Vendor gets 12 years for death of neighbor

CEBU, Philippines -  A 33-year-old food vendor charged with stabbing and hacking to death his neighbor two years ago was found guilty of the crime of homicide by a Cebu City judge.

Jose Abrasaldo of Barangay Basak, Cebu City was found guilty of violating the provision of the Revised Penal Code by Judge Gabriel Ingles of the Regional Trial Court Branch 58 for the death of Luisito Ybañez in Barangay Basak last November 1, 2008.

Witness Dimmy Emit, a construction worker, said he was outside the house of Abrasaldo, where several persons, including the victim were drinking liquor.

Emit said that Ybañez wanted music sound while drinking but the suspect reportedly told him there was problem with wire connection.

When he returned to the area where they were drinking, Emit said he noticed people scampering away. Later, he said he saw Ybañez punched Abrasaldo.

As he was about to ran away, Emit said, when he saw Abrasaldo hacking Ybañez using a bolo and a knife, hitting the victim in the head.

Emit said he tried helping the victim but when he noticed that the latter was dead, he said he went home to change clothes.

The prosecution presented at least five witnesses who all identified Abrasaldo as the one who stabbed to death Ybañez.

But Abrasaldo denied stabbing the victim claiming that Ybañez probably got mad at him after he refused to join the victim’s group to a drinking binge.

Abrasaldo said that Ybañez followed him to his house where the victim reportedly punched him. But when Ybañez pulled a knife from his waist, the duo grappled for the deadly weapon.

Judge Ingles, however, was unconvinced by the defense of the accused and sentenced him with six years to 12 years of imprisonment. The accused was also ordered to pay the victim’s family P22, 360 as actual damages and another P50,000 as moral damages.— Jasmin U. Labaco/WAB