben Genosa towards you
leaving home?
A He is following me, after that he sought after me.
Q What will happen when he follow you?
A He said he changed, he asked for forgiveness and I was
convinced and after that I go to him and he said ‘sorry’.
Q During those times that you were the recipient of such
cruelty and abusive behavior by your husband, were
you able to see a doctor?
A Yes, sir.
Q Who are these doctors?
A The company physician, Dr. Dino Caing, Dr. Lucero
and Dra. Cerillo.
x x x x x x x x x
Q You said that you saw a doctor in relation to your
injuries?
A Yes, sir.
Q Who inflicted these injuries?
A Of course my husband.
Q You mean Ben Genosa?
A Yes, sir.
x x x x x x x x x
[Court] to the witness
Q How frequent was the alleged cruelty that you said?
A Everytime he got drunk.
Q No, from the time that you said the cruelty or the
infliction of injury inflicted on your occurred, after your
marriage, from that time on, how frequent was the
occurrence?
568

People vs. Genosa
A Everytime he got drunk.

Q Is it daily, weekly, monthly or how many times in a
month or in a week?
A Three times a week.
Q Do you mean three times a week he would beat you?
A Not necessarily that he would
32
beat me but sometimes
he will just quarrel me.”
33
Referring to his “Out-Patient Chart” on Marivic Genosa
at the Philphos Hospital, Dr. Dino D. Caing bolstered her
foregoing testimony on chronic battery in this manner:
“Q So, do you have a summary of those six (6) incidents

which are found in the chart of your clinic?
A Yes, sir.
Q Who prepared the list of six (6) incidents, Doctor?
A I did.
Q Will you please read the physical findings together
with the dates for the record.
A 1. May 12, 1990—physical findings are as follows:
Hematoma (R) lower eyelid and redness of eye.
Attending physician: Dr. Lucero;
2. March 10, 1992—Contusion-Hematoma (L) lower
arbital area, pain and contusion (R) breast.
Attending physician: Dr. Canora;
3. March 26, 1993—Abrasion, Furuncle (L) Axilla;
4. August 1, 1994—Pain, mastitis (L) breast, 2° to
trauma. Attending physician: Dr. Caing;
5. April 17, 1995—Trauma, tenderness (R) Shoulder.
Attending physician: Dr. Canora; and
6. June 5, 1995—Swelling Abrasion (L) leg, multiple
contusion Pregnancy. Attending physician: Dr.
Canora.
Q Among the findings, there were two (2) incidents
wherein you were the attending physician, is that
correct?
A Yes, sir.
Q Did you actually physical examine the accused?
A Yes, sir.
_______________
32 TSN, August 6, 1998, pp. 12-19.

33 Exhibits “1” & “1-A”; Records, p. 44.
569
VOL. 419, JANUARY 15, 2004 569

People vs. Genosa
Q Now, going to your finding no. 3 where you were the

one who attended the patient. What do you mean by
abrasion furuncle left axilla?
A Abrasion is a skin wound usually when it comes in
contact with something rough substance if force is
applied.
Q What is meant by furuncle axilla?
A It is secondary of the light infection over the abrasion.
Q What is meant by pain mastitis secondary to trauma?
A So, in this 4th episode of physical injuries there is an
inflammation of left breast. So, [pain] meaning there is
tenderness. When your breast is traumatized, there is
tenderness pain.
Q So, these are objective physical injuries. Doctor?
x x x x x x x x x
Q Were you able to talk with the patient?
A Yes, sir.
Q What did she tell you?
A As a doctor-patient relationship, we need to know the
cause of these injuries. And she told me that it was
done to her by her husband.
Q You mean, Ben Genosa?
A Yes, sir.
x x x x x x x x x
ATTY. TABUCANON:
Q By the way Doctor, were you able to physical examine
the accused sometime in the month of November, 1995
when this incident happened?
A As per record, yes.
Q What was the date?
A It was on November 6, 1995.
Q So, did you actually see the accused physically?
A Yes, sir.
Q On November 6, 1995, will you please tell this
Honorable Court, was the patient pregnant?
A Yes, sir.
Q Being a doctor, can you more engage at what stage of
pregnancy was she?
A Eight (8) months pregnant.
Q So in other words, it was an advance stage of
pregnancy?
A Yes, sir.
570

People vs. Genosa
Q What was your November 6, 1995 examination, was it

an examination about her pregnancy or for some other
findings?
A No, she was admitted for hypertension headache which
complicates her pregnancy.
Q When you said admitted, meaning she was confined?
A Yes, sir.
Q For how many days?
A One day.
Q Where?
A At PHILPHOS Hospital.
x x x x x x x x x
Q Lets go back to the clinical history of Marivic Genosa.
You said that you were able to examine her personally
on November 6,1995 and she was 8 months pregnant.
What is this all about?
A Because she has this problem of tension headache
secondary to hypertension and I think I have a record
here, also the same period from 1989 to 1995, she had a
consultation for twenty-three (23) times.
Q For what?
A Tension headache.
Q Can we say that specially during the latter
consultation, that the patient had hypertension?
A The patient definitely had hypertension. It was
refractory to our treatment. She does not response
when the medication was given to her, because tension
headache is more or less stress related and emotional
in nature.
Q What did you deduce of tension headache when you
said is emotional in nature?
A From what I deduced as part of our physical
examination of the patient is the family history in line
of giving the root cause of what is causing this disease.
So, from the moment you ask to the patient all comes
from the domestic problem.
Q You mean problem in her household?
A Probably.
Q Can family trouble cause elevation of blood pressure,
Doctor?
A Yes, if it is emotionally related and stressful it can
cause increases in hypertension which is unfortunately
does not response to the medication.
Q In November 6, 1995, the date of the incident, did you
take the blood pressure of the accused?
571
VOL. 419, JANUARY 15, 2004 571

People vs. Genosa
A On November 6, 1995 consultation, the blood pressure

was 180/120.
Q Is this considered hypertension?
A Yes, sir, severe.
Q Considering that she was 8 months pregnant, you
mean this is dangerous level of blood pressure?
34
A It was dangerous to the child or to the fetus.”
Another defense witness, Teodoro Sarabia, a former

neighbor of the Genosas in Isabel, Leyte, testified that he
had seen the couple quarreling several times; and that on
some occasions Marivic would run to him with bruises, 35
confiding that the injuries were
36
inflicted upon her by Ben.
Ecel Arano also testified that for a number of times
she had been asked by Marivic to sleep at the Genosa
house, because the latter feared that Ben would come
home drunk and hurt her. On one occasion that Ecel did
sleep over, she was awakened about ten o’clock at night,
because the couple “were very noisy . . . and I heard
something was broken like a vase.” Then Marivic came
running into Ecel’s room and locked the door. Ben showed
up by the window grill atop a chair, scaring them with a
knife.
On the afternoon of November 15, 1995, Marivic again
asked her help—this time to find Ben—but they were
unable to. They returned to the Genosa home, where they
found him already drunk. Again afraid that he might hurt
her, Marivic asked her to sleep at their house. Seeing his
state of drunkenness, Ecel hesitated; and when she heard
the couple start arguing, she decided to leave.
On that same night that culminated in the death of Ben
Genosa, at least three
37
other witnesses saw or heard the
couple quarreling. Marivic relates in detail the following
backdrop of the fateful night when life was snuffed out of
him, showing in the process a vivid picture of his cruelty
towards her:
_______________
34 TSN, August 5, 1998, pp. 14-23, 27-31.

35 TSN, December 16, 1997, pp. 15-17 & 20-21.
36 TSN, May 22,1998, pp. 2-20.
37 TSN (Arturo Basobas), July 21, 1997, pp. 13, 15 & 21; TSN (Jose
Barrientos), December 15, 1997, pp. 17-20; TSN (Junnie Barrientos),
December 15, 1997, pp. 35-37; TSN (Ecel Arano), May 22, 1998, pp. 10 &
20.
572

People vs. Genosa
“ATTY. TABUCANON:
Q Please tell this Court, can you recall the incident in
November 15, 1995 in the evening?
A Whole morning and in the afternoon, I was in the office
working then after office hours, I boarded the service
bus and went to Bilwang. When I reached Bilwang, I
immediately asked my son, where was his father, then
my second child said, ‘he was not home yet’. I was
worried because that was payday, I was anticipating
that he was gambling. So while waiting for him, my
eldest son arrived from school, I prepared dinner for my
children.
Q This is evening of November 15, 1995?
A Yes, sir.
Q What time did Ben Genosa arrive?
A When he arrived, I was not there, I was in Isabel
looking for him.
Q So when he arrived you were in Isabel looking for him?
A Yes, sir.
Q Did you come back to your house?
A Yes, sir.
Q By the way, where was your conjugal residence
situated this time?
A Bilwang.
Q Is this your house or you are renting?
A Renting.
Q What time were you able to come back in your
residence at Bilwang?
A I went back around almost 8:00 o’clock.
Q What happened when you arrived in your residence?
A When I arrived home with my cousin Ecel whom I
requested to sleep with me at that time because I had
fears that he was again drunk and I was worried that
he would again beat me so I requested my cousin to
sleep with me, but she resisted because she had fears
that the same thing will happen again last year.
Q Who was this cousin of yours who you requested to
sleep with you?
A Ecel Araño, the one who testified.
Q Did Ecel sleep with you in your house on that evening?
A No, because she expressed fears, she said her father
would not allow her because of Ben.
573
VOL. 419, JANUARY 15, 2004 573

