Testimony of a lone witness sufficient to support conviction
The testimony of the complainant as a lone witness to the actual perpetration of the act, as long as it is credible, suffices to establish the guilt of the accused because evidence is weighed and not counted (Manantan v. People, 558 Phil. 104, 116, 2007). If, in criminal cases of rape (People v. Buendia, 373 Phil. 430, 437, 1999) or homicide (People v. Ayupan, 427 Phil. 200, 208-209, 2002), the positive, categorical and credible testimony of a lone witness is deemed enough to support a conviction, then, in the case of Dinamling v. People (G.R. No. 199522, June 22, 2015), involving a case of violation of Section 5(i) of RA No. 9262, the Supreme Court treated in the same manner the testimony of a single but credible witness for the prosecution. Especially if the testimony bears the earmarks of truth and sincerity and was delivered spontaneously, naturally and in a straightforward manner, corroborative testimony is not needed to support a conviction. (People v. Ayupan, 427 Phil. 200, 208-209, 2002)
