Witnesses, wife of killed Briton no show in pre-trial

CEBU - No witnesses appeared in court yesterday on the murder charges filed against Jude Dayota, the man who was accused of the July 24 killing of a British national who reportedly married his former girlfriend.

Crisanto Arante, one of the witnesses expected to show up, failed to appear in the pre-trial yesterday as well as the complainant herself, Riza Claire Isaacs - the wife of the slain Briton. 

The counsel of Dayota said that his client admitted of knowing the Isaacs couple being neighbors once in barangay Inayawan, this city. But that the suspect was in his house in Inayawan when the incident occurred.

British national Luke Isaacs was shot to death while he was walking on the road with Riza Claire towards their house in a village in barangay Lipata, Minglanilla town, and that Dayota is the alleged gunman.

But Dayota vehemently denied being in Minglanilla at the time of the incident.

Dayota and two unidentified men, onboard a motorcycle, allegedly grabbed the bag of the Briton on July 24.

Riza Claire said she saw Dayota shot her husband dead when the latter resisted.

Joseph Bercilles, assistant provincial prosecutor, narrated how the police experienced difficulty in arresting Dayota as he reportedly went into hiding. The suspect was arrested in his house in barangay Inayawan.

Judge Geraldine Faith Econg of the Regional Trial Court Branch 9 said that even if the information against Dayota would be withdrawn, this is no assurance that the case would be dismissed. —Jasmin R. Uy/MEEV (THE FREEMAN)