Parents of minor, who killed his brother, may face civil case

CEBU, Philippines - The parents of the 14-year-old suspect who shot dead his older brother in Barangay Poblacion, Tabogon will probably face a civil case.

According to Senior Inspector Alex Ancao, chief of the Tabogon Police Station, the police are still investigating the incident but what happened was under the responsibility of the parents.

“Within the family ang incident but we are still coordinating with the DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development) kung what appropriate case ang i-file,” Ancao told The FREEMAN over a telephone interview.

Ancao added that the suspect had several theft complaints at their station. They once alerted a team when they received a call from a concerned citizen that the suspect was armed and was waiting for a motorcycle-for-hire driver whom he was planning revenge on.

A week before the killing last Friday, the suspect reportedly stoned an “ukay-ukay” store in the said barangay. The police responded but the suspect was able to flee on foot.

“Ako di na ko mahibu’ng aning bataa kay mura’g naa gyud siya’y criminal instinct pero unsaon nga di man ma-priso,” Ancao said. (I am not surprised with this kid because he seems to really have a criminal instinct but we cannot detain him.)

Section 6 of the RA 9344 or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006, states that a child fifteen years of age at the time of the commission of the offense shall be exempted from criminal liability.

However, the child may be subjected to an intervention program.

The suspect reportedly got angry when he was made a laughingstock by his 16-year-old brother. This prompted him to shoot the victim in the head using a caliber .38 revolver.

The victim was eating lunch alone inside their shanty when the suspect arrived and shot him.       

PO1 Dario Sta. Teresa said it all started when the victim pretended to be a girl and became textmates with his brother, the suspect.

They even agreed to meet three times but the “girl” never showed up.

The suspect became embarrassed when his older brother laughed at him and told their neighbors what happened.

Last Thursday, the suspect learned that it was his brother who posed as his text mate. This led to a fistfight.

The unlicensed gun which was owned by the victim was bought in Danao City, allegedly for self-defense and to scare their father whenever he was drunk.

The suspect tried to flee after the crime but was nabbed inside a hut some distance away. — (FREEMAN)