Tuesday, October 03, 2006 Maid tells court she saw suspect during killing of Customs official
A MAID who worked at the customs staff house at the Economic Intelligence and Investigation Bureau (EIIB) building on R.R. Landon St. testified for one of the accused in the murder of a Customs official.
Erlinda Sebellita told the court during her cross-examination yesterday that Juan Jesus Vergel de Dios was eating dinner with two people at about 5 p.m. on July 24, 2003.
It was also around that time that they heard gunshots, presumably from the shooting to death of customs deputy collector Eduardo “Wewe” Lao and two others.
Sebellita, however, said that Rustico Fernandez was not around as he was with his boss, Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) Cebu Chief Felix Espino.
De Dios and Fernandez are facing multiple murder charges for the death of Lao, customs appraiser Bennett Soreño and a high school student hit by a stray bullet.
A charge for frustrated murder was also filed against the two for the injuries sustained by Lao’s driver Samuel Dejan.
Dinner
Lao’s Isuzu Trooper was strafed at the corner of Osmeña Blvd. and R. R. Landon St., while they were on their way to Fuente Osmeña from the Aduana wharf after work, at around 5:45 p.m. of July 24, 2003.
Sebellita testified that Espino gave orders for her to cook dinner for the occupants of the staff house, also called the EIIB building, to be served around 5 p.m.
Sebellita then enumerated ten staff house stay-ins, who were supposed to eat the dinner she prepared. Fernandez was among those she mentioned as occupants of the staff house.
However, she could not determine if he and seven others ate at the EIIB building since she was busy running a lot of errands.
But she was certain that de Dios, who was not a stay-in worker, and two other staff house occupants were eating at past 5 p.m.
Just then, they heard gunshots in the area, which prompted them to go out and take a look.
Identified
It was only in a radio broadcast later that day that Sebellita learned of who was shot that same afternoon.
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 7 arrested Fernandez and de Dios after witnesses identified them as the ones who strafed Lao’s vehicle. They were reportedly onboard a motorcycle.
A separate charge for robbery with violence and intimidation was also filed against the two for robbing an Indian national of his motorcycle more than a month before the killing. (JGA)
