Robbie and Rannie are both inmates of the National Penitentiary, serving the maximum penalty for robbery which they committed some years before and for which they have been sentenced by final judgment. One day, Robbie tried to collect money owed by Rannie. Rannie insisted that he did not owe Robbie anything, and after a shouting episode, Rannie kicked Robbie in the stomach. Robbie fell to the ground in pain, and Rannie left him to go to the toilet to relieve himself. As Rannie was opening the door to the toilet and with his back turned against Robbie, Robbie stabbed him in the back with a bladed weapon that he had concealed in his waist. Hurt, Rannie ran to the nearest “kubol” where he fell. Robbie ran after him· and, while Rannie was lying on the ground, Robbie continued to stab him, inflicting a total of 15 stab wounds. He died on the spot. Robbie immediately surrendered to the Chief Warden. When prosecuted for the murder of Rannie, Robbie raised provocation and voluntary surrender as mitigating circumstances. The prosecution, on the other hand, claimed that there was treachery in the commission of the crime.
(a) Is Robbie a recidivist, or a quasi-recidivist? (2.5%)
(b) Can the mitigating circumstances raised by Robbie, if proven, lower the penalty for the crime committed? (2.5%)
Suggested answer only. Not an official answer and not legal advice.
(a) Robbie is a quasi-recidivist, not a recidivist; and (b) no, the mitigating circumstances raised cannot lower the penalty. Under Article 160 of the RPC, quasi-recidivism occurs when a felony is committed while serving sentence for
Unlock the full Criminal Law answers365 days of full access. GCash, Maya and card accepted.
This is not an official scoring system and carries no weight with the Supreme Court or any bar review provider. It measures how much of the suggested answer's wording your response covers, not whether your reasoning is correct. For practice only.
Quick check
What defines quasi-recidivism under Article 160 of the Revised Penal Code?
Quasi-recidivism occurs when an offender commits a felony after final conviction or while serving sentence for a prior offense.
Why is an inmate serving sentence for robbery who commits murder not a recidivist?
Recidivism under Article 14(9) requires both crimes to be embraced in the same title of the Revised Penal Code.
How does quasi-recidivism affect the penalty for a newly committed felony under Article 160?
Article 160 mandates that quasi-recidivism requires imposing the maximum period of the penalty for the new felony.
Can ordinary mitigating circumstances offset the special aggravating circumstance of quasi-recidivism?
Choices available with full access.
What status attaches to an inmate who stabs a fellow prisoner while serving sentence for robbery?
Choices available with full access.
Learn more about these topics
1. Quasi-Recidivism Requisites
Under Article 160 of the Revised Penal Code, quasi-recidivism occurs when a person commits any felony after having been convicted by final judgment, before beginning to serve such sentence, or while serving the same. Unlike ordinary recidivism, quasi-recidivism applies regardless of whether the second crime falls under the same title of the code as the first conviction.
2. Recidivism Distinctions
Under Article 14, paragraph 9 of the Revised Penal Code, recidivism requires that the offender, at the time of his trial for one crime, shall have been previously convicted by final judgment of another crime embraced in the same title of the code. Because robbery falls under crimes against property while murder falls under crimes against persons, an offender committing murder while serving sentence for robbery is not a recidivist.
3. Special Aggravating Effect
Quasi-recidivism is a special aggravating circumstance that mandates the imposition of the maximum period of the penalty prescribed by law for the new felony. Under Article 160 of the Revised Penal Code, quasi-recidivism cannot be offset by ordinary mitigating circumstances, such as voluntary surrender or sufficient provocation, ensuring that the maximum statutory penalty applies to offenders who reoffend while serving sentence.