People vs. Genosa
Q During this period November 15, 1995, were you

pregnant?
A Yes, 8 months.
Q How advance was your pregnancy?
A Eight (8) months.
Q Was the baby subsequently born?
A Yes, sir.
Q What’s the name of the baby you were carrying at that
time?
A Marie Bianca.
Q What time were you able to meet personally your
husband?
A Yes, sir.
Q What time?
A When I arrived home, he was there already in his usual
behavior.
Q Will you tell this Court What was his disposition?
A He was drunk again, he was yelling in his usual unruly
behavior.
Q What was he yelling all about?
A His usual attitude when he got drunk.
Q You said that when you arrived, he was drunk and
yelling at you? What else did he do if any?
A He is nagging at me for following him and he dared me
to quarrel him.
Q What was the cause of his nagging or quarreling at you
if you know?
A He was angry at me because I was following x x x him,
looking for him. I was just worried he might be overly
drunk and he would beat me again.
Q You said that he was yelling at you, what else, did he
do to you if any?
A He was nagging at me at that time and I just ignored
him because I want to avoid trouble for fear that he will
beat me again. Perhaps he was disappointed because I
just ignore him of his provocation and he switch off the
light and I said to him, ‘why did you switch off the light
when the children were there.’ At that time I was also
attending to my children who were doing their
assignments. He was angry with me for not answering
his challenge, so he went to the kitchen and [got] a bolo
and cut the antenna wire to stop me from watching
television.
Q What did he do with the bolo?
A He cut the antenna wire to keep me from watching T.V.
574

People vs. Genosa
Q What else happened after he cut the wire?

A He switch off the light and the children were shouting
because they were scared and he was already holding
the bolo.
Q How do you described this bolo?
A 1 1/2 feet.
Q What was the bolo used for usually?
A For chopping meat.
Q You said the children were scared, what else happened
as Ben was carrying that bolo?
A He was about to attack me so I run to the room.
Q What do you mean that he was about to attack you?
A When I attempt to run he held my hands and he
whirled me and I fell to the bedside.
Q So when he whirled you, what happened to you?
A I screamed for help and then he left.
Q You said earlier that he whirled you and you fell on the
bedside?
A Yes, sir.
Q You screamed for help and he left, do you know where
he was going?
A Outside perhaps to drink more.
Q When he left what did you do in that particular time?
A I packed all his clothes.
Q What was your reason in packing his clothes?
A I wanted him to leave us.
Q During this time, where were your children, what were
their reactions?
A After a couple of hours, he went back again and he got
angry with me for packing his clothes, then he dragged
me again of the bedroom holding my neck.
Q You said that when Ben came back to your house, he
dragged you? How did he drag you?
COURT INTERPRETER:
The witness demonstrated to the Court by using her
right hand flexed forcibly in her front neck)
A And he dragged me towards the door backward.
ATTY. TABUCANON:
Q Where did he bring you?
575
VOL. 419, JANUARY 15, 2004 575

People vs. Genosa
A Outside the bedroom and he wanted to get something

and then he kept on shouting at me that ‘you might as
well be killed so there will be nobody to nag me.’
Q So you said that he dragged you towards the drawer?
A Yes, sir.
Q What is there in the drawer?
A I was aware that it was a gun.
COURT INTERPRETER:
(At this juncture the witness started crying).
ATTY. TABUCANON:
Q Were you actually brought to the drawer?
A Yes, sir.
Q What happened when you were brought to that
drawer?
A He dragged me towards the drawer and he was about
to open the drawer but he could not open it because he
did not have the key then he pulled his wallet which
contained a blade about 3 inches long and I was aware
that he was going to kill me and I smashed his arm and
then the wallet and the blade fell. The one he used to
open the drawer I saw, it was a pipe about that long,
and when he was about to pick-up the wallet and the
blade, I smashed him then I ran to the other room, and
on that very moment everything on my mind was to
pity on myself, then the feeling I had on that very
moment was the same when I was admitted in
PHILPHOS Clinic, I was about to vomit.
COURT INTERPRETER:
(The witness at this juncture is crying intensely).
x x x x x x x x x
ATTY. TABUCANON:
Q Talking of drawer, is this drawer outside your room?
A Outside.
Q In what part of the house?
A Dining.
Q Where were the children during that time?
A My children were already asleep.
Q You mean they were inside the room?
A Yes, sir.
Q You said that he dropped the blade, for the record will
you please describe this blade about 3 inches long, how
does it look like?
A Three (3) inches long and 1/2 inch wide.
576

People vs. Genosa
Q Is it a flexible blade?
A It’s a cutter.
Q How do you describe the blade, is it sharp both edges?
A Yes, because he once used it to me.
Q How did he do it?
A He wanted to cut my throat.
Q With the same blade?
A Yes, 38sir, that was the object used when he intimidate
me.”
In addition, Dra. Natividad Dayan was called by the RTC

to testify as an expert witness to assist it in understanding
the psyche of a battered person. She had met with Marivic
Genosa for five sessions totaling about seventeen hours.
Based on their talks, the former briefly related the latter’s
ordeal to the court a quo as follows:
“Q What can you say, that you found Marivic as a

battered wife? Could you in layman’s term describe to
this Court what her life was like as said to you?
A What I remember happened then was it was more
than ten years, that she was suffering emotional
anguish. There were a lot of instances of abuses, to
emotional abuse, to verbal abuse and to physical
abuse. The husband had a very meager income, she
was the one who was practically the bread earner of
the family. The husband was involved in a lot of vices,
going out with barkadas, drinking, even womanizing
being involved in cockfight and going home very angry
and which will trigger a lot of physical abuse. She also
had the experience a lot of taunting from the husband
for the reason that the husband even accused her of
infidelity, the husband was saying that the child she
was carrying was not his own. So she was very angry,
she was at the same time very depressed because she
was also aware, almost like living in purgatory or39
even
hell when it was happening day in and day out.”
In cross-examining Dra. Dayan, the public prosecutor not

merely elicited, but wittingly or unwittingly put forward,
additional supporting evidence as shown below:
_______________
38 TSN, August 6, 1998, pp. 19-32.

39 TSN, January 15, 2001, pp. 37-38.
577
577 VOL. 419, JANUARY 15, 2004

People vs. Genosa
“Q In your first encounter with the appellant in this case

in 1999, where you talked to her about three hours,
what was the most relevant information did you
gather?
A The most relevant information was the tragedy that
happened.
The most important information were escalating
abuses that she had experienced during her marital
life.
Q Before you met her in 1999 for three hours, we
presume that you already knew of the facts of the case
or at least you have substantial knowledge of the facts
of the case?
A I believe I had an idea of the case, but I do not know
whether I can consider them as substantial.
x x x x x x x x x
Q Did you gather an information from Marivic that on
the side of her husband they were fond of battering
their wives?
A I also heard that from her?
Q You heard that from her?
A Yes, sir.
Q Did you ask for a complete example who are the
relatives of her husband that were fond of battering
their wives?
A What I remember that there were brothers of her
husband who are also battering their wives.
Q Did she not inform you that there was an instance that
she stayed in a hotel in Ormoc where her husband
followed her and battered [her] several times in that
room?
A She told me about that.
Q Did she inform you in what hotel in Ormoc?
A Sir, I could not remember but I was told that she was
battered in that room.
Q Several times in that room?
A Yes, sir. What I remember was that there is no
problem about being battered, it really happened.
Q Being an expert witness, our jurisprudence is not
complete on saying this matter. I think that is the first
time that we have this in the Philippines, what is your
opinion?
A Sir, my opinion is, she is really a battered wife and in
this kind happened, it was really a self-defense. I also
believe that there had been provocation and I also
believe that she became a disordered person. She had
to suffer anxiety reaction because of all the battering
that happened and so she became an abnormal person
who had lost she’s not during the time and that is why
it happened because of all the physical battering, emo-
578

People vs. Genosa
tional battering, all the psychological abuses that she

had experienced from her husband.
Q I do believe that she is a battered wife. Was she
extremely battered?
40
A Sir, it is an extreme form of battering. Yes.
Parenthetically, the credibility of appellant was

demonstrated as follows:
“Q And you also said that you administered [the] objective
personality test, what x x x [is this] all about?
A The objective personality test is the Millon Clinical
Multiaxial Inventory. The purpose of that test is to
find out about the lying prone[ne]ss of the person.
Q What do you mean by that?
A Meaning, am I dealing with a client who is telling me
the truth, or is she someone who can exaggerate or x x
x [will] tell a lie[?]
Q And what did you discover on the basis of this
objective personality test?
A She was a person who passed the honesty test.
Meaning she is a person that I can trust. That
41
the data
that I’m gathering from her are the truth.”
The other expert witness presented by the defense, Dr. 42

Alfredo Pajarillo, testified on his Psychiatric Report,
which was based on his interview and examination of
Marivic Genosa. The Report said that during the first
three years of her marriage to Ben, everything looked good
—the atmosphere was fine, normal and happy—until “Ben
started to be attracted to other girls and was also enticed
in [to] gambling[,] especially cockfighting. x x x. At the
same time Ben was often joining his barkada in drinking
sprees.”
The drinking sprees of Ben greatly changed the attitude
he showed toward his family, particularly to his wife. The
Report continued: “At first, it was verbal and emotional
abuses but as time passed, he became physically abusive.
Marivic claimed that the viciousness of her husband was
progressive every time he got drunk. It was a painful
ordeal Marivic had to anticipate whenever
_______________
40Id., pp. 51-53.

