Burden of evidence shifts to accused who admits killing, invoking self-defense

The issues raised before us are no longer formidable in view of the admissions of accused-appellant Danilo Balamban that he killed Sonny Solo in complete self-defense and the defense of alibi by accused-appellant Rudy Balamban. This Court has been unbending in its rule that where the accused admits to the killing of the victim but invokes self-defense, it is incumbent upon him to prove by clear and convincing evidence that he indeed acted in defense of himself. As the burden of the evidence is thus shifted to him, he must rely on the strength of his evidence and not on the weakness of that of the prosecution, for even if the latter were weak, it would not be disbelieved after his open admission of responsibility for the killing. The evidence of sel-defense and must exclude any vestige of criminal aggression on his part. [G.R. No. 119591. November 21, 1996]