Factory worker found guilty of trying to kill neighbor

CEBU, Philippines - The Regional Trial Court has found a factory worker guilty of trying to kill his neighbor in Barangay Perrelos, Carcar City some six years ago.

In her eleven-page decision, RTC Branch 12 presiding judge Estela Alma Singco convicted Dindo Apura of attempted homicide under Article 249 in relation with the Article 6 of Revised Penal Code after he allegedly beat his neighbor, Joel Manayaga.

Singco sentenced Apura and another unidentified person to spend three months to three years of imprisonment and allegedly trying to kill the complainant.

The court also ordered Apura to pay Manayaga the amount of P25,000 as temperate damages in lieu of actual damages.

The complainant said that on August 8, 2004, the accused with “deliberate intent to kill,” attacked and hit him with the use of a piece of wood.

Because of the incident, Manayaga sustained an alreolar fracture, maxillary left, mandibular fracture, parasymphyseal right and arleolar fracture right.

Manayaga narrated that around 10 in the evening on August 8, 2004 he decided to go to the house of Nita for their “dawat-dawat.” Thereat, he allegedly saw the accused drinking with a companion.

It was figured out that Nita's place was about 400 meters away from the victim’s house. And when the accused saw the complainant, he allegedly asked the latter to have a drink but not long after, the complainant asked permission to leave since it was already late in the evening.

The accused allegedly offered to go along with him since they will be heading the same way. However, upon reaching the home, Manayaga allegedly felt that someone hit him but he don’t know where he was hit. Later, he noticed that he sustained injuries in his mouth, teeth and suffered a broken jaw.

Manayaga said he could not think of any suspect except Apura because they were walking together while he was on his way home.   (FREEMAN NEWS)