41Id., p. 36.
42 Exhibits “G”-”G-3” - Appellant.
579
VOL. 419, JANUARY 15, 2004 579
People vs. Genosa
she suspected that her husband went for a drinking

[spree]. They had been married for twelve years[;] and
practically more than eight years, she was battered and
maltreated relentlessly and mercilessly by her husband
whenever he was drunk.”
Marivic sought the help of her mother-in-law, but her
efforts were in vain. Further quoting from the Report,
“[s]he also sought the advice and help of close relatives and
well-meaning friends in spite of her feeling ashamed of
what was happening to her. But incessant battering 43
became more and more frequent and more severe. x x x.
From the totality of evidence presented, there is indeed
no doubt in the Court’s mind that Appellant Marivic
Genosa was a severely abused person.
Effect of Battery on Appellant

Because of the recurring cycles of violence experienced by
the abused woman, her state of mind metamorphoses. In
determining her state of mind, we cannot rely merely on
the judgment of an ordinary, reasonable person who is
evaluating the events immediately surrounding the
incident. A Canadian court has aptly pointed out that
expert evidence on the psychological effect of battering on
wives and common law partners are both relevant and
necessary. “How can the mental state of the appellant be
appreciated without it? The average member of the public
may ask: Why would a woman put up with this kind of
treatment? Why should she continue to live with such a
man? How could she love a partner who beat her to the
point of requiring hospitalization? We would expect the
woman to pack her bags and go. Where is her self-respect?
Why does she not cut loose and make a new life for herself?
Such is the reaction of the average person
44
confronted with
the so-called ‘battered wife syndrome.’ ”
To understand the syndrome properly, however, one’s
viewpoint should not be drawn from that of an ordinary,
reasonable person. What goes on in the mind of a person
who has been subjected to repeated, severe beatings may
not be consistent with—nay, comprehensible to—those
who have not been through a similar experi-
_______________
43Ibid.
44 In R. v. Lavallee, supra.
580

People vs. Genosa
ence. Expert opinion is essential to clarify and refute

common45 myths and misconceptions about battered
women.
The theory of BWS formulated by Lenore Walker, as
well as her research on domestic violence, has had a
significant impact in the United States and the United
Kingdom on the treatment and prosecution of cases, in
which a battered woman is charged with the killing of her
violent partner. The psychologist explains that the cyclical
nature of the violence inflicted upon the battered woman
immobilizes the latter’s “ability to act decisively in her own
interests, making her46 feel trapped in the relationship with
no means of escape.” In her years of research, Dr. Walker
found that “the abuse often escalates at the point of
separation and47
battered women are in greater danger of
dying then.”
Corroborating these research findings, Dra. Dayan said
that “the battered woman usually has a very low opinion of
herself. She has x x x self-defeating and self-sacrificing
characteristics, x x x [W]hen the violence would happen,
they usually think that they provoke [d] it, that they were
the one[s] who precipitated the violence[; that] they
provoke[d] their spouse to 48be physically, verbally and even
sexually abusive to them.”
According to Dra. Dayan, there are a lot of reasons why
a battered woman does not readily leave an abusive
partner—poverty, self-blame and guilt arising from the
latter’s belief that she provoked the violence, that she has
an obligation to keep the family intact at all cost for the
sake of their children,
49
and that she is the only hope for her
spouse to change.
The testimony of another expert witness, Dr. Pajarillo,
is also helpful. He had previously testified in suits
involving violent family relations, having evaluated
“probably ten to twenty thousand” violent family disputes
within the Armed Forces of the Philippines, wherein such
cases abounded. As a result of his experience with
domestic violence cases, he became a consultant of the
Battered
_______________
45Ibid.
46 Fiona E. Raittand M. Suzanne Zeedyk, The Implicit Relation of

Psychology and Law: Women and Syndrome Evidence, pp. 66-67 (Exh.
“D”).
47 Walker, Terrifying Love, p. 47.
48 TSN, January 15, 2001, p. 18.
49Id., p. 20.
581
VOL. 419, JANUARY 15, 2004 581

People vs. Genosa
Woman Office in Quezon City. As such, he got involved in

about forty (40) cases of severe domestic violence, in which
the physical abuse on the woman 50
would sometimes even
lead to her loss of consciousness.
Dr. Pajarillo explained that “overwhelming brutality,
trauma” could result in posttraumatic stress disorder,51
a
form of “anxiety neurosis or neurologic anxietism.” After
being repeatedly and severely abused, battered persons
“may believe that they are essentially helpless, lacking
power to change their situation, x x x [A]cute battering
incidents can have the effect of stimulating the
development of coping responses to the trauma at the
expense of the victim’s ability to muster an active response
to try to escape further trauma. Furthermore, x x x the
victim ceases to believe that52anything she can do will have
a predictable
53
positive effect.
A study conducted by Martin Seligman, a psychologist
at the University of Pennsylvania, found that “even if a
person has control over a situation, but believes that she
does not, she will be more likely to respond to that
situation with coping responses rather than trying to
escape.” He said that it was the cognitive aspect—the
individual’s thoughts—that proved all-important. He
referred to this phenomenon as “learned helplessness.”
“[T]he truth or facts of a situation turn out to be less
important than the individual’s set of beliefs or perceptions
concerning the situation. Battered women don’t attempt to
leave the battering situation, even when it may seem to
outsiders that escape is possible, because they cannot
predict their own safety; they believe that nothing they54or
anyone else does will alter their terrible circumstances.”
Thus, just as the battered woman believes that she is
somehow responsible for the violent behavior of her
partner, she also believes that55
he is capable of killing her,
and that there is no escape. Battered women feel unsafe,
suffer from pervasive anxiety, and
_______________
50 TSN, February 9, 2001, pp. 11-13.

51Id., p. 14.
52 Walker, Terrifying Love, p. 48.
53Id., pp. 49-50.
54Ibid.
55 Dr. Lenore Walker’s testimony before the court in Ibn-Tamas, supra.
582

People vs. Genosa
56
usually fail to leave the relationship. Unless a shelter is
available, she stays with her husband, not only because
she typically lacks a means of self-support, but also
because she fears57
that if she leaves she would be found and
hurt even more.
In the instant case, we meticulously scoured the records
for specific evidence establishing that appellant, due to the
repeated abuse she had suffered from her spouse over a
long period of time, became afflicted with the battered
woman syndrome. We, however, failed to find sufficient
evidence that would support such a conclusion. More
specifically, we failed to find ample evidence that would
confirm the presence of the essential characteristics of
BWS.
The defense fell short of proving all three phases of the
“cycle of violence” supposedly characterizing the
relationship of Ben and Marivic Genosa. No doubt there
were acute battering incidents. In relating to the court a
quo how the fatal incident that led to the death of Ben
started, Marivic perfectly described the tension-building
phase of the cycle. She was able to explain in adequate
detail the typical characteristics of this stage. However,
that single incident does not prove the existence of the
syndrome. In other words, she failed to prove that in at
least another battering episode in the past, she had gone
through a similar pattern.
How did the tension between the partners usually arise
or build up prior to acute battering? How did Marivic
normally respond to Ben’s relatively minor abuses? What
means did she employ to try to prevent the situation from
developing into the next (more violent) stage?
Neither did appellant proffer sufficient evidence in
regard to the third phase of the cycle. She simply
mentioned that she would 58
usually run away to her
mother’s or father’s house; that Ben would seek her out,
ask for her forgiveness and promise to change; and that
believing his words, she would return to their common
abode.
Did she ever feel that she provoked the violent incidents
between her and her spouse? Did she believe that she was
the only
_______________
56 Psychologist Nancy Kaser-Boyd testifying as an expert on the
battered woman syndrome in Depetris, supra.
57 Dr. Lenore Walker’s testimony before the court in Ibn-Tamas, supra.
58 Her biological parents lived separately.
583
VOL. 419, JANUARY 15, 2004 583

