SC finds mother, father guilty of qualified rape of 14-year-old daughter

The Supreme Court has affirmed a decision finding a mother and a father guilty of raping their own 14-year-old daughter.

In a 14-page decision, the SC Second Division dismissed the appeal filed by the parents and affirmed their guilt beyond reasonable doubt of qualified rape.

They were sentenced to suffer the penalty of reclusion perpetua or up to 40 years of imprisonment without eligibility of parole.

It also ordered them solidarily liable to pay the victim P100,000 as civil indemnity, P100,000 as moral damages, and P100,000 as exemplary damages, all with an interest rate of 6% per annum from the date of finality of the decision until fully paid.

"The Court stresses that incestuous rape is not a simple criminal offense that can be easily fabricated, especially in this case were both parents are accused," it said.

"The humiliation of a trial and life-long stigmatization will surely take a toll on the victim and her family," it added.

Parents YYY and XXX were accused of conspiring with one another in having sexual intercourse with victim AAA. The two of them pleaded not guilty upon arraignment.

Following this, the regional trial court conducted a joint trial on the charges filed by AAA and the rape charges filed by her sister BBB against their father.

The RTC found both parents guilty beyond reasonable doubt, a ruling that was affirmed by the Court of Appeals.

This prompted the present petition before the SC.

In its ruling, the SC found that the prosecution established all elements of rape.

The high court also cited a previous ruling that found that a wife can be held liable as a conspirator if she helps her husband in raping the victim by pinning them.

"A wife helping her husband rape another person is not new, and or jurisprudence is replete with cases of fathers raping their daughters. However, a mother helping her husband rape their own daughter is uncommon," the Supreme Court said.

"It is so despicable that it seems unreal. However, even if it is unimaginable, it can still happen. Its inconceivability cannot reduce the credibility of the victim's testimony nor make her words less true," it added.

The decision was promulgated in August 2023 but published only in October 2024. — VDV, GMA Integrated News