2 guards to testify in US Marine murder trial

MANILA, Philippines - Two security guards of the Rockwell Center will take the witness stand next week to testify on the events leading to the Nov. 24, 2012 killing of US Marine George Anikow, a fiscal said yesterday.

Dominador Arroyo and Randy Lecta were supposed to testify in court yesterday but Makati Assistant City Prosecutor Hannah Arriola said they will present them on March 14 at the Makati City Regional Trial Court Branch 59.

Arriola said the two security guards will testify on what happened before the four accused – Galicano Datu, 22; Juan Alfonso Abastillas, 24; Crispin dela Paz, 28; and Osric Cabrera, 27 – were arrested by the Makati police.

Arriola said the two guards were the ones who blocked the Volvo sports utility vehicle used by the accused in escaping and later radioed the Makati police for assistance.

The accused had earlier posted P300,000 bail each after the court ruled that the prosecution had failed to show evidence that there was conspiracy to commit murder and that the accused had killed Anikow with abuse of superior strength.