People vs. Genosa
hope for Ben to reform? And that she was the sole support
of his emotional stability and well-being? Conversely, how
dependent was she on him? Did she feel helpless and
trapped in their relationship? Did both of them regard
death as preferable to separation?
In sum, the defense failed to elicit from appellant herself
her factual experiences and thoughts that would clearly
and fully demonstrate the essential characteristics of the
syndrome.
The Court appreciates the ratiocinations given by the
expert witnesses for the defense. Indeed, they were able to
explain fully, albeit merely theoretically and scientifically,
how the personality of the battered woman usually evolved
or deteriorated as a result of repeated and severe beatings
inflicted upon her by her partner or spouse. They
corroborated each other’s testimonies, which were culled
from their numerous studies of hundreds of actual cases.
However, they failed to present in court the factual
experiences and thoughts that appellant had related to
them—if at all—based on which they concluded that she
had BWS.
We emphasize that in criminal cases, all the elements of
a modifying circumstance must be proven in order to be
appreciated. To repeat, the Records lack supporting
evidence that would establish all the essentials of the
battered woman syndrome as manifested specifically in
the case of the Genosas.
BWS as Self-Defense
In any event, the existence of the syndrome in a
relationship does not in itself establish the legal right of
the woman to kill her abusive partner. Evidence
59
must still
be considered in the context of self-defense.
From the expert opinions discussed earlier, the Court
reckons further that crucial to the BWS defense is the
state of60 mind of the battered woman at the time of the
offense —she must have actually feared imminent harm
from her batterer and honestly believed in the need to kill
him in order to save her life.
_______________
59 State v. Kelly, 655 P.2d 1202, 1203 (1982).

60 “The case would rise or fall on whether . . . [appellant] acted in
actual fear of imminent harm from her husband when she shot [or
injured] him . . . .” Depetris v. Kuykendall, supra. See also People v.
Torres, 128 Misc2d 129, 488 NYS.2d 358.
584

People vs. Genosa
Settled in our jurisprudence, however, is the rule that the

one who resorts to self-defense must face a real threat on
one’s life; and the peril sought to be avoided 61
must be
imminent and actual, not merely imaginary. Thus, the
Revised Penal Code 62provides the following requisites and
effect of self-defense:
“Art. 11. Justifying circumstances.—The following do not incur

any criminal liability:
“1. Anyone who acts in defense of his person or rights,
provided that the following circumstances concur;
First. Unlawful aggression;

Second. Reasonable necessity of the means
employed to prevent or repel it;
Third. Lack of sufficient provocation on the part of
the person defending himself.”
Unlawful63
aggression is the most essential element of self-
defense. It presupposes actual, sudden and unexpected
attack—or an imminent 64
danger thereof—on the life or
safety of a person. In the present case, however,
according to the testimony of Marivic herself, there was a
sufficient time interval between the unlawful aggression of
Ben and her fatal attack upon him. She had already been
able to withdraw from his violent behavior and escape to
their children’s bedroom. During that time, he apparently
ceased his attack and went to bed. The reality or even the
imminence of the danger he posed had ended altogether.
He was no longer in a position that presented an actual
threat on her life or safety.
Had Ben still been awaiting Marivic when she came out
of their children’s bedroom—and based on past violent
incidents, there was a great probability that he would still
have pursued her and inflicted graver harm—then, the
imminence of the real threat upon her life would not have
ceased yet. Where the brutalized person is
_______________
61 People v. PO3 Langres, 375 Phil. 240, 258; 316 SCRA 769, October
13, 1999.
62 See also People v. Plazo, 350 SCRA 433, January 29, 2001; People v.
Cario, 351 Phil. 644; 288 SCRA 404, March 31, 1998; People v. Timblor,
348 Phil. 847; 285 SCRA 64, January 27, 1998.
63 People v. Saul, 312 SCRA 636, December 19, 2001.
64 People v. Galapin, 355 Phil. 212; 293 SCRA 474, July 31, 1998;
People v. Panes, 343 Phil. 878; 278 SCRA 357, August 29, 1997.
585
VOL. 419, JANUARY 15, 2004 585

People vs. Genosa
already suffering from BWS, further evidence of actual

physical assault at the time of the killing is not required.
Incidents of domestic battery usually have a predictable
pattern. To require the battered person to await an
obvious, deadly attack before she can defend her life
“would amount 65
to sentencing her to ‘murder by
installment.’ ” Still, impending danger (based on the
conduct of the victim in previous battering episodes) prior
to the defendant’s use of deadly force must be shown.
Threatening behavior or communication
66
can satisfy the
required imminence of danger. Considering such
circumstances and the existence of BWS, self-defense may
be appreciated.
We reiterate the principle that aggression,
67
if not
continuous, does not warrant self-defense. In the absence
of such aggression, there can be no self-defense—complete
68
or incomplete—on the part of the victim. Thus, Marivic’s
killing of Ben was not completely justified under the
circumstances.
Mitigating Circumstances Present

In any event, all is not lost for appellant. While she did not
raise any other modifying circumstances that would alter
her penalty, we deem it proper to evaluate and appreciate
in her favor circumstances that mitigate her criminal
liability. It is a hornbook doctrine that an appeal in a
criminal case opens it wholly for review on any issue, 69
including that which has not been raised by the parties.
From several psychological tests she had administered
to Marivic, Dra. Dayan, in her Psychological Evaluation
Report dated November 29, 2000, opined as follows:
“This is a classic case of a Battered Woman Syndrome. The

repeated battering Marivic experienced with her husband
constitutes a form of
_______________
65 State v. Gallegos, 104 NM 247, 719 P.2d 1268, citing Eber, The Battered
Wife’s Dilemma: To Kill or To Be Killed, 32 Hasting LJ 895, 928 (1981).
66Id., citing State v. Walker, 40 Wash. App. 658, 700 P.2d 1168 (1985).
67 People v. Saul, supra.
68 People v. Bato, 348 SCRA 253, December 15, 2000.
69 People v. Maquiling, 368 Phil. 169; 308 SCRA 687, June 21, 1999; People v.
Discalsota, G.R. No. 136892, April 11, 2002, 380 SCRA 583.
586

People vs. Genosa
[cumulative] provocation which broke down her psychological

resistance and natural self-control. It is very clear that she
developed heightened sensitivity to sight of impending danger
her husband posed continuously. Marivic truly experienced at the
hands of her abuser husband a state of psychological paralysis
70
which can only be ended by an act of violence on her part.”
Dr. Pajarillo corroborates the findings of Dra. Dayan. He

explained that the effect of “repetitious pain taking,
repetitious battering, [and] repetitious maltreatment” as
well as the severity and the prolonged administration of71
the battering is posttraumatic stress disorder.
Expounding thereon, he said:
“Q What causes the trauma, Mr. Witness?

A What causes the trauma is probably the repetitious
battering. Second, the severity of the battering. Third,
the prolonged administration of battering or the
prolonged commission of the battering and the
psychological and constitutional stamina of the victim
and another one is the public and social support
available to the victim. If nobody is interceding, the
more she will go to that disorder . . . .
x x x x x x x x x
Q You referred a while ago to severity. What are the
qualifications in terms of severity of the posttraumatic
stress disorder, Dr. Pajarillo?
A The severity is the most severe continuously to
trig[g]er this post[t]raumatic stress disorder is injury
to the head, banging of the head like that. It is usually
the very very severe stimulus that precipitate this
post[t]raumatic stress disorder. Others are suffocating
the victim like holding a pillow on the face,
strangulating the individual, suffocating the
individual, and boxing the individual. In this situation
therefore, the victim is heightened to painful stimulus,
like for example she is pregnant, she is very
susceptible because the woman will not only protect
herself, she is also to protect the fetus. So the anxiety
is heightened to the end [sic] degree.
Q But in terms of the gravity of the disorder, Mr.
Witness, how do you classify?
A We classify the disorder as [acute], or chronic or
delayed or [a]typical.
_______________
70 Exhibits “B” et seq. - Appellant, p. 10.

71 TSN, February 9, 2001, p. 19.
587
VOL. 419, JANUARY 15, 2004 587

People vs. Genosa
Q Can you please describe this pre[-]classification you

called delayed or [a]typical]?
A The acute is the one that usually require only one
battering and the individual will manifest now a severe
emotional instability, higher irritability remorse,
restlessness, and fear and probably in most [acute]
cases the first thing will be happened to the individual
will be thinking of suicide.
Q And in chronic cases, Mr. Witness?
A The chronic cases is this repetitious battering,
repetitious maltreatment, any prolonged, it is longer
than six (6) months. The [acute] is only the first day to
six (6) months. After this six (6) months you become
chronic. It is stated in the book specifically that after
six (6) months is chronic. The [a]typical one is the
repetitious battering but the individual who is
abnormal and then become normal. This is how you get
neurosis from neurotic personality 72
of these cases of
post[t]raumatic stress disorder.”
Answering the questions propounded by the trial judge,

the expert witness clarified further:
“Q But just the same[,] neurosis especially on battered

woman syndrome x x x affects x x x his or her mental
capacity?
A Yes, your Honor.
Q As you were saying[,] it x x x obfuscated her
rationality?
73
A Of course obfuscated.”
In sum, the cyclical nature and the severity of the violence

inflicted upon appellant resulted in “cumulative
provocation which broke down her psychological resistance
and natural self-control,” “psychological paralysis,” and
“difficulty in concentrating or impairment of memory.”
Based on the explanations of the expert witnesses, such
manifestations were analogous to an illness that
diminished the exercise by appellant of her will power
without, however, depriving her of consciousness of her
acts. There was, thus, a resulting diminution of her
freedom of action, intelligence or intent. Pursuant to para-
_______________
72Id., pp. 15-17.

