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Wednesday, December 11, 2002
Lawyer in trouble anew: youth shot
CEBU -- Controversial lawyer Daryll Amante was accused of shooting his neighbor who was chatting with friends near his residence in Phase 5, Barangay Buhisan, Cebu City Monday night.
Victim Owen Veraque, 21, remains in critical condition after he was hit near his left eyebrow, with the bullet exiting through his right temple.
Amante was no longer in his house when a homicide police team went to his house shortly after the lawyer gave a radio interview.
He failed to appear at the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) Homicide Section despite an invitation to show up for questioning.
However, in the early morning radio interview, Amante denied he shot Veraque, saying it was his farm boy Alfredo Roda who fired a gun, because the victim and his friends were caught trying to get inside their premises to steal fighting cocks.
Amante said several of his fighting cocks have been stolen from his compound.
But Maybelle Toroc, 21, and Veraque's companion, Roldan Montemor, pointed to Amante as the gunman. The two witnesses said Amante was alone and near a sodium lamppost when he shot Veraque.
Toroc and Montemor are willing to testify against the lawyer.
Early this year, Amante was also accused of indiscriminately firing at a group of youngsters playing basketball near his residence. No one was wounded in that attack.
Scampered
Montemor said he, Veraque and Warlito Carcueva were sitting and chatting near the fence of Amante's compound when they heard a gunshot.
When they looked to check, they saw Amante aim a handgun at them, forcing them to scamper away.
"We scampered away to save ourselves but Owen was left behind," Montemor said.
They heard two more gunshots and then saw Veraque lying on the ground, blood oozing from his head.
Montemor said they also saw Amante approach the bloodied Veraque, as if to check if the victim was still alive.
After the lawyer had left, Montemor and some neighbors went toward Veraque and rushed him to the hospital.
Toroc confirmed Montemor's statements. Toroc, who lives near Amante's residence, said she was at the window when she saw Amante carry a gun.
The lawyer did not say a word when he fired a shot into the air and then twice at the three men, Toroc added.
Toroc said she was certain it was Amante because she knew the lawyer and there was a sodium lamppost nearby.
Self-protection
But in the dyLA interview, Amante said he was inside his house when he heard gunshots. He went outside to check and found out that his farm boy had shot somebody.
Amante admitted he was carrying a gun, saying he just wanted to defend himself in case relatives of the victim would attack him.
Amante said he told Roda to be ready because the police would surely come to get him.
But the farm boy reportedly ignored him and escaped without his knowledge. He said Roda, a native of Ozamiz City, has been his employee for a few months.
Amante also said he was not able to bring Veraque to the hospital because he thought the young man was fine, as he allegedly saw him running.
He said he was also busy looking for Roda right after the incident.
Amante said he is willing to undergo a paraffin test to prove he did not fire his gun.
But Tuesday afternoon, only Rico Pada, his farm manager, who showed up at the homicide section. Pada said that Amante could not come as he was still looking for Roda.
Pada said the lawyer wanted to move their scheduled talk with the witnesses on Monday. But Veraque's father Floro insisted on meeting the lawyer Wednesday.
Show up or...
If Amante fails to come, the victim's family will file a criminal complaint against him.
Floro, Montemor and Toroc also asked for security assistance from CCPO Director Josephus Angan. They feared that Amante might get back at them for testifying against him.
Toroc said Amante's daughter and his boy Jemer went to her house three times Tuesday morning and told her that Amante wanted to talk to her. She declined.
In December last year, Amante also figured in a fight with some Cebu City policemen after he allegedly meddled in a drug raid conducted along N. Bacalso Ave.
A 17-year-old rape victim also filed serious illegal detention and child abuse cases against Amante before the Cebu City Prosecutor's Office.
The young woman also accused him of participating in an extortion attempt. MBG/Sun.Star Cebu |
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