Cager found guilty for frustrated murder

CEBU, Philippines - For trying to kill his opponent in a basketball game, a man was found guilty beyond reasonable doubt and sentenced with imprisonment for frustrated murder.

 Regional Trial Court Judge Gilbert Moises of Branch 18 sentenced Wilfredo Entice with eight to 14 years and eight months imprisonment for attempting to kill Charlie Navales.

Entice was also made to pay Navales a total of P120, 000 for damages.

Navales, a production operator and residing in Cantao-an, Naga City, in his testimony said that on August 24, 2005 at 9:00 p.m. he was playing basketball in Barangay Upper Naalad, Naga City, Cebu together with Roel Natad, Dandie Navales, Dionesio Navales, a certain Gikgik and Pepel Natad while their opponents’ team was led by Entice, the accused.

He claimed that the said game turned physical and after the game, some members of the other team punched his brother. When he was about to help, Entice approached and fired at him.

Navales said he was hit on the back and because of fear that Entice may fire a second shot, he hid in the dark portion of the court.

The pain made him slump to the ground and slowly crawl to the lighted portion of the court.

He was brought by his colleagues to the hospital where he stayed for seven days and spent P80,000 on medical expenses.

Another prosecution witness, Roel, testified that he was with Navales’ team that time and he saw Entice shoot Navales and then fled after the incident.

The defense through lawyer Desiree Joyce Santiago of the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO), filed a demurrer to evidence on the grounds of the prosecution’s failure to establish the guilt of the accused.

However, the court denied the motion and ruled there was a probability that the accused shot Navales.

The defense initially presented the accused, but during the scheduled trial, Entice failed to appear in court.

Judge Moises ruled that “the prosecution has fully convinced the court that it was the accused Wilfredo Entice who shot and nearly killed the victim Charlie Navales.”

Moises said even though Navales failed to see who shot him but his company Roel was able to identify Entice as the one who shot Navales. — (FREEMAN)