`Hit man' gets death

A Filipino gun-for-hire was sentenced to death by lethal injection and ordered to pay damages amounting to about P3-million for shooting a Chinese trader to death in Binondo, Manila three years ago.

In another case, a Nigerian was meted a life term for the murder last year of another Nigerian in Malate, by two separate Manila trial courts yesterday. Both had pleaded not guilty when arraigned.

Manila trial court judge Angel Colet convicted hired-killer Amador Pizarro for the murder of trader Jose Tan Go on Jan. 23,1997.

In a 20-page decision, Colet also ordered Pizarro to pay Go's heirs P2,820,882 for actual damages and an additional P100,000 for indemnity, moral damages and litigation costs.

Nigerian Tobechnkwu Nicholas Mabena was convicted by Judge Perfecto Laguio for stabbing to death fellow Nigerian, Serekwane Jacob Sethubelo, alias "Atin," in Mabena's room in a pension house along Leon Guinton Street in Manila last Feb. 20, 1999.

In his decision, Laguio ruled that Mabena is guilty of murder and was sentenced to life imprisonment "with all the accessory penalties provided by law and to pay the costs."

Mabena was ordered to indemnify Sethubelo's heirs in the amount of P750,000 for moral and nominal damages "with interest of six percent per annum until the full amount is paid."

Pizarro was positively identified by Gaudencio Catillon, Go's driver, in four separate police line-ups at Station 11 under then Superintendent Franklin Gacutan.

Go was waylaid by Pizarro as eyewitness Castillon fetched Go from his store at 844 Sto. Cristo Street in Binondo, Manila, some two blocks away from his house, and was walking along M. de los Santos Street.

"Pizarro met and stared at Go, moved his head from left to right (to ensure his identity) stepped backward about one and a half feet away from Go, pulled a gun of still unknown caliber and fired at Go twice," Castillon said.

Go fell to the pavement and sought Castillo's help. Pizarro fired two more shots finishing Go before fleeing the crime scene.

Nigerian Mabena initially denied killing the victim Sembelo at the same time suggesting the victim committed suicide.

After the prosecution had rested its case, the accused made a complete turnaround and admitted he stabbed his friend to death in self-defense.

The court ruled that Mabena's story is "a last minute concoction to save his skin."