JUSTICE MARTIN VILLRAMA, JR.: IN CRIMINAL CASES, THE EVALUATION OF THE CREDIBILITY OF WITNESSES IS ADDRESSED TO THE SOUND DISCRETION OF THE TRIAL JUDGE

in criminal cases, the evaluation of the credibility of witnesses is addressed to the sound discretion of the trial judge.  The rule finds an even more stringent application where said findings are sustained by the Court of Appeals (People of the Phils. vs. Eduardo Castro and Renerio delos Reyes, G.R. No. 187073, March 14, 2012, VILLARAMA, JR., J.).