|
Saturday, December 11, 2004
2 get 40 years in jail for killing police chief's pa
By Raquel C. Bagnol
DAVAO CITY -- All it took was three bullets to end the life of one man. As a consequence, two men were convicted to a maximum of 40 years jail term after the Regional Trial Court (RTC) found them guilty of murder.
The victim, the father of a police official serving as chief of a police precinct in Davao City, was known for running after crime syndicates when he was once a barangay captain.
Judge Emmanuel Carpio of RTC Branch 16 convicted Gerry Sabangan and Noli Borsanal Friday to reclusion perpetua and ordered them to pay P584,080,000 in damages for shooting to death Abe Felonia five years ago.
The complaint was filed by Helen, Felonio's daughter. Felonio was shot dead inside a school supplies store at the Kidapawan City mega market at around 1:30 p.m. of December 17, 1999.
A female witness testified she saw Sabangan enter the store. He then shot Felonia three times. The witness said she shouted for help from bystanders when she saw Felonia fall but efforts to save his life proved futile.
The witness was able to identify the suspects from a file of photos at the police headquarters and this later led to the arrest of the suspects.
They were detained at Amas City Jail in Kidapawan, Cotabato but were later transferred to Davao City for court hearings upon the complainant's request.
Both suspects entered not guilty pleas when arraigned. They also denied the allegations and claimed they were somewhere else when the incident took place. The court, however, junked their defenses as mere alibi.
"Alibi is not a telltale sign of weak defense and is not an explanation of innocence," the court ruled.
The two were ordered to pay P50,000 as civil damages, P200,000 as moral damages, P234,080 for actual damages, P50,000 as exemplary damages and another P50,000 as attorney's fees.
In a cellular phone interview, Chief Insp. Leonardo Felonia, chief of Sasa Police Station and son of the victim, told Sun.Star he is happy the ones responsible for the killing of his father are convicted.
He said his father was a barangay captain of their place and has no police records.
He added that his father's pursuit against organized syndicated groups involved in car theft, drug pushing, and other crimes could have been the motive for the killing.
(December 11, 2004 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
|
|
|
[return to top]
[home]
|
|
Cebu Capitol budget sunk in new try