Karera operator gets 20 years for killing ex-Pasil councilman

The court sentenced yesterday a video karera operator to 20 years imprisonment for homicide after it found him guilty of shooting to death former Pasil barangay councilman Nestor Ocarol four years ago.

Regional Trial Court Judge Olegario Sarmiento Jr. also ordered Reynaldo Palma, who was arrested inside his rented room in Talisay City after the killing, to pay the victim's family P120,000 in indemnity.

Palma did not deny the allegation that he killed Ocarol during a heated argument while playing video karera in barangay Pasil around noon of October 23, 2002.

Elvira Maranga, an eyewitness to the killing, testified before the court that she saw how Palma shot the former barangay official using a handgun.

Police recovered an unlicensed .357 magnum revolver with four rounds of ammunitions and two cartridges inside its cylinder from Palma's possession during his arrest.

Maranga told the court that while she was inside an improvised comfort room, she heard Ocarol and Palma argue on who won the game.

But Palma reportedly shot Ocarol, the brother of Pasil barangay captain Romeo Ocarol, when the victim left the place.

Palma, however, claimed that Ocarol wanted to attack him during their altercation, prompting him to shoot the victim. - Rene U. Borromeo/LPM