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Question

A. Felonies - Duty of the Courts in Case of Non-Punishable Act and Excessive Penalty

Scenario:

John, an electrician, was accused of stealing electrical equipment from a construction site. After a thorough investigation, it was established that John was not responsible for the theft and there was no evidence to prove his guilt.

The prosecutor, however, insisted on pursuing the case and presented weak and circumstantial evidence against John during the trial. Despite the lack of evidence, the court rendered a guilty verdict and imposed the maximum penalty for theft, which is 20 years of imprisonment.

Based on the given scenario, discuss the duty of the courts in case of a non-punishable act and excessive penalty under Article 5 of the Philippine Republic Act No. 3815, also known as the Revised Penal Code.

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Answer