Man gets 16 years for stealing motorcycle

A man was sentenced to 16 years in jail after Regional Trial Court Branch 6 Judge Anacleto Caminade found him "guilty beyond reasonable doubt" of stealing a motorcycle. On January 2, 2000 at about 12:45 am, together with an unidentified person, Benjamin Lipar allegedly stole a Yamaha RS motorcycle with plate number GY 3531 worth P100,000. When arraigned, Lipar entered a plea of not guilty.

In his testimony, Juanito Siton said he parked his motorcycle about two meters away from a drugstore along Leon Kilat street as he was about to purchase some medicines.

Before he left his vehicle, he said he saw two men wearing crash helmets. When he was on his way to the pharmacy, the two men sped away onboard his motorcycle.

When he reported the incident, the police showed him pictures of notorious personalities that helped him identify Lipar alias "Badyok" of barangay Tisa, Cebu City as one of two suspects. In his testimony, Siton said Lipar's small crash helmet was not able to cover his entire face making him recognizable.

Caminade was convinced with this testimony citing that "the identification Siton made cannot be doubted taking into consideration the proximity of the witness to the accused and that the place was lighted." With this, the court found Lipar guilty of carnapping and has to serve a minimum of 14 years and eight months to 16 years and one day in prison.

Lipar was also ordered to pay Siton P100,000, the value of the property he stole.