CEBU, Philippines - The City Prosecutor’s Office recommended no bail against the two men accused of killing 84 year-old Pedro Kamelo inside his house in of Sudlon II, Cebu City.
Margarito Cantotay and Melchor Ebina are now facing charges of robbery with homicide in court for Kamelo’s death.
The prosecutor’s office elevated the case to the courts after both accused opted not to undergo preliminary investigation to answer the allegations filed against them.
The victim’s wife, Janeth, said in her affidavit that she was in the United States of America when she received a call from her brother telling her that her husband was robbed and killed on July 11, 2010.
Janeth said she and her daughter took an immediate flight from the U.S. to the country and arrived home on July 15, 2010.
Upon arrival, Janeth said she saw some of her husband’s personal belongings scattered around the house and blood stains with foul odor.
“I also found the container and box where he kept his jewelry as he always told me over the phone when we get to talk, and the said container and box were forcibly opened,” the affidavit reads.
Janeth said her husband’s jewelry amounting to P430, 000 and a .45 caliber pistol were taken by the accused.
She added that her husband died because of stab wounds in different parts of his body.
One of the witnesses, Alquilles Llamedo, 42, the victim’s neighbor, said that at the time of the incident, around 11:50 p.m. he slept at the house of his girlfriend in Sudlon.
He heard a commotion in the victim’s house and suspected that something happened.
“I discreetly proceeded through the back portion of the house of Kamelo wherein I noticed that the bamboo fence was destroyed and as I peeped through a wall opening on the house of Pedro, I was shocked upon seeing Cantotay and Ebina, helping each other strike the head of Pedro with the use of a sharp bladed instrument while the latter was lying helpless on his bed,” he said.
He added that he saw the accused forcibly open the personal belongings of Pedro and took the handgun and jewelry. — (FREEMAN)