"Gunman" owns fiscal's murder

CEBU, Philippines - The alleged gunman of assistant city prosecutor Patrick Osorio is worried about his safety at the Cebu City Jail after signing an extra-judicial confession admitting to the crime.

Lyndon Horandoy yesterday signed a two-page affidavit where he admitted killing Osorio in January 6, 2009. It was not however clear whether he signed the affidavit voluntarily or he was forced to because no lawyer assisted him.

Cebu City Police Office intelligence chief Romeo Santander said Horandoy wanted an assurance that he will be safe in the City Jail. Horandoy is reportedly afraid of his co-accused Allan Sinugat who is already detained at the City Jail.

In his affidavit, Horandoy claimed that it was allegedly Sinugat who was contracted to kill Osorio for P50,000. He said Sinugat only hired him as driver of the motorcycle and was promised P5,000.

One week before Osorio was shot dead, Horandoy said he saw his late uncle Arman with Sinugat talking with a woman, whom he believed to be the mastermind, at the Plaza Independencia.

Horandoy said he did not have any idea then what was their meeting all about. He said he was there only to meet his uncle.

On the day Osorio was killed, Sinugat allegedly asked him to drive him to Barangay Mambaling in the afternoon where he was given P200 for gasoline. They met in Barangay Tabunok before going to Mambaling at 3:00 p.m.

It was only on their way to Mambaling that Sinugat allegedly told him that they are going to kill somebody.

 “Wala pami naabot sa Mambaling ni sulti siya nga duna mi pusilon unya dunay bayad nga 50 mil,” Horandoy said.

Upon reaching Maria Gochan Street, he parked his motorcycle near Park n Go Bakery while Sinugat called someone over the phone.

“Akong nakit-an si Sinugat nga mi-lakaw padong sa kilid sa bakery sa habig sa Maria Gochan Street nga may ka estorya sa iyang cellphone. Sa wala ma dugay, nisulti nga manglarga na,” Horandoy said.

Sinugat drove the motorcycle into Maria Gochan Subdivision and later went back to the area where they entered.

“Samtang nag hinay-hinay siya og padagan, sa motor sa tuong kilid sa usa ka puti ug silver nga dako nga sakyanan nga nagdagan paingon sad pagawas…ni dunol si Sinugat kanako ug kalibre 45 ug ni ingon nako nga tirahe,” reads Horandoy’s affidavit. 

Without any hesitation, Horandoy grabbed the gun and fired four shot at the driver whom he later came to know as Osorio.

After the incident, Horandoy said they went home to Talisay City where he resume his work as “habal-habal” driver as if nothing had happened.

Horandoy said it was only in the news that he learned that their victim was a prosecutor. According to Horandoy, he immediately left Talisay and went to his aunt’s house in Barangay Patopat Barili where he stayed for seven months before he transferred to Barangay Guadalupe in Cebu City.

He also went to Ubay Bohol before coming to Barangay Guba where he was arrested last Tuesday based on the warrant of arrest for murder issued by Regional Trial Court Judge Silvestre Maamo. (FREEMAN)