Supreme Court acquits 3 of vehicular theft
MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court (SC) has acquitted a man and two minors of motorcycle theft charges.
Citing prosecutors’ failure to prove the teenagers acted with discernment, the SC Third Division ordered the immediate release of Kristian Singh and two children.
In 2020, police arrested the suspects as they dismantled the stolen vehicle outside Singh’s residence.
One of the three minor suspects had admitted to disassembling the motorcycle to evade authorities.
The SC affirmed the suspect’s conviction. He was sentenced to up to 21 years in prison.
Evidence against Singh was insufficient, the high court said, noting that the convicted minor had admitted to stealing the motorcycle alone and bringing it to Singh’s house for repairs.
The two other children were acquitted since the prosecutors failed to prove they acted with discernment.
“Such lapse led to a vacuum in the evidence, engendering reasonable doubt as to their culpability,” Associate Justice Japar Dimaampao said.
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