Monday, June 09, 2008
Man pays for crime committed 25 yrs. ago
A MAN was sentenced to 20 to 40 years in jail for robbery with homicide that happened almost 25 years ago.
Eduardo Celosia was accused of killing a neighbor on July 30, 1983. It wasn’t until May 30, 2006 though that he was arrested.
Prosecution witness Manuel Gian still remembered that on that day, he was a delivery boy for trader Ernesto Apa, the victim.
Gian said that while delivering some supplies along Magallanes St., he left his boss inside the vehicle the latter was driving.
Gian said he met Celosia, carrying an iron bar, asking about Apa. Gian said Apa was waiting in the car.
Then Gian heard a shout that his boss was attacked.
Gian hurried back to his boss and saw Celosia hitting Apa with the iron bar. After that, Celosia took Apa’s wallet and ran away.
Apa was taken to the hospital but died the next day.
Celosia told the court he could not remember what happened on July 30, 1983. He denied killing Apa, a neighbor.
Apa was also a former employer but Celosia said he quit working for Apa because of low pay.
But Regional Trial Court RTC Judge Geraldine Faith Econg of Branch 9 noted that the Supreme Court has consistently held that denial, like alibi, is a weak defense.
“Further, it is noteworthy to point out that (the) accused only denied the fact of killing Apa. He never denied the fact of taking the victim’s wallet when the latter was already lying face down,” read Econg’s six-page decision.
Aside from the prison term, Judge Econg also ordered Celosia to pay Apa’s heirs P50,000. (JGA)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (June 9, 2008 issue)
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