73Id., p. 54.
588

People vs. Genosa
74 75
graphs 9 and 10 of Article 13 of the Revised Penal Code,
this circumstance should be taken 76
in her favor and
considered as a mitigating factor.
In addition, we also find in favor of appellant the
extenuating circumstance of having acted upon an impulse
so powerful as to have naturally produced passion and
obfuscation. It has been held that this state of mind is
present when a crime is committed as a result of an
uncontrollable burst of passion provoked by prior unjust or
improper acts or by
77
a legitimate stimulus so powerful as to
overcome reason. To appreciate this circumstance, the
following requisites should concur: (1) there is an act, both
unlawful and sufficient to produce such a condition of
mind; and (2) this act is not far removed from the
commission of the crime by a considerable length of time,
during which78
the accused might recover her normal
equanimity.
Here, an acute battering incident, wherein Ben Genosa
was the unlawful aggressor, preceded his being killed by
Marivic. He had further threatened to kill her while
dragging her by the neck towards a cabinet in which he
had kept a gun. It should also be recalled that she was
eight months pregnant at the time.79
The attempt on her life
was likewise on that of her fetus. His abusive and violent
acts, an aggression which was directed at the lives of both
Marivic and her unborn child, naturally produced passion
and obfuscation overcoming her reason. Even though she
was able to
_______________
74 “Art. 13. Mitigating Circumstances.—The following are mitigating

circumstances:
xxx xxx xxx

“9. Such illness of the offender as would diminish the exercise of the will-power
of the offender without however depriving him of the consciousness of his acts.”
75 “10. And, finally, any other circumstances of a similar nature and

analogous to those above mentioned.”
76 See People v. Javier, 370 Phil. 596; 311 SCRA 576, July 28, 1999;
People v. Amit, 82 Phil 820, February 15, 1949; People v. Francisco, 78
Phil. 694, July 16, 1947; People v. Balneg, 79 Phil. 805, January 9, 1948.
77 People v. Lobino, 375 Phil. 1065; 317 SCRA 606, October 28, 1999;
People v. Valles, 334 Phil. 763; 267 SCRA 103, January 28, 1997.
78 I Reyes, The Revised Penal Code, p. 272 (1998).
79 According to Dr. Lenore Walker, batterers commonly “escalate their
abusiveness” when their wives are pregnant.
589
VOL. 419, JANUARY 15, 2004 589

People vs. Genosa
retreat to a separate room, her emotional and mental state
continued. According to her, she felt her blood pressure
rise; she was filled with feelings of self-pity and of fear
that she and her baby were about to die. In a fit of
indignation, she pried open the cabinet drawer where Ben
kept a gun, then she took the weapon and used it to shoot
him.
The confluence of these events brings us to the
conclusion that there was no considerable period of time
within which Marivic could have recovered her 80
normal
equanimity. Helpful is Dr. Pajarillo’s testimony that with
“neurotic anxiety”—a psychological effect on a victim of
‘‘overwhelming brutality [or] trauma”—the victim relives
the beating or trauma as if it were real, although she is not
actually being beaten at the time. She cannot control “re-
experiencing the whole thing, the most vicious trauma that
she suffered.” She thinks “of nothing but the suffering.”
Such reliving which is beyond the control of a person
under similar circumstances, must have been what
Marivic experienced during the brief time interval and
prevented her from recovering her normal equanimity.
Accordingly, she should further be credited with the
mitigating circumstance of passion and obfuscation.
It should be clarified that these two circumstances—
psychological paralysis as well as passion and obfuscation
—did not arise from the same set of facts.
On the one hand, the first circumstance arose from the
cyclical nature and the severity of the battery inflicted by
the batterer-spouse upon appellant. That is, the repeated
beatings over a period of time resulted in her psychological
paralysis, which was analogous to an illness diminishing
the exercise of her will power without depriving her of
consciousness of her acts.
The second circumstance, on the other hand, resulted
from the violent aggression he had inflicted on her prior to
the killing. That the incident occurred when she was eight
months pregnant with their child was deemed by her as an
attempt not only on her life, but likewise on that of their
unborn, child. Such perception naturally produced passion
and obfuscation on her part.
_______________
80Id., pp. 17-18.
590

People vs. Genosa
Second Legal Issue:

Treachery
There is treachery when one commits any of the crimes

against persons by employing means, methods or forms in
the execution thereof without risk to oneself arising
81
from
the defense that the offended party might make. In order
to qualify an act as treacherous, the circumstances invoked
must be proven as indubitably as the killing itself; they
cannot be deduced from mere inferences, or conjectures, 82
which have no place in the appreciation of evidence.
Because of the gravity of the resulting offense, treachery
83
must be proved as conclusively as the killing itself.
Ruling that treachery was present in the instant case,
the trial court imposed the penalty of death upon
appellant. It inferred this qualifying circumstances merely
from the fact that the lifeless body of Ben had been found
lying in bed with an “open, depressed, circular” fracture
located at the back of his head. As to exactly how and
when he had been fatally attacked, however, the
prosecution failed to establish indubitably. Only the
following testimony of appellant leads us to the events
surrounding his death:
“Q You said that when Ben came back to your house, he

dragged you? How did he drag you?
COURT:
(The witness demonstrated to the Court by using her
A And he dragged me towards the door backward.
ATTY. TABUCANON:
and then he kept on shouting at me that ‘you might as
well be killed so there will be nobody to nag me’
A Yes, sir.
_______________
81 People v. Cabande, 381 Phil. 889; 325 SCRA 77, February 8, 2000.
82 People v. Llanes, 381 Phil. 733; 324 SCRA 727, February 4, 2000.
83 People v. Albao, 383 Phil. 873; 327 SCRA 123, March 2, 2000; People
v. Aguilar, 354 Phil. 360; 292 SCRA 349, July 10, 1998.
591
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People vs. Genosa
COURT INTERPRETER
(At this juncture the witness started crying)
ATTY. TABUCANON:
Q Were you actually brought to the drawer?
A Yes, sir.
Q What happened when you were brought to that
drawer?
did not have the key then he pulled his wallet which
blade, I smashed him then I ran to the other room, and
on that very moment everything on my mind was to
pity on myself, then the feeling I had on that very
moment was the same when I was admitted in
PHILPHOS Clinic, I was about to vomit.
COURT INTERPRETER
(The witness at this juncture is crying intensely).
x x x x x x x x x
does it look like?
Q It is a flexible blade?
A It’s a cutter.
Q How did he do it?
A Yes, sir, that was the object used when he intimidate
me.
x x x x x x x x x
ATTY. TABUCANON:
Q You said that this blade fell from his grip, is it correct?
A Yes, because I smashed him.
Q What happened?
A Ben tried to pick-up the wallet and the blade, I pick-up
the pipe and I smashed him and I ran to the other
room.
592

People vs. Genosa
Q What else happened?

A When I was in the other room, I felt the same thing like
what happened before when I was admitted in
PHILPHOS Clinic, I was about to vomit. I know my
blood pressure was raised. I was frightened I was about
to die because of my blood pressure.
COURT INTERPRETER:
(Upon the answer of the witness getting the pipe and
smashed him, the witness at the same time pointed at
the back of her neck or the nape).
ATTY. TABUCANON:
Q You said you went to the room, what else happened?
A Considering all the physical sufferings that I’ve been
through with him, I took pity on myself and I felt I was
about to die also because of my blood pressure and the
baby, so I got that gun and I shot him.
COURT
/to Atty. Tabucanon
Q You shot him?
84
A Yes, I distorted the drawer.”
The above testimony is insufficient to establish the

presence of treachery. There is no showing of the victim’s
position relative to appellant’s at the time of the shooting.
Besides, equally axiomatic is the rule that when a killing
is preceded by an argument or a quarrel, treachery cannot
be appreciated as a qualifying circumstance, because the
deceased may be said to have been forewarned
85
and to have
anticipated aggression from the assailant.
Moreover, in order to appreciate alevosia, the method of
assault adopted by the aggressor must have been
consciously and deliberately chosen for the specific purpose
of accomplishing the unlawful act without risk from any 86
defense that might be put up by the party attacked.
There is no showing, though, that the present appellant
intentionally chose a specific means of successfully
attacking her husband without any risk to herself from
any retaliatory act that he might make. To the contrary, it
appears that the
_______________
84 TSN, August 6, 1998, pp. 26-32.
85 People v. Buluran, 382 Phil. 364; 325 SCRA 476, February 15,
2000;People v. Ereño, 383 Phil. 30; 326 SCRA 157, February 22, 2000.
86 People v. Cañete, 44 Phil. 478, February 5, 1923; People v. Narvaez,
206 Phil 314; 121 SCRA 389, April 20, 1983.
593
VOL. 419, JANUARY 15, 2004 593

