G.R. No. L-856 April 18, 1949
THE PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, plaintiff-appellee,
vs.
SUSANO PEREZ (alias KID PEREZ), defendant-appellant.
Facts:
Susano Perez faced conviction on five counts of treason, resulting in a death sentence by electrocution. The charges implicated him in recruiting, apprehending, and commandeering girls and women against their will, intending to satisfy the immoral purposes and sexual desires of Colonel Mini, an officer in the Japanese Force in the Philippines.
Issue:
Whether or not Susano Perez is guilty of the felony of treason.
Held:
No, Susano Perez is not guilty of treason.
Ratio:
The court’s decision rested on the premise that “commandeering” women for the satisfaction of Japanese officers, although contributing to enemy morale, did not amount to treason. This reasoning emphasized that Perez’s actions were no more treasonous than if the women had voluntarily participated or organized the entertainments themselves, shedding light on the nuanced interpretation of wartime collaboration within a legal framework.
Leave a Reply