3 men get 6-10 years for frustrated homicide

CEBU, Philippines -  Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Sylva Paderanga of Branch 16 has sentenced three men to six to ten years in prison for frustrated homicide.

Found guilty beyond reasonable doubt were Nicolas Estor, Edgardo Valmoria, and Jeremy Labrador.

On June 23, 2007 at 11:30 p.m. Jefferson Codilla said that while he was inside a bathroom, Valmoria and Labrador entered the bathroom and held him.

At this time, Estor joined Valmoria and Labrador and stabbed Codilla on the chest.

After the stabbing, Labrador and Valmoria fled.

Valmoria denied the charges. He said he was at home sleeping when Codilla was stabbed and was awakened by noise coming from the outside of his house.

In her six-page decision, Paderanga said the evidence presented by the prosecution was clear that there was indeed a stabbing incident.

“From the context of the evidence presented by the prosecution, this court finds that the crime of frustrated homicide was duly established and proved,” the decision reads.

Paderanga ordered the three men to pay jointly Codilla P50,000 for civil indemnity and P30,000 for exemplary damages.  (FREEMAN)