People vs. Genosa
thought of using the gun occurred to her only at about the

same moment when she decided to kill her batterer-
spouse. In the absence of any convincing proof that she
consciously and deliberately employed the method by
which she committed the crime in order to ensure 87
its
execution, this Court resolves the doubt in her favor.
Proper Penalty
The penalty for parricide imposed by Article 246 of the

Revised Penal Code is reclusion perpetua to death. Since
two mitigating circumstances and no aggravating
circumstance have been found to have attended the
commission of the offense, the penalty shall be lowered88 by
one (1) degree, 89pursuant to Article 64 of paragraph 5 of
the same Code. The penalty of reclusion temporal in its
medium period is imposable, considering that two
mitigating circumstances are to be taken into account in
reducing the penalty by one degree, and no other
modifying circumstances were 90
shown to have attended the
commission of the offense. Under the Indeterminate
Sentence Law, the minimum of the penalty shall be within
the range of that which is next lower in degree—prision
mayor—and the maximum shall be within the range of the
medium period of reclusion temporal.
Considering all the circumstances of the instant case,
we deem it just and proper to impose the penalty of prision
mayor in its minimum period, or six (6) years and one (1)
day in prison as minimum; toreclusion temporal in its
medium period, or 14 years 8 months and 1 day as
maximum. Noting that appellant has already served
_______________
87 People v. Aguilar, supra.

88 “Art. 64. Rules for the application of penalties which contain three
periods.
x x x x x x x x x
“5. When there are two or more mitigating circumstances and no aggravating
circumstances are present, the court shall impose the penalty next lower to that
prescribed by law, in the period that it may deem applicable, according to the
number and nature of such circumstances.”
x x x x x x x x x
89 People v. Narvaez, 206 Phil. 314; 121 SCRA 389, April 20, 1983;
Guevarra v. Court of Appeals, 187 SCRA 484, July 16, 1990.
90 Basan v. People, 61 SCRA 275, November 29, 1974.
594

People vs. Genosa
the minimum period, she may 91now apply for and be

released from detention on parole.
Epilogue
Being a novel concept in our jurisprudence, the battered

woman syndrome was neither easy nor simple to analyze
and recognize vis-à-vis the given set of facts in the present
case. The Court agonized on how to apply the theory as a
modern-day reality. It took great effort beyond the normal
manner in which decisions are made—on the basis of
existing law and jurisprudence applicable to the proven
facts. To give a just and proper resolution of the case, it
endeavored to take a good look at studies conducted here
and abroad in order to understand the intricacies of the
syndrome and the distinct personality of the chronically
abused person. Certainly, the Court has learned much.
And definitely, the solicitor general and appellant’s
counsel, Atty. Katrina Legarda, have helped it in such
learning process.
While our hearts empathize with recurrently battered
persons, we can only work within the limits of law,
jurisprudence and given facts. We cannot make or invent
them. Neither can we amend the Revised Penal Code. Only
Congress, in its wisdom, may do so.
The Court, however, is not discounting the possibility of
self-defense arising from the battered woman syndrome.
We now sum up our main points. First, each of the phases
of the cycle of violence must be proven to have
characterized at least two battering episodes between the
appellant and her intimate partner. Second, the final acute
battering episode preceding the killing of the batterer
must have produced in the battered person’s mind an
actual fear of an imminent harm from her batterer and an
honest belief that she needed to use force in order to save
her life. Third,at the time of the killing, the batterer must
have posed probable—not necessarily immediate and
actual—grave harm to the accused, based on the history of
violence perpetrated by the former against the latter.
Taken altogether, these circumstances could satisfy the
requisites of self-defense. Under the existing facts of the
present case, however, not all of these elements were duly
established.
_______________
91 §5, Indeterminate Sentence Law (Act 4103, as amended).
595
VOL. 419, JANUARY 15, 2004 595

People vs. Genosa
WHEREFORE, the conviction of Appellant Marivic Genosa

for parricide is hereby AFFIRMED. However, there being
two (2) mitigating circumstances and no aggravating
circumstance attending her commission of the offense, her
penalty is REDUCEDto six (6) years and one (1) day of
prision mayor as minimum; to 14 years, 8 months and 1
day of reclusion temporal as maximum.
Inasmuch as appellant has been detained for more than
the minimum penalty hereby imposed upon her, the
director of the Bureau of Corrections may immediately
RELEASE her from custody upon due determination that
she is eligible for parole, unless she is being held for some
other lawful cause. Costs de oficio.
Puno, Carpio, Corona, Carpio-Morales, Callejo, Sr.,

Azcuna and Tinga, JJ., concur.
Davide, Jr., I join Mm. Justice Santiago in her
dissent.
Vitug and Quisumbing, JJ., In the result.
Ynares-Santiago, J., Please see dissenting opinion.
Sandoval-Gutierrez, J., I am joining Justice
Santiago in her dissent.
Austria-Martinez, J., I am joining Justice Santiago
in her dissent.
DISSENTING OPINION
YNARES-SANTIAGO, J.:
In convicting Marivic Genosa of the crime of parricide, our

esteemed colleague Mr. Justice Artemio V. Panganiban
found that there was no factual basis to conclude that
Marivic was suffering from “Battered Woman Syndrome”
(BWS) at the time she took the life of her husband. With
due respect, I register my dissent.
The novel theory of “Battered Woman Syndrome” is
recognized in foreign jurisprudence as a form of self-
defense. It operates upon the premise that a woman who
has been cyclically abused and controlled over a period of
time develops a fearful state of mind. Living in constant
danger of harm or death, she knows that future beatings
are almost certain to occur and will escalate over time. Her
intimate knowledge of the violent nature of her batterer
makes her alert to when a particular attack is
forthcoming, and
596

People vs. Genosa
when it will seriously threaten her survival. Trapped in a

cycle of violence and constant fear, it is not unlikely that
she would succumb to her helplessness and fail to perceive
possible solutions to the problem other than to injure or
kill her batterer. She is seized by fear of an existing or
impending lethal aggression and thus would have no
opportunity beforehand to deliberate on her acts and 1
to
choose a less fatal means of eliminating her sufferings.
As exhaustively discussed in the ponencia, the
“Battered Woman Syndrome” has three phases, to wit: (1)
the tension-building phase, where minor batterings in the
form of verbal or slight physical abuse occurs. Here, the
woman tries to pacify the batterer through a show of kind,
nurturing behavior; or by simply staying out of his way; (2)
the acute battering incident phase which is characterized
by brutality, destructiveness and sometimes, death. The
battered woman usually realizes that she cannot reason
with him and that resistance would only exacerbate her
condition; and (3) the tranquil period, where the couple
experience a compound relief and the batterer may show a
tender and nurturing behavior towards his partner.
Contrary to the findings in the ponencia, the defense
was able to establish the occurrence on more than one
occasion of the “tension-building phase” of the cycle. The
various testimonies of appellant’s witnesses clearly reveal
that she knew exactly when she would once again be
subjected to acute battery. Her cousin, Ecel Arano,
testified that she often asked the latter to sleep in her
house as she was afraid every time her husband came
home drunk. Clearly, whenever appellant requested for
Arano’s company, she was experiencing a tension-building
phase. The barangay captain, Panfilo Tero, also testified
that appellant sought his help two months before she
killed her husband, again demonstrating that she was in
the tension-building phase and was attempting to prevent
another incident of acute battery. Appellant presented
evidence to prove that the tension-building phase would
occur whenever her husband would go out looking for other
women, would lose at cockfights or would come home
drunk. She often tried to ignore her husband’s attitude or,
as testified to by some witnesses for the prosecution, even
shouted back, fought off or even injured her husband
during
_______________
1 People v. Genosa, G.R. No. 135981, 29 September 2000, 341 SCRA

493, 498.
597
VOL. 419, JANUARY 15, 2004 597

People vs. Genosa
the tension-building phase, if only to prevent the onset of

acute battery.
Appellant was able to perfectly describe the tension-
building phase of the cycle immediately prior to the death
of her husband, i.e., when she knew or felt that she was
going to be killed by the deceased. She could not possibly
have testified with clarity as to prior tension-building
phases in the cycle as she had never tried to kill her
husband before this time.
It was shown by the testimonies of appellant and even
witnesses for the prosecution that appellant would seek
shelter in her mother’s or her father’s house after an acute
battering incident, after which would begin the process of
begging for forgiveness, promises of change in behavior
and return to the conjugal home, only for the same cycle to
begin all over again.
To require appellant to prove the state of mind of the
deceased, as seems to be required in the ponencia, would
mean that no person would ever be able to prove self-
defense in a battered woman case. Appellant could not
possibly prove whether the deceased felt provoked into
battering by any act or omission of appellant. She cannot
possibly prove that she felt herself to be the sole support of
the deceased’s emotional stability and well-being.
Nevertheless, appellant felt trapped and helpless in the
relationship as, in the end, she resorted to killing her
husband as no one could or did help her, whether out of
fear or insensitivity, during the violent marriage she
endured.
The “acute battering incident stage” was well
demonstrated by the severe beatings suffered by Marivic
in the hands of the deceased2 as well as the threats to kill
her using a bolo or a cutter. The physical abuses occurred
at least 3 3 times a week in the 11 miserable years of their
marriage, six incidents of which were documented by the
1990-1995 medical records of Marivic. They included,
among others, hematoma, contusion, and pain on the
breasts; multiple contusions and trauma on the different
4
parts of her body even during her pregnancy in 1995. The
tranquil period underwent by Marivic was shown by the
repeated “kiss and make-up” episodes of their relationship.
On more than 5 occasions,
_______________
2 TSN, August 6, 1998, pp. 22-30; 47-49; 50-51.

