Man gets 17 years for killing neighbor

Interrupting a videoke session proved to be dangerous, at least for a man who lost his life to the ire of his neighbor whose singing he accidentally stopped.

Ronilo Badjos, 49, was killed instantly after Eugenio Balasta attacked him with a knife on the afternoon of April 24, 2005. Two years later, the Regional Trial Court sentenced Balasta to 17 years in prison for Badjos’ death.

In his decision, judge Soliver Peras said the prosecution’s evidence successfully proved Balasta’s guilt beyond reasonable doubt. Peras also ordered Balasta to pay P756,000 to compensate the earnings of the victim had he still been alive.

Prosecution witness Eric delos Angeles told the court that Balasta was singing that afternoon of April 24, 2005 when Badjos accidentally tripped over the cord of the microphone Balasta was using and it detached from the videoke machine.

Balasta got angry and warned Badjos. However, the latter reportedly replied in an "insulting manner" that angered Balasta even more. An argument ensued between the two, but was later aborted when Badjos walked away.

Delos Angeles said Badjos proceeded to the basketball court nearby when all of a sudden, Balasta reappeared with a knife in hand, followed Badjos and attacked him.

The victim reportedly still noticed Balasta but was too late to react when the accused stabbed him in the left side of his chest and right side of the torso.

Even on the ground, Badjos still managed to grapple with Balasta who continued to stab him. The wife of the accused and a barangay tanod came to stop Balasta.

While Balasta’s wife tried to assert that it was Badjos who allegedly approached Balasta and attacked him with the knife, the court said the same assertions are devoid of merit.

The court said there was no proof that Balasta and Badjos had a previous grudge or altercation before the incident took place.

"Absent is any proof of any previous encounter with the accused and the victim, then the defense’s claim is shallow and uncorroborated, and is doomed to fail," the court said.

Consequently, the court said Balasta’s self defense was totally negated not only by the impossibility of his assertions, but by the claim of Delos Angeles who was present during the entire incident. — Joeberth M. Ocao/MEEV