No downgrade to homicide: Murder case vs suspect in engineer's killing stays

CEBU, Philippines – The murder case filed against Rene Garcia, the suspect in the killing of Department of Public Works and Highways engineer Ciriaco Salazar last Aug. 5, stays.

Prosecutor Rogelio del Prado said he could not downgrade the case to homicide as earlier asked for by Garcia because he found there was planning and intent to kill in the shooting of Salazar.

The defense also withdrew its motion for habeas corpus after they learned the case has just been submitted for resolution with the view of filing information against Garcia.

"In view of such development it is considered the opinion of the petitioner and counsel that the instant petition for habeas corpus has just been rendered moot and aca-demic," read the motion of Attorney Giovanni Luna, Garcia's counsel.

Del Prado also said the case is ready to be elevated to court.

Garcia and Norman Agbay are facing a charge of murder for the killing of Ciriaco, but Garcia admitted his target was Ciriaco's wife Dolores.

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 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.

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

Aside from blaming Dolores for the death of her husband, Garcia also asked the murder case filed against him to be downgraded to homicide saying he has a lot of mouths to feed.

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