3Id., pp. 8-13, 18.
4 Exhibit “1”, Compilation of Exhibits, p. 44.
598

People vs. Genosa
Marivic ran to her parents’ house after violent fights with

the deceased only to forgive the latter
5
every time he would
fetch her and promise to change.
All these recurring phases of cycle of violence,
repentance and forgiveness developed a trauma in the
mind of Marivic making her believe that a forthcoming
attack from the deceased would cause her death. This state
of mind of Marivic was revealed in her testimony given
way back in 1998, before she was examined by experts on
BWS. Unaware of the significance of her declarations, she
candidly narrated how she felt immediately before she
killed the deceased, thus—
ATTY. TABUCANON
A Yes, sir.
x x x x x x x x x
Q What happened when you were brought to the drawer?
did not have the key. [T]hen he pulled his wallet which
blade, I smashed him then I ran to the room, and on
that very moment everything on my mind was pity on
myself, then the feeling I had on that very moment was
the same when I was admitted in PHILPHOS Clinic, I
was about to vomit.
6
x x x x x x x x x
Q What else happened?
A When I was in the room, I felt the same thing like what
happened before I was admitted in PHILPHOS Clinic, I
was about to vomit. I know my blood pressure has
raised. I was frightened I was about to die because of
my blood pressure.
x x x x x x x x x
_______________
5 TSN, August 6, 1998, pp. 12-13; 36-37.

6Id., pp. 27-28.
599
VOL. 419, JANUARY 15, 2004 599
People vs. Genosa
A Considering all the physical sufferings that I’ve been

throughhim, I took pity on myself and I felt I was about
to die also because of my blood
7
pressure and the baby,
so I got the gun andshot him.
It must be stressed that the defense of “Battered Woman

Syndrome” was not raised by Marivic before the lower
court but only here on automatic review. This makes the
foregoing testimony more worthy of great weight and
credence considering that the same could not have been
cunningly given to suit or conform to the profile of a
battered woman.
Moreover, there was indeed basis for Marivic to fear
death because of her medical history. Dr. Dino Caing
testified that he treated Marivic for hypertension due to
domestically related emotional stress on 23 separate
occasions. The latest one was on November 6, 1995 when
she suffered from severe hypertension and had a blood 8
pressure of 180/120 on the 8th month of her pregnancy.
Furthermore, Dr. Natividad A. Dayan, a clinical
psychologist and an expert on BWS who examined Marivic,
assessed the effects of the repeated violence on the latter
as follows:
A What I remember . . . was it was more than ten years

that she was suffering from emotional anguish. There
were a lot of instance of abuses, . . . emotional
abuse...verbal abuse and . . . physical abuse. The
husband had very meager income, she was the one who
was practically the bread earner of the family. The
husband was involved in a lot of vices, going out with
barkadas, drinking, even womanizing, being involved
in cockfighting and in going home very angry which . . .
triggered a lot of physical abuse. She also had the
experience of taunting from the husband for the reason
that the husband even accused her of infidelity, the
husband was saying that the child she was carrying
was not his own. So she was very angry, she was at the
same time very depressed because she . . . [felt] almost
like living in purgatory or even in hell when it was
happening day in and day out.
x x x x x x x x x
_______________
7Id., pp. 31-32.

8 TSN, August 5, 1998, pp. 21-31.
600

People vs. Genosa
Q And what was it that triggered . . . that tragedy in your

opinion?
A I think for several weeks, she was already having all
those tensions, all those anxieties, they were not
enough, that the husband was even going to
cockfighting x x x
A She was angry with him, he was angry with her and I
think he dragged her and even spun her around. She
tried to fight him so there was a lot of fight and when
she was able to escape, she went to another room and
she locked herself with the children. And when the
husband was for a while very angry he calms down
then and then (sic). But I remember before that the
husband was looking for the gun and I think he was not
able to open the cabinet because she had the key. So
during that time, I remember, that she was very much
afraid of him, so when the husband calmed down and
he was asleep, all she was concerned was to end up her
misery, to save her child which she was carrying and to
save her 9two children. I believe that somehow she’s not
rational.
x x x x x x x x x
PROS. TRUYA
Q Mrs. Witness, being an expert witness, giving more the
facts and circumstances on this case that the books you
studied in the expertise in line and in the 77 hour
contact with appellant Mrs. Genosa, could you say that
this is not ordinary self-defense but a survival on her
part?
A Yes, sir.
Q To what she did to her husband (sic)?
A Yes, sir this is not an ordinary self-defense, but this [is]
a need to survive, a need to survive with her two sons
and [the] child she’s bringing.
Q Had she not able to kill her husband, would she still be
in the very short moment with the victim (sic)?
A If she did not do that she10believes that she will be the
one who would be killed.
There is no doubt therefore that Marivic was afflicted with

the “Battered Woman Syndrome” and that it was an
apprehension of death and the instinct to defend her and
her unborn child’s life that drove her to kill her husband.
_______________
9 TSN, January 15, 2001, pp. 38-40.

10Id.,pp. 74-75.
601
VOL. 419, JANUARY 15, 2004 601

People vs. Genosa
The ponente further refused to sustain the self-defense

proffered by Marivic because there was allegedly no
aggression or danger posed on her life by the victim at the
time she attacked the latter; Again, I beg to disagree.
Traditionally, in order that self-defense may be
appreciated, the unlawful aggression or the attack must be
imminent and actually in existence. This interpretation
must, however, be re-evaluated vis-à-vis the recognized
inherent characteristic of the psyche of a person afflicted
with the “Battered Woman Syndrome.” As previously
discussed, women afflicted by this syndrome live in
constant fear for their life and thus respond in self-
defense. Once BWS and an impending danger based on the
conduct of the deceased in previous battering episodes are
established, actual occurrence of an assault is no longer a
condition sine qua non before self defense may be upheld.
Threatening behavior or communication can satisfy the
required imminence of danger. As stated in the ponencia,to
require the battered person to await an obvious deadly
attack before she can defend her life would amount to
sentencing her to murder by installment.
In the case at bar, the cycle of violence perpetrated by
the deceased, which culminated in the physical assaults
and an attempt to shoot Marivic when she was 8 months
pregnant, took the place of unlawful aggression, thus
entitling her to a complete self-defense even if there was
no actual employment of violence by the deceased at the
time of the killing. Marivic had every reason to believe
that the deceased would kill her that night not only
because the latter was verbally threatening to kill her
while attempting to get a gun from the drawer, but more
importantly because the deceased wounded her on the
wrist with a bolo, and because of the deceased’s previous
conduct of threatening to cut her throat with a cutter
which he kept in his wallet. Quoted hereunder are the
relevant testimonies of Marivic—
A When I arrived home, he was already in his usual

behavior.
x x x x x x x x x
A He was drunk again, he was yelling in his usual unruly
behavior.
x x x x x x x x x
A He was nagging . . . me at that time and I just ignore[d]
him because I want to avoid trouble for fear that he will
beat me again. Perhaps he was disappointed because I
just ignore[d]
602

People vs. Genosa
hi[s] provocation and he switch off the light and I said
to him, “why did you switch off the light when the
children were there.” At that time I was also attending
to my children who were doing their assignments. He
was angry with me for not answering his challenge, so
he went to the kitchen and g[o]t a bolo and cut the
antenna wire to stop me from watching television.
x x x x x x x x x
A He switch[ed] off the light and the children were
shouting because they were scared and he was already
holding a bolo.
Q How do you describe this bolo?
A 1 1/2 feet.
x x x x x x x x x
Q You said the children were scared, what else happened
as Ben was carrying that bolo?
A He was about to attack me so I ran to the room.
Q What do you mean that he was about to attack you?
A When I attempted] to run he held my 11 hands and he
whirled me and I fell [on] the bedside.
x x x x x x x x x
COURT
To the witness
x x x x x x x x x
Q The bolo that you said which Ben was holding at that
time, [was] it a bolo or a knife?
A Bolo.
Q Were you wounded or were there inflictions on your
body when he was holding and trying to frighten you
[with] that bolo?
A No, only here.
COURT INTERPRETER
(The witness pointed to her wrist).
COURT
To the witness
Q You were demonstrating a motion, whirling, did your
husband really whirl you?
A Yes, your Honor.
Q How did he whirl you?
A Whirled around.
_______________
11 TSN, August 6, 1998, pp. 22-25.
603
VOL. 419, JANUARY 15, 2004 603

