Practice question
The prosecution presents evidence it calls a prima facie case. The accused offers no testimony, but the prosecution's own record leaves reasonable doubt about identity. The court says that a shifted production burden makes conviction mandatory unless innocence is proved. Which is sound?
- A prima facie label automatically ends the presumption of innocence
- The State retains its burden to establish guilt beyond reasonable doubt; a production duty cannot cure the unresolved reasonable doubt
- Silence conclusively proves the missing identity element
- The accused must prove identity beyond reasonable doubt for the State
- The court may ignore uncertainty in the prosecution's evidence
Legal references
- https://lawphil.net/courts/rules/pdf/am_19-08-15-sc_2019.pdf — A.M. No. 19-08-15-SC, current Rule 131 §§1–3,5–6; Rule 133 §§1–2.
- https://lawphil.net/consti/cons1987.html — 1987 Constitution, Article III §§2–3,12,14 (exclusionary protections and due process).
- https://lawphil.net/judjuris/juri2025/apr2025/gr_265570_2025.html — People v. Akil, G.R. No. 265570, April 7, 2025, MAIN decision (police-initiated private questioning of a detainee and custodial confession).
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