Practice question
A defendant is acquitted of estafa because criminal deceit was not proved beyond reasonable doubt. She nevertheless clearly admitted the amount she must reimburse from the failed transaction, and the civil issue was properly litigated. Does acquittal alone require deletion of reimbursement?
- Yes, every reimbursement requires estafa conviction.
- No; a supported civil obligation can remain despite reasonable-doubt acquittal, as illustrated by Paguirigan.
- Yes, because an admission can never concern civil liability.
- No; the court may now imprison her for the civil debt.
- Yes, the injured party must abandon all civil remedies.
Legal references
- https://lawphil.net/courts/rules/rc_110-127_crim.html — Rule 111 section 2 and Rule 120 section 2: civil liability, nonexistence finding and acquittal judgment contents.
- https://lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra1949/ra_386_1949.html — Civil Code articles 29 and 31: reasonable-doubt acquittal and other sources.
- https://lawphil.net/judjuris/juri2024/jan2024/gr_246489_2024.html — Spouses Nuez v. Daz, G.R. 246489, January 29, 2024, main opinion: distinct acquittal grounds and civil consequences.
- https://lawphil.net/judjuris/juri2024/feb2024/gr_255308_2024.html — Paguirigan v. People, G.R. 255308, February 12, 2024, main opinion: reasonable-doubt acquittal with civil reimbursement.
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