People vs. Genosa
Q Just like spinning.

x x x x x x x x x
Q Where did he whirl you, was it inside the bedroom or
outside?
A In our bedroom.
Q Then after the whirling what happened?
12
A He kicked my ass and then I screamed.
x x x x x x x x x
Q You screamed for help and he left, do you know where
he was going?
A Outside perhaps to drink more.
Q When he left what did you do . . .?
A I packed all his clothes.
Q What was your reason in packing his clothes?
13
A I wanted him to leave us.
x x x x x x x x x
A I was frightened that my husband would hurt me, so I
packed all his things then on the following day I will
leave, I was afraid and 14I want to make sure I would
deliver my baby safely.
x x x x x x x x x
A After a couple of hours, he went back again and got
angry with me for packing his clothes, then he dragged
me again outside of the bedroom holding my neck.
ATTY. TABUCANON
Q You said that when Ben came back to your house, he
dragged you? How did he drag . . . you?
COURT INTERPRETER
(The witness demonstrated to the Court by using her
A And he dragged me towards the door backwards.
ATTY. TABUCANON
and then he kept shouting at me that “you might as
well be killed so there will be nobody to nag me.”
_______________
12Id., pp. 47-49.

13Id., pp. 25-26.
14Id., p. 34.
604

People vs. Genosa

A Yes, sir.
x x x x x x x x x
Q What happened when you were brought to the drawer?
did not have the key. [T]hen he pulled his wallet which
blade, I smashed him then I ran to the room, and on
that very moment everything on my mind was pity on
myself, then the feeling I had on that very moment was
the same when I was admitted in PHILPHOS Clinic, I
was about to vomit.
x x x x x x x x x
does it look like?
Q Is it a flexible blade?
A It’s a cutter.
Q How did he do it?
A Yes15sir, that was the object used when he intimidate
me.
RE-DIRECT BY ATTY. TABUCANON
Q In other words, there were two (2) incidents, the first
incident and then he left and then two (2) hours after
he came back?
A Yes, sir.
Q And the whirling happened in the first incident?
A Yes, sir.
Q And the dragging with arms flexed in her neck and on
that blade happened on the second incident (sic)?
_______________
15Id.,pp. 26-30.
605
VOL. 419, JANUARY 15, 2004 605

People vs. Genosa
A Yes, sir.
COURT
To the witness
x x x x x x x x x
Q Why, what is that blade about?
A A cutter about 3 inches long.
Q Who used that?
A Ben.
Q He used that on you?
A He scared me on that (sic).
x x x x x x x x x
Q But he did not hit you with that?
A Yes, 16because I managed to run every time he scared
(sic).
There are many things which cannot be proved by direct

evidence. One of this is state of mind. In the case at bar,
there is more than sufficient physical evidence presented
by the appellant from which her mental state can be
inferred. The prosecution did not object to the presentation
of these physical and testimonial pieces of evidence,
namely, the medical records of 23 instances of domestic
violence-related injuries and the testimonies of neighbors,
cousins and even the barangay captain. Indeed, no person
would endure 23 reported instances of beatings if she were
planning to kill her spouse in the first place. The majority
need not worry that women around the country will
mastermind the killings of their husbands and then use
this Decision to bolster their attempts to employ the BWS
defense.
Moreover, as found in the ponencia, appellant should be
allowed the mitigating circumstance of passion and
obfuscation. This, at the very least, supports a finding that
the acts of violence and battery committed by the deceased
were illegal and unlawful and were committed
immediately before appellant could recover her natural
equanimity. But what is the natural equanimity of a
battered woman? Appellant was not a normal married
woman. She can never be in a state of natural equanimity
as she was in a constant state of alertness and
hypersensitivity to the next phase of acute battery. The
esteemed ponente also correctly found that the
_______________
16Id.,pp. 50-51.
606

People vs. Genosa
appellant acted with diminished will-power. However, 17

he
failed to go further. In the case of People v. Javier, it was
held:
Since accused-appellant has already admitted to the killing, it is

incumbent upon him to prove the claimed mitigating
circumstance of illness. In this case, however, aside from the
testimony of the accused that his mind went blank when he
killed his wife due to loss of sleep, no medical finding was
presented regarding his mental condition at the time of the
killing. This Court can hardly rely on the bare allegations of
accused-appellant, nor on mere presumptions and conjectures. No
clear and convincing evidence was shown that accused-appellant
was suffering an illness which 18diminished his exercise of will-
power at the time of the kill-ing.
In the case at bar, appellant was allowed and did in fact

present clear and convincing evidence that she was a
battered woman for 13-14 years and that she suffered from
the “Battered Woman Syndrome.” Expert testimony was
presented and admitted to this effect, such that the
ponente ably discussed the causes and effects of the
syndrome. To ignore the testimony and the evidence thus
presented is to make impossible the proof of mental state.
Evidence as to the mental state need not be also “beyond
reasonable doubt.”
Verily, the requirement of threatening behavioral
pattern of the batterer in previous violent episodes was
sufficiently satisfied in the present case. This, juxtaposed
to Marivic’s affliction with BWS justified the killing of the
deceased. The danger posed or created in her mind by the
latter’s threats using bladed weapons, bred a state of fear,
where under the circumstances, the natural response of
the battered woman would be to defend herself even at the
cost of taking the life of the batterer.
The ponencia’s acknowledgement of “Battered Woman
Syndrome” as a valid form of self-defense, is a noble
recognition of the plight of, and a triumph for battered
women who are trapped in a culture of silence, shame, and
fear. This would however be an empty victory if we
deliberately close our eyes to the antecedents of this case.
The facts are simple. Marivic was suffering from the
“Battered Woman Syndrome” and was defending herself
when she killed her husband. Her acquittal of the charge
of parricide is therefore in order.
_______________
17 G.R. No. 130654, 28 July 1999, 311 SCRA 576.

18Supra,at 581-582.
607
VOL. 419, JANUARY 15, 2004 607

People vs. Badajos
IN VIEW WHEREOF, I vote to ACQUIT Marivic Genosa.

Judgment affirmed with modification.
Note.—Unlawful aggression presupposes an actual,

sudden and unexpected or imminent danger on the life and
limb of a person—a mere threatening or intimidating
attitude is not sufficient. (Calim vs. Court of Appeals, 351
SCRA 559 [2001])
——o0o——
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VOL.

419, JANUARY 15, 2004 537

PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, appellee, vs. MARIVIC

Criminal Law; Parricide; Evidence; Witnesses; Appeals; The

538 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

People vs. Genosa

VOL. 419, JANUARY 15, 2004 539

People vs. Genosa

Same; Same; Same; Same; Same; Battered women exhibit

540 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

People vs. Genosa

Same; Same; Same; Same; Same; Same; Same; Tranquil

VOL. 419, JANUARY 15, 2004 541

Same; Same; Same; Same; Same; Same; Aggression, if not

YNARES-SANTIAGO, J., Dissenting Opinion:

Criminal law; Parricide; Justifying Circumstances; Self-

542 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

People vs. Genosa

Same; Same; Same; Same; Same; Once BWS and an

AUTOMATIC REVIEW of a decision of the Regional Trial

Admitting she killed her husband, appellant anchors her

VOL. 419, JANUARY 15, 2004 543

In addition, appellant should also be credited with the

For automatic review

“WHEREFORE, after all the foregoing being duly considered, the

“That on or about the 15th day of November 1995, at Barangay

1 Penned by Judge Fortunito L. Madrona.

544 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

The Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) summarizes the

“Appellant and Ben Genosa were united in marriage on

VOL. 419, JANUARY 15, 2004 545

“On November 15, 1995, Ben and Arturo Basobas went to a

546 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

VOL. 419, JANUARY 15, 2004 547

Appellant relates her version of the facts in this manner:

“1. Marivic and Ben Genosa were allegedly married on November

548 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

VOL. 419, JANUARY 15, 2004 549

“7. In her defense, witnesses who were not so closely related to

‘7.1. Mr. Joe Barrientos, a fisherman, who was a [neighbor] of the

testified to by Arturo Busabos. )

8 Spelled as “Basobas” in some parts of the record.

550 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

VOL. 419, JANUARY 15, 2004 551

552 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

VOL. 419, JANUARY 15, 2004 553

“Attached to the URGENT OMNIBUS MOTION was a letter of

554 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

VOL. 419, JANUARY 15, 2004 555

556 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

cases, he became a consultant of the Battered Woman Office in

VOL. 419, JANUARY 15, 2004 557

Ruling of the Trial Court

Finding the proffered theory of self-defense untenable, the

9 Appellant’s Brief, pp. 10-71; Rollo, pp. 284-345; signed by Atty.

558 SUPREME COURT REPORTS ANNOTATED

On February 19, 2000, appellant filed an Urgent Omnibus