Wants case downgraded to homicide: Killer of DPWH engineer unremorseful

CEBU, Philippines – As far as murder suspect Rene Garcia is concerned, Dolores Salazar only has herself to blame for the death of her husband, Department of Public Works and Highway engineer Ciriaco Salazar.

"Wala ko magbasol. Ang dapat magmahay ang iyang asawa kay tungod niya namatay hinuon ang iyang bana," said Garcia as he and his accomplice Norman Agbay were brought before the Cebu City Prosecutor's Office to face the murder case for the killing of Ciriaco last Thursday.

Rene Garcia and Norman Agbay waived their right to a preliminary investigation and prosecutor Rogelio del Prada gave them 10 days to submit their counter-affidavit.

Garcia also asked Prada to downgrade the case to homicide so he can post bail saying he is the breadwinner of his family and he has a lot of mouths to feed.

Prada said he will to examine first the complaint and their counter-affidavit.

Last Thursday night Garcia, on board a motorcycle driven by Agbay, overtook the car of Ciriaco in sitio Tigbao, Barangay Talamban, and shot the driver, thinking it was his wife, Dolores, who also works in the DPWH.

Ciriaco was rushed to North General Hospital but failed to make it there alive.

During a follow-up investigation, last Saturday afternoon, policemen received a tip from a nephew of Dolores to investigate Garcia, who allegedly had a grudge against her.

Policemen were able to trace Garcia and arrested him with a .45 cal. pistol with magazine loaded with six live rounds the other day.

Garcia admitted Dolores was his target that night and did not know until later that he had killed Ciriaco.

He said he was angry at Dolores for firing him from his job as a driver of the DPWH.

Agbay insists he had no part in the planning of the murder and says Garcia just hired paid him P400 to drive the motorcycle. He added he does not know why the police included him in the charges.

Agbay surrendered himself to councilor Augustus Pe Jr. before he was turned over to the police the other day. (THE FREEMAN)