Man gets 40 years over market killing

CEBU, Philippines - A man was sentenced to reclusion perpetua or 40 years imprisonment for killing an anti-crime volunteer last February 18, 2007 in Carbon Public Market, Cebu City.

Aside from imprisonment, the court has also ordered the accused, Vergel Lauza, to pay the heirs of the victim, Roy dela Cerna, the amount of P50, 000 as civil indemnity; another P50, 000 for moral damages; and P17, 500 as actual damages.

In decision, the Judge Estela Alma Singco of Regional Trial Court –Branch 12 said Lauza, together with his cousin, Jefrey Lauza, who is still at large at the moment, connived and confederated together and mutually helped each other in killing dela Cerna, a member of a task force in Carbon Market, by the use of a handgun.

The victim was allegedly sitting on bench in a store at the Carbon Public Market when the accused attacked him.

The prosecution presented as witnesses Rocelyn Parohinog, Arlene Abanto, and Dr. Nestor Sator of the PNP Regional Crime Laboratory-7.

Parohinog, an owner of an eatery located in unit 1, Carbon Market said that while she was displaying her goods and cleaning the table, she saw the two accused approaching dela Cerna, who was a husband of her aunt. She claimed the victim was seated only about five meters away from her.

Afterwards, Parohinog said she heard a gun burst and saw dela Cerna running towards Carbon Police Station while he was being chased by the two accused who shot him to the back before they fled away.

The statement of Parohinog was corroborated by Abanto, who said that before the incident, she saw Jefrey and dela Cerna grappling for a Batangas knife.

This after dela Cerna allegedly caught Jefrey forcibly opening a store. Being a member of a task force in the market, the victim allegedly tried to stop the accused but the latter bit him and ran away.

Moments later, Jeffrey came back with Vergel and connived in killing dela Cerna.

Sator testified also that on February 19, 2007, he conducted an autopsy on the victim and found out he suffered from two gun shot wounds, one on the head and the other on the trunk which was considered fatal considering that they involved bones skull and left lung and the adjacent blood vessels that caused the victim’s instantaneous death. — Veronica G. Basas, Palompon Institute of Technology intern/WAB   (FREEMAN NEWS)