Guilty plea for suspect in slay attempt on manager

CEBU, Philippines – The gunman in the attempted killing of Taiheiyo Cement Marketing Manager Nestor Zamoras has pleaded guilty to the attempted murder and illegal possession of firearms charges filed against him.

Orlando Sagnoy, 30, entered his plea with lawyer Charter Tayora during his arraignment yesterday.

The Regional Trial Court sentenced Sagnoy to imprisonment of at least four years for the illegal possession case and at least six years for the attempted murder case.

However, the driver of the getaway vehicle, Roberto Tercero, 27, pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder charges. He was assisted by lawyer Vernie Berillos.

The arraignment of the alleged mastermind, Jerome Noel, 41, was reset owing his pending motion to quash the information filed against him in court.

Judge Gabriel Ingles said Noel will be arraigned after the motion to quash will be resolved.

Zamoras' lawyer, Braulio Padilla, told reporters they are confident of their case and they intend to have Tercero discharged as accused so he can be used as state witness.

But Attorney Rodulfo Valmoria, Jr., counsel of Noel, said yesterday's developments had nothing to do with his client. He said it is still very early to see the outcome.

"Layo pa ang kaso, nag-warm-up pa mi sa kaso," Valmoria said.

Valmoria also commented on the recent ambush of Ernesto Silverio Porras, 49, the assistant plant manager of Taiheiyo Cement, saying his client never knew about the incident until he heard of it from media reports.

"They should make a deeper investigation of the incident. My client has no knowledge or any relation with the ambush besides when I asked my client with regards to the incident, he said he only knew the incident from the reports of the media," Valmoria said.

The ambush on Zamoras happened about two months ago, just as he was making a turn for the Ayala Access Road on his way to lunch. Two men on board a motorcycle fired shots at his vehicle, but the bullets from the Ingram machine pistol used by the suspects failed to penetrate Zamoras' bullet-proof car. (FREEMAN)